Check out the recent article about
us in Child magazine, May 2006!
See www.child.com
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Upcoming Tour:
Culinary Tour Adventure in Umbria, Italy 2007 with Kris Rudolph
www.mexicocooks.com/italy_umbria.htm
Some Typical Tours:
Elizabeth
Wholey’s Epicurean Umbria--Primavera
With
the Cooks of Amore Sapore
Saturday,
April 9 Welcome to the Umbrian Countryside
Participants
meet at 1:30 p.m. at Terontola-Cortona train station, halfway between
Florence and Rome, and are transported in our comfortable bus to Convento
Mincione, a lovingly restored medieval convent (with all modern conveniences)
located in the hills between Cortona and Perugia. Lunch at the convent
is followed by rest and exploring the convent grounds and surrounding
countryside. Later, we enjoy a light meal together, get to know one
another around hearth and retire early.
Sunday, April
10 Stalking the Wild Country Foods
We search
for wild spring greens, especially asparagus and fennel, share a buffet
lunch, then learn about the making of pecorino and ricotta sheep’s
cheeses with Melchiorre Chessa of Amore Sapore. The evening cena is
a typical Umbrian feast at our favorite local trattoria.
Monday, April
11 Assisi and St. Francis
Off to
the region’s most famous town, art-filled Assisi, where Italy’s
beloved St. Francis founded his order. We are treated to a special visit
to the home of a private collector of medieval art followed by a tour
of the town and lunch--alfresco, weather permitting--then we return
to the convent where Melchiorre teaches us how to make ravioli with
our fresh ricotta. At dinner we are serenaded by a talented local singer-guitarist
who knows many American and Italian songs. Your participation is welcome!
Tuesday, April
12 Gubbio, Prehistory to the Present
An energetic
and entertaining guide takes us through the open air Tuesday market
and fascinating streets of Gubbio where we will learn about the history
of Umbria as it transpired in this ancient town. Today we’ll walk
off some calories! We lunch in a medieval restored cantina, shop for
crafts such as tooled leather, ceramics and jewelry, see some more sights,
then head home for a light buffet at the convent with Amore Sapore.
Wednesday, April
13 Wine and Umbrian Crafts
A day
for tasting wine and seeing local crafts. As wine expert Burton Anderson
writes, Umbria is a treasure trove of local wines. In recent years the
hilltown of Montefalco, called the Balcony of Umbria for its sweeping
views, has gained fame for its red wine, Sagrantino DOCG, though the
area has produced wine for centuries. The town is also known for its
textiles. After a lunch of local specialties, we visit the nearby town
of Bevagna. Handicraft traditions, such as rope making, basketry, and
wrought iron live on in her narrow streets. Buffet dinner tonight "at
home".
Thursday, April
14 Chocolate and Art
A culinary
visit to Umbria’s capital, Perugia, wouldn’t be complete without
tasting her famous chocolate candies. We visit a chocolate workshop,
lunch at one of Perugia’s best restaurants, visit the Umbrian National
Gallery of Art, then return to the convent for a lesson with Melchiorre
in the making of his feather-light gnocchi. Thereafter, we feast on
our creations!
Friday, April
15 Gracing the Table
Everyone
loves Deruta’s beautiful, colorful ceramics, and here’s your
chance to find some great bargains for your own table back at home.
After shopping we travel to nearby Torgiano where we enjoy a celebratory
lunch at the justly-famous Tre Vaselle restaurant, owned by the Lungarotti
wine family. Dinner at home features Umbrian torta al testo, fresh from
the convent’s ancient bread oven, served with homemade sausages
and cooked greens, and accompanied by Lungarotti’s red Rubesco
wine. We toast to new friendships and to Umbria, Italy’s enchanting
and ancient "green heart".
Saturday, April
16 Departure
10 a.m.
Buon viaggio!
Program is subject to change pending the possibility of even more delicious and/or interesting occasions coming to our attention!
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Creative
Salon--Autumn (www.creativelaunchpad.com)
Saturday, 15
October Benvenuto!
Participants
meet at 1:30 pm at Terontola-Cortona train station, halfway between
Florence and Rome, and are transported by comfortable minibus to our
home for the next week, La Pietra, a recently-restored 17th
century farmhouse with spectacular views over Umbria and Tuscany. At
lunch we are introduced to selected foods from this region of farms
and forests. After a rest and/or country walk, we’ll share some
wine and get acquainted on the terrace. Dinner will be prepared by Melchiorre
Chessa of Amore Sapore, followed by roasted chestnuts and vin santo
around the blazing hearth.
Sunday, 16 October
Umbrian Chestnuts and Tuscan Sun
In the
morning we’ll visit the nearby village of Preggio, where its famous
harvest faire, the Chestnut Festival, will be in full swing. The local
people transform the town’s wine cellars into tiny shops, selling
locally-made delicacies and the new wine, or mosto. After a short, scenic
drive into the next valley, we’ll arrive at picturesque Cortona
for lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Chef Emilio’s Osteria
del Teatro, Afterwards, you are free to explore Cortona’s back
streets, museums and shops. The picture gallery contains one of the
most beautiful paintings in Central Italy, an Annunciation by Fra Angelico,
as well as many works by Signorelli, who was born in Cortona. We return
to our valley for dinner at a favorite trattoria, Nonna Gelsa.
