Culinary & Wine Tours> Italy> Cooking Under the Tuscan Sun

Italy: Cooking Under the Tuscan Sun
(Options: Day Cooking Class, Wine Tours, 3 night program)

Cortona, Italy - 6 nights

 

Il Falconiere Relais & Chateaux is a 17th Century property located in the quiet countryside located just over one mile from the beautiful walled Etruscan town of Cortona which has been written about in the ever so popular Frances Mayes books. Il Falconiere Relais & Chateaux invites you to their beautiful Tuscan oasis for an unforgettable culinary experience. The Relais is ideally located south of Tuscany and very close to Umbria allowing you to enjoy the pleasures of each region. By car in one hour you can reach Siena, Florence and Assisi and in just half hour an hour you can visit Montepulciano, Pienza, Arezzo and Perugia.

The Villa is surrounded by a garden of horse-chestnut trees and cypress trees. From here a path between olive-oil trees and vineyards leads to our deluxe area, where the Suites are located, with private entrance from the garden and breathtaking view over the valley and our vineyards, right in front of the town of Cortona.

The 2 beautiful outside swimming-pools overlook the town of Cortona and the Relais' vineyards which produce the high quality wines of the Baracchi winery.

The Restaurant (one Michelin star) has an outside terrace for summer season and proposes a creative cuisine, tied to the territory and its great culinary traditions. The cellar matches their menus with a wide range of Italian and international wine labels, including the wines produced by the Azienda Baracchi on the estate. 

You will learn the finest of Tuscan recipes from owner and chef Silvia Regi Baracchi and Chef Richard Titi.

"The recipes I propose are from the Tuscan cuisine, some of them specifically from Cortona and the Chiana Valley territory. I select from our tradition and elaborate upon the recipes to make them possible using modern techniques and to make them palatable for modern tastes. My joy is to share with our aspiring chefs our history and our folklore.

Take for instance the day, which we dedicate to the Etruscans: it is rich in local history and culture and very ancient recipes furthermore enrich it so that our friends and participants will be able to immerse themselves in a completely bucolic and goliardic atmosphere. No less interesting is the time dedicated to the simplicity of the local traditions thanks to special, yet homey recipes that are easy to replicate for a dinner party with family and friends, accompanied rigorously by Tuscan wines! I never underestimate the experience our friends will have with Tuscan wines. I use the word Friends because after a couple of days spent together we will feel like Friends! Tuscany is also rich in wine tradition with wineries that are open for tastings promising moments that transcend the simple visit and tour. "

The techniques that our good vignerons have handed down and are happy to teach us are very precious and these “lessons” are always spiced up by amusing and witty stories.

From each corner of Tuscany you’ll be able to enjoy breathtaking panoramas and idyllic scenery full of flavours. You will be able to smell and taste, not just see. Do you already have in mind a postcard, images from a documentary, or maybe even the movie Under the Tuscan Sun with its beautiful shots of the Cortona countryside? All of this will be even more beautiful because the protagonists of this adventure with me will be you!

Day One - Sunday

8:00 pm - Arrival late afternoon and settle into your beautiful home for the week.

Relax before a welcome cocktail with Silvia & Riccardo Baracchi, your hosts for the week. The aperitif will be followed by a delicious Tuscan meal.

Day Two - Monday

After breakfast first Cooking lesson “Pane , olio e fantasia”.

Lunch :  your creations accompanied by great Tuscan wines.

Afternoon 6.30pm cheese lesson (preparation of cheese and dinner buffet tasting a selection  of fresh and  seasoned cheese)

We will cook the following recipes : Stuffed eggplants with almond, tomato confit and basi , traditional Tuscan bread, ribollita , saltimbocca of pork fillet with sage , juniper berries and bay leaves, cantucci

Day Three - Tuesday

In the morning a guided sightseeing tour in Cortona, for a visit of the city with its flavors and shopping. Lunch break at 1:00pm in a typical tavern or (in November) in a local mill to see the olive oil production process. Olive oil tasting with bruschetta.

Back to the Relais for the second Cooking lesson at 4:00pm: “Along Etruscan traces”. Dinner: prepared dishes with a selection  of “Super Tuscans”.

We will prepare the following dishes:  Traditional wild herb pie with parmesan sauce, zuppa di farro, local lamb in crust of Tuscan bread, sautéed greens, fruit berries cake with mascarpone cheese  mousse

Day Four - Wednesday

Guided sightseeing tour of Assisi and Spello.

Lunch break in a typical Umbrian Restaurant in Spello with wine tasting of  the finest Umbrian wines.

Return to the hotel. Evening at leisure.

We can make suggestions on how to spend a wonderful evening together with us or on your own!

Day Five - Thursday

All together to the local open market. In the market we can buy specialties from the area. Lunch buffet in our cellar. Visit our winery with wine tasting.

Meeting at the hotel reception at 4:00 pm for the third Cooking lesson: ”The Joy of Home Life” in the restaurant of Silvia’s mother (10 minutes by car).

Dinner: prepared dishes with a selection of Tuscan wine.

In this lesson you will prepare : pansanella, pici pasta with tomato and aromatic herb sauce, tagliatelle with duck sauce, ricotta and nettle ravioli served with sage and butter, scottiglia with polenta, lattaiolo

Day Six - Friday

Breakfast - departure from the hotel for a wine tour in a Montepulciano cellar. Guided sightseeing tour of Pienza & Montepulciano.

Lunch and return to the Relais in time for your last Cooking lesson :”The Fish and its Secrets”.

Farewell candlelt dinner and issue of the cooking certificates.

We will cook: basic fish broth, wrapped bacon scallops with potato puree and bay leaves, ricotta gnocchi with seafood and saffron sauce, casserole of monkfish and scampi, napoleon of custard and pears with melted chocolate and pine nuts

Day Seven - Saturday

Departure after breakfast.

Buon viaggio!

We hope Il Falconiere has provided you with wonderful memories that you will cherish and hope you will return to us one day! Mille grazie!

*Minimum 2 participants; maximum 12 participants

*Program subject to modification according to the season and by personal request.

For further inquiries or to register, click here.



CANCELLATION POLICY

Should you wish to amend or to cancel the reservation, we would respectfully ask you to conform the following terms:

-   Within  30 days before arrival  date

-   For cancellation less than 30 up to 15 days prior to clients’ arrival 50% charge (of the entire stay)

-   For late cancellation or  no-show- full charge.

CLIENT REMARKS