66. TORINO -Tavola Doc - 1

I had assumed that there would be no problem with finding and getting into a cooking school [for non professionals] in Torino as there appeared to be many schools on the web. I discovered that some no longer existed and those that did gave lessons intermittently. Also, I wanted a school that taught regional [piedmontese] cooking and not sushi, hamburgers, and American “finger-food”. Nor did I want a school that catered to English speakers. Unfortunately, the classes I wanted were in March or April. One school, Foodlab, did warn me that their classes would fill up quickly, but I assumed it was just “marketing”. It was too true, so when it came close to the time to leave I had signed for only three classes at Foodlab. This proved in the end a stroke of luck because I then heard from Claudio Buraglini, the owner of Tavola Doc, who offered private lessons at a very reasonable rate. It was almost half the price of a group lesson at Foodlab, let alone private lessons at any of the other schools.

So for the month of May ending on June 3^rd, , and with the exception of three Wednesdays at Foodlab, I attended classes four times a week at TavolaDoc, owned and run by Claudio Buraglini. Each class lasted for about three hours and then we sat down and ate [and drank].

65. TORINO – Loft Regio Parco

I was very lucky in that my friend from Torino found lodgings for me three minutes from Tavola Doc, the cooking school I attended. I stayed at the LoftRegio Parco at 31 via Modena off Corso Regio Parco in the eastern part of the city known as Lunga Dora Firenze.

 

The proprietor of the Loft and his wife were most welcoming and helpful, and their daughter spoke perfect English, having studied abroad including high school in North Vancouver. So I spoke English to her [it’s hard not to as her English was so much better than my Italian] and Italian to the parents. The rates vary with the time of year, and I was lucky because in early May the tourist season had not started started. For a little extra I had the room cleaned. I highly recommend the Loft and the area.

Once considered a run-down area this part of Torino has taken new life with urban renewal. One is only 20 minutes walk from the Mole Antonelliana [or

Mole for short] and even less from the Royal Gardens and the Piazzadella Republica, which boasts the largest open-air market. Five minutes from the Loft is the Torre cafe, famous in the city not only for its coffee but also for its gelato. Every afternoon people line up for their gelato, and on Sundays, when the cafe is closed, the gelato section remains open, such is its popularity. And a few shops down is another cafe with wonderful cakes. Luckily I did a lot of walking!

There are several restaurants in the neighbourhood, and my favourite was the OsteriaPovr'Om, on 51 Via Modena. A gruff looking man welcomed you –if you were lucky it would be the wife—but he is pleasant despite first impressions. They served both fixed and à la carte lunches including mussles and clams. Needless to say I went back several times. A fixed lunch with wine inclusive was 10 euros. I started with that and then moved on to the à la carte for other lunches and dinners.

64 Torino - TAVOLA DOC

64. Torino - Another Cooking School: TAVOLA DOC

I decided that I would attend another cooking school as a way of practising my Italian. As you would have gathered if you have read the earlier blogs, I was tired of attending language schools. I wanted and want conversation, and I wasn’t getting enough at the schools I attended in Italy. I asked myself, why spend all that money to study in Italy where I would be conversing with other non-Italians? I could do just as well back home. Could I survive pursuing an activity with other Italians where no English is spoken? So in 2013 I attended the cooking school Scuola Girasole in Modena and managed quite happily. This year [2017] I decided to try another cooking school in another city in Italy: Scuola Tavola Doc in Torino. As usual my course was for 4 weeks.

I chose Torino [Turin] because I had a friend living there and he had wanted me to visit for a long time. I had heard different opinions about the city – an industrial dump, a beautiful Baroque centre and anything in between. Well, I am very glad that I chose Torino.

Yes, it was an industrial city, less so now after the economic downturn and Fiat’s relocations in search of cheaper production. But it is also a beautiful city. It was the centre of the Savoy dukes and was Italy’s first royal city. So we have large palazzi, long wide avenues, and beautiful parks. In addition, the city has many interesting museums and galleries. To top it off, I found the waiters and clerks honest. Although tipping is not a regular practice, anyone who has visited Rome or other tourist resorts in Italy will discover that the waiters will lean on you for a tip. Not in Torino. Honesty? Well, I left a parcel in a cafe and the waiter came running out to return it to me. And the absence of gypsies pestering me was a refreshing change.