New Italian pesto cooking class scheduled for July 17 at Harvest Market

It's July, which means basil harvest season is already here. If we were in Genoa, Italy, it would be time to take our bountiful basil harvest and make a big batch of fresh pesto sauce right now.

Genoa is a major trading port on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in northwestern Italy. Located next to Tuscany, Genoa is also where pesto was invented. Harkening back to ancient Roman times, garlic, cheese, and herbs have been pounded into a paste that eventually evolved into the modern version of pesto — a raw sauce that demands the freshest of ingredients.

At tonight's Taste of Genoa cooking class, we'll learn how to make fresh pesto using just-harvested local basil, fresh garlic, and Italian extra virgin olive oil. We'll use our raw pesto sauce in every dish on tonight's special Mediterranean menu which includes the world-famous Pizza Pesto Genovese. Register here: www.goharvestmarket.com/event/cooking-with-paul-young-taste-of-genoa.

All my Harvest Market demo cooking classes are for adults, and the $40 tuition includes a multi-course dinner plus a welcome cocktail. Do come hungry and thirsty because these classes are "dinner party-style" events where we'll be tasting and eating everything that will be made that night. Students will also leave each session with easy-to-follow recipes for all the dishes on the menu. These recipes have all been adapted for the typical home cook and contain many tips & tricks to help minimize your time in the kitchen. Join us!

More information about my cooking classes and pop-up events can always be found on my website, where you'll also find over 150 recipes from my classes (no ads!). You can also subscribe to my email newsletter or follow me on Instagram or Facebook and like my posts. Bon appétit!