Course Programme

Breakfast will be served at 9.00 a.m. every morning.

Saturday Day 1:
Guests arrive in the afternoon. We explore the Podere and its grounds together and you make yourself at home in your room. During the afternoon guests enjoy their first taste of The Italian Cooking School with Italian antipasti and discuss the week's aims and objectives. We all sit down for our special first night Italian feast at 8.00 p.m.

Sunday Day 2:
We get you cooking straight away with the morning hands-on cooking lesson and practical demonstration at 10.00 a.m. After lunch we set off to Certaldo and a guided visit to this fascinating medieval town (including the house of Boccaccio). Dinner at home will be served at 8.00 p.m.

Monday Day 3:
We start the day with a hands-on cooking lesson and practical demonstration at 10.00 a.m, followed by a gorgeous lunch at home. We spend the afternoon in Siena exploring the beauty of Piazza del Campo and the Duomo, plus a tour to a wonderful ceramic factory, then it's back to the Podere for dinner at 8.00pm.

Tuesday Day 4:
The morning and early afternoon are devoted to cooking and eating with a hands-on cooking lesson and practical demonstration and lunch. We leave this afternoon free, and most guests spend it relaxing at home. At 5.30 p.m. we set off for a tour of the nearby Fattoria Quercia al Poggio which produces its own olive oil and wine - there'll be tasting of course! - then it's back home to the Podere for dinner at 8.00 p.m.

Wednesday Day 5:
The day begins with a morning hands-on cooking lesson and practical demon-stration at 10.00 a.m. After lunch, we visit beautiful San Gimignano, then we return to the Podere to get all dressed up for a night out in a typical Tuscan restaurant at 8.00 p.m.

Thursday Day 6:
After our morning hands-on cooking lesson and practical demonstration and lunch, we set off on a guided walk through the vineyards and olive groves to the village of Olena, where we enjoy an al fresco aperitivo. Thus refreshed, we meander home where Olivia has prepared a typical Tuscan barbecue feast for us.

Friday Day 7:
We spend the morning at the weekly market in the beautiful hilltop town of Colle Val d'Elsa, followed by a food shopping bonanza in the Coop in Poggibonsi. After lunch (and a rest!) we get busy baking biscotti and light up the wood-burning oven to cook our pizza. A Festive Farewell Dinner is served at 8.30 p.m.

Saturday Day 8:
The Italian Cooking School team say their goodbyes - and alla prossima! - to our guests at 11.00 a.m. We hope you have enjoyed your stay with us and that the culinary experience was both inspirational and enjoyable.

ARRIVEDERCI!
Please note that times and events are flexible and may change.