Mamma Agata at Provender Brown!

There are a few foodie adventures I have on my bucket list and very near to the top is a weekend spent in the company of Mamma Agata, the Italian cookery school goddess who famously cooked spaghetti for Fred Astaire and watched on as Jackie Kennedy grazed on the simplest of mozarella and tomato salads. For me, Italian sunshine and stories that ooze glamour and food all in one is the stuff that dreams are made of.

Masterchef addicts will remember the Mamma Agata Cookery School from this year's semi final; our heroine is now helped by her son-in-law Gennaro and the pair work hand in glove to create dishes and memories from both traditional and modern Italian cookery.  

Imagine the excitement then when it was announced that Gennaro and his wife Chiara - Mamma Agata's daughter and the woman who has been described as the beating heart of the school - were to visit Perth as part of their Scottish Culinary Tour! 

And who else but our own Provender Brown could play the role of Scottish host for Chiara, Gennaro and their children Mario and Paula? Diane and the team were asked to showcase 'a wealth of Scottish flavours' and during the visit they served up both sweet and savoury items from their range of cheeses, charcuterie and local Perthshire produce.

I dropped in to see Diane (mainly because we are both now determined to get to the Amalfi Coast for a reseacrh trip....!) and she had this to say:

"We were delighted to be invited to welcome Chiara and Gennaro to Provender Brown and we created a real taste of Perthshire and Scotland for them. I did put some of my personal favourites in there and I pleased to say it seemed to WOW them!  

They're like us -  proper food lovers, so I knew they would enjoy the amazing produce we're lucky enough to stock. Its been a real honour to be involved in showcasing Scotland to guests with such a fantastic culinary heritage."

Here's why I want to go....!

 

Mama Agata has been cooking since she was a teenager, working in the nearby summer villa of a wealthy American woman, who entertained many illustrious personalities in the 50's 60's. They called her "Baby Agata", since she was so young but dedicated to her craft.

She was dedicated to remembering her guests' favourites and when Fred Astaire came to call, after a lunch of spaghetti alla puttanesca, he would waltz the hostess's elderly mother around the courtyard. Humphrey Bogart was more reserved, and quietly ate hisalici fritti while taking in the view. The pasta e fagioli was a dish exclusively reserved for Anita Eckberg, a gloriously tall woman with skin like milk. And Jacqueline Kennedy enjoyed a mozzarella and tomato salad beside the pool.

 

Small City Recipes on tour perhaps....?!