One-Day Cooking Classes at Poggio Etrusco

If you are staying at Poggio Etrusco, or will be in the area, it is possible to book a culinary workshop for a small group. You can choose from the topics below (when available), or request your own subject to focus on. The price, Euro 175/person, includes the lesson (with printed recipes in English), lunch and wine. There is a 2-person minimum. Group prices available for groups of 10 or more. To reserve a space in a one-day workshop, please feel free to contact us by using our convenient contact form, or telephone at (39) 0578 798 370.

Some popular classes include:

Artisanal Italian Pantry
9:30 am – 3:30 pm
We spend the morning with cookbook author Pamela Sheldon Johns as she explores the Italian artisanal pantry, with explanations and tastings of olive oils, vinegars (including 30-year-old traditional balsamic vinegar), capers, pasta. Lunch is a hands-on cooking class utilizing the artisanal ingredients. After lunch we will take a visit to an antique frantoio, an olive pressing mill, for a demonstration and tasting of oils.

The Farmers’ Market/ Ribollita with a Tuscan Home Cook
(only on Wednesdays and Thursdays)
9:30 am – 3:30 pm
We arrive early to the colorful local farmers' market to buy the fresh ingredients we need to make the classic Tuscan dish, Ribollita. After the market we will return for hands-on cooking class to make Crostini Fegatini, Ribollita, Grilled Sausages, and Crostata di Fichi.

Fresh Pasta
9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Today we learn the fine art of fresh pasta, including handrolled pici, the local pasta specialty. In this participation class you will learn to make the dough, several shapes and some classic sauces.

Pienza / Pecorino Cheese
The morning starts with a visit to an organic farm, home of the an artisanal cheesemaker to see how Pecorino (sheeps’ milk) cheese is made.

After lunch, we visit S.Anna in Camprena, the lovely church where the English Patient was filmed, leaving time to explore the charming Renaissance hilltown of Pienza.

Montalcino / Brunello
Our morning begins with a short inspirational visit to Sant’ Antimo, a Romanesque abbey near Montalcino founded by Charlemagne, to hear the monks present the mass in Gregorian chant. Montalcino is most famous for Brunello wine. We will be treated to a private tour and barrel tasting in the acclaimed Biondi Santi cellar, followed by lunch at a popular enoteca.

Etruscan Chiusi
This morning we head to Chiusi, the heart of the Etruscan world. Our first stop is the celebrated Etruscan museum for a quick overview of Etruscan civilization, then visit the underground labyrinths. Our historian guide will take us to see one of the seldom visited ancient tombs near the Lake of Chiusi. Our lunch will be one imagined to be similar to what Etruscans ate: fresh perch from the lake smoked over canes and dressed with local olive oil, pici (the local pasta with ancient roots), and the local Sangiovese wine.

Montepulciano/ Vino Nobile
Today we visit the winery of Avignonesi, one of the most acclaimed producers of the DOCG wine Vino Nobile. After a visit to their cellars and vin santo room, we will enjoy a fabulous lunch, paired with the Avignonesi wines. After lunch we will leave some time to explore the winding streets of Montepulciano and finish up with a coffee in the elegant Caffe Poliziano.