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Culinary AdventuresFood and cooking are very important aspects of Italy's culture. Your renowned chef and culinary teacher offers an exclusive opportunity to experience the superb simplicity and rich diversity of authentic Italian cuisine during a hands-on personalized course. The preparation of traditionally delectable family dishes with sun-drenched and sun-ripened fresh seasonal ingredients is his basic principle. Each class is designed according to the participants' preferences. It could be the preparation of a full course meal - from antipasti, desserts, appetizers and hors d'oeuvres, pasta, pizza and foccacia, "salse e sughi", to you name it! His shared personal secrets and popular combinations make the class an unforgettable celebration of "la dolce vita".
One Guest's ExperienceOur gastronomic adventure began in a recently restored villa surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and majestic cypress trees in the Chianti area of Tuscany, approximately 60 km from the Mediterranean Sea. The course which was conducted in a totally relaxing and informal ambiance focused on the hearty local cuisine. Of course the love of food and wines underlies everything in Italy. The incomparable beauty of Chianti's countryside with verdant and softly rounded hills offers the opportunity to have a hands-on contact and experience with nature also. Between Radda and Greve we had an occasion to hand-pick olives that we brought to the olive mill for pressing. We observed the whole procedure during the various stages at the "frantoio". With a jug in hand of the fruity, cloudy and murky olive "juice" that had just been cold pressed, we were invited into the Villa's rustic kitchen. Over a wood-burning fire, we each toasted slices of homemade bread, rubbed a garlic clove on both sides and drizzled that freshly pressed olive oil on top. Now that's a sensual experience to remember - perfume, texture, color and taste! Of course there was a glass of Chianti to accompany and enhance the pleasure. That afternoon we were in Tuscany's white truffle capital, San Miniato in the province of Pisa and attempted a truffle excursion in the woods. In the past, pigs were used. Today, keen-scented, trained dogs are much more obedient. The truffle hunt with Pietro was wonderful even if we weren't successful in finding those buried treasures. The truffle we savored afterwards was a happening - first a prosecco toast to Tuscany, salute! An assortment of 6 tartines, a sublime risotto, a heavenly veal scaloppine, fried porcini mushrooms and sinfully sensational chocolate almond semi-freddo dessert. It relieved our consciences a little, the fact we had been on a 90 minute walk before we sat down to dinner. Our total immersion in that peaceful Tuscan countryside triggered changes in our perception of what it means to live "la dolce vita" - the good life, on many levels. Forgotten little joys of life returned to mind and every stress seemed to evaporate as a serenity permeated our soul. That's probably why Tuscany keeps drawing us back. Victoria M. - San Diego, California
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Copyright © 2002
Pauline Priore
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