There are many food and wine tours to chose from when
visiting Italy, especially in places like Naples where you can find cooking
tours and lessons that vary from the highly skilled to the more traditional and
fun pizza making adventure. I set out to find a cooking class that would not
only appeal to me as an adult who loves cooking, but also to kids as well since
my 10-year old son was coming along. I figured pizza making would be the best
bet here. And what better place to learn how to make a pizza Napoletana than
Naples?
After doing some research online, I settled on the Eat In
Italy Food Tours team (http://www.eatinitalyfoodtours.com).
I would not be disappointed. The service
is family-friendly and has great location, pricing and setup. Making reservations online was easy. The
general manager, Francesco, responded quickly to our e-mails and answered all of
our questions promptly. When we got to
Naples, we took a taxi to the location for the start of our tour at Piazza
Dante. We stopped by a pastry shop and tasted some of the traditional pastries, like babà, and my personal favorite, sfogliatella (a cream-filled croissant-like pastry shaped like a shell). I also had some
outstanding espresso with our pastries, which got me ready and alert for our
class. From there, we walked around the cobblestoned and narrow streets to Palazzo
Petrucci Pizzeria where we met Chef Alessandro Izzo and the staff for our
pizza-making class. Chef Alessandro and Francesco (both speak English) walked
us through the entire process of pizza making, including a tasting of ingredients
(I was blown away by the taste of mozzarella fior di latte and their fresh
ricotta cheese). The staff got along great with my 10-year old who ended up
being a natural at pizza making. My son had a blast. I was very pleased with the
class, picking up tips on how to improve my own pizza making at home and
learning so much more about the ingredients and what happens behind the scenes
at the restaurant’s kitchen. Francesco
and his team are professional, personable and provide exceptional service. By
the time we left, I felt like we’d made two new friends! I The tour/class lasts
about 3 hours (10:30am-1:30pm) and ends with you eating your own pizza creation
while enjoying the view at Piazza San Domenico.
After you are done there, I highly suggest visiting the Museo
Cappella Sansevero where you can see the famous sculpture The Veiled Christ (“Il Cristo Velato”) by Giuseppe Sanmartino. The
museum is located a short walk from Palazzo Petrucci Pizzeria. And don’t forget
to try the local red wine, Lacryma
Christi (“Tears of Christ”), made from native grape Piedirosso. The grapes are grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius,
which explains the mineral and soil elements of the palate. A fun and
interesting wine, it paired perfectly with my Neaopolitan pizza!
Happy Travels!
Mariela
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