Step along the cobblestone walkway in the Medieval walled city and step into a chic di luxe B&B dating back to the 14th century with 4 exclusive suites overlooking the Val D’Orcia in a cooking weekend of great Tuscan cuisine.
Our cooking program with Chef Massimo invites you into his kitchen for Tuscan cooking featuring the local food & wine of Montepulciano.
Regional Italian Cooking
Step into our Tuscan kitchen and get ready for exquisite cooking with Chef Massimo. Learn about the history & method of cooking regional foods of Montepulciano and the surrounding Tuscany area.
Menus vary according to the season, with classics such as slow cooked Pici with ragù, hand-crafted ravioli stuffed with a walnut sauce, tagliatelle with Porcini mushrooms, bistecca di chianina,steak Florentine, artichokes & garden red tomatoes stuffed with delicate cheese & herbs, Chianti Etruscan sauce and beans all’uccelletta. There is always a sweet dessert and this time you will learn how to make classic cantuccini- biscotti always dipped in Vin Santo. Also on the dessert tray is Schiacciata con l’Uva, or Chianti wine biscotti. After class, lunch or dinner follows with the foods prepared in class.
Cooking classes start at 9:30am and last approximately two hours. After class, everyone eats the foods prepared in class together. Local wine included.
Montepulciano
Montepulciano, a Medieval Renaissance town set on a hill is in the region of Siena. The name of Montepulciano, according to legend, was founded by the Etruscans. Rolling Tuscan hills dotted with ever growing olive trees and fields of sunflowers is Tuscany. As you stroll through its cobblestone streets stop for a local wine, Vino Nobile, shop for artisan terracotta ceramics, and stop to see the view. Montepulciano sits on a hill protected in an ancient Medieval wall creating some of Italy’s most applauded wine and cuisine.
Montepulciano was recently featured in the Twilight saga film ‘New Moon.’
Accommodations
Settle into your di luxe room, decorated with antique furnishings and breathtaking views of the two valleys and the lakes of Trasimeno, Chiusi and Montepulciano to set the mood. Each large private room has an en-suite bathroom stocked with linens and bath towels for your comfort. Luxurious furnishings adorn each of the 4 suites, just steps away from the Piazza Grande in the heart of Montepulciano.
Photo Gallery
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Itinerary~ 3 Days, 2 Nights
Day 1: Arrival & Welcome Dinner
- Arrival in Montepulciano and check in.
- In the evening, enjoy a welcome aperitivo at Massimo’s trattoria and your Chef’s Tasting Welcome Dinner. Local wine included, additional wine/beverages at a surcharge.
Day 2: Cooking Class 1
- Breakfast is served.
- Meet in the kitchen for your Cooking Class 1 for a Fresh Pasta Menu. This hands-on cooking class focuses on the preparation of fresh pasta and sauces (2 pastas and 2 sauces are prepared).
- Lunch follows on the foods prepared in class. Local wine included, additional wine/beverages at a surcharge.
- Afternoon free and on your own to stroll Montepulciano, stop for a glass of wine & tastings in a local shop, or ask about reserving a wine tasting at Cinzia’s family vineyard. Their prized Vino Nobile wines will delight any palate and Wine Spectator agrees, with a rating of 91 for their Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2006.
Day 3: Cooking Class 2 & Departure
- Breakfast is served.
- Meet in the kitchen for your Cooking Class 2 for a Traditional Menu. This hands-on cooking class includes the preparation of a full Tuscan Menu from appetizer to dessert.
- Lunch follows on the foods prepared in class. Local wine included, additional wine/beverages at a surcharge.
- Check out & departure after lunch. Arrivederci!
Tuscan Food Trails
The half day tour takes you to the finest makers of cheese, bread and wine in the Montepulciano region. Follow the wine road with Serena and discover while you taste. Raise your glass as you learn about the great Tuscans including, Sangiovese-based appellations in Tuscany, Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino to name a few. Included on the tour, is a stop to an artisan bread maker with another stop at a farm where you will see how the cheese is made. Tastings and informal discussion included.
If you plan to stay with us for a few more days,…
Day 4: Sleep a little late, enjoy your Italian breakfast with a slow cappuccino and take the day to visit the Museum of Montepulciano, which was a donation to the town by Francesco Vrociani dating back to 1859. His collection includes a compilation of antiquities that reigned during the aristocracy of 18th and 19th centuries. Included in what was his private collection is San Francesco by Margarito d’Arezzo-the Virgin With Angels, of the Duccesa school, the Virgin, by Jacopo di Mino del Pellicciaio, and Etruscan relics found during excavations. End your tour in time for lunch. Lunch is waiting and Massimo has your table waiting with a full course Tuscan lunch.
Program Includes:
- 3 days, 2 nights accommodations, based on double occupancy. Click to View!
- Daily breakfast.
- 2 hands-on cooking classes with lunch or dinner following on the foods prepared in class. Local wine included, additional wines/beverages at a surcharge.
- Welcome Dinner with aperitivo and local wine included. Additional wine/beverages at a surcharge.
Program Prices
$895 per person, based on double occupancy. Includes Italian VAT.
Please call for Single Supplement details.
*Montepulciano City Tourist Tax of 1 Euro per person, per day not included and payable upon check out.
The Tuscan Food Trails Tour
$225 per person, based on double occupancy.
Arrival and Departure Transfers from/to Chiusi Train Station, Florence and other cities to Montepulciano can be added on at an additional fee.
Additional add-on nights are $315 per night, based on double occupancy, and include daily breakfast.
2012 Dates: This program is available throughout the year. Check in and start your cooking program on any day of the week. Rates subject to change based on currency exchange. Please call for updated rates. Airfare not included.
