MINNEAPOLIS — After more than a year of online-only outreach, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting small Italian villages is returning to in-person events.
And fortunately for Minnesotans, you don’t have to board a plane to participate.
According to the organization itself, Esperienza Italia inspires “the revitalization of rural Italian villages through language, culinary and other immersion programs.”
Before the pandemic, that outreach included trips to Italy. And while they’re not yet planning an international excursion, they are hosting a truly Italian event on Sunday, Aug. 8. The event marks the 201st birthday of Pellegrino Artusi – widely considered “the father of Italian Cuisine.”
Tom Gabriel with Esperienza Italia spoke with KARE 11's Karla Hult about the event for KARE 11 News at 4.
Esperienza described how to join the event, which will be held at several local restaurants:
“Twin Cities restaurants, Woodfire at Eastside and Harriet Brasserie, will host special dinners that day utilizing Artusi recipes. In addition, Sebastian Joes, Everett & Charlie, and other local businesses plan to join the party."
For the occasion, Esperienza is working with Casa Artusi, a renowned cooking school in Forlimpopolo, Italy, dedicated to Artusi’s philosophies and recipes. Coordinating with Casa Artusi, the participating restaurants will create a one-time menu highlighting a few favorite Italian dishes.
Each chef will create his or her own version, but the recipes will all derive from the famous Artusi cookbook, “La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene” ("The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well"). Complete menus will be posted online at Woodfire at Eastside and Harriet Brasserie.
Diners can purchase tickets through Esperienza’s event page: www.esperienza.org/artusi.
There's also a fabulous opportunity to learn Italian cooking with Cooks of Crocus Hill on Friday, August 6. For more information on that, just go to: https://www.esperienza.org/cooking-august-2021.