Spring Break 2020. Original plan was to go to our place in Cabo San Lucas, soak up some sunshine, drink good tequila, and meet with the Rotary Club in Los Barriles to visit the mountain villages where our Club provided much needed water filtration systems this year. That plan was nixed with CV/travel threat. Plan B was to road trip to South Lake Tahoe and maybe get some Spring skiing in. Those vacation extremes work for my little family of 3. Plan B was also nixed due to CV/social distancing/restaurant closures. Plan C (currently in effect) is a staycation at Casa Corradetti. It is always special to spend time with our daughter during her college breaks.
To welcome her home, we had our favorite celebratory meal – Bagna Cauda. Bagna Cauda originated in Piedmont, Italy and can be considered an example of how and why – in times long past – regional dishes were born from real life. It is said that wine farmers of the late Middle Ages wanted a special dish to celebrate the most important of all harvests, that of grapes. Bagna Cauda (which means “hot dip” in Piedmontese) was a dish created by farmers by marrying locally sourced produce into a delicious union.
Bagna Cauda was introduced to me personally when I began dating my now husband, Drew. With him being half Italian, his family embraced this meal and had it (with a house full of friends) any time there was a reason to celebrate! I fell in love at first bite!
With wine being a passion of mine (and having winery owners and winemakers as friends), we were asked by a winery in the Sierra Foothills to prepare Bagna Cauda for their Summer wine release event. This meant food for 400 people! We accepted the challenge and participated in this for several years! We were paid handsomely in wine!!!
In moving to the Rogue Valley, we have auctioned this celebratory evening of Bagna at our home at The Oregon Wine Experience. It is fun to introduce people to our traditions! I will be offering an evening of Bagna Cauda for a party of 8 at our Rotary Club’s Parks Uncorked Event. It will be a perfect evening to look forward to! Saluti! Michelle Corradetti
