Cafe Lago Announces Summer Cooking Class Schedule

July 22, 2011

A couple of weekends ago, during Seattle’s all-too-brief week or two of summer, we wanted to try a restaurant we hadn’t experienced in a long time, so drove over to a long-time favorite: the Montlake-neighborhood Italian restaurant, Cafe Lago.

Here’s the gorgeous, handmade Beet Pasta I enjoyed as my main. It was as light and lovely as the sunshine outside.

But the star of the show that evening was Cafe Lago’s Roasted Half Chicken–truly divine–with a very crispy and spicy skin (thanks to roasting in a charcoal Josper oven), tender meat and loads of flavor. Also a VERY generous portion. When we go back, I’ll urge Spencer to share with me (probably NOT gonna happen!) or simply order my own and take half of it home for later enjoyment.

Good news is, that Cafe Lago is currently offering a series of classes on various aspects of Italian food and culture.

Even better news is that each class (for up to 20 people) is free with dinner!

Upcoming Wednesday-evening lesson topics include, Why Seattle’s Best Gelato Comes from Ballard, Opera and Drink, and Italian Bombshells.

Class participants are asked to arrive at 6:30 p.m, pick a spot, and get to know their neighbors over complementary Prosecco and antipasti. Dinner orders are then taken and the class begins at 7 p.m. Dinner is served during the class and the nights’ lessons wrap up around 8:00.

Those interested in attending are encouraged to make reservations, although walk-ins are accommodated as space is available. To make a reservation, call 206-329-8005.

Here’s the schedule of upcoming classes:

· Wednesday, July 27, 7 p.m. – Why is Ballard a Hotbed for Gelato? w/ Marco D’Ambrosio, owner of D’Ambrosio Gelato in Ballard

If gelato is the royalty among ice creams, then D’Ambrosio Gelato in Ballard is the King. But what makes this creamy treat so special? It could be the cute little plastic shovels, but we’re sure there’s more to it than that. Fresh off the plane from his most recent trip to Italy, Marco will teach us how to make fantastic gelato, how it differs from ice cream, and some delectable gelato cocktails.

· Wednesday, August 3, 7 p.m. – TBD

· Wednesday, August 17, 7 p.m. – Romance, Scandal & Drinking at La Scala

When it comes to Italian opera, passion, revelry and mischief usually take center stage. And more often than not, a plentiful supply of tasty beverages moves the plot along—from the insatiable thirst of Sir John Falstaff, to the ode to drinking sung in La Traviata, to the mere illusion of inebriation in The Barber of Seville.

· Wednesday, August 31, 7 p.m. – Italian Mamas and their Power w/ Cecilia Strettoi, Associate Professor of Italian at the University of Washington

According to an Italian proverb, behind every great man is an even greater woman. A rare combination of strength, beauty, and nurture, Italian women range from the matriarch to the bomb shell; they are the multi-faceted jewels of Italian culture. Cecilia will entertain and educate diners on the nuances of true Italian women.

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