With the end of lockdown in sight we wonder what will become of the virtual world we have all come to love and hate! So many businesses and concepts transitioned to virtual means, in order to continue, and we commend all of them! Zoom in particular has become a staple piece of technology we have used to connect with people in real time, both for business means and to keep in touch with family and friends.

This week Talking Tables’ Clare wanted to bring her family together with one last virtual experience, before we can all finally meet together in person:

 Clare:

‘One advantage of lockdown is everyone's diary being free! Despite the geographies it has been great to get whole families together, via Zoom. Through the last year families have enjoyed Zoom Lockdown quizzes, Zoom birthday celebrations, Zoom family chats. I had even tried Zoom floral arranging and a virtual lockdown charity dinner.

This evening I brought my family together on Zoom to try a cooking class. The risotto class by X hits the right social and culinary note! As a family we range in age from 94 years to 4 years! Our 94-year-old parents have each other, but it is tough that they are not seeing grandchildren or indeed many people at all, so this was a lovely way to get together and get creative! We have vegans, coeliac and the absence of “modern” spices in our wartime generation household, so Italian, risotto seem to hit the spot.

We booked a risotto cooking class with  Federico – who normally teaches tourists pasta making in Bologna via Airbnb experience. Our ingredients were sent in advance and we were set up with a series of Zoom codes. We kicked off the evening with a family mingle, which was largely spent trying to get the audio on for the 90-year-olds! Luckily Italian wine bottles clearly starting to flow too for those of us to whom zoom is now as familiar as Outlook is itself!

It had been decided that the normal family chefs were to rest in the kitchens; and the sous-chefs of 11 year old, 93 year olds, 19 year olds were going to be tutored today! Once set up we were met by Federico in his own kitchen. He gently and extremely patiently had his own and all our six kitchens, with the respective chefs, chopping onions and radicchio. It turned out we were cooking two risottos simultaneously. We all picked up some great new tips and our food was ready to eat, with advice on what order to eat them in (and even how to reheat tomorrow for lunch for any leftovers).

We were thoroughly enjoying the banter and company, so a third Zoom code was issued to share our dining tables virtually. We talked long into the evening, with some good political discussions! It made for a relaxing, evening. There was no stress on any individual host or chef as we shared the experience in a lighthearted manner. We all joined the fun. And we all enjoyed the chatter.

It’s safe to say we will miss some aspects of lockdown?!'