We take a lot of pride in our culinary tours. We have a lot of passion, we enjoy our cooking classes, we love our Italian traditions, and our chefs are extremely competent and entertaining. Yes, we like to have fun. Come and join us! It will be your best vacation ever!
Our philosophy is to make your stay in Abruzzo with us as personal and as friendly as possible. That's why we have decided to only have very small groups, max. 8 people. This is our competitive advantage.
We are not an agency, tour operator or any other third party. We want to underline this concept. It's all us. We will take care of you from the beginning to the end, starting from the free airport pick up, all the way to the departure gate, with a big Arrivederci.
Enchanting and majestic, Abruzzo is Italy's best-kept secret. Step back in time and discover truly traditional, non-commercial Italian cooking in the foothills of the Apennine mountains. Surrounded by hills and valleys as rugged yet peaceful as the people living in them, you will learn to cook in the timeless tradition so deeply embedded into the hearts of the locals. It is a truly unique experience working with ingredients so authentic and flavours so delicately preserved. Come and join us to experience everyday extravaganza in the kitchen.
This area of Italy is home to true craftsmen and women who continue using methods and skills passed on through the generations to produce the foods they eat every day. Families still make their own olive oil, wine, sausages, pasta and more. This is one of the few places left in the world where handicraft is not an exception to the rule.
SAMPLE ITINERARY:
Day 1. Arrival and Welcome Dinner...
We will meet you at the airport in Rome or Pescara (preferably) and drive you in your own van accross the beautiful Central Apennine mountains directly to Palazzo Tour D'Eau in Carunchio, where you will be staying. In the evening you will attend a multi-course welcome feast and we will get acquainted...and settle in.
Day 2. Quick and Healthy Mediterranean Dishes, Salame plant, Olive Press...
We will explore the basic ingredients of traditional Abruzzo cuisine and make some of the best seasonal sauces for pasta dishes. The theme for this lunch will be Healthy Homemade Meals in 30 minutes. You will see how delicious, easy, and healthy Mediterranean cuisine can be. We will lunch on our tasty creations in traditional Italian style, slowly and in good company! After our leisurely lunch, you will rest up for the afternoon activities. We will visit a salame production plant and learn how this incredible product is made. Plus a visit to an olive press will show us the procedure of olive oil making. We will also learn the sampling techniques.
Day 3. Homemade Pasta Extravaganza, Agnone, Chees Plant, Bell Factory...
Learn how much fun and utterly delicious making pasta at home can be, in a variety of colours and shapes. We will teach you all the tricks so it turns out great every time. You will be amazed on the variety: pasta alla chitarra, gnocchi, lasagna, stuffed pasta...and so on. After lunch, we will take you down to Agnone, in the region of Molise, where you can watch real family production of Mozzarella, ricotta cheeses and cacio cavallo. And then we wil visit an ancient bell foundry wihch provides bells to the Vatican City. We will learn about the phases of the manufacturing.
Day 4. Vasto, Trabocco "fishing house", Shopping, Cosmetic Organic Lab...
A trip to the Adriatic Coast in Vasto for a sunbathing, shopping, and a sightseeing tour of the coast's unique "trabocco" fishing houses. Depending on the weather and the season, we will be able to enjoy a fishing experience at the trabocco, an old fishing house sitting in the middle of the sea. A real special treat. Shoe shopping to a huge selection outlet store. Tehn we will visit an organic cosmetic lab that makes soap and body lotions with olive oil and goat's milk. Amazing sensations on your skin.
Day 5. Learn the Art of Preservation...
Learn how to preserve fruits and vegetables in the Italian way. Make fruit preserves and a variety of pickled vegetables, plus learn how to preserve using oil. Taste and discover how these ingredients are a big part of the Abruzzese cuisine. Free afternoon to walk around town and enjoy the preaceful environment.
Day 6. Desserts; Wine Sampling Class...
Learn how to make mouth watering desserts and pair them with the liquors made the previous day. After lunch, we are going to take a wine sampling class. We are going to sample four of the best Abruzzo wines and we are going to learn how to pair food with wine, with our own sommelier.
Day 7. Last minute shopping and return to the airport.
