TUSCANY!

   Although I have been to Italy a few times, I have not yet had the pleasure of cooking in Tuscany.  Attending a culinary academy while on vacation is hot right now and Italy, specifically Tuscany, has so much to offer.  There are many options it is hard to choose.  Here are some options:

 The owners of Sue Brown Travel, (the agency I am affiliated with), have just returned from Villa San Michele in Florence, Italy and they had nothing but wonderful things to say about it!  Sue and Debby were also lucky enough to enjoy a cooking class in the beautiful glass enclosed kitchen of the hotel's cookery school.  Recommended by Food & Wine magazine, this is one to
check out! 
    
    Tuscan Women Cook is run by Bill and Patty Sutherland, natives of Texas, who purchased a home in Tuscany in 1998 and decided to share what they have learned about Tuscan cooking with real Tuscan women.  Their program has been highlighted on the Food Network, Fine Living and recommended by Travel & Leisure .

    Utilizing older traditional styles of cooking and sharing family recipes passed on from generation to generation for centuries, these local women will teach you (in Italian translated to English) how to make pasta, sauces, and fresh seasonal dishes.  The six day program also includes trips to the local food markets, farms, and festivals, wine tastings in the local vineyards, lunches and dinners out, shopping, and sightseeing.  Many major attractions such as Florence, Siena, Pisa, and Cortona are within driving distance.

    Accommodations are at La Costa, a restored farm family owned and operated, situated within the medieval walls of Montefollonico, with views of Cortona, Lake Trasimeno, and Umbria.

    The Tuscan Women Cook website is one of the better ones I have seen with enticing pictures and videos.  View it here…

    The other tour operator that caught my eye is Backroads, a company that focuses on active travel.  Their tour “In The Kitchen With Tuscan Masters” will have you walking on wooded trails from one village to another, stopping along the way for cooking lessons in Tuscan homes and private villas.  As you hike through the Chianti region you will have a chance to sample the wines, picnic in the vineyards, and shop. 

    The activity level is yours to choose between levels 1 and 3 (out of five levels) each day.  Level one is 2-5 miles which is approximately 2-4 hours of activity; level two is 5-7 miles, about 3-5 hours of activity; and level 3 is 7-9 miles, about 4-6 hours of activity.  Your luggage is transported in a trailer and there are vans at the lead and at the rear of the walk in case you get tired and don’t feel like walking anymore.  They will also transport any purchase you make along the way.  You only need to carry snacks, any additional clothing you might want to throw on, and personal items.  You won’t need to worry about calories on this trip!

    Accommodations are at the Castello di Tornano, Palazzo Leopoldo, and Villa Vignamaggio, a castle, an inn, and a villa.

    View the Backroads website here…