Submitted by Samantha Epperson on the 2024 Winter ENGL program in Florence …
Florence has been an awesome experience so far. It was so hard to adjust the first day and I was extremely overwhelmed, but now I think I have my bearings. I love walking over the Arno and just admiring how beautiful the river itself is and l everything is around it. My favorite experience so far was the pasta making class that we took. It was very cool and felt like a truly hands-on way to become immersed in the culture. The price was very reasonable and the class occurs in a small group which is very nice. . We made 3 types of pasta, fettuccine, ravioli, and cappelletti. The ravioli was filled with truffle oil, ricotta, and parmesan cheese. The cappelletti was filled with a nutmeg and ricotta mix. Those two were tossed in butter and sage, and the fettuccine was tossed in a pomodoro. Everything was so fresh and delicious and the chef was fantastic. The chef was extremely helpful and was guiding us through every step, not bothered by any questions and made sure we were doing it right. It was very nice to meet and talk to an Italian that was similar in age to me. We got to ask her about how often she makes fresh pasta, and what she eats on a daily basis. We also got to keep the aprons they provided, which was pretty neat. I love pasta alot and it made me think of my grandmother and great grand-mother because they are very Italian and my mom always tells me lots of stories about their cooking and I have experienced my grandma’s cooking first hand which is amazing. I know she was very excited for me to come to Italy and I can’t wait to tell her all about the pasta making class and maybe even try to make some with her. (Submitted on January 22, 2024)