My wife and I attended a course at Rita's Gourmet in November. This involved cooking breakfast of dosas, puris and their accompaniments. We then went shopping for our lunch ingredients in the market at Vasco da Gama. We then cooked lunch consisting of characteristic Goan fish dishes, which were all delicious. I forget the names of the dishes, but have the recipes squirrelled away in our recipes folder for future enjoyment. Rita's warmth and hospitality all made for a very enjoyable and instructive half-days course.

How else do you get to spend a day in the home of a local, have a meal together, shop her local farmer's market when you are in a foreign country and a strange city? Rita is the best. From her first responsive email to her transfer instructions off our cruise ship this week, she was professional, patient (with all my questions), kind and helpful. This is a woman who can cook! We enjoyed the welcome marsala chai she prepared in her beautiful courtyard commercial kitchen, covered from the hot sun and surrounded by her palms and gardens, explaining all the spices as they were freshly pounded. We then ate an authentic Indian hot breakfast, several sweet cakes (hubby loved having cake for breakfast!) and tasted some fruits we didn't know. After a tour of her garden and home, we set to work chopping, stirring, cooking, baking, kneading, tasting.... then sat to eat a feast! Fish. Chicken. Curry. Vegetables. Rice. Hot shrimp appies. It was the best Indian food we have ever eaten served by the most gracious of hostesses. I can't think of a better way to experience India, or Goa, then by spending a day with Rita who kindly answered all our questions and gave us a day where two worlds coincided. Way better than a day visiting yet another temple, mosque or tourist trap. It will be the day we will remember the best India has to offer!

My husband and I spent 5 days in Goa and Rita's cooking class was our favorite part! Rita is so friendly and informative. She took us to the farmer's market and explained every piece of produce and fish that we didn't recognize. The cooking part was fast paced and exciting, and Rita and her helpers were amazing every step of the way. We would definitely go back!