If you think to Tuscany you think to food and wine

Food and wine are the 2 most popular words that maybe you’re saying while thinking to Tuscany.

They’re probably the first reason of my job, when I chose to be a Cooking Class instructor and Professional Chef many years ago.

If you look for a cooking class in Tuscany you’ll find a big offer of people available to come to your holiday home and driving for a lots of miles. Well, honestly, I can tell you that I find a lots of customers among those ones who had not response to their mail and requests.

Cuoche in Vacanza is a professional itinerant cooking school

It’s very easy to say: “I’ll drive and come to you”, but it’s very difficult to find someone who actually do it, like we’re doing for 10 years.

I can say it’s a hard work, maybe more suitable for strong men than us women and mothers:

shopping, loading the car, driving for an average of 3 hours a day, running the cooking class or preparing the entire meal from scratch…inside an unknown kitchen.

Anyway I love my job and I’d not change it with any other.

I work and live “immersed” in food and wine, meeting new people from all over the world.

Every day I’m sure that I’ll meet someone special, happy to be on vacation in Tuscany. I know that I’ll set my stuff and I’ll start to talk about Tuscan food and wine, slowly we’ll go toward our lives and wishes and often we’ll end the day to be friend.

Many customers invited me and my assistant-friend to their countries, towns…Oh I’d like so much to visit USA, Australia, Canada. I often say: maybe one day!

Zuppa Inglese recipe down here

Private Cooking Classes and Dinners: authentic experiences

So, while I write posts about Tuscan and Italian recipes on Winter, I like posting our Cooking Classes and Dinners experiences on Spring-Summer. We go all over Tuscany and meet fantastic people which love cooking on vacation in Tuscany.

Obviously they like Tuscan and Italian food and wine and our pictures are full of laughs and smiles;

they have been taken under the Tuscan sun!

Tagliata recipe down here

So guys, if you’re thinking to come here in Tuscany on holiday, don’t forget to call us, Cuoche in Vacanza. We’re ready to come to your holiday home for a cooking class or a dinner…to wherever you’re staying in Tuscany.

Obviously, some traditional recipes!

Well, every Summer we experience new recipes and dishes and I’ll write these asap, of course. Meanwhile let me introduce our customers; those ones we met until now. This year they’re coming from towns like Portland (Oregon), Dallas, Las Vegas, New York; countries like Norway, Japan and Sweden. You can from the pictures that they’re enjoying their time and love food and wine from Tuscany.

Meat Sauce recipe down here

Since I know that many of you are passioned of Italian, Tuscan recipes, click on the link in Bold and go directly to the recipes that you like, my friends.

And don’t forget that you can also print them or save as pdf.

Sicilian Cannoli

Fresh Homemade Pasta

Zuppa Inglese

Tagliata

Beautiful Villas where going on vacation in Tuscany

The first place that we recommend you is not a Villa, but a Resort, one of the most beautiful where staying on holiday.

I’m talking about Poggio al Casone Resort (Crespina, Pisa), one of the first places where we’re working for 10 years.

Than, this year we discovered Villa Solaria, near Castelnuovo Berardenga (Siena).

We went over there running a private cooking class to a nice family from Canada. This villa too is a luxury one, inside a Tuscan wood where you can find wild boars.

Another beautiful villa is in Via Per Vorno (Lucca) 1086 (near the gate the number is 1209). Here we met best friends from Dallas. They really appreciate what we cooked and prepared, carefully observing us while we prepared the whole meal from scratch. I won’t forget them while tasting good food and wine…we spent with them wonderful days!

And we’re arriving to a place where we often go and where we always meet beautiful and friendly families and friends.

I’m talking about Agriturismo di Montevizzano (Palaia, Pisa). I won’t forget our laughs while cooking and drinking.

L'articolo Laughs food and wine under the Tuscan sun with Cuoche in Vacanza proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

To be a Private chef in Tuscany means meeting a lot of people from all around the world.

Our customers usually contact us from abroad, just filling our CONTACT FORM.

