In Which We Learn to Make Italian Food

Daniele and I were pouring over the list of field trips and experiences we wanted our Miami University students to have while in Firenze.
This was several months ago, still in Oxford, Ohio.
Uffizi Gallery: Yes.
Galleria dell'Accademia (The David!): Yes.
San Miniato al Monte Basilica, with its extraordinary vista of the city: Yes.
"What about an Italian cooking lesson?" I asked him, hopefully.
As a Florentine, Daniele is understandably proud of the world-class institutions for which his city is known.
But I teach an entire Advanced Storytelling class framed around food writing, and I love how food can teach so many sophisticated journalistic techniques.
Still, was my request too... crass?
Daniele stopped, considered. "Certainly," he replied, waxing poetic about his wife's own pasta-making talent.
***
And so here we are at In Tavola, near Firenze's Piazza de Santo Spirito, mesmerized as Chef Fabrizio energetically instructs and then prods each student to roll, roll, roll the pasta; pinch the ravioli edges; stir, stir, stir.
Here's one scene -- featuring (left to right) Kara Pietrowski, Abby Kelly, Annie Lynch and Lindsay Clark -- making ravioli and fettuccine.
I'll link to some of the students' own writing about this experience as they post them on their Foreign Correspondent blogs.

Ah, sì. Mi Sento a Casa in Italia

The River Arno at sunset June 9, 2015.

When I left Italia after the summer of 2010, I was relieved. I found myself constantly telling people, "Go as a tourist. But don't try to live there."
The Amanda Knox case was in high gear then.
The summer in Florence had been hot and complicated.
I missed my husband, children, friends.
I missed my garden and Friday night barbecues at our swim club and my dogs.
Never will I return to Italy, I vowed.
And I meant it.
***
But here I am, teaching journalism again in Firenze.
This time, I feel... comfortable.