Thursday -10/17-Day 6
BEST DAY EVER!!!! Remember my story about the wine and food pairing for Chefs class that Stu bought me for my 50th birthday in Napa Valley? Well, this day trumped that experience! Today’s Private cooking class from Casa Grande’s Chef Guila was life-changing! I learned so much straight from the expert, hands on, in a real Italian kitchen dating back to the early 1300s, oh my God, the pictures and videos that Stu captured are amazing and will be cherished for the rest of my life.
I am ready to bring this new knowledge and skills back, and teach it to others because the quality of ingredients, the freshness, textures, and flavor profiles, are indescribable and so much fun to learn.
It was exactly what I needed to regenerate my passion for cooking and teaching. So grateful to Stu for making this possible and encouraging me to do it, even though I really was not feeling it last night. He knows me better than I know myself.
And in only two hours, we made four types of focaccia bread, personal pizzas, calzone, white table bread and potato gnocchi with pesto!
I even got a proper pronunciation lesson to boot. I had to promise her I would pass that lesson along to anyone I taught these dishes to.
When everything was cooked and ready, we got to sit down in a very intimate dining setting in the family dining room just off the kitchen and enjoy all that we had made. Stu had plans to go to the gym and for a swim while I was taking the class, but it was so interesting for him that he stayed and took pictures and videos and even joined in and made his own pizza, it was such a good time. One of those things that just happen that you can’t really plan but he just knew that if I showed up, it would be an experience of a lifetime and he was right!
Guila opened a 2019 bottle of Sangiovese Rosso for our meal and we dined like the King and Queen of the casa. After the Rosso we had more of the dessert wine with biscotti, said our goodbyes with much appreciation to Julia and stumbled back to our room through many hallways and staircases, trying not to get lost, again. About to take a big fat nap so much for the rest of the day! We are done!
Buona notte!!
Hi Stefania! Sorry to take so long to write back. It has been crazy trying to get back into the swing of things at work after that trip. Italy was amazing!! We absolutely loved it! As for feedback on the trip, we really don't have anything that was negative. We loved everything that was planned! We especially loved how you planned the sites that we went and how the pattern flowed (not sure if you did it on purpose but we think so). Also, thank you for being very accessible to us during the whole planning of the trip. You helped put us at ease and it was very reassuring that we chose the right company. That is all that I can given you that might be considered constructive. The rest I could say would just be compliments on everything else. If I can think of anything else that I think is useful I will definitely email you. Hope all is well, Jane P.S. - Does your company only provide trips for Italy or other countries as well, just wondering for the future :)
Food tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Rome, Florence, Tuscany, San Gim
Rome, Florence, Tuscany, San Gimignano, Chianti, The Vatican
Discover the Tuscan countryside and culture on this 8-day self-guided walking tour. Through the extensive footpath network of the area, roughly following the traces of the Via Francigena, one of Europe’s most important ‘highways’ in medieval times, you walk from village to village and experience a full immersion in the world-famous Tuscan landscape. The tour is perfect as an introduction to the region and a great choice for people who love museums, galleries and Gothic and Romanesque architecture. You have plenty of time to visit attractions on most of the days.
You will also have time to visit all the beautiful medieval villages and historic towns along the Via Francigena: starting from beautiful Lucca, you’ll pass through Fucecchio, San Miniato, Gambassi Terme, the stunning San Gimignano with its medieval skyscrapers and Monteriggioni, admired by Dante in his Divine Comedy. An optional detour can bring you to beautiful Colle Val d’Elsa and the tour ends in Siena, arguably the most perfectly preserved medieval town in Tuscany. This tour threads together some of the most attractive towns and villages in Tuscany in an eloquent procession.
However, the emphasis of the tour is to enjoy the countryside, the rolling vineyards, the poppies in spring and the wild cyclamen in autumn. The area north of Siena is an amazing landscape of rolling hills, alternating vineyards and forests, while cypresses line the way leading to the distant farmhouses. Walking here is an unforgettable experience and many of the views have barely changed for hundreds of years.
Accommodation and some meals are included. You spend a night in one of the best agriturismos in Tuscany, and the final night in the heart of Siena, in one of the most characteristic little hotels.
This is a moderately easy tour which is suitable for those who have some experience of walking and a good general physical condition.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Hostel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
English
Destinations
Siena, Tuscany, Lucca, Altopasci
Siena, Tuscany, Lucca, Altopascio, San Miniato Alto, Gambassi Terme, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni
The Mediterranean Tour was wonderful and will be fondly remembered for the rest of my lifetime. A favorite experience is difficult to choose as so many were great. I was awed by the visit to the Basilica of the Holy Family in Barcelona.
Sightseeing Tours
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Villa
Age Range
1-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Barcelona, Tuscany, Nice, Genoa
Barcelona, Tuscany, Nice, Genoa, San Gimignano, Costa Brava, Figueres, Marseille