Culinary & Wine Tours> Italy> Tastes of Tuscany

Italy: Tastes of Tuscany
Tuscany, Italy - 7 nights

Learn to cook in a recently restored, spectacular villa set in the hillsides close to Arezzo. There is a truffle estate surrounding the villa, making it famous in the area and wonderful for seeing how truffles are found and of course how to prepare these in many wonderful dishes. The original villa dates back to before 1700 and over the centuries pieces have been added on as the community grew.

The owners have brought it up to the twenty first century with top class finishing, beautiful floors with marble inlay, marble bathrooms and all the modern comforts without damaging the beautiful original Tuscan charm. The villa is very secluded with a view that seems to go on forever but yet close to Arezzo (15 minutes) and Cortona (30minutes) with Florence and Siena being about an hour away. The villa lies on an estate of about 120 hectare and is surrounded by truffle land which grows under Hazelnut and Oak trees. Apple orchards and a Deer farm are also part of the estate and make walks around the area truly beautiful. Behind the villa is a lake with breathtaking views of the surrounding hills.

The villa has 12 double bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms. In the “Torre” (tower) part of the villa there are five bedrooms all en-suite with bath and shower and a large communal lounge with a computer, internet access area, kitchenette and television.

In the west wing there are three apartments each with two or three bedrooms en-suite and each with a lounge area for communal use. The accommodation has been comfortably furnished with great attention for detail. All the romantic bedrooms have adjoining stylish marbled bathrooms with bath and shower.

Living areas all have fireplaces and a kitchenette. The large private outdoor area has many different possibilities. The "piazza" is set up between the Torre wing and the west wing of the villa and the two wings are connected with an arch where breakfast will be served and dinners if weather permits.

The cantina, bar, dining room and lounge open out in this square making it a wonderful space to meet and dine together. The view will make you speechless! From the Piazza you can walk 20 meters down to the swimming pool and sauna/fitness areas. The pool has been built on a plateau with a panoramic view is the solar heated swimming pool (15 x 8m) with baby pool, Jacuzzi, hydro massage, jet stream features.

Other features include and a hot tub made out of a wine barrel, a sauna, steam room and fitness area. The pool area is equipped with garden furniture, barbecue and this breathtaking spot looks out on the hills and valleys and extensive woods and is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the nature.

Your Cooking Lessons

Your chef, Franco, will choose dishes that you can easily make at home using ingredients that generally can be found in most specialty or general stores. You will have cooking lessons on four of the days with enough time to relax and enjoy the surroundings or to do some sight seeing in the area. Learn to make complete four- course Italian dinners covering all the basic Italian cooking techniques. You will make a wide range of antipastas including crostinis, bruschetta and torte verdura to mention but a few.

You will make your own gnocchi and roll out your own pasta - the authentic way with typical Tuscan fillings and delicious sauces. On top of that you will learn to make pizza which is baked in our own wood burning pizza oven. Meat dishes include Wild Boar with polenta, Tagliata with green pepper sauce and baked vegetables and much much more. Desserts include your Franco’s warm lemon pie with Italian meringue.

Franco believes that the only way to learn to cook is to do it yourself. While he will demonstrate the techniques, be prepared to roll up your sleeves and put what you have seen into practice. The lessons are informal and your chef is flexible and willing to add those special dishes you always wanted to learn to make.

A one-day excursion is organized with visits to a salami factory, pecorino and goat cheese farm and an olive oil mill for oil tasting. It also includes wine tasting and lunch at a vineyard near Arezzo, time for shopping in Arezzo and sightseeing. At the end of the day a visit to a Tuscan fabric manufacturer in Anghiari and it’s rounded off with a dinner in a Rustic Tuscan restaurant near the castle of Poppi.

It is also possible to bring along a non-participating partner who can spend the day enjoying the surroundings, sightseeing or playing golf and could then join the group at dinnertime and join in the excursion.

For further inquiries or to register, click here.



CANCELLATION POLICY

If client cancels 60 days prior to arrival date we will send back deposit less an administration charge of $50 (less the $50 per person non-refundable booking fee). If client cancels between 60 and 30 days client will forfeit deposit. Cancellation less than 30 days prior to arrival date results in 100% of the amount being forfeited. Travel insurance is highly recommended.



CLIENT REMARKS
Furnished upon request.