Guest Author - Julie Fredrick
Are you a foodie? Do you also love all things Italy? Then consider combining the two on a culinary vacation in Italy’s Tuscan region for the best of both worlds.
With the increasing interest and passion about the slow food movement, cooking vacations around the world have hit an all time high.
Slow food is a global grassroots movement emphasizing a way of life and a way of eating with a commitment to the environment and to the community. The polar opposite of fast food, slow food encourages citizens of the earth to grow food by sustainable and healthy means.
Imagine yourself staying in the Tuscan countryside, shopping at small, local markets or even picking your own produce, taking it back to your villa and preparing, sharing and eating in the way food was meant to be enjoyed—from market to table.
Tuscany’s bounty of fresh ingredients makes this region a natural magnet for culinary vacations, and they seem to be springing up everywhere.
Typically lasting from one day to a week the classes are typically conducted on a country farm, estate, or vine-draped villas, and accommodations are typically included. Offered from spring to fall, summer is the peak season for most of Tuscany’s fresh harvest, therefore making it the best season for a cooking class.
Participants need not be a culinary whiz to participate, in fact, with its emphasis on simplicity and freshness, basic cooking skills are all that is required.
Classes generally start with a trip to local markets and artisans shops. Class actually begins here, learning what is in season, where it comes from, and how to combine ingredients. Instructors often know the merchants and food producers, and meeting the local people responsible for your purchases is an added bonus. Tours are sometimes offered of the farms, as well as demonstrations of artisanal methods such as bread making in wood-fired ovens and pasta and cheese making demos.
Wine and olive oil tastings are also popular.
There are several things to consider before booking your Tuscan cooking vacation. Price, of course, is one major consideration, and can vary widely, depending on what all is offered. Most courses run from $150USD per day to $3000/ week and anywhere in between. Companies are now offering all-women classes, family and couples classes.
What will your accommodations include? A B&B on a working farm? An entire, private villa? Shared rooms in a dorm-style setting? Are local transportation and your transfer provided?
Are other activities included or optional at additional cost? Many people find it important to include sightseeing, and some companies include walking tours around the countryside. (This would be important for those who need some extra exercise to burn those calories from all that wonderful food and wine.)
How “hands-on” will your cooing experience be? Some people have complained
that the chef did most of the cooking, while others were right in the middle of all the culinary action. Choose your preference and make sure it fits. Most chefs welcome and encourage participation.
Companies offering these tours are abundant and can easily be researched on Google or other web-based search engines. If possible, check with past participants to see if the experience met their expectations.
Buon Appetito!
Check out these resources here!
