San Miniato has joined a list of places I like to visit often. I had an excellent reason for my latest visit. Emiko Davies, a delightful food lover I follow on Instagram has recently opened Enoteca Marilu with her husband in the centre of the town. It will soon be open for wine tastings and aperitivo. Right now Emiko has begun her cooking classes.
One day soon (autumn) I would like to do one of her market cooking classes, but I started with a class by Saghar Setareh, an Iranian writer and food photographer who has written a gorgeous book about her culinary journey from Iran to Italy, Pomegranates & Artichokes.
In the book’s description …” Pomegranates & Artichokes is the story of Saghar’s own culinary journey from Iran to Italy, in which she describes the parallels that link Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food cultures, and shows how ingredients and recipes, unconstrained by borders, are shared and transformed through the immigrant experience.”
It is a beautiful book and Saghar’s cooking lesson took us through some of the recipes in it, beginning with breakfast. Emiko had prepared a morning tea with delicious milk bread served with rose petal jam and butter along with plates of Fattah,made by Marco (Emiko’s husband), covered with garlic yoghurt sauce, warm chick peas, mint and pine nuts.
Saghar made her grandmother’s bicoloured sweet tea.
The gathered group of enthusiastic food lovers helped prepare baked apples filled with mincemeat, walnuts, raisins, and spices including saffron, cinnamon and cardamom.
We also made stuffed tomatoes and eggplant.
Best of all, we got to eat everything we helped prepare.
To finish off the feast there was a cheat’s version of traditional Iranian ice cream. Saghar actually made it at the beginning of the class so it could be put back in the freezer. She began with a store bought ice cream, slightly melted, and added saffron infusion, pistachio nuts, rose water and rose petals.
Thank you Saghar for sharing your lovely book and delicious food with us.
And thank you Emiko and Marco for having us at your beautiful brand new enoteca and kitchen.
Enoteca Marilu…Vicolo Faognana 2, San Miniato.
Phone…(39) 347 654 0678
Saghar Setareh…https://www.labnoon.com
Thank you so much for joining us Debra, it was such a pleasure to meet and cook with you! Looking forward to seeing you soon for a glass of wine!
By: Emiko Davies on May 29, 2023
at 7:41 pm
It was fun, thank you. Your new enoteca is great, I will be back.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 30, 2023
at 4:30 am
I see a drive to San Minato in my future…October cannot get here soon enough!
By: Christine Elena Powers on May 29, 2023
at 7:45 pm
You will love it, and you must go to Enoteca Marilu.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 30, 2023
at 4:31 am
I’m very jealous, as I too follow and admire Emiko. A talented and hard working couple.
By: Jan on May 29, 2023
at 8:36 pm
They are both delightful as well.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 30, 2023
at 4:32 am
It all looks wonderful. But I said to David not to expect me to prepare the same!!!
By: Camillus Davall on May 29, 2023
at 10:58 pm
The dishes are not complicated. I hope to make some soon.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 30, 2023
at 4:32 am
It all looks wonderful!!!
By: Camillus Davall on May 29, 2023
at 11:02 pm
I like the illustration on the cover of the cookbook! So pretty 🙂
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on May 30, 2023
at 1:07 am
The book is beautiful and an interesting read.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 30, 2023
at 4:33 am
Oh … wow!! How fabulous!
By: Jan on May 30, 2023
at 1:33 am
Yes, it was fabulous.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 30, 2023
at 4:33 am
The food looks amazing Deb. Such a lovely experience when you met nice people and cook great food.
By: Kerry & Jim on May 30, 2023
at 5:15 am
It was excellent. I was particularly interested in meeting Emiko after following her posts for sometime. She is a delight.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 30, 2023
at 5:19 am
One thing I would love to do someday is take some cooking classes. This looks incredible! Thanks for sharing!
By: thirdeyemom on May 31, 2023
at 6:24 pm
It was fun. I am looking forward to trying these at home.
By: Debra Kolkka on May 31, 2023
at 7:32 pm
Looks so yummy, Debra. Nice to see you’re still enjoying this most beautiful part of Italy 🤩
By: Pauline & Gary on June 1, 2023
at 6:26 am
It was all delicious and it was great to go to Emiko and Marco’s new enoteca.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 2, 2023
at 11:25 am
Great post Debra! Would love to take the class some day.
By: Alana on June 5, 2023
at 7:11 am