It has been two months since I have been in Rome! Time is going by so fast and it is a constant reminder to enjoy as much as possible! A few weeks ago, I participated in SAI’s cooking class. It was my first Italian cooking class and it was unbelievable! We made a three course meal. The first course was fettuccine fatte in casa con pomodoro fresco, basilico e ricotta (homemade fettucine with fresh tomatoes, basil and ricotta cheese), the second course was Pollo alla Cacciatore (Chicken Cacciatore) with a side of patate al forno (roasted potatoes with rosemary), and finally the desert was Crema al Limone con Pesche al Brandy (custard flavored with lemon zest and fresh peaches with brandy). There were different stations to start cooking in and, of course, I chose to start with the dessert station!
During our cooking lesson, we had the chance to interact with our instructor. We learned that she is from the States and is actually married to the chef! She moved to Italy about 5 years ago when they got married and has been here ever since. She taught us how to make the custard, which was simple and easy, and then she helped us make the fettuccine! Putting the dough into the cutter was really cool. It looked easy, but definitely took some time and patience to get it all together. Once dinner was made, we all sat down and had our Italian family dinner. The food was incredible! I could not believe we had all made an entire Italian meal together.
The next day, the girls and I put on our black dresses, red lipsticks, and were ready to attend the Romeo & Juliet Ballet! The Opera House was so beautiful! The ballet was even better. I had never been to one, and this was definitely the best way to attend my first ballet.
This month I also went to my very first Italian Bingo. Although I did not win anything, the experience was really nice. SAI has been organizing a variety of awesome events and programs for us. They have made this experience so wonderful. Although Italian Bingo was not offered in the beginning, they hosted it for us when we showed interest in it. They are always so kind and helpful and I really don’t know how my experience here would be without the three of them.
– Mariam, Suffolk University
