Postcards from Italy

Hello Lauren,

I had sent Gemma a note today, but I did want to tell you how much we enjoyed yesterday’s tour- it sounded extravagant at first, but it became one of the most memorable days we’ve ever had! Pepe and Ray were exceptional hosts and guides! It really was an amazing day! You were so correct about Capri and the restaurant – i think the lobster we ordered was the best we’ve ever eaten! The Caprese Ravioli was so incredibly stellar! Perfecto! The Blue Grotto- positively worth the time to see. The colors can’t be described until you see it in person.

Thanks for everything- it’s like we have an old friend in Italy we can ask for advice!

Gary
San Diego, CA

Dear Lauren,

It is hard to put into words how great I thought our trip to Italy was. Being at the villa and having Giovanni drive us to many towns was so perfect in so many ways. We felt totally immersed in the culture of Tuscany. The cooking was fabulous and we came home with lots of recipes and are dying to try out our new cooking skills. Melina and Julia were wonderfully patient with my “cooking skills” or lack thereof. We are able to help Fabrizio’s daughter, Sophia celebrate her 1st birthday and had such fun. Meeting others who stayed at the villa was great fun too and we had many an adventure. Lauren, you were totally right that we should have stayed at least 2 nights in Positano and will certainly do so the next time! It was a simply amazing city. Would love to do the Amalfi coast in more detail and unfortunately we did not get to do the things we wanted in Rome (Vatican, Sistine Chapel, etc.) so we will just have to come back. Italy was more than I ever expected. Friendly, beautiful and such amazing history.Thank you so much for helping us with this once in a lifetime trip. It was more than I had ever imagined. PS I’ll certainly pass along your name to all of my friends considering visiting!

Sincerely,
Judy Luff

Dear Lauren,

I am writing to tell you how much fun I had with Peter and Brigitt in Santa Margarita. As it turned out, I had 3 five hour private sessions. They were great about moving the time frame around for me as I needed to take the train there. The hotel was only down a short hill. And what a wonderful hotel it was: the lobby was done in all manner of white; they have a very large breakfast area and we were able to eat al fresco all 3 nights. The ingredients were bought that morning at the market and we went from there. Every meal was 5 course. They specialize in dishes and ingredients from Liguria and this was very important for me as my daughter lives in Liguria. We prepared each dish, took it outside and ate it washed down with champagne or wine. In this way we could concentrate on one dish at a time and not wait until the entire meal was cooked. I really like this approach.

I highly recommend these two: knowledgeable and personable. They would be a great addition to your Cooking Vacations.

Linda Manning

Lauren and Melody,

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for a wonderful time in Positano. Everything was wonderful and so beautiful. Our time at Albergo California with Maria and her family was a treasure, as was our time in the kitchens of Positano.

It was a perfect balance of cooking and touring, and all of the guides you recommended were excellent and certainly enhanced our experience.

I will highly recommend your service to friends and family, and will definitely be back!

Thanks, again, for a much needed perfect vacation!
Wil Neyland

Morning Lauren,
How are you!! We had one of the best holidays ever!! We have not forgotten to send photos/etc. we have just been busy getting back to Canada, I am hoping to have them to you by the end of today. We are looking to go back to Rome in 2021, and hopefully do a similar tour. I will look over your packages and see which one would fit for us. Our son Novak, had the best time!!! Chef Eugenio and his staff were excellent, not enough can be said. They were great with Novak, especially pizza making day!!
Thank you for everything Lauren, this was really a great trip, you run an excellent business! Take care and I will be in touch with photos!
kindest regards,

Teri
Nakina, ON.

Lauren, Gemma,

A Magical Journey.

We have begun our journey back to Milan with the most wonderful memories and a little sadness having to leave our very special retreat
Secret Liguria ~ Above The Cinque Terre™ Wine, Cooking & Olive Oil with Chef Luca ~ 5 Days.
It is truly an amazing spot tucked away on top of the mountain overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. In addition to the beautiful historical hotel, it was the people who made it the most special. Valentina is always so helpful making any arrangements and patiently answering endless questions, the food prepared by Mary is the very finest and most beautifully creative. Margaritta is a wealth of endless knowledge about wine and the local origins from which it came as well as a delight to dine with each night with her friendly and fun nature. This also extended to the lovely ladies at breakfast and taking care of our room.
While we were just guests passing through like many others they all made us feel very welcome and like family returning home.
We met other lovely guests we enjoyed and exchanged contact information to connect again should our paths cross in our travels.

