GOING FOR IT: Twins Amy (left) and Danna Jimenez are not only comfortable in the kitchen, but it’s where they thrive. Hence the reason they want to study abroad in Italy as part of a program offered by the Marco Polo Institute. (Supplied Photo)
Growing up within a Dominican household in the Bronx, N.Y., cooking became a passion early in the lives of Danna and Amy Jimenez.
“Cooking is a necessary skill, and it’s good when you can learn it early alongside family members who can teach you the basics,” said Amy Jimenez, who along with her twin sister moved with their family from New York City to Stafford Township’s Beach Haven West in 2016. “My sister and I like to include a little of our flavors into what we do. We definitely gravitate toward our Dominican roots and use elements of them in our cooking and baking.”
From May 27 through June 12, the Jimenez twins plan to learn and experience the art of authentic Italian cooking and baking – at least to some extent – when they and another dozen students from the Academy of Culinary Arts in Mays Landing travel to Italy for a culinary education tour with the study abroad program hosted by the Marco Polo Institute for Mediterranean Culture and Tourism.
“The ingredients used in Italian cooking are different than the ones we use in Dominican cooking,” said Danna, who, with her sister, graduated from Southern Regional High School in 2023. “In addition to learning a bit of the language, I want to really experience the methods and style of authentic Italian cooking. I’m excited to have a fun and worthwhile experience in Italy.”
The Marco Polo Institute’s mission is to help students who are studying abroad get to know another culture, live in a new environment, learn a new language and meet new people who can change how visiting students see the world and their future.
“We are convinced that sharing Italian food and wine passion and Italian culture can be a pillar in students’ education,” states its website. “We’ve developed our courses to help students realize their dreams and succeed in their future careers. Our contribution will be through our window to the Italian culture. Our promise is to provide professional coursework, hands-on learning and unique experiences with knowledgeable experts. We will use our history, traditions and customs as vehicles to feed the desire for knowledge that each student is seeking.”
During the trip to Italy, the Jimenez sisters will tour facilities, engage with others through cooking classes, and enjoy stops that include various backdrops designed to enhance their understanding of how the culture and cooking collide within the Italian culture. A tour of an olive oil facility in Nettuno, a farm-to-table dinner experience in Asti, and cooking classes in Ferrara and Salsomaggiore, among others, will be combined with treks through Rome, Venice and Cinque Terre.
“I’m excited to see another part of the world so rich in culinary arts and history,” Amy said. “I believe we’re going to learn a lot, even if it’s just going to be for 17 days.”
And while the Jimenez sisters and their culinary arts academy mates have managed to pool together some money from various fundraising efforts during recent months, each student has to contribute a significant amount of money to make the trip.
“We’ve had pizza fundraisers and raised money from the Atlantic City gala we put on every year, but our trips are only partly funded by the school,” Amy said. “We have to come up with the rest, and the entire trip is about $5,000 per student.”
So, the twins developed their own plan to raise the funds, and it certainly can be a tasty treat for the community – or, at least, for those who enjoy gourmet cupcakes.
“A friend of ours from the school tipped us off to an idea, and we made it our own,” Amy said. “She did a soup fundraiser, but we’re doing specialty cupcakes. We did a lot of research and came up with five types of cupcakes to sell.”
Informally dubbed “Pretty N’ Sweet Bakery,” the Jimenez sisters are selling batches of two, four, six and a dozen gourmet cupcakes – Bananas Foster, Biscoff Cookie Butter, Salted Caramel Almond, Strawberry Shortcake and Thin Mint Chocolate.
“Your support opens the door for us to pursue our culinary education in Italy this summer,” reads their flyer circulated via social media channels. “It’s an incredible opportunity!”
All made from scratch, the cupcakes can be mixed and matched or the same per batch. Boxes of two and four go for $6 and $12, respectively, while the half-dozen is $18, and the dozen can be acquired for $36.
Amy is the batter master; Danna makes the toppings.
“We tested the recipes before we committed to them because we had to make sure they tasted good,” Danna said with a laugh. “The chocolate batter recipe was a little tough. It took us three tries before we settled on it. We finally hit the right balance between the flour and baking soda, but we believe it turned out great.”
Amy said there’s a key ingredient to most of the cupcakes that sets them apart from most others a cupcake aficionado might enjoy.
“Dominican vanilla extract is stronger, and you don’t need a lot of it to make a batter taste really good,” she said. “But it’s key to making a cake batter taste different than what you might find in a store-bought cake. It’s really distinct and makes a big difference.”
Unfortunately, the Jimenez twins don’t have a storefront bakery, so you can’t just walk in and pick your favorite cupcakes to shove into a box. However, all orders are made on demand, and they can be either picked up or delivered. Either way, the cupcake fundraiser will run through Friday, April 25, so get your orders in soon.
“So far, the response has been great,” Amy Jimenez said. “A lot of people have been supportive of us and our dreams, and we’re really happy to see so many of them have shared our information as we try to raise enough to go to Italy. But even more than getting to make this trip, we’re really excited for everybody to try our cupcakes.”
For information about getting a batch of cupcakes for yourself or as a gift for somebody else, text Amy Jimenez at 1-640-696-1932.
— David Biggy