About this experience
Tuscan cuisine is very simple, tasty, and healthy! You can taste typical dishes in local trattorias and family restaurants, and if you want to learn how to cook them yourself, welcome to the culinary masterclass that we organize with my friend, Italian chef Mauro!
What to Expect
The culinary school and family restaurant Mauro is located in a beautiful place amidst an olive grove and vineyards of Chianti. After the cooking lesson, we will go on a short tour of this wonderful city, which is, by the way, included in the UNESCO heritage list. The family restaurant and simply Tuscan hospitable house, where culinary lessons take place, has incredible energy, and from the cozy kitchen and terrace where you will cook and eat lunch in Italian, you will have an unforgettable view of the fields of Tuscany and the medieval Manhattan – San Gimignano.
During the masterclass, I will tell you about the peculiarities of Tuscan cuisine, and Mauro will reveal many interesting and useful secrets of Italian chefs. You will learn how to cook homemade pasta, ravioli and tagliatelle, spaghetti and tortellini, various pasta sauces, traditional appetizers and antipasto, and of course, desserts. Most of the vegetables and spices, olive oil Mauro takes from his garden-vegetable garden. For vegetarians, vegans, and people with dietary restrictions, we have interesting, tasty, and unusual offers.
Sample menu for the masterclass:
- Antipasto (appetizers): bruschetta / zucchini flowers or broccoli in batter / fried artichokes (depending on the season)
- Homemade pasta (tagliatelle / tortellini / ravioli / spaghetti)
- Dessert (tiramisu / panna cotta / creme brulee / creme catalone)
All dishes made by hand, you can enjoy with Tuscan wines. And there is also a little surprise waiting for you!
Organizational Details
How the Tour Goes
- Start in the town of Certaldo, where you can get by train from the Florence-Santa-Maria-Novella station (50 minutes, 6 euros/person). I will meet you at the station.
- Duration of the masterclass - 3 hours. Tour of San Gimignano - 1 hour.
- The cooking lesson is not individual. Besides us, there may be other participants from different countries in the lesson. The maximum number of people is 10. The trip to San Gimignano after the cooking lesson is individual.
- If Mauro is fully booked for the day, the cooking lesson can be held elsewhere - in a medieval castle or a small agriturismo.
I recommend combining this tour with a trip to Chianti and tasting local premium wines (see this tour). When booking two tours in one day - a 20 euro discount per person.
