A Cooking Lesson in Florence

A delightful day cooking in Florence

Have you ever wanted to enter a private Florentine kitchen and make yourself at home?
Well here’s your chance to have an extraordinary cooking experience.
 Learning the secrets of  Tuscan cooking with Brunelleschi’s cathedral dome
 as a back drop simply adds to the magic of this culinary experience. 
You’ll pick fresh herbs from pots on the roof top terrace as you take in the beauties
 of this enchanting Renaissance city.
You’ll learn the secrets of Tuscan cooking while preparing a four course meal
under the supervision of your experienced cooking instructor in this intimate Florentine kitchen.

Then, you’ll sit down to enjoy your culinary creations over stimulating conversation,
 Renaissance views and Tuscan wines.
 There are 7 menus to chose from. 
Each menu has an antipasto, a first course, a second course and a side dish.   

Tuscan bread, wine* and fruit are also included in the lunch. 
The participants are given an apron and recipe cards. 
Participants will have the opportunity to purchase a beautifully illustrated pasta cookbook, 
View From A Tuscan Kitchen, written in English for 12.00 euro.
 They will also be put on a monthly recipe email list enabling them to receive recipes
 from the chef with cooking tips and interesting tidbits on food from Tuscany. 

A special lesson, a special lunch, a special city!
 Isn’t this  what memories are made of?

Lessons booked daily  - 4 participants

Cost: 85.00* euro   An apron and recipes are  given to each partipant. 

If someone in your party is not interested in the lesson but would like
 to enjoy the meal, then he/she can sign up as a dining guest
and arrive at 1:00ish to enjoy the feast.

Dining guests: 30.00 euro (when invited by a participant )

   Those who choose to come to Florence may also book a small walking tour 

   with Cindy through a local outdoor market. This Walking tour of market is prior to the lesson: 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

    Course hours:

     Monday through Friday – 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Cooking time 2 ½ hours, dining together 1 hour).

    Course program:

   Menu One – Lasagna Lovers

   Antipasto – Crostini Toscani (Chicken liver patè) Canapes or Black Olive Canapes with cream cheese.

   First Course – Lasagna (Meat Sauce – cooking time 2 hours+), White cream sauce and fresh lasagna noodles.

   * we do not make the fresh pasta in this lesson as I do a separate course dedicated to pasta making.

   Second Course – Grilled vegetables (eggplant, zucchini and yellow and red bell peppers)

   in a balsamic and garlic vinegar  sauce. 

   I have chosen a lighter vegetarian second course as the lasagna is a meal in itself.

   Dessert – Pears baked in espresso with heavy cream.

  Menu Two – Pork Lovers

  Antipasto – Sausage and cream cheese Canapes  grilled (served warm).

  First Course – Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean soup)

  Second Course – Arista (Pork Loin Roast) with fresh herbs

  Side Dish – Patate alla Contadina (Country style potatoes in a red sauce with fresh herbs).

 Menu Three – Poultry Lovers

  Antipasto – Artichoke and cream cheese canapes  with garlic (served room temp)

  First Course -Risotto – Rice Italian style with zucchini, herbs and parmesan cheese

  Second Course – Chicken in Fricasse (creamy lemon sauce with egg yolk) or chicken with herbs and black olives

  Side Dish – Fagolini in Umido (string beans with tomatoes, carrots and herbs).

Menu Four – Beef Lovers

  Antipasto – Rice stuffed tomatoes baked with fresh herbs

  First Course – Spezzatino (Beef Stew) with Polenta –
  this is a first and second  as we will make the stew then the polenta.   
  We will serve the polenta with the sauce then the     stew meat with the two side dishes.

  Side Dishes – Spinach with garlic and olive oil and Cipolline in agrodolce (baked sweet and sourl white onions)

Menu Five – Mushroom Lovers

  Antipasto – Marinated white mushroom salad with parmesan cheese in a lemon and olive oil sauce (a bit spicy)

  This can be served as salad or on toasted bread as canapes.

  First Course – Risotto ai funghi porcini – Italian style rice with dried porcini mushrooms* and fresh herbs (creamy)

  Second Course – Guinee Hen baked pheasant style.  Or... quail in black olive and wine sauce.

  Side Dish – Florentine peas.    * can substitute for fresh during the season (Sept – Oct. normally)

 Menu Six – Fish Lovers

  Antipasto – Polpo con patate – Octopus and potato salad

  OR Fagioli verde e gamberi – Green beans and shrimp salad.

  First Course – Spaghetti alle vongole – Spaghetti with clam sauce

  OR Risotto con asparagi e gamberi – Rice with asparagus and shrimp

  Second Course – Isolana con verdura in forno – baked white fish filets with vegetables and fresh herbs

  OR Baccala alla livornese – Cod fish Livorno style cooked in a tomato sauce with potatoes.

  Side Dish – Pinzimonio – Fresh Vegetables with cold press olive oil for dipping

Menu Seven – Steak and Tomato Lovers

  Antipasto – Bruschetta -  Tomato canapes with fresh herbs and olive oil on toasted Tuscan bread

  First course – Tagliatelle con zucchini e pomodori  – Egg noodles in a zucchini and fresh cherry tomato herb sauce.

  Second Course – Florentine steak broiled, sliced and served in a green peppercorn, olive oil and herb sauce.

  Side Dish – Herb baked potatoes