They inform us about their wishes for a dinner or a party with family and friends, we send them our “Private Chef in Tuscany” Menus and that’s it.

We do the shopping (following the seasons and local produce only) and we drive till their vacations Villa in Tuscany or apartment.

If, on the other hand, you prefer to take a tour while you’re in Tuscany, you can come and visit us at my Cooking School near Lucca which is also a beautiful bed and breakfast: Dolce Vita Cooking School and B&B

The whole menu is made on the spot

Once arrived we take a look at the holiday home and immediately start cooking. Everything is made on the spot, from the starters to dessert. This is a high-quality guarantee because we make every dish from scratch.

If you ask for pasta with pesto sauce for example we’ll prepare fresh handmade pasta and pesto with the leaves of fresh basil (often from my garden), toasted pine nuts (from pinewood of San Rossore), fresh Pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Various Ingredients

Any way to be a Private Chef in Tuscany means living in a land rich in various aromas and flavors. Each landscape can be reached just a few kilometers away. For example, from my home (near Pisa):

Hills: I live in the Pisan hills

Mountains: Abetone 70 kilometers away

Thermals: Le Terme di san Giuliano 2 kilometers away

Seaside: the best beaches near Pisa 5-10 kilometers away.

Seafood recipes from a Chef in Tuscany

Actually, about the sea and seafood in Tuscany, there’s a lot to say. There’s no pollution and many beaches awarded the blue flag.

That’s why I often cook seafood for my guests. In fact, I’m sure about the provenience of fish and quality as well. A private chef in Tuscany knows what are the best ingredients of this region and the sea is always a great resource.

King Prawns for example are very popular here in Tuscany and the best where I live come from the seaside town of Viareggio.

Private Chef in Tuscany: Pistachios King Prawns

Fresh and quality ingredients mean fantastic recipes.

These pistachios king prawns are a very elegant main course. Added to this it’s a very easy and quick dish.

You’re going to impress your guests because of its texture and beauty. It’s one of the most appreciated main courses, above all from our USA and NORWAY  customers.

Chopped pistachios and bread crumbles give this dish a gorgeous crispness. Furthermore, the softness of prawns is the perfect contrast that a private chef in Tuscany often is looking for.

If you accompany it with a fluffy mayonnaise sauce, you can be sure to taste them in the best way.

So my friends, while on vacation in Tuscany, CALL US! We’ll come directly to your villas holiday and cook a fantastic private dinner for you and your family. And why not…the following pistachios king prawns recipe.

Otherwise, follow this blog and be sure you’ll find all the easy and typical Italian recipes. The same that we prepare for our customers on holiday in Tuscany.

Other recipes from the Tuscan sea:

Spider crab pot pie

Orate (seabream) all’Acquapazza

Squid ink tagliatelle with red mullet

What do you think about hiring a Private Chef while on holiday in Tuscany?

What’s the added value of this private service for you?

Is there a particular Italian dish you would like to have the recipe for?

Just ask me and I’ll send it quickly.

L'articolo Chef in Tuscany at your villa: pistachios king prawns! proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

Food made on the spot is a must for us Cuoche in Vacanza.

If you’re in Tuscany on holiday we’ll come to your villa and prepare an entire meal by scratch, from starter to dessert, fresh handmade pasta included.

Further more we pay the utmost attention to the quality of ingredients, only seasonal and local produce.

I think this is a big added value and one of the first reasons that satisfy our customers, even if often they can’t imagine all the work that lies behind a dinner preparation like this.

Food made on the spot means a particular way to work.

We do the shopping early in the morning, we drive and we arrive at our customers’ villas around 3 hours before starting dinner.

In case of Private Cooking Classes we shop in the morning as well and we come to your holidays villa around 15 minutes before course, than we’ll run the class and you’ll prepare your dinner/lunch by scratch. All our courses are hands-on and food made on the spot.

