By Madeleine Fersh
The ladies of the Manhasset Plandome Newcomers Club (MPNC) gathered for the first event of the New Year, an unforgettable evening of Italian cooking and tasting. Hosted at the beautiful home of Emily Burton, the event featured local chef and mom Michelle Capobianco from Majella Home Cooking (www.majellahomecooking.com) who started her own boutique catering company based in Port Washington after working for 12 years as a corporate lawyer. Each year Capobianco returns to her father’s hometown, a tiny village in the Italian region of Abruzzo, to hone her culinary skills. Capobianco now also organizes small group tours of Abruzzo for visitors from around the globe.
Capobianco guided the ladies through preparing three of her favorite Italian hors d’oeurvres: sausage and stracchino crostini with truffle oil, crostini with gorgonzola dolce, honeyed pears and toasted hazelnuts, and zucchini and ricotta fritters. The ladies were able to create and taste these delicious dishes while enjoying wine and good conversation with old and new neighbors. Three lucky ladies won raffle prizes.
In keeping with the food theme, a collection box was set up at the event to collect food donations for the Shelter Rock Church Food Pantry (www.shelterrockchurch.com/foodpantry).
Capobianco’s enthusiasm for regional Italian cooking is certainly contagious, and the ladies left the event inspired to cook and, more importantly, inspired to follow their passion in life. To attend events like this, join the Manhasset Plandome Newcomers Club. Whether you are new to town or have lived here for years, all residents of Manhasset are welcome. To learn more, check out www.manhassetnewcomers.org.
