Farm holidays in Chianti - Activities

Our Cooking Program Options

1. Basic 4-hour cookery course: in your Tuscany self catering apartments
(At the end of each lesson you will taste the dishes you have prepared)

Program 1

Starter: “fettunta” and “bruschetta”: thickly sliced and toasted Tuscan bread with garlic or tomatoes and basil
First course: fresh pasta – lasagne and tagliatelle with meat sauce made with Chianti wine and béchamel sauce
Dessert: “panna cotta” – rich baked custard made with fresh cream – and fresh fruit coulis

During this lesson in your Tuscany self catering apartments we will teach you:
- How to use fresh tomatoes to make “bruschetta”
- How to prepare fresh pasta, both classical and coloured – red and green – to make multicoloured lasagne and tagliatelle (noodles)
- How to prepare the “soffritto” – finely chopped onion, celery and carrot – to make the base for a good sauce.
- How to prepare a roux to make béchamel sauce.
- How to prepare a real “panna cotta” – with milk, fresh cream and eggs. We’ll learn this together.
- How to prepare a fruit coulis to accompany the “panna cotta” or ice cream.

Program 2

Starter: “crostini” - Tuscan canapés with chicken-liver sauce flavoured with vin santo (sweet dessert wine)
First course: pasta with pesto sauce
Main course: “peposo” al Chianti (meat stewed in Chianti wine)
Dessert: Tiramisù – literally a pick-me-up (a rich coffee-flavoured cream pudding)

During this lesson we will teach you:
- How to prepare the chicken livers: should they be left to marinate before cooking? Should we use a sauté of chopped vegetables?
- How to prepare pesto sauce with basil and pine nuts using two methods – the traditional one with a marble mortar and pestle and then using a blender. Afterwards we will taste the difference!
- Which meat should be used to make the “peposo” and why? It needs slow cooking and not much seasoning, that’s why we use a cut of meat which is very sinewy, cooking it for a long time to draw out the flavour and make a really tender stew...
- How to prepare a classical coffee-flavoured “tiramisu”, with strawberries. The aim is to obtain a fluffy cream and a light dessert. We will show you all the tricks for a top class result.


2. Basic 4-hour cookery course: at the chef house

Firstly we go to S. Lorenzo market for the visit and illustrate all the products (cold cuts, meats, vegetables, cheeses, fish). Then we drive home and start a 3 hour hands-on cooking class for the preparation of a complete menu: 1 starter, 1 pasta or risotto dish, 1 meat with side dish and 1 dessert.
When ready, the clients seat and have lunch. Food is always matched with 3 different sorts of wine. The price for the class includes the market visit, the transfer from S.Lorenzo to chef apartment, the ingredients and the wines, the degustation of the food and printed material.

Private chef
Our chef will be available also for preparing breakfast and dinner.

Courses in Italian language and heritage
Duration varies according to individual requirements. Courses are held in your houses.

Cultural Tour of Florence
Florence is a city so rich in cultural sites that it is almost impossible to savour them all in a short time. Ours taylor-made tours enable our guests to admire the “unmissable” locations as well as minor sites of incredible value and interest. Tours can be created according to the client's tastes and requirements, however, to enjoy an “overview” of the arts in Florence for someone who has never been to Florence, we suggest the following.
The Uffizi Museum, which include major works of Botticelli, the Bargello Museum: a triumph of sculpture with works by Michelangelo, Donatello and many others; the Galleria dell'Accademia where the famous David is situated and the Climbing of the Dome form where it is possible to admire a stunning view of Florence and to closely observe the craftmanship involved in creating this marvellous building.
For the seasoned traveller who has been to Florence before, we can organize specialized tours of the more hidden treasures in our beautiful city: small Oratories, Convents, “Cenacoli” and so on. All guides are of the highest standard and will transform your tour of Florence into a highly rewarding and fun cultural experience.
The tours can be conceived as half or full day.

Walking Tour and the Art of Terracotta
The red roofs, tabernacles, vases for lemon trees, “orci” for olive oil storage and the paving and decorating of country houses and villas, are all made from the precious clay of Impruneta and by the hands of its skillful craftsmen. Our guests can enjoy a lovely walk in the countryside around Florence with our specialized guide who will point out he landmarks while strolling along hamlets and poderi. The walk might include a specially prepared pic-nic, to be served in a pretty meadow that our guide will indicate, or, alternatively, the guest can enjoy a lunch in a typical restaurant before continuing their walk. The day will culminate into a visit to a kiln where the famous “cotto” is produced in the most traditional of ways.


City Day Trips

1.Lucca Day Tour

Lucca is a beautiful town with many places worth a visit.
We can organize a full day tour taking you into a cultural, but casual day in the town and the surrounding hills.
The morning will be spent enjoying a guided tour including the main highlights of the city by bicycle:
Lucca is the perfect place to go cyclying, riding along its famous medieval walls and later discover the piazzas, the small winding streets of the ancient city full of the most charming little boutiques and antique shops.

2.Siena Day Tour

Siena is a fascinating town, steeped in history and culture. It makes for a wonderful day our and offers many and diverse visits.
The tour will include your private guide who will walk you through the pretty winding streets of Siena, to the Piazza del campo, the famous suqare where the Palio is set every year.
The Duomo in Siena cannot be missed as the Crypt which has been recently opened to the public. As for all our tours, but particularly for this kind of cultural tour, we can modify, change and create different itineraries according to the passions and interests of the client.
The day tour in Siena is a fascinating day out and would appeal also to older kids, for its stunning architecture and fascinating history.


Wine tour

EXPLORING CHIANTI CLASSICO AND ITS WINES
9.30 am:
departing from Florence or Greve
Meet your Driver and Guide at your Villa
Full day visiting some Chianti villages and some artisans
Private visit of 2 prestigious Wineries
Welcome by the wine maker or the owner
Tasting of 3 wines at each Winery

The tour includes :
Chauffeured de luxe car or van service full day from 9.30 am till 5.00 pm
Bilingual Guide
Two wine tasting

Not included
Lunch
Gratuities to Driver and Guide