If you’d like to know more about our Cooking Classes in Tuscany click HERE

If you’d like to know more about our Private Dinners in Tuscany click HERE

IMPORTANT TIPS IF YOU HIRE A PRIVATE CHEF or a COOKING CLASSES COACH

1. Remember, if some private chefs come to your home just 1 or max 2 hours in advance, this means that probably they bought some ready food. Food made on the spot requires time, you know.
2. By working in this field for the past 8 years I know that many people, (especially ones that make you a bargain price), buy most of the ingredients (ready Italian sauces for example, but even the whole pot) from the superstores; than they “assemble” according to your choice. In this way you have certainly paid little, but the real real value/cost of this dish is less than 1/5 of the price you pay. That’s why their gain is therefore rather high, despite the low cost. But what are you eating?
   

   A real chef does not need to prepare food in advance; food made on the spot is the best guarantee.

   

3. If you want to spend your time happily with your family and friends, your Private Cooking Classes must be hands-on. Don’t risk to boaring you with dead times between preparations or just watching someone else cooking.
4. To be assured of seriousness, find someone who is part of an association dedicated to food quality. Cuoche in Vacanza is part of Slow Food, an International association working to ensure everyone has access to good, clean and fair food.
5. The Costs of a Private Service (Privated Dinner or Cooking Class) mostly depend on work of cooks/coaches and assistants. If you’re password is “food made on the spot”, the chef or the cooking coach can’t come to your home without an assistant. They need this even for a few amount of customers. With no assistant food made on the spot is impossible.

Here in this post you can see pictures from our private dinners in Tuscany and cooking classes as well.

Click on the link for recipes from our menus:

perfect pizza

parmigiana aubergines

spaghetti clams

chocolate salami

zuppa inglese

fresh homemade pasta

tortellini

L'articolo Food made on the spot in Tuscany: from starters to dessert with “Cuoche in Vacanza” proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

What to do in Tuscany?

This question is often asked me from my students in cooking classes or guests-customers in private dinners and cooking at home.

I think that the best is to look for authentic experiences. Tuscany is wonderful, and you can decide to follow the standard touristic tours in the most famous towns: Lucca, Pisa, San Gimignano, Siena, Florence. Anyway don’t forget that if you’re living around these towns there are so many “adventures” to live which are very authentic and can give you the real sense of enjoing a holiday in Tuscany.

Well, what to do in Tuscany? the best authentic experiences are of course related wit food:

• taking a COOKING CLASS. Better if a Private one: professional cooking coaches which directly come to your holiday home to run a real Tuscan cooking class.

Cuoche in Vacanza is an 8 years experienced company that you can CONTACT to have right this.

What to do in Tuscany during a Cooking Class? Fresh Handmade Pasta! No doubt.

Be careful: a cookery course in Tuscany has now become a fashion and you risk to have at your Villa some people (not professional) who can stay much more time than promised and miss some important ingredients for your class. In many cases you risk of getting bored because of long downtime between preparations.  Only a many years experience from your cooking coach can guarantee a perfect management of time, learning and fun.

Are you curious about our Cookery Courses in Tuscany experiences? Watch the VIDEO clicking here

What to do in Tuscany? Eat dishes that you can’t imagine and you’ll never find in a restaurant.

• A Private Cook at your holiday home. It’s not only not to taste touristic menus, it’s the opportunity to eat like a local, like a Tuscan family.

Please CONTACT us to watch our Menus: only quality, fresh and seasonal ingredients, local produce.

This is a way to taste all the Tuscan and Italian dishes often different from those ones of restaurants.

Added to this you choose your time and stay comfortably at your home, avoiding queues and waiting times, while kids can do whatever they like.

Be careful: some people pretend to be cooks just to make money from the touristic business. They have no passion for quality food (I’d say for the land of Tuscany) and come to your home after buying food at the takeways or, at worst, they buy to the supermarkets food ready to be heated.

How to avoid this?

1. Check that they prepare every course by scratch, dessert included
2. Be sure that they’ll come to your holiday home about 2,30 hours before dinner (a shorter time is often impossible for a full menu)

The reasons above bring to a choice:

1. Prepare genuine, but high quality food. Obviously not complicated desserts needing minimum 1 day rest time or to be frozen for many hours before tasting.
2. To focus on what is fresh and homemade. That’s why Cuoche in Vacanza are mad about Fresh Pasta and they’ll prepare it by scratch before your eyes!