Thank you both for making all the arrangements and creating such a special experience we will never forget! I travel for business with clients often and appreciate what time and attention to detail is required for a trip like this to be executed so perfectly! All the reservations, cars, guides, tours were on time and with wonderful local people that were very professional yet friendly and very knowledgeable. I appreciate your availability to assist with any changes and look into the winery tour. I wish we could have fit that in but look forward to it next time!
I will certainly recommend Cooking Vacations to all our friends and we look forward to our next adventure with you as well!

Grazie, grazie, grazie!!
Arrivederci!!

Leslie & Mark
Park City, Utah

Dear Lauren,

Italian Mamma Sorrento!

We just returned from our tour with our Italian Mamma Lucille in Sorrento arranged by Cooking Vacations in Italy. It was a wonderful experience!

We toured a working farm and had a cheesemaking class with Momma, who made fresh mozzarella and the most unbelievable bread we had ever tasted!

They make their own olive oil and limoncello, which was demonstrated to us as well. We toured the farm and a convent dating back to the 1300’s. Our chef then made us an extraordinary lunch at her villa. Her cooking and her charm made for a memorable experience.

The Goldstein Family

Good morning Lauren,

I don’t even know where to begin!! Lana has nothing bad to say about her trip! She has beautiful pictures and every time she talks to me about her trip, she gets emotional. She had an amazing time. The only downfall is that she got sick and lost out on a day when she only had 4 days to begin with. Maybe I should have considered a longer one, but financially the 4 day tailored one made the most sense. Non the less, Lana tells me that the Wednesday was amazing… I even got to FaceTime her the first night she was there and she was having dinner and it looked incredible. Made me WISHED that I went with her. The views were spectacular and she said that her room was amazing!! I’m jealous….

Lauren….I can’t thank you enough…. You have been EXTREMELY patient and helpful with me and gave me the peace of mind that I have needed that Lana was in good hands before she even left. Irma was great with her while she was there. For the sounds of it, both you and Irma make a wonderful team. I am serious when I say this, but if you can come up with something budget friendly for both Lana and I, please keep us in mind… Why??? I WANT TO BE THERE TOO!!!!! Maybe more than 4 days though…. lol! I also really wished that Lana got to meet you. Its to bad you both didn’t. That’s why both Lana and I need to go back… to meet you and have dinner together! 🤗

Anyway, everything went VERY well, and I thank you tremendously!!!!

Have a great day!!
Milan and Lana

Dear Lauren,

Just wanted to tell you how wonderful our olive farm tour was. We truly loved our tour guide at Sicilian Olives™ In The Sicilian Olive Grove ~ Farm Tour & Tasting and found it all very interesting !!

Besides being very educational it was also most enjoyable. And the lunch was excellent !!

Thank you again
Ellen

The Jewel In The Crown of a Fabulous Vacations

I took two different cooking classes with Cooking Vacations, one in Amalfi and one in Positano, and they were completely wonderful.

Of all the cooking class options I considered for my holiday, Cooking Vacations was the most obvious choice because the website was very helpful and Lauren was so responsive and informative that it left the competition in the dust. the classes themselves were glorious.

The instruction was very hands-on, very informative and really amazing fun. The dishes we cooked where very worthwhile and the recipes come in very handy.

All in all, this was the best!

My sister and I took the most wonderful trip!

All planned by Lauren and Gemma! No muss, no fuss. Got there to the most wonderful Inn owned and run by 3 lovely woman- Mother and 2 daughters.

Coffee at my door within 5 min of waking with a chance to sit on the patio overlooking the sea! The hikes planned were exquisite, ending at peaks that overlooked the Amalfi Coast and the food? Oh my! Delicious. I would recommend doing the combination trips. You still have time to shop, visit with the townspeople and are always entertained with all that is planned. The only downer was not being able to take the planned trip to Capri due to the rough waters. There are so many moving parts to get all of the tours, cooking classes, etc.. planned, it’s not easy for the short trips to change. It just made me want to go back!

