Lemon Torte

Lemon Torte
Originally uploaded by catrberry

Today was the first day of classes! My only class of the day started at three and ended at six. Another perk? It was my Vegetarian cooking class!
This was the only cooking class that non-culinary majors could take, so pretty much every one is a beginner. The 14-person class is (surprise, surprise...) all female. I thought that I'd be the only person without much skill in the kitchen, but, thanks to Margaret and Ves Berry, I was one of the more advanced. A girl in my group had never cracked an egg NOR had she separated the egg white and yolk. Even the dish-washing session...some girls did not know how to correctly wash and dry dishes! This concerns me...
Today we studied the lemon and learned of its health benefits as well as where it is found in Italy. So of course we had to make a lemon torte...
Anyway, turns out that baking a simple torte requires a LOT of time and a LOT of precision.
Bubbles? "Keep whisking." The dough ball is shiny? "Your dough is too warm." Your lemon mixture is too thick? "The lemon cream is over-cooked." Is there anything we did right?!
After a taste-test, our chef reported that our pastry was very good. I mean, to my southern palate, I just thought the whole thing was delicious! About as perfect as I've ever eaten. But it was still nice to receive this compliment after we had labored for so long. I love our chef, who was concerned with our class but helped us and gave us tips. She laughed alongside us and, like a warm Italian, even put patted our shoulders after we were done. Touch is my "love-language," so it's easy to feel appreciated here.
I made a few friends in the class, although none of them were with ISA. Sarah, from New York, is fantastic. She's a lot of fun and has some cooking experience as well. We live near each other and walked our twenty minute walk back to our apartments.
Aashikra (I think that's how you spell it...) is from India, and she was also in our cooking group. She is so kind and thoroughly enjoyed getting to cook. The dear even stayed after class to finish washing the dishes with Chef Cecilia.
Another friend (I think her name was Lindsey but now I'm forgetting) was so easy to talk to and fun to be around. She just graduated but is taking a year off to study for a semester in Florence and then teach English in India before heading to Harvard next Fall.
I can't wait to get to know these new friends, either!
Next Monday we study either eggplant or carrot...I can't remember which!
If you would like I can put up the recipes. Just ask me.
After class, Alva and Jess were hanging out at our apartment, and we decided to go searching for a little bite. We randomly ended up meeting Leyla on the street walking back from her class and all walked to the Oltrarno together. I was still so full from the lemon torte that I just came back and made a simple bruschetta. Delizioso!
Another funny thing about living in Florence: you put your trash out every day except for Sunday. You take the bags and put them in a corner of the street from 7:30-8:30 a.m. or p.m., as there is a pick up both in the morning and in the evening. I guess Italians like to be very clean and rid the house of all of the rich smells from dinner the night before.
Oh, and tomorrow I start my Italian language class as well as my International Relations class. Man, I can't wait. I'm so interested in both...don't you love it when your education is enjoyable?
Buona Notte, miei amici!