Cooking Courses in tuscany: some words that I couldn’t imagine how would have become important.

I started the cooking courses job 8 years ago with a friend of mine, Lella, that one with me in our company (Cuoche in Vacanza) logo image

At that time I worked as sociologyst many hours a day and it was very hard to grow 2 small daughters and staying with them just a couple of hours. I wanted to spend more time in family, but I had to earn some money to grow the girls.

And so, thinking to a “seasonal” job, I started this adventure of cooking courses in Tuscany, convinced that it would have not brought me many hours away from home.

I know it was a leap in the dark following my passions: cooking, meeting people, passing down my granny’s tips, speaking english; anyway I started this job with the spirit of a Hobby more than a real job, conscious that I had to wait before earning enough.

This was a real investment, a bet to improve the quality of my family life. During the first 2 years we didn’t work hard, no many people asked for cooking courses in Tuscany and I was very busy to introduce myself and staff, building the cooking courses menu and contacting the holiday home’s manager here in Tuscany.

After the second year we started receiving mails from abroad;

many people asked for our private cooking courses in Tuscany service and I got the Professional Chef Diploma  after attending the Italian Cooking Academy in Florence.

Now, after 8 years,  because of my job I’m spending many hours far from home.

The small company named “Cuoche in Vacanza (Cooks on Holiday)” is very busy from March to November.

We’re experienced in Private Dinners and Cooking Courses in Tuscany…anyway my daughters have grown up now 

Someone tell me that it’s a very hard job: driving far away, cooking and cleaning one day after another, but I love this job so much and I’d not change it with any other.

Well every year during Winter, when sun is no more shining and I can weekly write on my blog, I feel the lack of customers, students, I’d say friends. Yes, because it’s true that they pay to have a service, but in many cases we become friends and we keep in touch. Often we send messages each other and we spend time together when someone come in Tuscany again.

That’s why I liked making a gallery about our 2016 cooking courses in Tuscany;

I often see these images running continuosly on my Mac desktop to any hour of the day and then I think to the happy time spent together and to the incredible places and landscapes that I’m lucky to explore during our trips to the Holiday Homes in Tuscany where our guests and customers are on vacation.

Spring 2017 is knocking on the door, and we’re ready to meet new people interested to improve their way of cooking or just learning some tricks or secret from Tuscan cuisine. Anyway each year is perfect as it is, with flavors, people and smiles that are similar to fire:

always the same, always different.

I can’t forget any job season spent at the holiday homes of my students and guests, everybody bring me in a different location to meet people who like enjoy a cooking course having fun together with family and friends.

Everyone has a different job, a different way of life and experience, but there’s a strong even if thin thread which joins our memories: love for Tuscany, for Italian fresh handmade Pasta, for cooking and mostly for enjoing a lunch or dinner with those you love.

Hope this gallery makes the idea of our Cooking Courses in Tuscany atmosphere and if you’re interested in what I wrote on this post, please leave a comment below.

Are you curious about our Private Cooking Courses in Tuscany? Here are 10 FAQ and answers that would probably interest you.

Would you like knowing something more about Cooking Courses in Tuscany? Please contact us clicking HERE or mail us: info@cuocheinvacanza.it

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L'articolo Cooking Courses in Tuscany 2016 gallery and Summer memories proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

groupcookingclasses, cuocheinvacanza,cookingclassesintuscany, tuscancookery

Today I’d like tell you about 2 beautiful cooking classes experiences that I lived last Summer.

You know that CuocheinVacanza is an Itinerant Cookery School: “we come directly to wherever you’re staying in Tuscany for Cooking Classes and Private Dinners”, well, this time I was at one of my fav places where I’m working for 6 years, Poggio al Casone Resort.

It’s a very quite, full of charme resort here in Tuscany, located on a small hill, surrounded by vineyards of Castellani winery; spectacular view from a huge terrace and many luxury apartments with everything you need to enjoy your holiday in Tuscany in the best way.

cuocheinvacanza, traditional lasagne, ragu sauce

I was waiting in both cases for people coming from USA, California; a group came from Pappalecco, an “inspired Caffè” located in San Diego, where America meets Italy.

What I most love in my job is always the same: the smile, the expression of people tasting a dish made by them with fresh and seasonal ingredients, the life experiences that we like sharing, while drinking a good glass of wine or taking a bite of a slice of Bruschetta.

cooking traditional lasagne

I like calling these: “Tuscan experiences”; yes, because I can’t forget what my granny taught me and I had the same identical espression of my customers when I was child and she showed me and let me tasting the “wonders” of authentic Tuscan cuisine. She had always few words while preparing a perfect Tuscan meal: “Look at my hands, check the heat on the stove, smell everything, so that you may know if you’re on the right way”.

