Tonight, I attended my third cooking class at Voila! Del Mar and I left with five amazing recipes that I can’t wait to try.

In April, I thoroughly enjoyed a class called 30-Minute Dinners with a professional chef named Nadia Frigeri. She has the most delectable Italian accent and she tells you all of the tricks for finding the best ingredients around town.

A couple weeks ago, I went to my second Voila! class which was Japanese Miso-Influenced Dishes with Dave Abella who is Executive Chef at the Roy’s Hawaiian worldwide chain of restaurants. His Misoyaki Butter Fish with Sizzling Vinaigrette was inspired and made me want to book a table at Roy’s ASAP.

Tonight, I brought my mother-in-law Letty along for Voila’s most popular class - From Veneto to Tuscany, The Wine Tasting Route, again with Nadia. We felt fortunate to have been able to reserve two spots in the class when we called the store in June.

First, a few words about my mother-in-law. She’s a top-notch cook who’s never stuck to a recipe a day in her life. She’s been cooking for the multitudes (i.e. her huge Jewish family) since she was 19 years old and practice has definitely made perfect in her kitchen. At first it was kind of intimidating for me to try and cook for her because everything she makes is so out-of-this-world, but after 10+ years around her I’ve finally decided to use her expertise as motivation to improve my own cooking skills.

Moreover, she’s fun to be around, speaks Italian fluently, and is still eager to learn more about cooking and cuisine. She took me to this cooking class for my birthday. If you stick around and read this blog regularly, I feel certain you’ll hear more about Letty as time goes on.

But back to the cooking class…. Voila! is located in the shopping center at Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real. Maybe you’ve seen it before:

Nadia was as sweet and helpful as ever, cooking up a storm for over two hours. Even with three assistants working diligently the whole time, it was constant work for her to prepare the three entrees and two desserts right in front of our eyes.

Here is what she prepared and served for us:

• Risotto with Soave or Pinot Grigio Wine, Asparagus, and Shrimp
• Filet Mignon with Cabernet Wine and Grape Sauce on Polenta
• Three-Meat Meatballs with Merlot Wine Sauce
• Sbrisolona (Almond and Cornmeal Giant Cookie)
• Sgroppino (Prosecco, Vodka, Lemon Ice Cream Slush)

All of these dishes were unbelievably delectable. I would have to say that the Risotto and the Sbrisolona were my top two favorites, although it’s definitely hard to choose. You might be able to find these or similar recipes online, but even if you can, the most invaluable part of this cooking class experience is the pages of personalized notes that Nadia offers on each ingredient and its preparation.

It would take thousands of words for me to do justice to these outstanding recipes and I want to highlight each of them in detail.

Over the next week or so, check back for complete recipes and thorough notes on these phenomenal Italian treats, courtesy of Nadia.

Call for Class Information:

Voila! Del Mar
858.523.9446

12873 El Camino Real Suite M-2/M-4
San Diego, CA 92130