Hi! I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for cooking classes in Italy? I've found a few that are weeklong trips and that's what I'm looking for - go to an inn or agriturismo for a week and cook and maybe have a few related outings (winery, market, etc).
I'm not too interested in the tours that include cooking - I'd rather sightsee on my own. I just want to go somewhere, relax, and learn to cook!
I'd love to hear anyone's personal experiences!
Ally,
I have not gone to this school so I cannot give you a first hand recommendation. However, it is run by the woman who founded the Books for Cooks shop in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London. I have taken a number of classes at Books for Cooks and always thought they were quite good. The Italy classes have been going for at least 8 years so I believe that they are quite reputable.
http://www.theitaliancookingschool.com/index.html
I took a week-long cooking class in Bologna through the International Cooking School last October(http://www.internationalcookingschool.com/index.php). They have a variety of classes that focus on the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna. I had a great time - we were in the kitchen four of the six days; one day was a field trip with visits to a latteria (forgive me if my spelling is incorrect, it is a coop where they make parmagianno-reggiano) and a visit to a villa where they age balsamic vinegar. Late afternoons were free to sightsee and shop in Bologna, and I really loved the city - it feels relatively untouristy and undiscovered compared to much of the rest of Italy. Bologna is one of Italy's culinary capitals, and I thought the class did a great job covering the basics of Bolognese cuisine.
Classic Journeys is another company that has similar week-long classes, primarily in Tuscany and along the Amalfi coast. I've not taken any of their classes, but they come well-recommended.
Thanks for the suggestions - I actually hadn't considered Bologna before. I've been focusing more on Florence/Tuscany - I've previously spent a lot of time in Naples so was trying for something different.
I'd love to hear of anybody else's personal experiances!