Nowadays I know if a steak is salted enough just smelling it…exactly as my granny knew.

Do you know why is possible? Because if a steak is not salted enough, you’ll feel the smell of blood covering that one of the meat. Of course, you need a practiced nose, but it’s not so difficult, by the way.

lasagne Tuscan cookery course, cuocheinvacanza, holiday, summer

The Menu chosen by our customers and “students” was very tasteful and based on fresh homemade pasta, absolutely one of our Hands-on Cookery Courses: Panzanella, Polenta with Stracchino and Gorgonzola cheese, Fresh Handmade Pasta, Tagliatelle, Traditional Lasagne with Bolognese Sauce, Tiramisu.

Thinking to Traditional Lasagne, we need:

1. Fresh homemade pasta (cut in stripes)Lasagne: a) Pour the pasta stripes in a big pot with boiling salted water b) let cooking 3 minutes c) drain the pasta stripes with a perforated spoon d) spread the pasta stripes over a cloth and wait 5 minutes. Assembling Lasagne: a) put 3 or 4 tablespoons of besciamella sauce on the bottom of a baking tray b) put the pasta stripes to cover the bottom c) spread the pasta with besciamella sauce, then with ragu sauce (alternating the layers so that they are at least 5) d) finish with ragu sauce and sprinkle generously with parmigiano cheese e) bake 25 minutes at 380°C (until a golden crust on the surface) f) IMPORTANT: let that lasagne rest out of the oven at least 10 minutes, before cutting the portions

2. Ragu Bolognese sauce

3. Besciamella sauce (recipe below)
   

private dinners in Tuscany, cuocheinvacanza, lasagne veggie ragu

Lasagne is not only in the traditional version, you can also season them with an amazing Veggie Ragu Sauce (I recommend only seasonal and fresh ingredients); the taste is more delicate but full of a fresh flavor!

I already wrote some posts with recipes:

• you can find how making Fresh Homemade Pasta Here (don’t forget, generally each person: 1 egg, 4oz flour)

• you can find how making Bolognese Ragu Sauce Here

And Besciamella Sauce?

Well, it’s a very simple and amazing sauce that you can use in a lots of dishes; it’s a must here in Italy and it’s one of the cornerstones in cuisine in general.

Following these steps, you’ll obtain a perfect one, I personally tested the recipe many many times, but remember: Simple it’s Not Easy…you need to put a heart into your job!

private cooking classes, lasagne veggie, holiday in Tuscany

L'articolo Itinerant Cookery Courses in Tuscany, fresh homemade Pasta, Lasagne and a special recipe for Besciamella sauce proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

Amazing Tagliata!

A beloved dish among my customers when they opt for a private chef experience or a private cooking class on their home vacation.

I’d like to tell you today about one of the most requested main courses that you can find in our Menus for Private Dinners: Tagliata (the Italian word for sliced steak).

The last time that I prepared it was for a large family group, near Terricciola, a nice village here in Tuscany. Our customers chose the Menu, we did the shopping, and went directly to their holiday homes to cook for them. The self-catering villa was perfect, with a large and well-equipped kitchen (anyway we can bring many tools and we need just a sink, a fridge, a stove and of course a table).

When we arrived, from the dirt road, we saw our guests while having a dip in the beautiful swimming pool; there was an atmosphere full of joy and laughs and indeed we were about to meet special people with whom we became friends and we’re still keeping in touch.

These guests came from Oslo and they loved the amazing Tagliata and our way of preparing it.

tagliata, tuscany cooking vacation

After many years (exactly 15) of working for tourists coming from all over the world, I can say that everyone likes it, whether English or American, Norwegian or Australian.

This Amazing Tagliata features succulent slices of grilled beef, seasoned to perfection, delivering an explosion of taste in every bite.

private dinners, cooking at home, chef in Tuscany

Some suggestions to taste an amazing Tagliata to its best:

First of all the meat cut:

I strongly suggest using sirloin (or entrecote), in my opinion, it’s suitable for Tagliata for 3 reasons:

1. It’s without bone (you’re not going to prepare a Fiorentina Steak)
2. It has a thickness of about 2 inches (4 or 5 cm) and with medium fire cooking, this allows the meat to maintain its liquids and to be pink and very soft inside
3. the sirloin (unlike the fillet) is covered with a layer of fat that melts into the meat  and make it juicy, tender, and tasteful

Another suggestion for cooking: it’s very important to maintain a medium heat (no sudden changes in heat)

Beef Tagliata is surely good if wood-fired grilled, but it’s difficult not to have some sudden changes in heat with fire. If you’ll follow my suggestions and steps, you’ll obtain a delicious dish just with a plate for grilling, your stove, and your wish to delight the palate of your family and friends.

