Under the (gluten free) Tuscan Sun

Under the (gluten free) Tuscan Sun
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Florence, Italy

Florence, Italy

As a person with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, the possibility of eating Italian food seems to disappear in the blink of an eye. A life that was filled with pizza, pasta, and tiramisu gets reduced to cries of “You won’t be able to eat anything but salad!” when informing family and friends about a vacation to Italy (or even a simple Italian dinner night).

Well, get ready to prove everyone wrong; not only is completely possible, but it’s just as delicious.

Wandering down the streets of Florence, a food-lover’s paradise awaits even gluten-intolerant guests at cooking school MaMa Florence. As we all know, food does more than just nourishing your body. According to MaMa Florence, it’s main purpose is “passing down culture...and, above all, nurturing the emotional connections we create through food.”

Upon first entering this cooking and wine-tasting school, visitors are greeted with a dinner table, two large counters set with chopping boards for each person, and high-tech stoves and ovens, all creating the atmosphere of a clean, modern kitchen full of locally bought, organic foods. One of the co-owners, Vanessa Held, gently welcomes participants with the offer of water, sparkling or still.

Crostini di fegatini

Crostini di fegatini

food52

Once everyone arrives, the class is off; because you are making five courses in a short amount of time, the chef separates people into little groups for each task. While the cook does his or her best to explain every step, the fast-paced environment causes occasional directions to be missed.

For example, while my group was working on preparing our juicy, flavorful fried eggplant with mozzarella, I could not focus on a short explanation about how to make a traditional Tuscan fegatini spread (which, despite including liver, capers, and anchovies, was a favorite of the class, including the picky young children!).

MaMa Florence did an excellent job of preparing naturally gluten free, traditional Italian foods. As an appetizer, for example, we prepared zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta, pancetta, and taggiasca olives; I am now able to say, for the rest of my life, that I ate flowers for dinner.

Fiori di zucca ripieni

Fiori di zucca ripieni

leitv.it

With a brief wine break in the middle, some time spent watching the chef work his magic, and a lovely, sit-down meal at the end, the class was a nice blend of work and relaxation. When more people with Celiac disease realize they can have amazing Italian food and this particular class gains a larger following, MaMa Florence can add classes on how to convert gluten-containing recipes to gluten-free (homemade pizza and pasta for Celiacs, anyone?).

Whether visitors are interested in cooking classes or wine tastings, MaMa Florence has classes to fit everyone, including (but not limited to): Spices of the World, All That Chocolate!, Pasta Making, Fresh Green and Flowering, and An Italian Wine Journey. For more information, visit their website.

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