Another Kitchen, Other Markets

Another Kitchen. Collage. Lucey Bowen, 1994

     In about a month, my husband, children and their significant others will gather as paying guests of my son's most extraordinary college friend, whom I'll call Mister J.
     Mister J is a Renaissance Man, multi-talented, perennially learning something new. He is also DaVinci's measure of a man, a multi-sport athlete. Mister J, since we've known him, has explored the world, investigated airplane disasters and high finance.
     He decided that he wanted to go to cooking school, and so he did.
     We will gather on the outskirts of Parma, and their will be twenty of us. Under Mister J's direction, we will market, we will prep and we will cook! He's asked us to suggest dishes, as we would for a private chef.
     What should these menus be? Should we consider the marketing first? Here in Lausanne, so much is available that almost any cuisine could re-created. Will Parma's market be similar or different?
     And of course, what will the kitchen be like? I hope and pray that it doesn't have just electric heating elements. I hope there is cross ventilation. My spousal unit is unwilling to leave knives to chance, and so will invest in some new ceramic ones to take along, as we go by train.
     At first, I was planning to opt out of cooking, and just document this epic, but as I imagine mountains of pesto, with the best of olive oils and Parmesan cheese, I know I can't resist cooking. Hands on, apron on, knives at the ready!