Ciao Laura presents Culinary Arts and Culture in the Veneto - a cooking school for food enthusiasts, combining lessons in the kitchen with tours around the region.
Your classes will be conducted in English by Antonella Tagliapietra. All cooking classes will be held in Casa Gialla, a wonderful old property in the village of Cison di Valmarino.
About the location
The village of Cison di Valmarino lies in the rolling hills of the Prosecco wine region, in the foothills of the Dolomites, one hour north of Venice. The region is little known to tourists but has so much to offer; a wonderful cuisine and wines, a string of beautiful medieval towns, Palladian villas, and the spectacular Dolomite mountains.
Castel Brando can be reached by a five-minute walk, followed by a short trip in a funicular (tram) railway. The castle has a spa, theatre and a number of bars - the views from its ramparts are wonderful and in the summer, it occasionally hosts concerts. Throughout the year there are various food festivals in local villages that one can also attend, if interested.
The unique wonder of Venice, the limit of most tourists’ trips to the Veneto, lies only an hour away. They felt they had so much to offer and wished to meet people from all over the globe, so the cooking school began to take shape.
Casa Gialla - your home for the week - dates back to the 18th century, featuring exposed wooden beams, solid stonework, and mellow-colored old brickwork.Enjoy great comfort while appreciating the character; there are no standard rooms in this beautiful, unique property.
About the cooking program
In this program, you will learn to cook traditional Italian foods, though there might be several clever variations. Focus is on taste and presentation. All meals are based on seasonal ingredients, utilizing only the freshest of ingredients thus creating a healthy culinary lifestyle.
Lessons are fully hands-on, instructive and fun. Small group numbers (maximum six) means greater flexibility – your hosts will tailor-make your holidays to satisfy your individual desires (within reason, of course!). They will look after you from the moment you arrive at the airport, so there is no need to rent a car - all transportation is provided.
Finally, at the end of a full and satisfying day, you will sit down in wonderful candlelit surroundings to eat the fruits of your lesson and drink carefully selected wines from the region.
Cooking courses concentrate on the cuisine of the Veneto - its antipasti, pastas, risottos, gnocchi, crespelle, sorbets, main courses and desserts. Learn how to make homemade pasta and gnocchi (small, dumpling-like starters).
Ingredients used are seasonal - for example, based on the time of year, you might prepare an asparagus lasagna, a pumpkin risotto or a crespelle (a type of crepe) stuffed with radicchio di Treviso.
Learn how to make a 'sgruppino' - based on lemon ice cream and vodka - it cleans the palate magnificently. Main courses might use guinea fowl, quail, pigeon or simply pork and beef. Desserts include homemade ice creams. Learn to be boldly creative and cook with confidence.
Wonderful food, detailed instruction, fascinating tours, impressive accommodations, and spectacular scenery …in Veneto you can have it all.
The idea for this school began to take hold in 2003. Antonella Tagliapietra, Philip Oakes and son Giovanni enjoyed their large, beautifully restored home, but it was too large for the three of them.
Antonella's passion for cooking began at the age five, with lessons from her mother. It developed with personal study, experimentation, and courses in other cuisines.
Overview of the Short Cooking Course
Back to the week long course
Courses are conducted by Antonella Tagliapietra, who has a real passion for cooking. Antonella takes traditional Italian recipes, but is not afraid to add her own creativity to produce wonderful results. There should be no mystery about cooking; Antonella shows how to produce dishes that burst with flavor.
Classes are fully hands-on, with a maximum of six students. Each lesson lasts around three hours, the fruits of which are eaten afterwards in wonderful surroundings. Having lived in London, Antonella speaks fluent English.
Accommodations
You will enjoy your stay in the Veneto at Casa Gialla, which consist of two double bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. There is also have a self-contained apartment with a double bedroom. A further single bedroom in the main house can be used if friends don't mind sharing a bathroom - it makes a small unit ideal for a family with one or two children.
Dining
Meals are accompanied by wines of the Veneto, Friuli, and Trentino Alto-Adige. One of the great joys of Italian wine is the existence of many indigenous grape varieties; there are hundreds of gems in the area just waiting to be discovered.
Taste the wonderful whites of malvasia, ribolla gialla and incrocio manzoni, and the reds of raboso, refosco and schioppettino - among others. There will be no dogma however; you can also drink your Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots and Chardonnays.
Appetites are stimulated with the local sparkling prosecco, and local grappas can top off your meal.
Itinerary
Sample three day course……
Day 1 - Saturday
You will be greeted at the airport and private transfer to your accommodations. Time to settle into Casa Gialla, followed by welcoming drinks and dinner.
Day 2 - Sunday
Enjoy breakfast in the villa and spend a relaxed morning, allowing a wander around our beautiful village. After lunch the first cookery lesson and dinner, eating the fruits of the lesson.
Day 3 - Monday
Breakfast, followed by your second cooking lesson in the morning.
Lunch, followed by an afternoon tour.
There are many beautiful towns are within easy traveling distance of Casa Gialla. Possibilities include a visit to one of the best examples of 13th century abbeys in Italy.
You could see Asolo, a beautiful hill-town beloved by Robert Browning among others, or a visit to a local wine producer.
Back to Villa Giala for dinner
Day 4 - Tuesday
Breakfast followed by your third cooking lesson in the morning
Lunch and private transfer to the airport
Included in this all-inclusive course:
- Accommodations
- Meals and Wine
- Transfer To/From Airport (Venice Marco Polo or Treviso)
- All Trips Per Itinerary
- Apron
- A Handout of Recipes Learned
2008 Dates
August 23rd - August 20th
September 9th - September 12th
September 27th - September 30th
October - 21st - October 24th
October 28th - October 31st
2009 DATES
March 21 – 24
April
4 – 7
April
25 – 28
May 12 – 15
June 20 – 23
July 11 – 14
July 18 – 21
August 6 – 9
August 12 – 15
August 22 – 25
September
19 – 22
September 26 – 29
October 17 – 20
October
24 – 27
October 31 – November 3
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BONUS! No single supplement will be added to this course for single travelers and they are ENCOURAGED to join a class at no extra charge to the 800 Euro per person rate!!!
Non Cooking Guests are ALWAYS welcome too!
Price for Friend or partner not participating in cooking lessons is 600 Euro
For guests who do not wish to participate in cooking lessons, they have the option of partaking in Italian language lessons or possibly woodcarving lessons - the choices are endless. Feel free to share your wishes with your hosts or Ciao Laura and we will do our best to fulfill them.
Much care will be taken to ensure a personal touch for every aspect of your stay in Veneto.Your hosts have catered to vegetarians, celiacs, and those with special dietary needs too, so please be sure to mention this in advance of your trip so that your hosts can accommodate your dietary requirements..
Reservation Policy
Minimum of two people (one can be non-participant of cooking classes) for any of the courses.
Payment: At least 30% of total course fees to be paid when booking the course. The balance to be paid 30 days before the course begins.
Programs will be similar to, but not necessarily the same as, examples given on this website.
