We spent the day in Faenza having a cooking class conducted by the fabulous Fabio Guerrini in the home he shares with his soulful wife Heide
Heide showed some of us how to clean raw shrimp and shred escarole for a delicious antipasto
Others assisted Fabio in concocting sauces for two typically Bolognese pasta dishes and a risotto
All of which we happily consumed
with generous helpings of prosecco, a crisp chardonnay, and a Gewurztraminer
We also got a good look at their extraordinary multilevel house, which Fabio proudly explained was formerly a brothell -- today's library is where the working girls met their clientele
The house is full of striking furniture...
ceramics...
contemporary art -- paintings, sculpture, photography...
and a wildly tiled bathroom -- Heide assured me that all the grooming products pictured here are Fabio's
After lunch, Fabio marched us across town to another super-arty home -- but one built in 1792
The home of Count Nicola Milzetti (now the Museum of the Neoclassical Age in Romagna) was built by local architect Giuseppe Pistocchi and his son Francesco.
Every inch of the place is decorated with beautiful, intricate frescoes and mosaics by Felice Giani
a bedroom like a movie set
and a sculpture of winged Psyche, because why not?
Stuffed with amazing imagery, we then trotted back to Casa Guerrini for gelato (three different flavors, natch) and moscato before scurrying off to catch the train back to Bologna. Whew! What a day! Who knew that Faenza was such a little treasure?
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