Luxury Culinary Workshop in Puglia (Southern Italy)

Culinary Decadence in Puglia

Cooking in one of the most beautiful villas in Puglia

May 23 - 30, 2009

Puglia’s food: the authentic Mediterranean cuisine

Puglia is a food and wine lover's paradise. It is home to the true Mediterranean Cuisine with an emphasis on seafood, vegetables, hand made pasta and bread, artisan mozzarella and olive oil.

The cuisine from Puglia and Lecce is the true peasant cuisine, and the authentic Italian cuisine as cooked in Italian homes. Recipes are based on seasonal ingredients and vary from month to month.

Lecce and Puglia produce excellent extra virgin olive oils, with its more than 50 millions olive trees. Pugliese vintners pursue wines that balance sweetness, acid, alcohol content and density. The region counts 25 D.O.C. wines.

Description of the Stile Mediterraneo Culinary Classes in Puglia

Stile Mediterraneo Cooking School organizes luxurious culinary events in Puglia which are designed to include an authentic experience that best captures the unique food and traditions of this Mediterranean cuisine.

Cinzia and Marika will be your hosts and chefs for the week. They will meticulously plan every single detail of your experience to insure only the best for your luxurious vacation in Puglia.

Your bella hosts and chefs - Cinzia and Marika!

Your cooking classes are held in a luxurious and charming private villa/palace with a pool, where you will have the run of the beautiful gardens and terraces. Stile Mediterraneo cooking classes are small, hands-on and the approach is very personal and relaxed. This programs combines dishes with the best wines from Puglia and Southern Italy.

The course includes visits to the best food and fish markets, tours of local farms, introductions to artisans producing home-made pasta, bread, cheese and mozzarella, salami, chocolate, ice-cream, figs with almonds.

You will have the opportunity to learn or practice your language skills while dining at private homes with selected local families or at the best restaurants in Puglia.

In addition to the course, you will also experience the vibrancy of Puglia’s arts and cultures: Pizzica local dances; visits to the artisan workshops (ceramic, papier machè and leccese stone); visits to textile designers who craft the finest fabrics in order to design tailor made clothes.

Accommodations

You will stay at one of the most beautiful villas within Italy (Elle Décor 2005 and House & Garden 2007), in the Lecce countryside and 15 min by the sea.

The villa dates back to the 18th century and belonged to a local noble family. You and the Stile Mediterraneo staff will be the only guests at this villa! The property has recently been restored using the skills of local craftsmen and furnished with the owners’ art collections. The architecture and the insides are a stunning blend of modern and traditional Italian style.

The garden is entirely surrounded by ancient walls and acres of olive groves. As well as the big swimming pool, there are courtyards with orange trees - the perfect setting for meals al fresco!

Location

The villa is located in a beautiful small village, counting not more than 3,000 inhabitants and faraway from the tourist tracks: life here is very relaxed and slow; people are very friendly and welcoming; food is very traditional, made with ancient methods and recipes.

In the countryside there are elegant and historical villas as well as white roof cone trulli houses scattered among olive groves and vineyards. In the area (called Grecìa Salentina), more than 2,500 years after the Greek colonizers established flourishing city-states, their heirs still speak Griko, a dialect of archaic Greek.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1

• Arrival in Brindisi in the afternoon and private transfer to the villa
• Relax at the villa by the pool
• Welcome aperitif
• Dinner at the villa (selection of the best local wines included)

Day 2

• After breakfast, visit of a mozzarella artisan in a farm
• Lunch at a seafood restaurant by the sea in Otranto, the beautiful sea town famous for its clean waters and oriental architecture
• Free time in the historical centre and shopping
• Dinner at the villa (selection of the best local wines included)

Day 3

• After breakfast, visit of an ancient olive oil mill (frantoio ipogeo)
• Lunch at a seafood restaurant by the sea in Gallipoli, a beautiful fishermen town, famous for its fish market, white beaches and amazing sunsets
• After the siesta, first cooking class at the villa, followed by dinner

Day 4- Wine day (DOC Roads)

• After breakfast, whole day visit of three wineries producing some of the best wines within Italy
• Lunch at a local restaurant
• Dinner at the villa

Day 5

• After breakfast, visit of a food market in a small village
• Lunch at a fisherman’s trattoria based on sea urchins, cheese, artisan bread and white wine all combined with a spectacular view
• Visit of a traditional pasta maker
• Dinner at the villa

Day 6

• After breakfast, second cooking class at the villa followed by lunch
• After the siesta, we drive to Lecce, the baroque capital of Puglia
• Visit of a famous papier-maché artisan and free time for shopping
• Dinner at one of the most traditional restaurants in Lecce

Day 7

• After breakfast, visit of a beautiful winery in a castle
• Your driver will take you along the beautiful Adriatic coast to get to the Southern end of the Italian boot, Santa Maria di Leuca.
• Lunch at a famous seafood restaurant by the sea After the siesta, third cooking class at the villa
• Farewell dinner!

Day 8 - End of our activities. Private transfer to Brindisi airport.

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Dates of the program:

The program runs from May 23 - 30, 2009. It is a 8-day program. You may ask for a similar program customized at a different time of the year.

Total price is 2495 Euro per person, based on double occupancy.

The price includes: a tour escort; 7-night accommodation at the luxurious private villa, all meals, selection of best local wines included at all meals; all excursions (market and artisan visits including tastings); all transfers with a van and driver (including to and from the airport).

It also includes 3 hands-on cooking classes (about 3 hours each).

Price does not include: airfares; travel insurance; optional activities. Price will be different for people not attending classes.

Booking and Deposit:

To confirm your reservation, we require a deposit of 1100 Euro per person.

Final payment of 1395 Euro per person is due by March 1st, 2008.

The purchase of travel insurance is MANDATORY for this trip. It must be purchased separately, and proof of insurance must be provide to Ciao Laura, LLC to confirm the booking. Travel insurance is available through Travelex, Travelguard or Travel Insurance International

Cancellation Policy:

Full payment is due on March 1st, 2008. Due to the nature of this specific tour, all payments are non-refundable after March 1st, 2008. The school reserves the right to cancel the tour prior to its start, in which case the money would be refunded in full.

Occasionally changes must be made in a scheduled program because of circumstances beyond control, but the school will make every effort to find an equally interesting alternative.

Note:

You may choose between a twin and a double room. If there is no preference, a roommate will be assigned. All rooms are equipped with twin beds or double beds: please specify your preference.

Each bedroom has its own private bathroom.The property is a private villa. You and the Stile Mediterraneo staff will be the only guests at the villa.

Apart from the instructors providing the cooking classes, there will be a cook for all our meals at the villa, a maid who prepares breakfast and a maid who provides general housekeeping and daily room cleaning during the whole tour.

 

Arrival/Departure Times:

Check-in time will be anytime after 4 pm on May 31st, 2008. Check-out time is 10 am on June 7th, 2008.

 

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