Our cooking classes are very
hands-on. They are taught in English, but you will acquire a smattering
of culinary Italian. Our local chefs will guide you through the
preparation of simple but delicious Italian
recipes (from Tuscany and
from other Italian regions) and reveal some of their culinary secrets.
Groups are small (maximum 9 people), so that everyone gets a
chance to try their hand at the techniques, from making fresh
egg pasta dough to lovingly stirring an artichoke
risotto to perfection. Rather than cooking a "usual" meal
of first
course, second course and dessert we
teach you several dishes on each day, so that you go home with
quite an extensive repertoire!
You are free to pick and choose whether you'd like to join in
the cooking school activities on a particular day or not.
If you fancy a day horse-riding, hot-air ballooning or just going
to the beach, let us know and we'll help you do just that.
You can get to Certaldo easily by train, but car rental during
your week is essential. Ours is not a package tour, where we
herd you around in a van. We give you a structured week's activities
but also the tools to explore on your own if you wish to. You
drive to all excursions, either following us, or with our detailed
directions. Distances driven are short and to keep carbon emissions
down, we encourage car-sharing and car pooling whenever possible,
putting you in touch with other participants who would like to
share a vehicle (we often have four or five people sharing a
car, meaning that we don't arrive at beautiful organic farms
in a haze of carbon monoxide).
Here is a typical week at Organic
Tuscany. Please note that this is an example, albeit a
pretty accurate reflection of what we do! The dishes cooked
will vary following the seasons and any special requests you
have, and the specific days for excursions may vary.
1
- SATURDAY
You arrive
We help you get settled into the villa by leaving baskets in the
kitchen filled with organic goodies - fruit, fruit juice, honey,
milk, freshly baked bread, biscuits, fairtrade coffee and tea.
Have a dip in the pool or an exploratory hike (we can provide a
hiking map of the area).
7.30 pm
Alfresco welcome dinner. We cook for you and your new classmates
on this first evening, and keep things simple. Warm
foccaccia straight out of the oven accompanies grilled organic
vegetables, local biodynamic cheeses and crisp salads, all washed
down with local biodynamic wine.
2
- SUNDAY
11.00 am-1.00 pm Visit to a nearby organic farm where we see the
honey-gathering process in detail and walk to see the cereals and
animals. Lunch at the farm restaurant, housed in a barn with a
stunning view.
Our oil expert guides you through the world of extravirgin
olive oils.
1.15 pm-2.30 pm
Lunch
Afternoon and evening Visit to Siena,
including a tour with an official guide. For dinner, explore Siena's
many great restaurants or return home for a light meal.
4
- TUESDAY
Visit Florence
You have a whole day to visit Florence. You meet an official guide
for a three-hour walking tour in the morning, and have the afternoon
free to do as you wish - see museums, churches, go shopping for
shoes or just wander the streets.
5
- WEDNESDAY
10.00 am-12 noon Gentle walk (Tuscany is very hilly but we've managed
to find some gentler routes!) followed by a picnic.
If you prefer, you can drive to meet us for the picnic at noon.
Afternoon and evening We suggest a visit to the medieval city of San
Gimignano, just 20 minutes away. This is a good day to
use if you want to explore on your own (the Chianti area, Volterra,
etc).
4.00 pm-5.30 pm Visit to an biodynamic farm where we see how a
small community can be self-sufficient while producing amazing
cheeses and growing delicious vegetables.
5.30 pm-6.00 pm Visit to our friend Terry Davies' beautiful ceramics
studio just near the farm.
7.00 pm-9.30 pm
Wine tasting of local organic wines
led by our wine expert, followed by a light dinner (much of which
you will have prepared earlier!) accompanied by the wines you have
tasted.
Afternoon free to relax by the pool or do some shopping (dried
porcini!!) before you leave.
7.30 pm Farewell dinner in a great
local trattoria
8
- SATURDAY
Departure
One-day cooking classes
For those of you who will be in the area and would like to have
a little taste of Organic Tuscany, we offer one-day
cooking classes from our instructors' delightful villa home
in the Chianti region. This makes an ideal day-trip from Florence. Read
more »
Organic Tuscany rating on TripAdvisor based
on 18
traveler reviews:
Most Recent Traveler Reviews:
Jul 6, 2010
“Organic Tuscany is the perfect way
to experience Italy”
With its great variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as
cereals that are little used elsewhere, Italian food affords a
host of exquisite flavours for vegetarians. The
traditional "peasant" food of Tuscany is no exception:
nutty pulses, tangy vegetable sauces and imaginative salads all
have an important part to play at the table of the cooking course. Two
of the cooking courses we offer are entirely vegetarian.
Cooking school calendar
The dates shown are Saturday through to Friday. Departure is actually
on the Saturday morning.
2010 cooking courses
These are all full, but please feel free to ask us about cancellations.
The
traditional "peasant" food of Tuscany is no exception:
nutty pulses, tangy vegetable sauces and imaginative salads all
have an important part to play at the table of the cooking course. 
email
us at 
Call
us from the UK 0208 144 9164
Call
us from the US 347 417 5907