Venice "Cooking School for Lovers" at the Gritti, Part II

And so we danced

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There was no orchestra, there were no musicians

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We danced in the Grand Ballroom of the Ca' Rezzonico, Venice, Italy

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Ca' Rezzonico was, for a short time, the home of Robert Basset Browning, whose father, Poet Robert Browning died there.

John Singer Sargent and Whistler rented a floor or two.

In 1927 Linda and Cole Porter lived in part of the Palazzo.  They paid $3,000 for the privilege.

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We were given a private tour of the Palazzo.  To visit Ca' Rezzonico is to truly understand and get a glimpse of life in Venice in the 18th century.

The Palazzo was the home of the Rezzonico Family.

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Reconstructed Tiepolo Room at Ca' Rezzonico

Today it is the home of the Museo del Settecento.  It retains the feel of an old Venetian Palazzo, packed with period furniture and tapestries in gilded salons.  It even has a restored apothecary complete with powders and potions.

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Tiepolo

The Palazzo is adorned with Frescoes by Crosato, Giambattista, Tiepolo and other notable painters of the time.

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Tiepolo, "The meeting of Anthony and Cleopatra"

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were given a Masked Ball at the Ca' Rezzonico.  They danced in the Great Ballroom... to

orchestra and musicians present

Bruegel the Elder

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It startled the security guards (who were hired for our private visit to the Palazzo) and it surprised our guides as

Gene and I took a turn around the grand ballroom floor, humming a Viennese Waltz

Now back home, before we do more damage, to the bar at the Grand Gritti Palace Hotel

Gina

Today I'm joining http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/

Valentine's Day Cooking School for Lovers at the Gritti

Valentine's Day in Venice, cooking with Aphrodisiacs and 24k Gold

Part I

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The Gritti Palace Hotel was built in 1525 as the residence of the Doge of Venice, Andrea Gritti

Gritti's School of Fine Cooking Introduction

"The best things in life are immoral, illegal or they make you fat"

Our bedroom at the Gritti

Cooking with Club de Doge Executive Chef Celestino Giacomello

Assistant Chef, Gene and Executive Chef Giacomello

Partridge and black Truffle Quenelles in Consomme
Yes, we did eat the 24k gold

Shopping with Chef Giacomello at the Rialto Market

Gene flirting with Carla Coco, our expert in gastronomic history, guidebook and cookbook author who guided us with expertise and charm through the history of Venetian Food.

Veal Fillet Medallions in Foie Gras Pastry Case, Toasted Hazelnuts with White Port Sauce and Vegetable Brunoise

We also learned how to prepare:

White Chocolate Heart with Passion Fruit Jelly

Terrine of Giant Prawns in Curry-Flavored Pastry Case with Pumpkin cream

Banana Mousse with Chocolate Heart and Caramel Sauce

Saffroned "Chiche" in Truffle-Flavoured Robiola Cream served in Parmesan Wafers

Duck's Breast in Honey and Chili Peppers with Whisked Potatoes and Ribbon-shaped Vegetables

Champagne Mousse

Veal Fillet Medallions

Note:  Should you have a hankering for anyone of these or all of the recipes,  I will only be too happy to send them on to you.

After each cooking session we would take a break and reassemble in Gritti's beautiful Dining Room to enjoy the same dishes we had learned to prepare a few hours earlier.   Only this time our meal was prepared by Chef Giacomeli's assistants

In the lower right picture, our interpreter and guide, Antonia

Each day and after each sumptuous meal we would go for a 4-hour stroll through the back streets of Venice visiting historic sites or just walking and admiring. Our wonderful guide and interpreter, Antonia,  took us on a different route and every day, we had a new experience.

Part II to follow

Happy weekend, my dear blogging Friends

Gina

Today I'm linking to  http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/

"French Country Home Giveaway"

The most gifted and the most talented Sharon Santoni of My French Country Home  is celebrating her one-year anniversary of blogging.