Are you curious about our dishes and experiences in Cooking at Home or Private Dinners? Watch the video clicking here

The Region of Tuscany is not only famous for its food. If you’re looking for what to do in Tuscany, don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy: Nature, landscapes and woods… they are fantastic!

Our suggestion about what to do in Tuscany in this regard is

• Nature Trail and Gathering Edible Herbs

  

1. to recognize and distinguish the herbs we meet along the way
2. to collect herbs and to create a Menu with herbs and flowers collected
3. to arrive to an old country stone-house among the olive trees where we’ll cook herbs and enjoy the meal together

Are you curious about wild edible herbs trail and cooking?

Click HERE to know more and read an article by Cathy Wilson

Do you think this post has been helpful?

What kind of authentic experiences would you like having in Tuscany?

Any suggestion for us?

Do you already know what to do in Tuscany but you don’t know how?

Please leave us a Comment below or contact us, I’ll answer you very quickly!

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L'articolo What to do in Tuscany: authentic experiences with Cuoche in Vacanza proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

When you ask for a Personal Cook or for a Cooking School, generally you aspect something new; anyway you know it’s not often easy…the ingredients are always the same and the most common thing, at the end is that the food is good.

duck breast carpaccio and redcurrant mayonnaise

Well, this dish instead combines everything you’re expecting when you think of something “new” in your kitchen or way to cook.

“New” is in fact not only related to the flavor, ingredients, or appearance of a dish; it’s all these things combined with an added value that you can’t explain but just feel with all your senses. That’s why I love to be a personal cook: my guests can tell me “thank you” many and many times, but there are no words, just their smiles, their eyes can explicate what they’re feeling while tasting…and after.

Here is an amazing recipe perfect to amaze your guests in a special occasion, worthy of a real personal cook; no matter if the personal cook is a family mother or a professional chef. When someone cooks for another you’re always “personal” to that person.

I made this Duck Breast with Redcurrant Mayonnaise and Crispy Parma Ham for Christmas lunch at my home (I made this mascarpone and amaretti dessert too) and it was very successful both for the inviting and elegant appearance, both for the extremely delicious flavor. I think that’s precisely what a personal cook is looking for: something quick, but beautiful and very good at once.

My family loved it very much and they asked for an additional serving: it’s a gorgeous dish, very light, tender and rich all at once.

I could maybe add this to our Menu of Cooking Classes in Tuscany, even if our students often ask for a Tuscan Menu, Fresh Handmade Pasta based (we’re mad about fresh pasta!).

The way of cooking is similar to that one of Tagliata (grilled and sliced tender beef steak)  the name calls for another amazing recipe that you can find clicking here: Carpaccio with honey and mustard sauce

It is definitely not a difficult recipe and you can prepare the redcurrant mayonnaise (that’s anyway easy) the day before.

Next time I’ll try with raspberry mayonnaise, that’s the only difficult step that you can meet: many, small, and hard seeds in redcurrant! Anyway, the sour flavor of redcurrant is perfect for duck…so I’m not so sure about the result, but I’ll let you know.

I’m thinking to add this dish to the Menu of Private Dinners in Tuscany (the ultimate chef services at a villa in Tuscany) just because of the achieved success, even if duck meat is not a usual flavor here in Tuscany.

Anyway you know, Carpaccio is typically Italian and with our group of Personal Cook Women (Cuoche in Vacanza) it could be one delicious starter or main course to show on the tables of our guests.