During Summer, with my team of CuocheinVacanza, here in Tuscany (Central Italy), we prepare many kinds of Tagliata for our guests. We go directly to their holiday homes and we cook the Menu that they chose for their Private Lunch or Dinner.

tagliata, chef at home, private dinners, Tuscany

You can accompany Beef Tagliata in many typically Tuscan ways:

• with Porcini mushrooms
• with Artichokes
• with Rosemary
• with Aubergines
• with Rucola, Parmesan, and a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction…that’s what we’re going to do now

private dinners, Norwegian tourists, private chefs, Tuscany, holiday

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L'articolo Tuscany Cooking Vacation with an amazing Tagliata (Italian for sliced steak) as main course proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

After a few moments of thoughtful, I decided to go there by train, carrying all my job-tools with me, in a suitcase with wheels.

I went to pick up the ladies and to put my job-tools at their apartment and, all together, we started this particular and interesting coolinary adventure. 
You can imagine my surprise to see there wasn’t the kitchen! 

While I was looking around the apartment, a lady opened the closet and…tadaaaaaa: here is a very small sink, a very small stove and a pantry, everything inside the closet.

Just to tell you we’re ready going everywhere in Tuscany and with every kind of kitchen!

The Central Market in Florence is always open and shows many kind of veggies, meats, breads and fish. Food is fresh and you usually can trust the sellers…
anyway 3 suggestions:

1. you can also find some “sly-one”, just interested on tourist wallet, who sell you not local products for local ones. If you’ll go with an italian person who can make the shopping for you, you’ll haven’t this problem.
2. don’t go to the Market with a tourist guide who often goes there with many tourists. These people have often some interests to buy in a particular shop rather than in another. Maybe the food could be better elsewhere…
3. If you’re going to pay the shopping, don’t believe those who tell you it’ll be expensive; don’t forget that you’re at the Market: you can have very good quality at a good price! The ingredients for hands-on cooking classes must be simple and seasonal (this means first quality). It’s you, with your work that make “special” a dish and give it a value.
4. Our shopping for a 4 people cooking class, didn’t exceed €30 (Extra Virgin Oil not included) and we bought very good ingredients!

 Solution? 

1. Go there with a simple local person who can make you this favor
2. Go there with a serious Professional (chef, teacher or guide) who thinks above all to your interests and to teach you what’s the best food at that moment.

My students from Australia choosed the cooking class Menu: Tortelli Maremmani and they choosed Chocolate Salami as dessert. 

• Eggs
• Flour
• Tuscan Bread
• Ricotta Cheese
• Spinach
• Parmesan
• Basil
• Fresh Tomatoes
• Beef minced meat
• Tuscan Sausage
• Peeled Tomatoes
• Carot, Celery, Onion, Garlic
• Cookies
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• Sugar
• Butter

Once came-back home we start our hands-on work making Fresh Homemade Pasta, Pasta sauces and Dessert, to be ready to eat with the special guest they hosted for lunch.

During the Cooking Class we talked not only about food, but our lives and wishes too. The ladies told me about their very long travel all around the world and gave me a beautiful australian keychain that I always bring with me.

On my way back to the train station I met a “just married” couple in Santa Maria Novella…I could not help but take a picture…another beautiful surprise in an unforgettable day!

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L'articolo #Florence: Trip to the Market and Private Cooking Class; 3 ladies from Australia and a special guest at lunch proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

Sorry guys if I didn’t write for many days, but I was in a really secluted, quite and “lost” place. I spent my time around the Appenino Modenese, near Sestola.

 

Over there, between the woods, the iced rivers, the snow and the mountains, we are lucky enough to have got (and a bit wild) stone-house. It’s in a very small village…10 people in total…and…One of these people is…“ta-daààààà”: the only, the great, the one and wonderful chef: Adriana.

She tought me to prepare an old and traditional dish of this land, the incomparable: TORTELLINI Emiliani!

You need to be patient and to have time (it takes around 3 hours).

