Join us in the Chianti Region of Tuscany for ten days of culinary delights, hiking & biking through ancient vineyards and villages, and connecting with the local community. Our Tuscan Culinary Adventure is an opportunity for you to learn cooking traditions at the Villa La Quercia and participate in the yearly grape harvest as well as enjoy lively lunches during our cooking classes as we sample the fruits of our labors. We will arrange special farm and home meals through Italy’s unique Home Food program, and visit important vintners, cheese producers, and other local food luminaries.
The following itinerary is a sample of what is possible on our trip. The actual activities will vary depending on local opportunities. For example, we may be able to participate in the grape harvest one afternoon or get invited for a special meal with friends we meet along the way. Our goal, by focusing on one particular community within Tuscany, is to begin to become intimately familiar with its people, culture and daily rhythms.
Itinerary:
Saturday – Arrive in Florence in the afternoon. Your guides will pick you up at the train station. Drive to the town of Impruneta and check in to the Bella Vista Hotel, our home for the week. Take a walk through town in the afternoon before a welcome dinner at the Bella Vista. (Dinner included)
Sunday – After breakfast in the hotel, we will walk to the Villa La Quercia for a cooking class with our host, Veronica Clemente. We’ll enjoy the fruits of our labor for lunch, then head out for a tour of the villa (that dates back to the 15th century) and 4 surrounding hectares cultivated with vines and olive trees. In the afternoon we return to Impruneta for the annual Festa Dell’ Uva (Festival of the Grape) parade, which we can view from our hotel terrace (September trip only)
(breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Monday – Walk to La Quercia for our morning cooking class and lunch. After breakfast we join Veronica for morning shopping at the Sant Ambroggio Market and local butcher shops. Learn what to look for in fresh produce and the best cuts of meat for Tuscan cooking. We return to La Quercia for cooking class and lunch. In the afternoon we have the option of visiting local Terra Cotta artist Sergio Ricceri and tour his studio, then you are free to explore the town.(breakfast, lunch)
Tuesday – After breakfast we will embark on an adventure in and around the famed Renaissance city of Firenze (Florence). Options for this day, depending on the group, include hiking or biking, through vineyards and orchards, stopping for a lunch in one of the villages along the way. Or, you can spend the day just exploring the cultural sites of Florence with a local guide. (breakfast, lunch)
Wednesday – Morning cooking class with Veronica, followed by an afternoon tour of the Chianti Region towns and wineries. (breakfast, lunch, 1 wine tour included)
Thursday – After breakfast we will drive to the one of our favorite “agriturismo” working farms like Tenuta di Spannocchia an organic farm that specializes in preserving and promoting sustainable agriculture and Tuscan traditions. On the way we will visit the Il Fornaci organic goat cheese farm and creamery and sample its products. There are many trails and farm roads on the property to explore before dinner. where we will also spend the night. (breakfast, dinner)
Friday – Cooking class today with be at Spannocchia (or other), after a tour of the organic farm, heritage animals, and even a sausage and cured meats kitchen. (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Saturday – Following breakfast and one last hike we will depart for Florence where participants will be dropped off at the train station to continue their journeys or make their way back home. (B)
Guides
Mandy Hullander Horne took her first trips to Italy in 2007 and 2008. She was so astounded by the culture and people that she moved to Tuscany in 2009, where she spent just under one year living, working, and learning the language and culture. During that time Mandy worked alongside Italian Chef Veronica Clemente to provide cooking classes to adults and children living abroad. Mandy also started a place-based after school program for American children. As an avid hiker, Mandy spent much of her free time finding new trails around Tuscany, specifically Impruneta. She also spent time as a volunteer apprentice to Sergio Ricceri, Italian Terra Cotta artist. Through many hours spent in the studio, Mandy learned basic pottery skills while learning the language of her teachers. Mandy has traveled extensively in Italy including the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Apli di Suisi, and many small towns throughout Tuscany. Mandy works for Into the Kitchen teaching cooking classes to children in Wilson, WY and works as a private tutor for children.
Veronica Clemente was born and raised in Florence, Italy. When she was 18, she had to make the decision to inherit her dad's villa in the small village of Impruneta, or the family house in downtown Florence. Veronica moved to La Quercia, Impruneta and worked hard to renovate her father's house and land. She has a strong passion for the land, animals, and local food. Veronica taught herself to cook, using her grandmother's recipes. She realized her natural talent as a teacher and began teaching cooking classes in 2007 to adults and children living abroad. Veronica lives at La Quercia with her daughter Margherita.
Sue Muncaster helped establish and acts as Convivium Leader of Slow Food in the Tetons and is a freelance writer and photographer. In 2009 she founded Teton Family Magazine and serves as its editor. Sue is also vice president and co-owner of Aerial Boundaries. Sue’s passion for cooking, writing and photography stems from her love of good food eaten with friends and family, traveling the world and seeing the impact of Westernization on traditional cultures, and a vision for a healthier, happier world for her children, Mariela and Nico. Muncaster’s professional business experiences include working as a baker, caterer, personal chef and cheesemaker. She spent 15 years guiding international raft, trekking and skiing trips for companies such as Mountain Travel*Sobek. Most importantly, her experiences as an elite athlete, adventurer and coach have taught her how to overcome fear and the value of dedication, drive, and teamwork.
Cost
$3500 for 4-8 participants. Cost includes ground transportation beginning and ending in Florence, lodging based on double occupancy, breakfasts, lunches during cooking classes, guides and cooking classes at the Villa La Quercia. Cost does not include international airfare, items of a personal nature, tips, drinks, or any expenses incurred if a participant leaves the trip early.
$250 single supplement
Deposit: $500 deposit to reserve a spot. The balance of trip costs are due 60 days prior to the departure date.
Cancellation policy: Aerial Boundaries will assess a cancelation charge to cover loss of nonrefundable advance payments we have made on your behalf to ground operators and government agencies; communication expenses; and the loss of time that may permit resale of your space. The following cancellation charges will apply:
Nonrefundable cancellation charge of $150
61-90 days prior to departure: full $500 deposit
31-60 days prior to departure: 50% of land cost
30 days or less prior to departure: No refund
At or after trip departure: No refund
Trip Insurance
We recommend purchasing trip and evacuation insurance. Go to http://www.insuremytrip.com/ for more information and to compare companies and plans.
Recommended Reading
Slow Food Revolution: A New Culture for Eating and Living by Carlo Petrini in conversation with Gigi Padovani. “ ...dedicated to reviving the pleasures of the table. To slow down, to know where one’s food comes from, to preserve the taste of real food--that is the mission.”
Barolo by Matthew Gavin Frank. “After a childhood of microwaved meat and saturated fat, Matthew Gavin Frank got serious about food. His ‘research’ ultimately led him to Barolo, Italy (pop. 646), where, living out of a tent in the garden of a local farmhouse, he resolved to learn about Italian food from the ground up.”