Some tips before the recipe:

1. Cooking the duck is not difficult but please, respect the step to put the duck (skin side) in a cold pan with some oil and turn it up to high
2. Season the meat side when the skin is crispy brown and flip it over right at this moment
3. Redcurrant is full of seeds. You can use both blender or immersion blender, anyway remind passing the puree through a sieve or using a food mill
4. Redcurrant Mayonnaise is sour, if you prefer you can soften it with a teaspoon of sugar
5. This is a Carpaccio, that’s why the meat has to be cooked until just pink (still very rare if you like)

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L'articolo Personal Cook and Cooking School in Tuscany: Duck Breast Carpaccio with Redcurrant Mayonnaise and Crispy Parma ham. Easy, quick and very beautiful dish for your Private Dinners. proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

If someone told me that I’d run so many cooking classes this year, probably I’d have not believed him. In fact cooking and all the world around this word is “fashion”, is something increasing the interest from most people; anyway the reality has surpassed the fantasy and Yes: this Spring-Summer has been a great job season for a lot of reasons.

1. First of all, I had beside me a top-level assistant: Paola. We’re completely in tune and this is very important for a Personal Chef and Cooking Coach as well.

2. While running cooking classes, I met new customers from all over the world and no one was unsatisfied…this is my greatest wish in my job. One of the things that I like most while cooking is listening to the various “yum…yummy…mmmmmhhh….ooohhh” and all the sounds of wellbeing that comes from the mouth of which tastes a dish made by us.

3. Tuscany has been one of the most visited places this year. This is fantastic, but obvious as well. I see Tuscany as one of the best places in the world: landscapes, sea, mountains, food, and people; everything is here, everything is enjoyable. Furthermore: delicious food and great possibility to take cooking classes from really great chefs!

I updated the cooking classes and private dinner menus in the course of work, after talking with some students or customers and listening to their cookery wishes and personal tastes. I always appreciate, each year more, working in Summer, when the smell of Nature comes in your car while driving and when the colors of Tuscany are magic. On Summer eating outdoors with your family and friends it’s enough to be happy and appreciate life more and more.

Well, learning by doing, I decided to insert many new recipes in Cuoche in Vacanza Menus, both cookery lessons in Tuscany and cooking at home; one of these ideas come from a nice Norwegian guy: Olav.

We cooked for his family and friends for a while and he suggested me try to offer “Saltimbocca alla Romana” as the main course because people from North Europe love so much this dish. I did immediately what he said and in fact, it’s a very successful one, really appreciated by a lot of people around the world.

The Saltimbocca alla Romana is one of the flagships of the Roman cuisine, anyway, the origins of this tasty dish are uncertain and someone says they come from Brescia (North Italy).
The great Italian gastronomy writer Pellegrino Artusi (I consider him the father of Italian and Tuscan gastronomy) at the end of the 800, described this dish that he tasted in the historic “trattoria” in Rome “Le Venete”. Now in Rome, this restaurant doesn’t exist anymore, but you can taste this special dish everywhere if in a typical location.

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L'articolo tuscany: cooking classes and private dinners at your holiday home; unforgettable job season and a new recipe: Saltimbocca alla Romana! proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

A few time ago we were called for a Private Dinner in Florence; thanks to a special permission we could parking the car in a beatiful and famous Square just in the historic Center of the town: Piazza Santo Spirito. While tourists and florentines on vacation were walking or sitting at the tables eating an ice-cream, me and my assistant Paola took out all our stuff from the car, went on the third floor of a gorgeous apartment and started setting the table to make fresh handmade pasta GNOCCHI and a typical italian main course: Orate all’Acquapazza, Italian for Seabreams in “crazy-water” (the recipe is below).

This kind of cooking the fish was invented by a fisherman of Ponza island, in the region of Lazio (central south Italy). It seems that this recipe became famous and popular, here in Italy, thanks to Totò, a comic actor who lived in the 1950’s and who’s considered one of the fathers of italian comedy.

It’s said that he loved sit down at his table in front of the bay of Naples, enjoyng this dish made with a freshly caught fish and watching the fabulous sunset and view in front of him.

The “Acquapazza” Seabreams is a perfect dish during Spring and Summer, first because here in Tuscany tomatoes are so sweet and juicy, then it’s a fresh and light dish that  you can enjoy even if eaten cold.

It’s a very simple dish, one of the most successful of our Private Dinners Menus; we often prepare it once arrived at the holiday homes of our customers while they’re on vacation and it’s often requested from people who love the natural flavor of the fish and pay attention to healthy food.

