Sale & Dede Laboratorio di Cucina

As anyone who has done any travelling knows, sometimes it's difficult to get a good night's sleep in another room and bed.  Lily had this experience our first night in Genoa.  She felt as though she hadn't slept all night, and it was very tricky getting her up and out of bed.  However, we had to insist as we had a new family experience booked on the other side of Genoa and needed ample time for the  journey on the city bus.

We managed to get the half-awake Lily down to the number 36 bus stop.  Our morning rush hour bus ride to the Brignole railway station was an adventure in and of itself.  Crazy crowded!

When the number of passengers thinned out a bit, Grace announced, "I can breathe."  Lily shared "There was, literally, no room for my head."  Apart from those comments, they had both handled the commuter crowds better than I did!

The number 39 bus we transferred to, thankfully much less crowded, took us east along the water and out to the old fishing neighbourhood of Boccadasse where we were to meet a woman named Frederica.

The beach at Boccadasse

We made it to our meeting place at the beach with 15 minutes to spare.  Conveniently, this gave us time for a coffee and our first taste of Genoese foccacia bread.  We started with 3 pieces and quickly headed back in to buy two more.  Lily felt she needed a hot chocolate to complete her wake-up.  She described it as chocolate soup, adding that she meant that in the best possible way.   Grace was convinced, without much prodding, to give it a taste.  She, too, was impressed! 

Enjoying some Italian "chocolate soup"

Frederica arrived at 10:00 am sharp to walk us up to her brand new "laboratorio de cucina", or cooking school.  When we arrived and saw the snacks she had ready for us, we regretted having gone back for the extra foccacia bread at the café!

Frederica had set out cheese, Genoese salami and foccacia bread for us to snack on.

We spent the next three hours learning to make;  focaccia bread, gnocchi al pesto and canestrelli, all specialties of this region.  It ended up being one of our most enjoyable family activities we've done while travelling.  Frederica was so kind to the girls and they loved working in her cooking school kitchen.  It didn't take long for Lily to admit that this was so worth getting up for.

Preparing the focaccia dough

Adding mashed up hard-boiled egg yolk into the Canestrelli cookie dough.  This was something new for this group of cookie makers.

Pressing the boiled potatoes for the gnocchi

Mixing in flour, a bit of salt, pepper and nutmeg with our potatoes.  Barry is whisking the egg to also be added.

Rolling out, chopping and using a wooden tool called a 'rigagnocchi' to prepare the gnocchi for cooking.  We each got to keep our 'rigagnocchi'.  And, no, the chocolate you see in the bowls isn't for the gnocchi.  When she heard we liked chocolate, Frederica brought out the chocolate she uses in her baking for us to sample.  It sure beat any chocolate chips I've bought in Canada!

The basil we used for the pesto was so fragrant and fresh, as were the pine nuts. 

Frederica told the girls they had made much better pesto than the last few groups.  They were proud.

Grace is pressing out our focaccia bread for its second rising.

Mmmmmm, a bowl of our gnocchi al pesto.

Ready to sample the pesto with potato gnocchi.  I, evidently, had difficulty taking my eyes off of it.

Canestrelli dough has been in the fridge and is ready to roll and cut out.  We started with the traditional Italian flower shape, but afterwards, Frederica brought out a big bag of cutters where the girls found some Canadian-style cookie cutters; a moose, bear and maple leaf.

Freshly baked focaccia bread.

A touch of powdered sugar, and our canestrelli cookies are done.

Such a fun morning in Frederica's kitchen.  She even let Grace and Lily keep their aprons.

After our cooking class, Frederica drove us back into the city to show us the food market full of fresh produce at great prices.  Heading home with our arms full of baked goodies, we felt our experience at the Sale & Dede Cooking School was worth the splurge (even Barry agreed!).

Frederica had her school's opening-night party just last night.  We hope this young Italian woman's new business enterprise will be a great success.  If the experience of these four happy Canadian clients is any indication, it will be.