Laura Lafata aka “La Diva,” is a hospitality veteran and president of culinary entertainment business La Diva Cucina Inc. She states, “I was getting so many requests for Asian, and especially vegetarian classes, that I decided to make up specific recipes and content for this sector of the market.”
La Diva Cucina’s popular Miami cooking and cocktail classes can now be chosen by a particular type of cuisine including Asian, Mediterranean and Vegetarian. The small bites, BIG DRINKS class teaches students everything they need to know about how to throw a cocktail party in two hours. The class includes three easy to make and delicious appetizers, and two matching cocktails along with valuable party throwing tips and industry secrets. All the ingredients are available at the grocery store.
The Asian class includes recipes based on Thai and Chinese dishes including Chinese sang choi bao (pork and Asian vegetables in lettuce wraps), Thai red curry party bites, Asian orange blossom honey shrimp paired with vanilla vodka lychee slushies and lemongrass ginger martinis.
The Mediterranean class includes white bean, rosemary and garlic puree with sweet roasted tomato on olive oil crostini,breaded and fried cheese stuffed olives and garlic and preserved lemon marinated grilled chicken skewers with pistachio pesto sauce paired with pomegranate mint martini and a blood orange Campari cocktail.
Vegetarian classes include polenta bites with garlic lemony roasted peppers, caprese salad skewers and caramelized onion and blue cheese cream tarts with cherry basil mojito made with Bacardi torched cherry rum and a fuzzy rojo made with Bacardi peach red rum.
La Diva Cucina is currently working on three more themed classes: North African, Tropical and “Old School,” with a focus on cocktails and appetizers from the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Classes are offered every other week in South Beach or Coral Gables and cost $75 per person or $140 for two. Lafata suggests booking early as classes fill up fast.
For more information, contact Laura Lafata at 305 297 8121 or http:www.ladivacucina.com