Have you ever wanted to learn to cook in Italy, to participate in Tuscan cooking classes? And return home with recipes handed down over generations and collected by us since 2000? Tuscan Women Cook is a week-long culinary immersion vacation based in the medieval Tuscan village of Montefollonico. Each spring and fall, Coleen Kirnan and Rhonda Vilardo welcome guests from around the world to live, breath and cook as Italians do.
This unique culinary immersion vacation starts with lodging at the Agriturismo Belagaggio farmhouse. Each day participants indulge in the Tuscan lifestyle and discover the region’s passion for food and wine in a small group of 18 people or less. The best cooks in all of Tuscany, the local women, or “nonnas,” teach the cooking classes. They share regional techniques, ingredients, and family recipes that have been passed down over the centuries. Participants learn first-hand how to make gnocchi, tagliatelli, and pici— thick strings of handmade eggless pasta made originally in Montefollonico, in addition to seasonal delicacies.
After lunch Tuscan Women Cook provides daily sightseeing with visits to local artisans, cheese and wine tastings. Full day sight-seeing in Siena with a private guide who has a doctorate in Sienese history. Full translation is provided at all classes. Transportation to all activities is in a Mercedes minibus with private driver.
The locals of Montefollonico are dear friends of Coleen and Rhonda, and those relationships create an authentic immersion experience for Tuscan Women Cook guests. To view the entire Tuscan Women Cook culinary program, accommodations and to make reservations, visit www.TuscanWomenCook.com.
