COOK LIKE LOCALS IN BOLOGNA

My friend and I recently spent 10 days in Bologna. Neither of us had been there before so we decided to take advantage of some guided tour activities, which we hardly ever do while in Italy. The first was a cooking class that included a guide, a shopping trip through the market and the class at a local woman’s home. It was so much fun to learn about the traditional foods we were making as well as making them. We had so many laughs along the way. We sat at the dining table and enjoyed our meal as friends. I am looking forward to making this meal for my family. Our second activity was planned for the very next day. A drive to the area of Modena to experience the process of making parmiagiana cheese and balsamic vinegar. I would recommend this organization, Like Locals in Italy, as a great way to experience Bologna.

My friend and I, two women over fifty, enjoyed two activities with Like Locals in Bologna, both organized by a charming and knowledgeable leader named Maddalena. The first was a cooking class in the home of Marisa and her two daughters. We made tortelloni, mortadella mousse, and a dessert like tiramisù- all delicious. We drank the traditional wine of Bologna – Pignoletta – laughed and learned the techniques of an Italian kitchen. We ate together in Marisa’s beautiful home where we felt welcome and like part of the family. I am not usually interested in tour type activities, but I couldn’t have been happier with these choices. We left with an understanding of the region and the Bolognese people that would have been impossible without Like Locals. I highly recommend this organization and the memories I have through their efforts.

My Girlfriend and I went for the Cook like Locals experience with Maria and Anna and it was a delightful experience throughout. It felt more like a visit to a friends place and we felt so comfortable and had a lot of fun learning more about bologna, the food and the culture. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves while shopping for ingredients and preparing the dishes, learning a lot through the process. Maria and Anna were wonderful hosts and made our trip in bologna an enjoyable and unforgettable one. Looking forward to seeing them again.

Maria and Maddalena were amazing hosts for a one of a kind experience! I come from an Italian background and I learned so much about food and how it’s prepared with them. My husband and I spent the first night of our honeymoon making authentic Bolognese dishes and drinking authentic Bolognese wine. No better way to learn about a place than break bread with the locals and become fast friends.

We had the ultimate cooking experience with Maria. It was everything perfect from start to finish – the booking process was smooth, the cooking class both instructive and amusing and the food delicious. Maria guided us through each step (we even went together the ‘Mercato delle Erbe’ to pick all the ingredients) giving us plenty of tips to make the greatest fresh pasta! Thanks Maria, we love making pasta for our friends in Dublin – No one can believe we learnt that much in just one session. I couldn’t recommend Like Locals more.