Tortellini, the original Recipe

Recipe by Erika Elia (CuocheinVacanza.it)

Prep time: 2,50 hours
Cook time: 8 minutes
Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients
The filling 

• 7 oz (200gr)minced meat (beef)
• 2 oz (50gr)mortadella (typical italian cold cut) or sausage
• 2 oz (50gr)raw ham (Parma)
• 4 oz (100gr)grated parmesan
• 1egg
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 1 lb (500 gr)00 flour
• 5eggs

The Fresh handmade Pasta

• 1 lb (500 gr) Flour 00
• 5 eggs

Cooking Directions

1. Mince the mortadella and the ham, add them to the beef meat and mix together.
2. Add all the other ingredients and work to amalgamate with the tip of your fingers, kneading all together.
3. Knead the “pasta” ingredients (follow my tortelli Maremmani recipe).
4. When you obtained the “sfoglia” (a sheet of thin-dough), cut the sfoglia in many strips (horizontal and then vertical) to make some very little squares. If you want to obtain the real Tortellini Modenesi, you need only 2 cm side! Otherwise you can try with an about 5cm…it’s easier
5. Pic up the meat (large as a pearl) and put it in the center of the square.
6. At this point you have the most difficult task: close two opposite corners and roll up the other two sides around your forefinger; now close them: the Tortellini have done!

• Quantity: 5 oz (150gr) per person (if the dough is fresh), 3 oz (80gr) per person (if dry)

• Cooking time: 8/10 minutes

• Suggested sauces: Ragu, fresh cream and ham (the best for me and your children!), pummarola, gorgonzola cheese and fresh cream…

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L'articolo Cooking Classes at your Holiday Home: I TORTELLINI EMILIANI, Recipe and Video proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

Wild Edible herbs have been a great discovery for me.

My cuisine would not be the same without the colors and aromas encountered in the Tuscan countryside. My walks are always dedicated to the collection of edible herbs and edible flowers.

2 opportunities!

I am pleased to inform you that if you come to Tuscany you have two possibilities:

1. Come to my Dolce Vita Bed and Breakfast and Cooking School near Lucca. It will be fun to go for walks together and collect herbs to cook them at the school.
2. Take a course in the Pisan hills of a nature trail and cooking edible herbs and flowers. You can read all details here: Herb Gathering Course

Bruschetta and Wild edible flowers

Collecting Wild Edible flowers and herbs in Nature

Every time, during this cookery course, we’re learning something more about this world that many people don’t know.

What we did the last time

Once arrived at an old country house, or better ancient (it’s aged 1760) inside the wood, we prepared our lunch with herbs and flowers collected and we enjoyed the fruit of our labor.

Cooking and Eating what you can easily find in nature is an indescribable satisfaction: you don’t have to go to the supermarket, but just have a walk in the countryside, you don’t have to pay anything, just leave the roots and respect nature and its rebirthing process. And what’s more important: your life will be healthy because of lots of mineral salts and vitamins with which you feed yourself!

Well, what about our lunch?

• Bruschetta with extra virgin oil, garlic, and wild spicy flowers (amazing)

• Organic Pasta, tomatoes (the garden is just behind the house), and wild fennel

• Baked Panzerotti with wilds edible herbs collected (sorrel, sowthistle, naked weed, dandelion…) and tomato sauce

• Ice cream (custard and cream) sprinkled with mashed blackberries we found along the way and sugar.

Everything obviously, “washed” by an organic delightful white Tuscan wine!

Pasta and wild fennel

Panzerotti with cheese and wild herbs filling

Wild Flowers Bruschetta: 

INGREDIENTS (6 people):

• 1 pound (500 gr) unsalted bread, possibly one day old. Here in Tuscany, it’s with a crunchy crust and a compact crumb
• 1-2 sprigs of Lesser Calamint. This is perfect, but any other herb you have will do just fine)
• 1 small bunch of edible flowers
• To taste Salt
• 3 Garlic cloves
• To taste Extra Virgin Oil (very good quality to obtain an amazing bruschetta)

1. Cut an unsalted bread (slice: 1/3 inch thick and 2-3 inches long; 1cm thick and 6-7 cm long) and count 2 slices for a person.
2. Put 5 or 6 slices in a pan and put them on the fire. Be careful because they burn in a moment.
3. Turn the slice to the other side and wait until they become dry and golden. Continue in this way with the others.
4. Rope the slices with garlic (just one side)
5. Cut some sweet tomatoes (Piccadilly, san Marzano…) into very thin slices.
6. Put some extra virgin olive oil in a pan with some “nepitella” (lesser calamint) leaves and, as it’s starting frying, turn off the fire
7. Season the bread slices with salt, this amazing flavored oil, and the tomatoes
8. Garnish with some cress flowers
9. Bruschetta is ready

Click on the following links to read more about our Wild Edible Herbs Trail and Cooking:

Herb Gathering Cooking Course

Cookery Nature Trail Wild Edible Herbs

Calci (Pisa) discovering and cooking wild Herbs in Tuscany

Here is the ARTICLE by Cathy Wilson about the Wild Herbs Course:

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L'articolo Crespina: cookery, nature trail, wild edible herbs for a very nice family from England to Tuscany…and our Bruschetta recipe! proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.