Family Matters

This morning, I awoke from the world's longest food coma. Last night I had one of the most filling, satisfying, and fun meals I've ever had. It wasn't at a restaurant, and it wasn't something I cooked at home. This time, my WHOLE family contributed to the meal in our very own cooking class!

A while ago, I saw a little blurb in the paper for The Culinary Underground--a local cooking school for recreational and home cooks. I looked into taking a class during my ample amounts of free time this summer, but most of the classes available were for kids. So I gave the school a call to find out about any adult cooking classes. Starting next month, The Culinary Underground will offer several interesting classes, from vegan cupcakes to autumn soups. They also offer custom classes for small groups. I was intrigued. I spoke to Lori, the owner, and she said she would put together an entire menu based on my family's tastes, and the rest was up to us.

I was a little anxious going into the class. Would my family even enjoy doing something like this? No one else in my family truly enjoys cooking the way I do. And what if they don't like the recipes Lori put together? Like I've said before, we have some picky eaters in our family.

The Culinary Underground is in Lori's own home--a modern house set into a hill with huge windows. The kitchen was wonderful: beautiful granite

countertops, so much space, and neatly organized--quite unlike our crowded, cluttered kitchen.

Lori and our intstructor, Chef Fred Rubin, presented the evening's menu to us. They explained we could all divvy up the recipes and work together along the way. It was somewhat awkward at first; everyone was too timid to claim responsibility for an entire recipe. But finally we figured it out...My dad would prepare the roasted pepper crostini, my mom and brother would make the gnocchi with caponata, I would cook the pork with fig demi-glace and zucchini with garlic, and my sister would bake the pistachio cake. Off we went!

As much as I loved preparing the food, my favorite part of the evening was seeing everyone else in my family participate too. Watching my mom and brother dice

up all the ingredients for the caponata was a sight to be seen! Not that they didn't do a great job, because they did, but my mom rarely lets my brother use a sharp knife at home, and she does not enjoy spending so much time chopping things into precise cuts.

Overall, we all enjoyed our evening of cooking and eating. We may not all like to cook, and some may be pickier than others, but spending time together and collaborating in such a delicious meal really was a bonding experience. As much as I love to eat and try new foods and recipes, the reason I came to love cooking and food so much was for this reason: its ability to bring people together. Food has a way of erasing our differences, helping us forget our troubles, and uniting us in a shared experience.

A Midsummer Night's Italian Menu

Crostini Peperoni Arrostiti

(Toasted Bread with Roasted Pepper Salad)

Strozzapreti con Caponata e Ricotta Salata

("Priest Strangler" Gnocchi with Eggplant Relish and Ricotta Salata Cheese)

Porco con i Fichi

(Pork with Fig Demi-glace and Fresh Figs)

Zucchini con aglio

(Zucchini with Garlic)

Torta del Pistacchio con Limoncello Glasse

(Pistachio Cake with Limoncello Glaze)

Click here for more info on the Culinary Underground and the classes they offer!