Comment

(clockwise from left): Lindsey Page, Boyan Petrov, Francesco Maggio and Rita Swart, owner of Ciao Baby Cucina

BRIGHT red, fresh tomatoes added some colour to a masterchef class at Ciao Baby Cucina.

The Italian restaurant, which is situated in Festival Place, Basingstoke, was the venue for a Women in Business Group (WIBG) meeting, where members got some juicy tips and tucked into a delicious seasonal meal.

The event proved to be a great success, attracting 65 guests - 18 of whom were new to the networking group.

Restaurant owner Rita Swart told her eager audience: "I want to share my passion of cooking with you by demonstrating how to quickly and easily prepare some of Italy's classic cuisine, by cooking a sumptuous main course and dessert from local Hampshire ingredients.

"As busy, working women, cooking great Italian food is one of the best ways of making a fabulous meal, as the simpler the dish, the better it will be."

Championing the humble tomato, she cooked a delicious tart.

She said: "Tomatoes are always in season and it is one of the fruits that we all take for granted in the UK.

"However, in Italy, they take their tomatoes very seriously and the tomato varieties are celebrated by the Italians, who are very aware of their different flavours and nutritional content."

She added: "The best way to enjoy them is picked freshly from the vine, fully ripened and bursting with flavour."

Miss Swart, together with chef Francesco Maggio and master baker Boyan Petrov, demonstrated each stage of making the perfect tomato tart, prepared on mini cookers in front of their audience, as well as a number of other tasty treats.

WIBG president Lindsey Page thanked Miss Swart and her team for an inspiring and entertaining afternoon, and said: "WIBG has continued to be a success story since it was founded in 1992, and events such as today have proved its popularity.

"I believe the main success of our networking group is that it doesn't matter whether you are a sole trader, working completely on your own, or part of a large organisation, everyone is very welcome to join us."

1:08pm Monday 18th August 2008

Print

Email this

Comment