Duration: 7 Hours
Type of Service: Cooking Class at a Farmhouse in Tuscany
A full day hands-on Cooking Class in a stunning setting in the Tuscan countryside including a food tour through the historic center of Florence. Led by a local food-lover guide, you will taste your way through the Florentine's favorite bakery and grocery stores to experience Tuscan food like a real local. You will buy ingredients on the way and in Florence's most vibrant food market.
On arrival in our beautiful farmhouse, you will start creating a complete menu, from appetizer to dessert, using only the freshest seasonal ingredients, the majority of which come from the vegetable garden of the farmhouse!
Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and learn to cook as Tuscan grandmas and moms do every day in their kitchens for their families. Master the secrets of traditional dishes that you will easily re-create at home for your friends and family. The cooking lesson is suitable for beginners and for those who can already cook.
Then finally we will all sit together outside (weather permitting) and just like a big Italian family, we will take time to enjoy the food we have prepared together. Buon Appetito!
What you can expect
First, discover Florence's historical food market where the locals do their daily shopping. Blend in with the locals. Meet the bakers, the butchers, and the farmers selling vegetables from their fields. Their stalls are full of items such as fresh fruit, vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, balsamic vinegar, sun dried tomatoes, olives and many other Italian food specialties. Shop for the ingredients to use for the cooking class and learn to choose the best seasonal products.
Then, it's time to start your cooking lesson at a farmhouse in Tuscany. This isn't just a demonstration, you will actually take part in creating a full traditional Tuscan meal with your chef's help. You will learn to make real Italian fresh pasta by hand with freshly laid eggs and learn to make a traditional meat sauce using ingredients from right outside the door!
Learn to prepare homemade pizza and classic bruschetta with fresh bread, homegrown tomatoes and the farmhouse's own extra virgin olive oil and then take a break to enjoy the pizza and bruschetta with a glass of Chianti wine.
After the break, it's back to the lesson where you will learn how to prepare traditional Tuscan roast pork, arista and Tuscan roast potatoes using fresh herbs collected from around the farmhouse. To finish the class, you will learn the secrets of the wonderful Italian coffee and cream dessert, Tiramisù.
At last, sit down to enjoy a wonderful meal. Each course will be paired with a carefully selected wine from the region to compliment the flavors of the food you have prepared. At the end of your meal, your driver will be waiting for you for a short drive back to Florence, so it's time to say arrivederci after an unforgettable experience in Tuscany.
Things to Know:
- Small-group Italian cooking class (25 people or less) at a breathtaking farmhouse set in the rolling hills of Tuscany!
- The tour/cooking class is offered Monday - Saturday based on availability and begins at 9:00 am and concludes at 5:00 pm
- Florence morning food tour with tastings at San Lorenzo's colorful Mercato Centrale
- Hands on experience: learn to make Bruschetta and Pizza, home-made Pasta, Tuscan roast pork with potatoes and Tiramisù
- Enjoy your freshly cooked meal accompanied by wine after the class
- Transportation roundtrip to and from Florence to the farmhouse
- Recipes and an Italian cooking diploma for your hard work
- Due to uneven and steep surfaces, we are unable to accept anyone with mobility issues. A minibus or van transports you to the Tuscany farmhouse. There are about 24 steps leading down towards the outdoor kitchen.
- We regret that vegetarian or other alternative dietary requirements cannot be catered for in this class
- Youth rates are available to attend with a parent/guardian for 12 yrs to 18 years of age - please inquire about youth rates