Guys, this kind of cooking the fish surprise you for the simplicity and your guests for its irresistible flavor!

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L'articolo Vacation in Tuscany and Private Dinner by CuocheinVacanza: Orate (Seabream) all’Acquapazza and Fresh Handmade Gnocchi for a family from Washington proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

The month of March’s started in a great way! We prepared 3 Private Dinners in Florence, Pisa and Montopoli.

We did the shopping and went to Florence for a Private Dinner to celebrate 60 years of an american father with his beautiful family from Washington.

Ten people in the party and a birthday cake that I prepared before their eyes: sponge cake filled with Nutella and Mascarpone Cream, coated with whipped fresh quality cream.

Their Main course choosed was “Acquapazza” Seabreams, in Italy: “Orate all’Acquapazza”. It’s a simple but tasteful fish dish, made with all the italian flavors: seabream fish, fresh and juicy tomatoes, garlic, basil and obviously extra virgin olive oil…nothing else. It’s popular here in Italy, because a famous actor of the 50′, Totò, loved eating it while sitting in front of the Gulf of Naples; he sayd to have with himself all the wonders of the world: sea, sun, Summer and gorgeous food.

The “Cuoche in Vacanza” second commitment, was in Pise and it was a test for a wedding dinner that’ll be on September, in the beautiful surroundings of Talamone, a fishing village in the South of Tuscany. This young couple’d like a wedding dinner recalling all the flavors of  Summer and Talamone…in a few words, all the party we’ll be fish based: seafruits and shellfish.

The Prince of the Dinner will be an italian first course: Lobster Linguine, in Italy: Linguine all’Astice, followed by a Tuna Tartare with seasonal vegetables cut in flower shapes.

Our third Private Dinner was just yeasterday, in Montopoli : a family from Boston booked our service for 2 times, while here on holiday  in Tuscany. They choosed as main course: Chicken and Peppers Tuscan Style. I bought the chicken from an organic farm near my home and I was not wondered, when they told me that it was really amazing.

Since we’re addicted to fresh homemade pasta, all the family asked us to prepare fresh egg pasta before their eyes; they guessed if it was possible to prepare fresh pasta for a person in the group who has Celiac: of course!! Allergic people, Vegeterians, Vegans and any kind of dietary prescription are Welcome!!

We made 2 different kinds of pasta and one of them was Gluten Free: Tagliatelle and Maltagliati with Fresh Chopped Tomatoes sauce, the famous Italian Sauce: Pummarola.

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L'articolo Private Dinners in Pisa, Florence and Montopoli: anniversary, wedding tests and gluten free in Tuscany proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

Chicken is one of my fav main courses, you can find it everywhere and its taste is always unespected, because of the many sauces and ingredients that you can add to it.

The smell of “Pollo ai Peperoni” always remind me my childood and our outdoor games. We played in the backyard and we knew when to come back home just by the “smell”!

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L'articolo #Tuscany: Video Cookery Course and fall ingredients from my granny’s cookbook…Chicken with Peppers Italian style! proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.

The week began with a really chic Passover meal, in a beautiful house in the historic center of Pisa, we then moved to Terricciola, to celebrate the birthday of a Norwegian lady with her family.  

The week ends in Florence, in a beautiful building in the historic center. Our guests are this time Americans who, after returning from shopping and museum visits, decided to relax in this beautiful apartment with our dishes, all strictly homemade.

What have we prepared? Where we were?
Find it in the photos, and if you also want to live these fine dining experiences, you’ve just to call us:
“…We come directly to wherever you’re staying in Tuscany to prepare the tasteful dishes with you” 

Our recipes all for you!! 

For homemade Potatoes Gnocchi recipe: click here  

For homemade Ricotta Gnocchi: click here

For Bruschetta: click here

For homemade Pasta: click here

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L'articolo #Florence: Private Dinners and Cookery Courses by CuocheinVacanza…a new season’s started! proviene da Cooking Classes and Private Chef In Tuscany.