Italian Cooking Show… and Wine Tasting in Coral Gables at “Mia Cucina”
Categories: Around Town, As Heard on the Street, Community Events, Community Information, Coral Gables, Life & Style, Miami, Miami Beach, Moving to South Florida, Real Estate News, South Miami
hiThere’s competition for Miami Spice, in Coral Gables ! Once a month, all summer long, the high tech Italian kitchen design store on Coral Way, “Mia Cucina”, has been hosting gourmet cooking classes … coupled with wine tastings. Gourmet beyond words, they invite from the top Italian restaurants (their chefs and owners!) to prepare and instruct and entertain … while patrons wine and dine. The Pelican on South Beach, Silvano (also on Miami Beach), Trattoria Sole of South Miami , and Il Quadronno at Merrick Park in Coral Gables have each hosted cooking classes at “Mia Cucina” … always around a very specific theme.
One night it was “peperoncino” (hot red peppers) which gave everything from the appetizers and pastas, to the entrees and even the “gelato” a real kick . (”Peperoncino” in the ice cream ! Wow ! ) Another evening the theme centered around “basil”… and the most recent event revolved around “prosciutto”. I missed the opening night … but managed to get to the one the following month (an hour… and two courses late). I made it to the third on time, and by the fourth I was a good 15 minutes early (and got a front row seat!). Talk about dying and going to heaven… these events are truly heaven on a platter … with abolustely divine wines!
Between the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, Mia Cucina in Coral Gables has hosted four of these events. To the most recent, they invited Trattoria Sole in South Miami, and Orvino Wine Imports… honoring and welcoming the newly arrived Italian Ambassador, Marco Rocca, to Miami. With the theme of ‘prosciutto’ I was almost tempted to decline… (not, until THAT night, being a fan of prosciutto). Aahhh… not liking prosciutto is a cultural lack which my Italian family is hard-pressed to comprehend.
From that evening forward, I am now a devout convert, having been royally educated as to the qualities of prosciutto di Parma, and having my taste-buds mesmerized by some of the most amazing dishes I’ve yet to encounter. Wined and dined to perfection, entertained and educated, and sent home hours later feeling like royalty… with recipes (and gifts!) in hand… beaming and enriched… and all for $35. (I’d now put prosciutto near the top of the aphrodisiac list!) I can only guess what they might host next … but whatever it is, I am soooooooo there!
Vicki,
Sounds like a lot of fun!
Please let us know when you find out abou the next event. Though, you may have to show up thirty minutes earlier the next time. :