VEGETARIAN COOKING IN CINQUE TERRE, ITALY
Seasonal, vegetarian, farmer’s market–driven cooking lessons taught by a personal chef in Riomaggore, one of the picturesque towns of Cinque Terre, Italy, overlooking a never–ending clear blue ocean? Si, grazie! Tim McDiarmid led myself and a few other eager “mangionas” (Italian for “eaters”) in an unbelievable culinary class last week. The finished meal and the landscape came together in what can only be described as la dolce vita. Salute to the good life! Read on for a peek at this delicious class and some tips from Tim on putting together a marvelous meal.
Tim McDiarmid, or Tim the Girl as she is known, has cooked in an intentionally seasonal and local manner since she was a child growing up in remote Canada. She learned from her mother, who cooked from the garden out of necessity, long before it became trendy to live on a farm and grow your own food.
After twenty years in New York City, Tim now lives in San Antonio, Texas, cooking for private clients, parties, and pop-up dinners and leading cooking classes. Every summer she and an old friend pair up to lead food and walking/culinary-focused tours in Cinque Terre, Italy, one of the most stunning places on Earth. Tim’s philosophy of letting the season and the market dictate the menu harmonizes beautifully with the early summer, bursting-with-flavor produce grown in the area.
There is nothing like a cooking class to bring a diverse group of people together. We tasted, gabbed, giggled, and learned it’s more about technique and peak-ripeness produce, along with locally made ingredients such as bread and cheese, than it is about fancy, intensive recipes. This is my style of cooking—accessible, colorful, vegetarian, and satisfying.
Tim begins each class with a trip to the market to see what’s fresh. She toys around with various techniques and ideas before arriving and sees what catches her eye. It’s quickly decided we will make a meal of two crostini—one sweet version topped with the freshest ricotta, flash-cooked strawberries, fresh thyme, and three local honeys to sample with each bite, and a savory toast with mashed garlic white beans, sautéed greens, and garnished with fresh and dried figs. These creative toasts were accompanied by a shaved zucchini salad tossed with local spelt, lemon, fresh mint, and roasted almonds.
Each component complemented the next in flavor, texture, and spice. Do you like sweet, salty, crunchy, and a balance of lightness and richness in each bite? I do. These crostini embodied all those flavors in a unique, effortless style. The entire meal could be prepared in advance and assembled at the last moment at the table, making these dishes both elegant and practical—a winning combination for easy entertaining!
4 Questions for Tim the Girl
1. What’s your process for putting together a meal?
The process starts with a call to my local farmers to see what they will be bringing to market when the meal is going to be prepared. From there, I think of dishes I’ve made before, recipes that have inspired me from around the world, images I’ve seen, and memories I have. I consider the flavors, textures, and colors. Most meals feature fresh produce, so I take time to figure out how best to showcase each vegetable. I avoid complicated sauces and preparations that overwhelm the ingredients.
I love serving meals in courses, as I do with The Special Projects Social—a pop-up restaurant/design/art/music series I host. I see the whole meal as a musical album, with each course placed carefully to make the experience enjoyable. Of course, I also consider clients’ preferences while maintaining my style.
2. How has your stay in Italy affected the way you cook or think about a multi-layered meal?
Italy has validated how I’ve always felt about meals—that people need to take more time to enjoy food, family, friends, and the world around them. Americans rush through meals, and even if they’re eating healthy food, their bodies can’t process it properly. It’s good for me that people don’t know how to cook or don’t have time because it keeps me employed, ha, but I still think it’s important to sit with good company and breathe between bites. The Italians definitely understand this.
3. How does being a cooking instructor feel?
Teaching people how to make real food is fulfilling. I enjoy teaching about style and feel rather than focusing on complex techniques. My favorite classes are the ones I co-host with Bianca Gignac during our trips in Italy. It’s wonderful to have such an eclectic group of people learn how easy it is to make a beautiful meal with fresh ingredients. We spend a week exploring Cinque Terre and Genova, visiting local markets, and picking up items like local honey, freshly made cheese, or thyme sprigs by the seaside. The “meal” isn’t always planned, but we end up with a fabulous feast.
4. Can you describe your cooking style in 3 words?
That’s tough. I usually say “upscale urban hippie,” but I know that can have strange connotations for some.
Originally published in “The Kitchin,” by Leela Cyd, June 20, 2012.