Paola M. La Spezia

Hi from Paola!

San Venerio, a small village in the hills of La Spezia that borders the gulf and the islands of the Tuscan archipelago, is located in a splendid position for both climate and view. In this corner of paradise, we can enjoy the delicacies that Cesarina Paola has prepared with a typically Ligurian flavor. Ligurian cuisine has an ancient tradition that reflects the unique characteristics of the geographical area. Being close to both the sea and the mountains has created a combination of land and sea dishes. This is what we will find seated around Paola's table: a very varied gastronomic repertoire, where not only the origins of the ingredients vary, but also the tradition from which the dishes derive. 

My specialities

Salt cod fritters, fried anchovies
Trofie (Ligurian pasta) with potatoes and pesto
'Cima ripiena' (veal filled with vegetables, meat and cheese)

Reviews

4.9

30 reviews

: Paola was wonderful. Very kind and welcoming. She made us feel comfortable. The pasta making was fun and the end result was absolutely delicious.
: It was an awesome experience! What a lovely family experience with Paola, Massimo and Thomasso! Would do it again in a heartbeat.
: My two kindergarden kids and me had the nicest experience with Paola preparing pasta and pesto with her. Paola was very flexible: since we came by train, she was so kind to pick us up and take us back to La Spezia. We had a wonderful afternoon in her house and garden. The kids were so happy to make pasta by themselves and the highlight was when they were allowed to pick a lemon from Paola's lemon tree! Paola is an excellent cook, we had a delicious lunch together with her lovely husband and son. We definitely recommend an experience with Paola to anybody coming to Liguria!
: Paola and Massimo are lovely and welcoming, the food was delicious but not trofie. For anyone else booking this is NOT a cooking experience. To be fair that isn't how it is described but I was misled by all the reviews stating that people had been shown how to make trofie. Also while they were lovely, we spent some time watching them try to figure out the operations of their new refrigerator. But great if you want to practice your Italian and have a home cooked meal in a real Italian household.
: Our Italian cooking class with Paulo (and her husband Massimo) was the high point of our entire visit to Italy. Paola was an amazing chef, and patiently worked with us to make fresh pasta (Tagliatele) and several other traditional dishes, which were absolutely delicious. She and her husband, Massimo, were kind, gracious, generous. welcoming hosts. After cooking, we loved just hanging out and spending time with them, and we learned so much about Italy, Italian culture, and lifestyle. Their english is very good, and certainly much better than my Italian. We were able to see how they lived life in a home setting. It was the most memorable part of our entire trip. Highly recommend!!!