COOKING AT SOPRA-SOTTO

Greetings from Carmela's Cucina,

Are you looking for a fun cooking experience next weekend, perfect for a cold Minnesota cold snap? Then let me suggest a culinary class at Sopra-Sotto in Rochester.

Located in the University Mall across from the Mayo clinic in downtown Rochester is Sopra-Sotto, an Italian Living Store that offers cooking classes in their beautiful cucina. I have been teaching at their store since if first opened a number of years ago and it is one of my favorite places to teach. The classes are small and intimate and set among all things beautiful from "Bella Italia."

I will be teaching two classes there and I hope that you will think about signing up for one of them. On Friday night Jan 16th, by popular demand I will be teaching "The Feast of 7 Fishes." This is a complete seafood experience. We begin with an antipasti of mixed seafood, olives, artichokes, tomatoes and cheese. Our main course is a delicious seafood stew, full of fresh and varied fish and shellfish, along with foccacia and salad you will enjoy perfectly matched wine and we will conclude our meal with, cream puffs filled with an almond cream and garnished with fresh raspberries. The Italians love this meal and you will too.

Saturday, Jan 17th will find me back in the cucina at Sopra-Sotto this time with a totally new class that I have developed especially for the store, Cucina Calabrese. We will begin with a crostini of fresh ricotta and herbed olives, then enjoy a hearty fettucini al fredo and a meatloaf stuffed with Italian meats and cheeses and finish up with orange and chocolate zeppole. Zeppole are the doughnuts or street food of Naples and southern Italy and are sure to please you. The doughnuts will have a hint of orange flavoring and when you dip them into a dark, rich, and velvety chocolate sauce you are going to think that you have died and gone to Italian heaven.

To register for either class go to www.sopra-sotto.com or call 507-252-5522.

And if one of these classes doesn't cure the winter blues then you better sign up for my spring tour to Tuscany. Go to www.carmiescucina.com and click on the tours button for full details.

I hope to see you at a class or in Tuscany very soon.

Buon appetito,

Carmela Tursi Hobbins