Montecatini, Italy

We attended a true Tuscan cooking school for the entire day in a small town full of lush countryside, golf and spas. It was really a neat experience having a hands on lesson in real Italian cooking with a master chef.

We went to the farmer's market to pick up our fresh ingredients where he taught us the ins-and-outs of selecting fresh vegetables and fruits. Then we were off to his bed and breakfast, and professional grade kitchen, to begin our lesson.

We made bruschetta, mozzarella stuffed zuchinni flowers, homemade gnocchi and fresh marinara sauce, and an awesome custard/strawberry lady finger dessert.

We ate every bit of our cooking and I slept the whole way home. Probably one of the most memorable trips of the summer!!

--------- In the beautiful wooded area about 2 km north of Montecatini, you will find the property and professional kitchen of Molino delle Gallere, a restored 16th century olive mill, where proprietor and chef Giuseppe Mazzocchi will lead you in your lessons of typical Tuscan cuisine. Guiseppe spent his childhood surrounded by the aroma of fresh herbs of the Nievole Valley, where his passion for cooking goes back to his simple country upbringing at the family's olive mill. He developed his talents as Chef in several restaurants in the US, including Prego in San Francisco and Pricci in Atlanta. Your day starts at approximately 9AM, when Giuseppe meets you at the Montecatini market. You head straight to the wonderful fruit and vegetable market to gather items for your class directly from the farmers. Then on to the butcher shop, "Grelloni" to meet the owner Mrs. Lina; followed by a stop to meet Mrs. Marietta, the owner of "Zucconi," the award-winning pasta maker who supplies the renowned New York restaurant Le Cirque. Then it's on to Giuseppe's kitchen for a hands-on lesson for approximately three hours, followed by lunch with wine.