Local culinary vanguard Caputo’s has been providing Utahns with the best flavors from around the world since they opened their flagship market in 1997. But the food nerds just couldn’t come to terms with letting customers leave with precious meats and cheeses in their hands without teaching them a thing or two about where they came from. So, in 2000, they started educating the Beehive State’s jello-totting, soda-lovin’, fry-sauce-frenzied residents on the wonders of the food world. From in-depth chocolate tasting classes, to French cooking courses, to Wine and Whiskey 101 lessons, the acclaimed experts at Caputo’s have curated a unique and accessible avenue for culinary education.
Southern items: Pecorino Fiore Sardo cheese, Nocellara olives, Taralli crackers, Nduja Salami, Sabadi Modican chocolate
Central items: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Fennel Pollen salami, Amedei chocolate
Northern items: Sottocenere cheese, Speck prosciutto, Guido Gobino Cremino chocolate
In an attempt to increase my food IQ, I purchased a virtual Tour of Italy class for myself and my family as a Christmas gift, and I can confidently say I’ve achieved ‘Favorite Child’ status. After receiving our kit, which included 11 hand-picked meats, cheeses, chocolates and olives, we gathered ‘round the kitchen island, joined the zoom meeting, and popped open a bottle of Chianti. The 90-minute class was led by Caputo’s Senior Manager & Director of Education Adrianna Pachelli, and to my surprise was full of both local and international students. The course was a serious test of our self-restraint as Pachelli admonished us to taste one item at a time, but the generous amount of each product ensured we had plenty to snack on while we listened to her extensive and quick-witted explanation.
Each item took us through different regions of Italy, where we covered cheeses that are at-risk of extinction, chocolate-makers shattering glass ceilings, and the rich traditions of olive-making. Discussing food through a geographic lens is particularly useful in connecting each product with the people that make them. “In essence, we want folks to see that cheeses vary by region, that some areas smoke their cured meats, chocolate is made using unique processes depending on location, and that food is as diverse as people,” says Pachelli. Throughout the class we chimed in on our favorite pairings, mused about our own food traditions and connected with each other over this special shared experience. Pachelli says it best: “For me, the Tour is a celebration of the human experience and what it means to invite people to your table.”
Four Takeaways
The course was a great introduction to Caputo’s lesser-known products, but it was also an opportunity to reflect on food history and culture. Here’s my four takeaways from our Tour of Italy.
The Chocolate Industry is (surprise, surprise) Incredibly Misogynistic
Nibbling on an indulgent dark chocolate bar by gourmet Tuscan chocolate brand Amedei, Pachelli lamented about the founder Cecilia Tessieri’s uphill battle in a male-dominated field. The world’s first female master chocolatier, Cecilia spent decades mastering her craft and eventually entered a bar into the Academy of Chocolate where she initially placed very highly. After questionable reevaluation, and no doubt complaints from her male colleagues, the Academy faulted her bar on an ingredient technicality and the award was taken. Undeterred Cecilia returned to the Academy in 2005 and won the organization’s first ever ‘Golden Bean’ award. Since then, she has gone on to win multiple international awards and Amedei has become one of the industry’s highly regarded bean to bar chocolate companies.
Eating With Intent Will Help Save Endangered Culinary Traditions
Industrialization, climate change and hyper capitalization have put thousands of delicious foods at risk of extinction. Case and point: Pecorino Fiore Sardo cheese, a lightly smoked hard cheese made from sheep’s milk in Sardinia. Dating back to the Bronze age, the production of Fiore Sardo has remained unchanged—a labor-intensive process that requires patience and near constant attention by the cheesemaker. As industrial producers have moved in, the artisanal cheese makers have struggled to compete, and the tradition runs the risk of extinction. As we savored this special cheese, Pachelli reminded us of our role as consumers, and how our buying decisions have the ability to rescue endangered traditions. For more information on at-risk foods, visit Slow Food USA which keeps a living catalog of foods facing extinction.
Chocolate and Whiskey are a Pairing Made in Heaven
Chocolate and wine? No thank you, I’ve since discovered the best pair for an indulgent confection is whiskey. Both share a lot in common, like their range of flavors and textures, meaning you can mix and match to your heart’s content. Pay attention to the barrel type the whiskey matures in to inform your choice!
If it Tastes Good to You, It’s Right
I always have a tinge of trepidation when taking courses like these, like maybe my palette is not refined enough or I’ll blurt out my favorite cheese and meat pairing only to be met with stunned silence. My anxieties aside, the folks at Caputo’s invite curiosity and experimentation, and never look down their nose at us pedestrian eaters. Some of my favorite moments in the class occurred when Pachelli invited us to grab honey out of our pantry and drizzle it on the cheese, or give in to our inner child and dunk crackers in wine. Forget hoity-toity etiquette and eat how you want.
Caputo’s offers a variety of online and in-person classes every month, check their website for the latest schedule.
