21 Acres: Pacific Northwest Italian - Della Terra, From the Earth

Italian food is all about "eating off the land," using the finest local, in-season produce. The worldwide Slow Food movement, so called because it encourages taking time to prepare meals from scratch and share them with family and friends, started in Italy. It is an alternative to fast food and, as such, strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine, advocating for the farming of plants, seeds, and livestock characteristic of  local ecosystems. Join Chef Cody Castiglia to create Italian classics using the Pacific Northwest’s seasonal bounty. Our hands-on menu will include: mushroom lasagna with ramp pesto and bechamel, cannellini bean ragu with braised winter greens, red onion jam and brown butter, spring insalata (local spinach salad), shaved local asparagus, raw and pickled local vegetables, shaved la quercia proscuitto, apple and honey viniagrette, and Theo Chocolate budino. With meat, dairy, and gluten.

Instructor: Chef Cody Castiglia

With his father, grandparents, and many other family members in the restaurant industry, one could say Cody was born to be a chef. Cody studied the culinary arts and hotel and restaurant management. Over the last decade, he has worked at a number of popular restaurants that emphasize farm-to-table cuisine and use local, seasonal ingredients, including Craving Restaurant and Carte Blanche in New York. Cody has his own small business called Chopped & Sealed, where he makes pantry products such as jams, salsas, and chutneys using only local, peak-season ingredients. Cody has worked under some of the most elite chefs in the country and is eager to share the knowledge he has gained. Commonly known as one of the founders of Southwestern Cuisine, Cody’s background ranges from Southwest to Sicilian to Sushi, but his culinary philosophy is to merely gather the finest local ingredients in their peak season and treat them in a way that best suits them.

Registration is required in advance for culinary programs. All proceeds benefit educational programming at 21 Acres and initiatives related to accelerating social change toward more sustainable ways of growing, eating and living that protect the environment while supporting a better quality of life.

The more the merrier! Our culinary classes are twice as much fun when they’re full. 21 Acres reserves the right to cancel any class that fails to meet the minimum enrollment numbers required for teacher participation. 21 Acres may also cancel classes due to chef illness or inclement weather. If 21 Acres cancels a class, students will be notified and a full refund will be mailed or a credit issued on the credit card used. Learn more about 21 Acres’ 91240e;text-decoration:underline;">cancellation and refund policy.

Be a conscientious commuter—walk, bike, carpool or bus to 21 Acres events whenever possible.