Cook With Chef Claudio of La Piazza Dario in Vancouver

Margaret Cowan aka Mama Margaret, who organizes cooking, wine and cooking tours of Italy and who organized our excellent cooking lessons in Tuscany for our honeymoon, is organizing a cooking lesson at the La Piazza Dario on Saturday May 3 at 4:30p.m. in Vancouver.

It sounds great! Please let us know what you think if you go! Here are the details that Margaret emailed us:

START of Margaret's Email

Are you craving a little taste of a decadent Italian cooking tour right here at home in Vancouver? Si??

For years in our Mama Margaret & Friends cooking tours in Italy, we've enjoyed cooking lessons with Italian chefs right in their restaurant kitchens with a bountiful, multi-course dinner with wines after. Now in Vancouver, you can enjoy the same kind of wonderful Italian experience, our.....

FIRST EVER COOKING LESSON WITH CHEF CLAUDIO AT LA PIAZZA DARIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO AT THE ITALIAN CENTRE!

For the first time ever in Vancouver, in his 24 years at La Piazza Dario restaurant, Chef Claudio Ranallo will give our group of 10 an exclusive cooking lesson in his restaurant kitchen. A real insider experience! La Piazza Dario Ristorante Italiano is THE place where Vancouver Italians take their special friends and guests to dine. See why at www.lapiazzadario.bc.ca

On arrival at 4:30 p.m., we'll greet you Italian style, "Buona sera!" with a glass of Italian prosecco, a dry, bubbly wine.

Then into the kitchen! Claudio will demonstrate his "Spaghetti alla Claudio", a dish with simple ingredients: garlic, olive oil, sundried tomatoes. But with his secrets Claudio will tell you, this simple sounding pasta becomes extraordinary!

Claudio will then show you how to make one of his signature dishes--veal medallions with aged balsamic vinagrette sauce! An elegant, savoury plate you'll love to make for your gourmet friends!

Then we all sit down around our table to savour:

• Claudio's antipasti plate--quite an array!
• Spaghetti alla Claudio with white Vermentino wine from Sardinia
• Scalloppine all'Aceto Balsamico--Veal medallions in aged balsamic vinegar sauce with red Rubesco wine from Umbria (served with vegetables)
• Torta di Cioccolata--chocolate mousse cake
• Coffee or tea

WHEN: Saturday, May 3, 2003 at 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: La Piazza Dario, Italian Centre, Slocan and East 12th Avenue, Vancouver.
HOW MANY PEOPLE: maximum 10 plus me.
PRICE: $95 per person includes cooking lesson with recipes, four course dinner, three wines, coffee/tea, all 7% food & 17% liquor taxes, nice tip.

HOW TO REGISTER: Call me, "Mama" Margaret, today at 604-681-4074. Advance reservations only by VISA or Mastercard.

Margaret Cowan
Web site: http://www.italycookingtours.com/
Mama Margaret & Friends Cooking Adventures in Italy
Phone 1-800-557-0370 or 604-681-4074.
Fax 604-681-4909.

FREE E-mail newsletter--discover great food lovers' places in Italy, save money on Italian cooking holidays, get some laughs! Visit my web site to join.

END of Margaret's Email