Monday, 17 October
Truffle Treasure
We start
the day with a yoga class and massages. After a buffet lunch at La Pietra,
we set out to the Upper Valley of the Tiber for a truffle hunt with
Severio Bianconi of Tartufi Bianconi. Bring your camera! Next we head
back to Severio’s farm for a discussion about truffles, and an
excellent meal cooked by Senora Bianconi in which truffles figure abundantly.
Tuesday, 18
October Gorgeous Gubbio
Wear
your walking shoes! In the morning we visit Gubbio’s weekly farmer’s
market. Then our lively and informative guide will lead us on an architecture
and history tour of this ancient hillside city which values its importance
from prehistoric times, through the Umbri tribal and Roman eras, to
its height in the early Renaissance. We lunch in a restored medieval
cantina, returning home for a pasta demonstration and dinner with Amore
Sapore
Wednesday, 19
October The Wine Towns
Today
we’ll visit the lovely wine towns of southern Tuscany: Montepulciano,
home of Vino Nobile, and Montalcino, of Brunello fame. We’ll also
check out the ideal Renaissance town of Pienza, nowadays famous for
its pecorino cheese, textiles and iron work. We’ll lunch at a country
trattoria near Sant’Antimo, an exquisite Romaneque church of French
design, reputed to have been founded by Charlemagne. On the way home
we’ll dine at Il Falconiere, the celebrated restaurant in the hills
of the Valdichiana.
Thursday, 20
October Ceramics and Chocolate
Since
the thirteenth century Deruta has been Umbria’s ceramics center.
The little town is full of shops were you can see painters working at
their craft. After you’ve spent your euros, visit the new museum
in the old center. We’ll lunch nearby at La Fontanella. From Deruta
we’ll head for Perugia, Umbria’s capital–a sophisticated
university town, famous for its art museum, Etruscan and medieval architecture,
chocolate and jazz festivals. We’ll take part in the afternoon
passeggiata and join the crowd for some of Perugia’s best pizza.
Friday, 21 October
Assisi and St. Francis
Off to
the region’s most famous town, art-filled Assisi, where Italy’s
beloved St. Francis founded his order. We are treated to a special visit
to the home of a private collector of medieval art followed by a tour
of the town and lunch–all’aperto, weather permitting. Then
we return to La Pietra where Melchiorre serves up a fish dinner in honor
of Umbria’s saint (a talking fish figured prominently in one of
Francis’s miracles).
Saturday, 22
October Buon Viaggio!
Departure
at 10 a.m. for Terontola station.
Truffles newsletter
Our visit to the Museo del Tartufo, Italy’s first truffle museum inaugurated last year in San Giovanni d’Asso, fortuitously coincided with the twentieth anniversary of the village’s truffle fair, the Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Bianco delle Crete Senesi, held on weekends during the month of November.
When we heard that an old steam train was transporting fairgoers from Siena, we couldn’t resist and booked seats. Leaving foggy Siena at nine in the morning, we travelled south toward Montalcino, passing kitchen gardens and castles, through red and gold autumnal vineyards and industrials zones. And then, after Monte Amiata, the highest point in Tuscany, we came upon the undulating, cypress studded hills of the Crete Senese, eventually arriving at the tiny medieval village which for the past twenty years has awarded an international prize, the “Truffle for Peace”.
Hungry by then, we decided on a quick lunch of hot sausage and melted pecorino crostini washed down by good red country wine, readily available in these parts. We wandered off to pet the truffle dogs, and explore the various booths, bottegas, and cantinas which were showing off their wares and offering samples: olive wood kitchen utensils, honey, pecorino cheeses of various ages, marmelades and condiments. The tavernas delivered up truffle-flavored everything, from antipasti to dolci. The wine flowed, a blacksmith and a falconer displayed their skills, and a fashion show of clothes made from hempfibers rounded off the afternoon’s agenda.
Unlike the big, commercial truffle fair up north in Alba, this is strictly a local production, and everyone seems to know each other. Alongside the tables set up by the truffle hunters, with their traditional blue plaid tea towels filled with fragrant white truffles, other villagers were selling fresh, just-pressed olive oil. Our friend Jeff particularly recommended one vendor who was giving out lots of free samples. I couldn’t resist the salsa of artichokes, the garlic sprouts preserved in olive oil, and the pumpkin mostardo.
The small museum, located in the bright, vaulted castle rooms, still shows traces of 16th century frescoes. The exhibits are self-guided and interactive, designed to introduce all ages to an understanding of what a truffle is, how it can be identified by the senses, how it has been perceived throughout history, how to cook and preserve it. A video takes us on a truffle hunt. Another shows three local cooks demonstrating recipes. At the end of our visit I bought two excellent truffle cookbooks from a friendly staffer, both in Italian, one with an English translation.
If you find yourself in Tuscany some November, I recommend this decidedly un-touristy local gastronomic event.
If you would like us to create a special program for you and your friends, please contact Elizabeth at elizabethwholey@tiscali.it
Melchiorre Cooks in the Capital!