Sharon's blog is special. It is the one blog I go to first thing in the morning.  I think that you will be pleased to discover Sharon, if you have not all ready.   

Hop on over and see her fabulous giveaways, featuring a different artist every day.  To the giveaway I have donated a "Bakers Dozen" of my little cotton drawstring bags. They are perfect for holding all kinds of lovely treasures.  The small,  all cotton bags,  are printed with my original Italian Renaissance Ceramics designs.

Sharon has posted instructions on how to enter and how to win this giveaway here 

Good Luck
Gina

Stylish Blogger Award

       

A few days ago I was given an award. The Stylish Blogger Award.

Mark Ruffner from Allthingsruffnerian has bestowed upon me this great honor.  Thank you Mark.  I didn't even know that you were reading my blog.  That is what is so remarkable about blogging...we have Friends everywhere and that is what keeps us blogging.

Happily I accept this honor but there are a few simple rules:

1)  Thank and link back to the person giving you the award

2)  Share seven things about yourself

3)  Chose 10 of your favorite blogs and contact those bloggers and tell them about the award

Seven things about myself:

I'm grateful to my parents who made the decision to emigrate to the Great United States of America when I was a very young girl

I have been blessed with a positive disposition

My husband wrote these for me:

ability to make something happen

unending ideas

creative stylist

having fun in creating

committed to improvement

I would like to give The Stylish Blogger Award to the following bloggers

Tongue in Cheek

My Castle in Spain

Aged and Gilded

PlumSiena

Surroundings

Art'stheAnswer

Bibliodyssey

Pas grand-chose

Georgianna Lane

THE ESSENCE OF THE GOOD LIFE


The difficult part of choosing only 10 favorite blogs is that there are so many more I would like to honor.  So instead, I will add just a few of my favorites.
Fuoriborgo
My French Country Home
From the House of Edward
Fauxology
Casa Dulce Hogar
French Kissed
Cote de Texas
The Essence of Frenchness
A Gift Wrapped Life
Belgian Pearls
La Dolfina
LaPouyette

Thank you my dear blogging friends.  I have learned so much from each and every one of you.

Gina

Discipline

I was raised by parents who came from East Prussia

That is where I was born, by the Baltic Sea

It takes discipline to paint like this and even more discipline to complete it

My family emigrated to the United States when I was a very young teenager.  I was on my own when I was 17 years old.

I loved the freedom that I sensed American teenagers enjoyed

I have painted since I was very young.  My Father took me on many painting expeditions

I spent many years working.  Later in life I decided to go to University where I received a degree in Anthropology and Art History

All along my husband and I traveled

Right from the start I was drawn to Italian ceramics, known as Maiolica (Majolica)

After taking many lessons,  in Italy and other parts of Europe, I now paint ceramics in the 600-year-old Italian Renaissance Tradition

It takes patience (something I didn't have when I was young) and discipline to complete one of these pieces.

I'm grateful to my parents who taught me discipline and how to be patient.

Gina

Monday is Wash Day, Tuesday is Ironing Day

That is the way it was in our home

Every female had to take turns ironing

In my home I iron by the kitchen window

Where orchids are blooming in the middle of winter

Where I can see who is coming down the lane

I don't iron by hand, I have a Miele ironing machine

When not in use it sits in a broom closet

and unfolds and snaps into place when I need it

And then it goes to work

All I have to do is step on the foot pedal and guide the cloth through the machine

I only iron twice a year

Mostly napkins

I paint many of my napkins.  This one is hand  block printed with acrylic paints and shapes cut from old computer mouse pads

Even large and fancy tablecloths are a snap

Wish you could have one too

Happy weekend, my dear blogging Friends

Gina

Therese Long of the fine Blog La Dolfina is looking for an Ironride for her Mother.   Her readers would like to see a tutorial.  The above is on a different machine but I think that all are very similar.