Travel & Cook: Cooking in Tuscany

 I spent a month in Italy this summer and now it's time to share.  I will be posting my favorite  cooking experiences that will rock your world (and recipes, too).

Close your eyes. Um, I mean finish reading this post and then close your eyes. I would like you to take a small break from your day... you deserve it... and let's talk about where you need to find yourself next summer.

Go ahead and pour yourself a nice glass of chianti and then let's chat. Feel free to have a couple of glasses because at the end of this post, we are booking a trip to Italy.

Are you ready?

Imagine yourself walking along the Arno river in Florence.  You walk yourself to an-easy-to-find corner and you find a charming older gentleman named Aldo who is waiting for you.

You hop in his van with possibly a few other delightful vacationers and you head to the hills of Tuscany.

You arrive at a beautiful villa and get dropped off right in front of your kitchen for the day.

You meet a wonderful Italian chef who gives you an apron, offers you espresso and a cookie and lets you get settled in.

You get introduced to the menu of the day, which is sure to be chock full of Italian favorites and seasonal delights.

Next, you jump in and start cooking, while listening to Andre Bocelli.

Along with the chef and other classmates, you spend several hours learning about different methods of Italian cooking and having a completely hands on experience.

There are nibbles along the way and and glass or two of vino to keep you going.

Just a few hours later, you sit down with your new best friends and eat a 5 course meal complete with lovely wines that came from just outside in the villa's vineyard.

You might be eating vegetable risotto with a homemade vegetable stock and shaved parmesan...

or a baked pork with grapes and rosemary...

perhaps fresh sheets of tagliatelle pasta with a porcini mushroom sauce...

and if you're lucky... real lucky... you might make individual servings of tiramisu that will knock your socks off.

So who's ready to book that trip?

Okay, so I know that 's a big commitment and maybe you need to think it over or at least find a few lucky friends, family members or strangers to join you.  But when you are ready, I want you to have all the information at your fingertips. 

This cooking school is called Cooking in Tuscany.  This is just the tip of the iceberg of what they can actually offer you.  They have week long cooking schools, market tours, wine tours, night classes, day classes and so much more.  They also rent villas near the school, and throughout the Tuscan hills outside of Florence.  If you need more info, email me... or you could cut me out altogether and check out the website... but I sure love a good email... and I have a lot more to say.

Don't worry... if you don't see Italy in your immediate future, I am bringing it to you.  I can't just leave you hanging with all the pics, can I?  I know it's hard to believe since it has been so darn long, but this is a cooking blog and I will be sharing these recipes starting now. Well, not now... maybe tomorrow?  Does that work for you?

Seen you soon... ciao.