Workshops In Tuscany -

Three-Day Culinary Experience

Table Follow your heart and feed your soul. Come to Tuscany to learn from local chefs who cook with passion as a way of life. Participate in hands-on cooking events that will change the way you think about food in general and Italian cuisine in particular. Learn the true meaning of “Si sposa” (it marries) in the context of food preparation, and why "Stare bene insieme" (meaning to stay well - or close - together) is a quintessential part of sharing a meal in Italy. The spontaneous convivial atmosphere that happens when family and friends get together is a highly valued keystone of Italian lifestyle and why we and so many others love living here!

It all seems to come together over a meal. The shopping for and preparation of food is foreplay to what follows. When everyone finally sits down at the table, and the wine starts to flow and the simultaneous conversations pause to synchronize with the arrival of the first dish in a multi course meal, you know you’re at a true Tuscan table, where the food is savored and thoughtfully remarked upon, and life and eating are one. There is a deep appreciation and delight for the magic that took place in the kitchen, the most important room in the house. Cooking, eating, talking and being together are what give satisfaction and meaning to "Stare bene insieme". Come to Tuscany and experience this for yourself. Il Rifugio Kitchen

The theme for our cooking classes is tradition, authenticity, education, and fun. We will complement step-by-step instructions and demonstrations with a history of the dishes we’re preparing. Our recipes come from the hearts of local Cortonese, the people whose families in and around Cortona date back centuries. We will explore age-old regional traditions in food preparation as well as contemporary twists on classic recipes, Expect to glean tips on savvy shopping from local vendors including topnotch butchers, vintners, farmers, and other specialty shops and markets.

We invite you to eat, drink, and partake in an unforgettable culinary journey through Tuscany, to revise your thinking on Italian food, and to take home a renewed sense of the delights and arts of the table.

Cost and Conditions Back to Culinary Workshops page

For more information please Email us or call:
U.S.A. 805 682 2386 or Italy (011 39) 339 199 3070

Arrival Day

Wine and glasses

We welcome you to Il Rifugio!

We will meet you at the Camucia-Cortona train station or in Cortona and take you to Il Rifugio. After a tour and orientation, you will settle into your room before a welcoming dinner.

All transportation is provided during your stay at Il Rifugio including to the train station, Cortona and other surrounding communities.

Itinerary

Table

Meet like-minded foodies and share the experience. Come and stay with us at Il Rifugio and learn the culinary traditions of the region.

Each day will start with a Tuscan (or American) style breakfast including fresh bread, pastry, sweet spreads, and cafe, cappuccino or tea. Wines from the region and IL Rifugio's house wine is included with our meals and wine tasting.

Our program will include:

Day 1 - We will meet at a local cafe in Cortona for breakfast and introductions. After breakfast we will take a short tour of the town and point out some of the local food and wine shops. We will also do some shopping for today's lessons. By mid morning we will go to Il Rifugio for a brief tour and orientation. This will be a good time to get settled into your room if you are staying or just unwind and get ready for the first lesson which will be to make today's lunch. This evening's class will be on the preparation of anti pasta (appetizers), party snacks and making light meals.

Day 2 - Basta la pasta! (Enough pasta!) is what you will say by the end of the day. We will carbo out today. Ok, so you don't normally eat like this but we want to to show you how to make various types of pasta. For lunch we will make three styles of pastas for a primi (first dish) combined with both light and heavy sauces for you to try and compare the differences.
For the evening class, we will make a sampling of heaver pasta such as pici and gnocchi and a filled pastas such as ravioli or tortellini (not really a Tuscan region dish but still very good). We will also round out the meals with the appetizers you learned to make on day one first and a secondo (second dish, usually a meat dish) after the pasta sampling and of course a dolce (a sweet or dessert).

Day 3 - This morning we will invite a local pastry chef to demonstrate how to make Cantucci, Meringue and other traditional sweets. After a little rest time we will head out for a local agritourismo (a working farm that also hosts guest stays) and have a full meal lesson from appetizers to desert. Later that evening we will return to Il Rifugio.

Departure (Day 4)

Trees

At 1 0:00 AM - We bid you a reluctant "arrivederci". Transfer from IL Rifugio to Cortona or train station is provided.

Workshop Dates

Class dates can be scheduled for private groups of four to ten people.

Cost & Conditions

Cortona Market

Three-Day Culinary Experience	4 to 6 People Per Person	7 to 10 People Per Person
No Stay	$550	$450
Double Occupancy Stay	$750	$650
Private Room Stay	$850	$750

A 'stay' includes three nights lodging.
Please see the Planning section for very important pre-registration information.

One-Day Cooking Classes - Three-Day Culinary Events - Week-Long Food & Wine Vacations

Il Rifugio is a private Tuscan farmhouse for rent by the owners,
located in the village of Montanare, community of Cortona, Italy