My name is Vilma d’Ortona, I am a cook and I will be your cooking teacher.
I am originally from Abruzzo but resettled in Tuscany 30 years ago due to having met my husband. My family in Abruzzo has always had a strong food tradition, particularly with bread, pasta and yeasts. My Nonno was even the town “dough-maker”, or “pastaio”, and prepared each day many kilograms of bread and pasta for his clients. I still use his “guitar” to prepare spaghetti. In addition to this device, I also inherited from him my passion for manual preparations that, together with the Tuscan food, have allowed me to specialize in a traditional cuisine that uses fresh and seasonal ingredients. On the other hand, I always strive to bring a pinch of innovation and cheer to my recipes, experimenting with new flavor matching and lighter cooking methods.
I am sure that the passion that I put into preparing my dishes will be key to having fun together and to conveying to you my enthusiasm for healthy, light, harmonious cooking that is easily reproducible at home.
My aim throughout my courses is to help my students get familiar with raw ingredients and with their proper preparation, and to make specific dishes easily repeatable at home.
I will be very happy to tell you about particularities and anecdotes regarding the recipes we will confront, and how these have accompanied the lives of Italians for centuries, evolving with the changing lifestyles.
Since the nineties I have been theacing Italian cooking lessons and just one year ago I was even invited to Canada to teach a series of lessons that really enriched me professionally and as a human being. I have remained in contact with many of my students, exchanging recipes, suggestions and photos of our creations.
I would like to become your point of reference in the kitchen through Carezze d’Italia, even after your departure. Therefore, if you want to write or call me, do not hesitate, I will be happy to remain in contact with you.
