“If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change”
Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, The Leopard
That’s right! If you follow me on my Instagram, you may have already seen but I have launched my online cooking classes – now it’ll be the cookbook next, I know, I know! I’ve been meaning to get that written for years. Now, I am pleased to say that I am now seriously working on it! I have to just figure out how to secure finances to self-publish it…
I feel the quote from the Leopard at the beginning of this post just sums up perfectly how my life has been this year and the realisation that came with the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic. Without any travel permitted, my entire business came to a halt. I couldn’t think of any way to help us cope financially through these terribly hard times. Our business, that I had worked so hard to build up, had been completely destroyed by the pandemic.
There were no guests to fill my holiday apartments and much worse, I could no longer give my cooking lessons which I love so dearly.
It was not just my business that was suffering but my own sense of being. I miss my guests. I miss the wonderful atmosphere of my classes, the joy of cooking together and sharing recipes, stories and laughter. Suddenly, I realised that with changing times, things have to change if I want them to stay as they are. I worked tirelessly with my personal assistant and together, we carefully crafted something to be proud of…
My cooking classes are now online, bringing my kitchen to yours!
I now teach you, with the power of Zoom video calls, how to cook up a Sicilian storm wherever you may be. My classes last between two and two and a half hours long and are live streamed. This means it really does have an essence of being in my cooking classes as I can instruct and you can communicate in live time with me. Of course, I keep my eye on you the whole time and make sure you are perfecting the recipe!
My Sicilian cooking classes are for everyone to enjoy – any age, any cooking level and all dietary needs can be accommodated! I currently have a selection of five different menus for you to choose from – I added a second vegetarian menu option since my launch, just two weeks ago, as these veggie options have been such a success! If however, you’re looking for something to really sink your teeth into – no pun intended, please excuse me, my vegan friends – then I also have three wonderful seafood options.
In order to accommodate my classes, I have given each menu a day that I teach it on. During lockdown, this seemed like a sensible thing to do to be fair to all of the menus and with most of us truly stuck at home anyway, so at least it gives us something mid-week to look forward to! Each of the Monday to Thursday classes begin at 17:00 CET, to have your delicious reward ready for lunch or dinner time! While on Friday’s I accommodate my Australian guests and European lunch time preferences with this class starting instead at 10:00 CET.
Monday: A Very Veggie Menu (Option 1)
Fusilli with Pistachio Pesto Sauce
Aubergine Rolls
Almond Milk Biancomangiare
OR
Monday: A Very Veggie Menu (Option 2)
Busiate with Pesto, Trapanese Style
Apple Caponata
Vanilla Flavoured Apricot and Orange Pudding
Note: Of course, with these, depending on the other participants of the cooking class, you can mix and match between the menus!
Tuesday: Pantelleria Spring Menu
Toasted Almond and Sage Pesto Crostini
Stuffed Calamari, Pantelleria Style
Potato Salad with Tomatoes and Capers, Pantelleria Style
Strawberry and Blood Orange Pudding
Wednesday: A Menu For Citrus Lovers
Swordfish Rolls
Orange, Fennel and Black Olive Salad, Sicilian Style
Tangerine Jelly with Spiced Blood Orange Sauce
Thursday: It’s Tuna Time! (Only until the end of June to keep it seasonal, so hurry!)
Mint Flavoured Tuna Ragu
Roasted Potatoes with Fresh Garden Herbs
Lemon Jelly
Friday: Accommodating my Australian guests / European lunches
This menu varies and can be decided by those wishing to join for this specific day / time.
Of course, I will always try my best to be flexible, so please enquire if the dates, times or menus don’t suit you.
How does it work?
This is a perfect gift to organise for loved ones and friends, especially if you are still on lock-down, or as an experience the whole family can enjoy.
Simply reach out to me via email at info@cookingwiththeduchess.com and I will send over all of the information. Then you’ll select the menu which takes your fancy the most and how many will be joining you from how many Zoom call locations. Then, get in contact with me and I will build you into a class date! As soon as I have reached a minimum of two Zoom call locations, I will confirm the class and let you know the date.
Each menu includes the ingredient list for you to buy ahead of the class and a list of the necessary equipment. Two days before the class I will email you to send any other necessary information over. It will be at your disposal for any questions or advice you might need. You’ll receive the detailed lesson recipes in a file with my logo for you to print out. You are of course welcome to contact me anytime before or after the class for further tips and suggestions.
I am so looking forward to sharing these moments with you and I am so grateful to all of those who have already chosen to support me on this venture! With your help, you are allowing us to keep our business going!
All of my warmest wishes from sunny Sicily,
Nicoletta x
For more details contact: info@cookingwiththeduchess.com