Private Cooking Classes in Tuscany

You like Italian cuisine, don’t you? Of course you do. Wish you could cook some great Italian dishes yourself?Well, I have good news for you. At Chiarentana – one of the houses we rent in Tuscany in the magnificent La Foce  estate , – the congenial, highly accomplished chef Paolo Coluccio presides over galvanic cooking courses every Thursday morning from 10 am to 1 pm.

Chiarentana  consists of many independent apartments, a large dining room and, interestingly, a fully equipped professional kitchen – where chef Paolo generously dispenses his valuable knowledge.

The last time I participated in one of these courses, we were five “apprentices”, all eager to learn the secrets of how the Italians make their deliziosi ravioli, gnocchi and tagliatelli. Did you know that using the best local ingredients and foodstuffs in season is – as chef Paolo will elegantly tell you – the only way you can get truly authentic aromas and flavours?

You will also be introduced to the different types of flour, and shown how to mix, knead, pound and roll them. Then you will learn to make the all-important fillings, and will get down to the preparation of the Italian-style garlic, lemon juice, spices, tomato sauce, walnuts, Swiss chards, olive oil, rucola, parmigiano, pecorino, pesto, presto, allegro, spiritoso, appassionato… Yes, exactly, nothing less than a great symphony of colours, passions and savours!

The cherry on the cake: at the end of the class, at around 1 pm, you will be able to lunch on the very fruit of your intense training – with, needless to say, a glass of a great local heartwarming wine!

See you there, maybe.