Born in a Tuscan family, I've spent more time in the kitchen than in any other room of my house, sitting at the table and looking at Grandma and Mum cooking hearty dishes from the fresh produce of our vegetable garden. The kitchen is my favorite place to be, followed by the pantry, where you can wander through the shelves crammed with home made tomato sauce, jams and preserves, colorful jars glistening tempting in the dim light.

A large number of women from my family everyday would just open the fridge, check all the ingredients, go back to a recipe their great grand mother used to make and cook up a storm out of it. In less than one hour they can feed from two up to ten people with a smile on their face. You would therefore suppose cooking is the most natural act for me, almost like breathing. It is partially true. I mean, cooking for me is just like daydreaming: you dramatize another likely reality in which you can control the ingredients and most often even the result. The way I cook reflects who I am, it is a compromise between my being the girl next door and my desire to surprise that breaks out in my dreams.

Cooking is a part of my way of living, I simply couldn’t bear a life without pots and pans, mixing ingredients and tasting the result. Well, it is totally different when it comes to teaching someone to cook. The first time I found myself behind a table with a bright new apron and 6 people expectantly staring at me, my mind went blank and I got speechless. I’m a shy person, so I had to find the Force. Where could I find the boost to move from the blankness of mind to a more chirpy attitude? I just closed my eyes and saw all the women of my family taking care of the beloved ones with simply meals.

Words started to come out in a stream: Hi everyone! I’m so happy to be here with you today. Just let me tell you something. I’m not a professional chef, I haven’t attended any cooking class. My school and gym were my moments in the kitchen with Mum and Grandma, so now I’ll try to show you how we cook at home, everyday. It will be just like sitting at our table, between my dad and me! From that moment on, everything flew in a thrill of expectation, wide open eyes, puffs of flour and jolly laughs. I found my place in the universe in a tiny and crowded kitchen in the heart of Tuscany, I discovered once again that cooking is a matter of generosity and that sharing your passion is even better than feeding it at home.
Now every time I teach in a cooking class I go back to that moment, I take a deep breath and walk people with me in a journey made of food and memories.
If you will ever attend a class with me, there is a moment when I will always need all your good vibes: when I throw the gnocchi into the boiling water, please cross your fingers and hope that everything will turn right!

About the author: Giulia Scarpaleggia is a writer and she is passionate about Tuscan food. Giulia also has a food blog.