When I got the email announcing that there was a journalist who wanted to join one of my cooking classes I had that feeling of fear that I think is inevitable when faced with someone you know is an expert who will surely judge you, but when I realised that the purpose was publishing an article about my cooking classes on Forbes in the US the feeling was pure terror!

After an exchange of e-mails to agree the menu to be cooked together (for any information, please write to me at illybertinelli@gmail.com), the wait for what would be a big day for me began: a hot summer day on the pleasant hills around Parma where my friends Romana and Giancarlo run their B&B, Corte Vecchi, whose kitchen has somewhat become my kingdom.

Cooking classes on Forbes: a magical atmosphere

Journalist David Hochman arrived with his wife, maitre chocolatier (help!) and a couple of very nice French friends from Bordeaux. Once settled around the cutting board to prepare the fresh pasta, fear completely vanished and we had the time of our lives! You can read the completeForbes article about the full gastronomic journey I will be accompanying in October here.

In addition to preparing the ever-present Tortelli d’erbetta, the area’s most iconic stuffed pasta, we prepared Rosa di Parma, the beef fillet stuffed with the city’s two PDO products, Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma, and concluded with Torta del Vescovo, the tart dressed up for the Bishop’s arrival in the province’s towns, which also won over guests from beyond the Alps in its gluten-freeversion.

A must was a vertical tasting of 3 maturations of Bertinelli’s Parmigiano Reggiano Millesimato, my family’s jewel, and a Prosciutto di Parma matured for 30 months, which thrilled the diners.