Welcome to our online shop where we share our love for cooking,Lauren’s cookbook –
“It’s A Dream Place – Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast.”
extra virgin olive oil and beautiful handmade artisan products made in Italy.
“It’s a Dream Place – Stories of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast”
By Lauren A. Birmingham
“This is a dream cookbook. Who in the world wouldn’t want to try ‘Catch of the Day for a Beautiful Woman of the Sea?’ But in addition to being a cookbook, it’s a slice of life from the impossibly beautiful Amalfi Coast: how it looks, how it feels, how the interactions with the people there are so soulful and rewarding. It takes a particular kind of person to attract the kinds of magical stories Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli does. And it takes something more to get chefs to give up their recipes. Call this author not only a charming writer, but a sorceress whose company in these pages we are privileged to keep,” Elizabeth Berg, award-winning New York Times bestselling author.
Spanning 372 stunning pages filled with the culinary artistry of Michelin-Star Chef Andrea Migliaccio (Executive Culinary Chef at Capri Palace), Lauren’s mom, and Italian artisans and winemakers, this book is a treasure trove of stories, recipes, and colorful photographs of the Amalfi Coast and Capri. It’s not just Lauren’s exploration of Italian cuisine that enthralls but her heartfelt stories of family, friendship, and her profound love for Italy.
Lauren’s stories of family, friends, her love of Italy and Italian cooking make this so much more than just a cookbook. It is a celebration of life, love, food, eating and la dolce vita that’s guaranteed to make you want to book the next flight to the Amalfi Coast. A gifted storyteller, Lauren brings to life the people, sights, and flavors of Italy in this one-of-a-kind cookbook.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
At Cooking Vacations, we produce extra virgin first cold-pressed olive oil from precious olives grown under the warm Mediterranean sun in rich volcanic soil and with salty sea winds. We care for 600 trees, each one over one-hundred-years-old, growing healthy olives that are then cold-pressed into extra virgin olive oil.
During the autumn harvest, the olives are picked by hand and immediately pressed on cold stones – therefore the oil has a very low acidic level because there is no oxidation. The olive oil is then bottled in green glass bottles which keeps the sun out preventing any oxidation.
Our olive oil is made with leccino, curatora, frantoio and coratina olives and has a hint of almond and artichoke due to the two nearby orchards that add to the cross-pollination. Its emerald green color ensures a fresh and pungent flavor.
Extra virgin means that the oil was from the first pressing and cold-pressed means it was pressed without heat. We follow these strict guidelines in order for the oil to be extra virgin and first-cold-pressed. DOP is the Denominazione di Origine Protetta, means that the olive oil has an origin protected domain of production.
Our trees are tenderly cared for throughout the season following biodynamic and organic farming practices meaning soil is kept pure to keep the level of oleic acid very low and natural vitamins and minerals high. Our extra virgin, we also produce lemon, chilli pepper and rosemary olive oil. Minimum order 6 bottles.
~ Extra Virgin Olive Oil ~
Extra virgin first cold- pressed olive oil offers fresh green olive oil with hints of artichoke and almond. Extra virgin olive oil adds a big flavor to antipasto, pasta, risotto, fish, meat and cheese, and is a healthy ingredient in Mediterranean cooking.
| $15 | 250 ml. |
| $25 | 500 ml. |
| $35 | 750 ml. |
~ Lemon Olive Oil ~
Sfusato limone, Amalfi Coast lemons, are gently pressed into the olive oil for a fresh light citrus flavor. Accent your pizza, pasta, fish, meat and cheese with our lemon olive oil and you’ll be dreaming of Positano!
| $15 | 250 ml. |
| $25 | 500 ml. |
| $35 | 750 ml. |
~ Rosemary Olive Oil ~
Wild Mediterranean rosemary is pressed into the olive oil giving it a delicate and fresh flavor. Drizzle rosemary oil on focaccia, fish, chicken, meat and roasted potatoes, and transform your ingredients into a delicious Mediterranean fare!
| $15 | 250 ml. |
| $25 | 500 ml. |
| $35 | 750 ml. |
~ Red Chilli Pepper Olive Oil ~
Olio al pepperoncino, red chilli peppers, grown in the volcanic soil of Vesuvius are pressed with the olive oil. Drizzle chilli pepper olive oil on pizza, pasta, meat and fish, and you’ll be cooking like an Italian mamma!
| $15 | 250 ml. |
| $25 | 500 ml. |
| $35 | 750 ml. |
Artisan Market
Bringing you handmade gifts by old world artisans from Italy.
~ Positano Lemons ~
Includes 1 bottle of olive, 1 bottle of lemon olive oil (extra virgin first-cold pressed 250ml), 1 bakers’ bag of lemon biscotti and our recipe for limoncello. Gift wrapped on a ruby red cookie platter with festival ribbon. $65
~ Italian Mamma ~
Includes a handmade, hand-painted ceramic in the shape of an Italian Mamma, (this adorable doll sits on your kitchen counter by your sink and cleverly holds and hides your kitchen sponge on her back side), 1 Cooking Vacations oregano spice bag, Italian organic pasta, and a Neapolitan pasta recipe. Gift wrapped with festival ribbon. $85
~ Chef’s Trove ~
Includes 1 bottle of extra virgin olive oil, (extra virgin first-cold pressed 250ml), 1 bottle of authentic aged Balsamic from Modena (250 ml) and our our favorite recipe from Modena. Gift wrapped on a ruby red cookie platter with festival ribbon. $95
~ Umbria Artisans ~
Includes 1 bottle of olive and handmade, hand-painted spoon rest made in Umbria. This Deruta ceramic spoon rest adds a taste of sunny Italy to every kitchen. $65
~ Kisses From Italy ~
Includes a box of Baci chocolates made with hazelnuts and pure chocolate (21 pieces), 1 baker’s bag of wine biscotti and torta Caprese, Capri cake recipe. Gift wrapped on a ruby red cookie platter with festive ribbon. $55
~ Chef’s Trove ~
Includes 1 bottle of extra virgin olive oil, (extra virgin first-cold pressed 250ml), 1 bottle of authentic aged Balsamic from Modena (250 ml) and our our favorite recipe from Modena. Gift wrapped on a ruby red cookie platter with festival ribbon.
$95.00
Gift Certificates
Give the gift of cooking.
Gift certificates make the perfect gift for birthdays,
anniversaries, weddings, mothers’ and fathers’ Day,
graduations, Valentine’s Day, or just because!
Available in any amount for online cooking classes, cooking tours, one day classes, wine tastings, guided tours, and food lover’s walks – to name a few.