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To ensure delivery of your Active Gourmet Holidays emails, be sure to add
info@activegourmetholidays.com to your Address Book or "Known Senders" list! Active Gourmet Holidays
... bringing you the finest in active and culinary vacations in Italy,
France, Spain and Portugal.
We have just returned from Bella Italia! What a special time to be in Italy during "La Vendemmia" - the grape harvest. We were able to visit some very special private vineyards to view the crushing and de-stemming process and learn exactly what goes into a bottle of wine. It was wonderful to see generations of families handpicking their grapes with so much pride. We were able to visit many of the
operators of the programs that are represented. I have highlighted a few
below and highly recommend them for a cooking or a food and wine experience in
Tuscany.
HIGHLIGHT
ON:
Rhode School of Cuisine - Villa Lucia - Tuscany, Italy - 6 nights
What a spectacular villa!! I was very impressed with absolutely everything at Villa Lucia which is located in a beautiful little village where the royal families used to build their summer holiday homes. The property was stunning (even Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney, amongst others, have stayed here!) and the chef and cooking instructor, Fabio, was very knowledgeable and quite entertaining! Florentine Escape - (Options: Day Cooking Classes, Additional Nights, Market Visits and Excursions) - Florence, Italy - 4 nights
What a special treat to meet Lorenzo and his mother Paola at their stunning and elegant Relais in Florence. The rooms have been gorgeously decorated in beautiful fabrics by Paola, also the cooking instructor, but are still very comfortable. There is a beautiful living room where one can relax as well as an inviting swimming pool. Culinary Arts in Tuscany - (Options: Day Cooking Classes, Truffle Tours, Art and Cooking Four Day Tour, Custom Tours, Chianti Two Day Tour) - Tuscany, Italy - 6 nights
Classic Tuscan Cookery Lessons - Tuscany, Italy - 7 nights
We were amazed at how beautiful this villa/cooking school was! The property was breathtaking with a gorgeous swimming pool and hot tub and lovely grounds. The rooms were stunning and the kitchen and dining area were fabulous! I highly recommend this cooking school if one is looking for a talented and colorful chef (Paola, who I adore!) and gorgeous accommodations!
The Cycling Gourmet - (Options: Customized,
Villa or Yacht Tours) - Tuscany, Italy - 3 or 5 nights What a highlight to our trip! Dominick, biking guide and custom itinerary designer, was kind enough to invite a group of us to a wonderful, family-run, privately owned vineyard in Tuscany for a spectacular lunch in the family's kitchen. What a meal!! My friends said it was THE highlight of their trip and for me to see where my clients have one of their lunches as well as a private tour of the grounds was invaluable!!
IN THE NEWS
Active
Gourmet Holidays has been chosen once again by Pilgrim's Pride to supply two Grand Prize
Winners with a 'Cooking Trip for Two' to Portugal in 2008 for their 20th annual national "Winning Taste Recipe Contest".
AGH will be highlighted in several major magazines as well as on the
packages of chicken in the major retailers such as Publix, Stop & shop,
Supervalu and more.
Active
Gourmet Holidays was recently mentioned in an article in the September
Food and Wine Magazine issue as well as the Singapore Airlines travel magazine
Silverkris.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH -
"FLORENTINE ESCAPE"
TIRAMISU by Paola
Ingredients: Mascarpone 300gr., 3 eggs (separate whites), sugar, gr. 200 dry biscuits, a shot of rum, coffee, fondant chocolate. Separate the 3 egg yolks from the whites. In a bowl beat together egg yolks and 3 tablespoons of sugar, then blend in the 300 gr. of mascarpone and the shot of rum. In another bowl whip up egg whites. Once you get them fluffy add to mixture, folding all together very well. Mix in a bowl coffee and one or two spoons of water and add a tablespoon of sugar, then soak the dry biscuits in the liquid. Place biscuits in a tray in 2 layers and then spread mascarpone mixture in between and on the top. Grate chocolate flakes, cut chocolate in little pieces and spread them on the top. Before serving let sit in refrigerator for minimum 1 hour. Tips: - Pull off the mascarpone from the fridge 1 hour before using it, it must be at normal temperature - Be careful to fold the whipped whites at the mixture very well, you should amalgamate it gently. - Add more water or less at the coffee depending how strong you wish to get the final taste. If you like a more liquor taste you can add also another shot of rum at the coffee. - Use "Pavesini" biscuits, they are very light and dry, perfect to soak the coffee (find them in an Italian food store). Rotate them in the liquid just 3 seconds.
 Cooking
Tip of the Month:Cleaning the Oven: Without using any heat,
place a bowl of ammonia in the oven and close the door. The fumes alone will
loosen all the oven drippings and all you have to do is clean up! |
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Depending
on the season, you will bike amidst breathtaking red poppy, lavender or
sunflower fields in the famous Chianti region of Tuscany. Stay in gorgeous four
star hotels with the option of taking cooking classes from local Italian chefs
to learn authentic regional dishes - incredible food, world-renowned wines and
beautiful landscapes! This combination holiday is for those with a passion for
the outdoors, gastronomy and staying fit!