BUTCHERY DEMONSTRATION WITH Andrea “Guido” Falaschi from Macelleria Falaschi
Everyone attends this morning demonstration. We will gather in the winery to watch Andrea (Guido) use his skills as a 4th generation butcher to demonstrate whole animal butcher. He will show us how to turn a half of a full grown how into a loved Tuscan-style porchetta porchetta.
2025 MAIALATA WORKSHOPS
CHECK OUT ACTIVITIES
TWO HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS AT MAIALATA
(FOR SIGN-UP THE WEEK BEFORE MAIALATA)
Gnocchi with Cathy Whims from Nostrana & Enoteca Nostrana
Cathy is at the heart of Maialata, as co-founder of the event, and she finds great joy in sharing her culinary techniques. From raw ingredients, Cathy will demonstrate how to make potato gnocchi; a soft, pillow-like, dumpling. While you’re rolling up your sleeves to construct the gnocchi, a light sauce will be simmering, and at the end of the class everyone will try the pasta with with the sauce. This gnocchi will also be the second course of the day’s dinner.
Pork Lard: Liquid Sunshine with Brett Uniss of The Ground & Tabula Rasa Farms
Explore the forgotten art of cooking with lard. What exactly is it, and why does this once-essential ingredient now carry a stigma, despite its incredible flavor? Chef Brett, a seasoned expert with a deep understanding of food history and economics, will take you on a journey through the rise and fall of pork fat in the culinary world.
At one time, lard was a staple, prized for its versatility before seed oils became common. Heritage hogs, raised on pasture, produce high-quality fat—an expression of the foraged food they consume. As Brett says, You are what you eat. You are what you eat eats. In this class, Brett will teach you to embrace lard in traditional preparations like confit, rillettes, and even the original Oreo cookie.
guanciale with zeph Shepard of proletariat butchery
Under Zeph’s expert guidance, you will carefully prepare the pig’s head, butchering it to extract the prized fatty cheeks. These will then be meticulously salted and preserved, following traditional Old-World techniques of meat preservation. This authentic guanciale serves as the cornerstone for timeless dishes such as Amatriciana, Gricia, and Carbonara. Let us elevate our culinary approach—no more substitutions with bacon or pancetta—only the genuine, artisanal guanciale will suffice!
Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or curious beginner, this immersive experience will elevate your culinary skills and connect you to the heart of Italian cuisine, while enjoying the spirit of Zeph’s personality. At Maialata Zeph’s guanciale will go into the all'Amatriciana for dinner later that night. Hungry yet?
Sausage making with Luca ponti from Proletariat butchery
Trust us, you want to know how the sausage gets made. That’s because Luca, the experienced chef from Proletariat Butchery will show you all the techniques and tricks that go into making the best sausage. It’s a process that he breaks down into hands-on knowledge that you can take with you into your own kitchen. Plus you'll see it on your plate at the Winter Dinner on the terrazza later that night.
Handmade Pasta with Rick Gencarelli of Grassa and Lardo
You've never seen pasta dough handled like Rick does it! He's a master pasta-maker and will show you how to dirty up an apron while making an egg-based stuffed pasta that will be sampled at the end of class. If you’ve ever thought of making little pillows of pasta, full of savory joy like cheese and herbs, this class will show you the way. Plus, rubbing elbows with Rick will give you access to ask the pasta master all your questions, and become even more ready to impress your friends at home with a pasta party.
Olive Oil Mother Sauces with the Wilderness Hunters
Eric Bartle and Sarah Kundelius have worked to integrate the farm-to-table ethos into all aspects of their lives, from raising turkeys, sheep, laying hens and meat chickens to growing and preserving their annual garden bounty. The Durant Olive Oil Mother Sauces are a collection of classic olive oil based sauces from around the Mediterranean that we rely on heavily in our seasonal and Pacific Northwest approach to cooking at both the winery and in our home kitchen.
From the herbaceous Salsa Verde and Pesto of Italy, to the classic Aioli and Vinaigrette of French cuisine, these sauces are incredibly easy to make at home with a few simple kitchen tools, and can all be easily transformed with just a few seasonal substitutions or ingredient preferences.
We will be showcasing our versions of an Italian Pesto and Salsa Verde, French Aïoli and Vinaigrette, as well as a winter’s rendition of the Spanish Romesco sauce.
Fermentation & Preservation with Kari Shaughnessy & even pull farms
Whether you're a seasoned chef or a curious beginner, Kari will guide you through the essentials of brining, seasoning, and creating vibrant, flavorful pickles alongside the uniqueness of fermentation. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Maialata, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to learn a new skill, connect with fellow food enthusiasts, and eat your delicious creations. An opportunity to learn the difference in pickling & fermentation. Both different styles of preservation. We will make a pickled product as well as a fermented product, with whatever seasonal produce we can get our hands on at that time from Even Pull Farms! At the end of this class you will have created some pickles to enjoy with your dinner as well as some ferments to take home with you!
Please note that:
Sign-up and approval is required to attend a workshop. Due to the limited occupancy of each class, Maialata staff maintains the ability to arrange classes as they see fit, with the goal of evenly distributing groups, keeping reservations together, and to not overwhelm the class facilitators.
All ticketed guests will receive an email the week prior to Maialata at which time they will sign up for their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice of class, and will be assigned based on availability. Our goal is for you to have fun, but not everyone can be crammed into one the same class. We are grateful that you understand.