I read on the menu that the restaurant’s chef offered cooking classes. After a wonderful dining experience, I signed up for a visit to the morning market with Rai Pasti followed by a lesson on preparing vegetarian meals.

We made corn fritters, stir fried tempeh with veggies and banana pancakes. The al fresco lesson at her nearby home used ingredients absent in my kitchen pantry - corn and tapioca flours, a resealable pouch of liquid coconut oil and fresh chilis. I was surprised to see an infusion of green vegetable added to a pancake batter and delighted how a freshly squeezed orange and brown sugar created a tasty glaze.

The experience gave me an appreciation of the efforts taken the day before at the restaurant. Enjoying the meal in her dining room in view of her family’s vividly colored pet birds and her home temple added to a “real Bali experience”.

I enjoyed the chef’s company, the generosity of her time and the food we created. I enrolled for a second class and purchased seasonings to bring the flavors and memories of Indonesian cooking home.

What triggers you to repeat a cultural immersion during a trip?