Hello My Favorite Foodie Fans,
Sorry for the long absence of newsletters, but you know, maybe I’ve been
a little occupied doing things like eating hot steaming sweet fruit breads
filled with cinnamon butter sugar which oozes down my arm “tasting’ my
students work making sure its edible. And to be honest, this summer, after
my recent trip to Europe, I have been enjoying a few cold, cold peach
granita filled aperitif’s (that’s a pre-dinner drink that stimulates
the appetite. Usually contains alcohol or in my case, bubbly Prosecco (Find
the Recipe Below)). I have discovered putting a cold slushy of fresh
fruit from the season into a flute full of bubbly Italian champagne is the
best way to beat the summer depression I always get in Florida when the
rains are non-stop, the humidity is 100% and the bugs are bigger than my
head. Ugghhh, I need a Prosecco now. Ha. Italians always have the best
ideas!
Things are going great for the Fat Tuscan as we continue to expand into
more and more cooking classes & specialized events. We are now officially
a full time Community Cooking School & Event Venue so check out our new
Fall line-up of Cooking Classes on our website www.fattuscan.com if you
would like to join us for a class or a special chef dinner. We have lots
to choose from and I know I would love to see you as I miss seeing all of
you at the café. I just want you to know, if you join a class as my
student, I am always willing to “taste” your food. It’s the
sacrifice I am willing to make for you. Ha! *Mention this newsletter (July
Newsletter) and enjoy a $5.00 discount off your first cooking class.
**Rebate will be given at class.
I know some of you miss dinning at the Café, but our new direction has
given us more time to make the events that we do even more memorable &
specialized. This brings me to the point of this newsletter, announcing
our Tuscan Cooking Class Tour! We will host a yearly Week in Tuscany
Cooking Class Tour to be held in September or October with dates announced
in January of every year on our website. This year, October 7th to the
14th is our inaugural first trip, sorry for the short notice, but so goes
it with first trips and Italian style business negotiations over aperitifs.
Our Week of Cooking Classes will take place in the beautiful country side
of Tuscany on the border of the mountains between Tuscany and Umbria. The
tour will be all inclusive and includes a week of nightly cooking classes,
7 night B&B stay, transportation, daily guided tours to small medieval
towns and a translator/tour guide for all your needs. (This translator is
me so be sure to catch me before my nightly aperitif if you need EXACT
translations done, otherwise I may accidentally sign you up for the morning
shoveling of horse manure for the farm vegetables or make up stories about
the ancient ruins because I forgot the real details.) ha. The tour is
small, only 4 couples, (8 students) is our maximum number. We will be
keeping to the unbeaten path for this tour, so it includes lots of small
towns in the countryside with cooking classes conducted by locals from the
region. But, I recommend that students book their trips with an extra week
to explore some of the bigger cities and areas on their own either before
or after the weeks classes. *Deadline to sign up is July 20th, please see
our website for more details or email us at fattuscancafe@gmail.com for
more information.
Be sure to check us out on Facebook and Instagram under Fat Tuscan and
follow us to get daily pictures, notes and occasionally fun recipes from
our test kitchen. We also post lots of beautiful pictures from some of
the intimate events here at the Fat Tuscan, so if you know someone looking
for a space for a baby shower, wedding shower or rehearsal dinner tell them
to take a look at our site for ideas or to see if they think we would be a
good fit for their event. As you know, we always excel at making the best
memories here at the Fat Tuscan!
Hope to see you soon, Chef Michelle
PS – Be sure to keep us on your email list as we plan to add a few pop-up
dinners to our Fall itinerary. This is a dinner for those of you who loved
our Courtyard and miss dinning in the Tuscan ambiance. They will be
reservation only, limited menu, 15 tables limited seating and first come
first serve. Dates and Details will be sent via emails.
Peach Granita Recipe
4 fresh peaches washed and with skins on cut into chunks.
2 cups water
¾ cups sugar
4 tbsp champagne/prosecco or 1 tbsp vodka (helps keep the granite slushy
and to a shaved ice consistency, but doesn’t add much alcohol so kids can
enjoy this too.)
In a small saucepan heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves. In a food
processor put in peaches and grind until a soft fruit consistency is
achieved. Mix sugar water and peaches well and pour into a metal or glass
rectangle pan and stir in alcohol, cover and freeze. In 2 hours stir any
ice crystals from the edges into center. Repeat twice and then let freeze
completely. Using a spoon or fork flake the peach granite into a slushy
consistency. – Spoon into a glasses, with or without alcohol, I prefer
prosecco, and it’s a perfect afternoon aperitif for this summer heat!