A must do!

Thank you Lauren,

The experience was amazing and unique. Letizia was kind and helpful.

I really enjoyed cooking experiences and restarant at hotel was amazing. I also enjoyed the excursions, my driver Micaela and Katia (tour guide) were wonderful and fun. I also went into town to the weekly market for the locals and got some great bargains for myself and gifts. Once again another great experience in Italy. I am seriously contemplating trying to move to italy, my heart and soul are so there.

Thanks, Tina
PS Thanks for birthday cake was delicious and for all my Cooking Vacation gifts.

Hi Lauren

I am back in New Zealand and finally have enough access to decent internet to tell you about my experience with cooking vacations. I chose to spend my 30th birthday in Amalfi and wanted to do something completely different – i googled cooking classes and your website was the first to come up. It was highly reputable and I later found out why. I just want to thank you so much for accommodating me at such short notice. She picked me up from the meeting point and took me to her voice- her family was there to give me a warm Italian greeting. We started with entrees mains and desert and the entire time I felt i was with my own family cooking and enjoying the experience with people i knew even though I just met them. Their home was beautiful and they treated me like their own. I enjoyed everything i learned on the day and cannot wait to recreate them at home.

Chef Jeuce is amazing and taught me so much- her secret ingredients and her family recipes have been noted and i felt like i had a traditional italian experience. Her family and the cooking class made my experience unforgettable and I’m so grateful to you ! let me know if i can review the experience on your website.

Regards
Joseph R.
New Zealand

Buongiorno!

I can’t begin to say how great our experience was with Cooking Vacations. I have written a nice review with pictures for Trip Advisor. All I can say was that is was perfetto in every way from beginning to end. I must give special recognition to our tour guide Naima. She was one of a kind. She was enthusiastic, knowledgable, energetic, and a lot of fun. It was like touring a city and country with an old friend. All the people were warm and friendly. The accommodations were magnificent. The villa is a true gem, as is Federica. Our Chefs were also great, and we loved working in their kitchen. We shared a class with four wonderful people from Israel, which gave the whole experience an international flavor. From our pickup at the train station to our early morning ride to the airport, everything was absolutely perfect. Tutto bellissimo!

We will sing your praises far and wide to anyone interested in learning about cooking, food, farming, and the people behind them. You are doing a wonderful thing.

Grazie mille!

Karen and William
Ciao!

Hi Lauren

I had a great time in Positano, the cooking classes were really good. I came home and cooked up a feast for the kids they loved it. The excursions were also much appreciated, they were very good particularly with the extra tips with where to eat etc.

I have had a few of my friends that want to come with me October 2017 when Im planning to do another visit. I would love your recomendation about which one would be the best to do next. Im thinking for a 2 week trip.

Thankyou too for the oil and the oregano in my goodbye pack, unfortunately I had it confiscated at customs 🙁 .

Thank you so much again.

Lisa W
Australia

This was an experience of a lifetime! However, at our first chance we will return and take another Italian cooking class. The homemade pesto and pasta were a highlight and something we will cook at our next family gathering. Just the entire experience was delightful and so welcoming. It does not matter your cooking level or even your experience, this hands on class is for everyone. Very friendly staff and very informative. Book this in advance and be ready for some fun!

August 2016
Rob and Roberta
Canada

What we anticipated was a storefront with a commercialized kitchen for a group of travelers.

What we got was a personalized 1-on-1 Chef experience whom opened their home and showed us how to purchase fresh produce in the markets and then we prepare some fabulous dishes. It was a very personal gathering, so much fun and it was the highlight of our month-long trip in Europe.

We thoroughly enjoyed this experience and will use Cooking Vacations again. We highly recommend them if you want to have a great time and learn to prepare some awesome food!

Dennis & Karen Mansfield
USA

Yes Sara and I had such a fun time at the cooking class. All of the arrangements we made through Lauren were wonderful!
Thank you.
Best regards,
Patti H
Austin, TX

My brother and I went for the full week of the Coastal Living program in Positano in May this year. The staff were wonderful in assisting us during our preparation for the trip after some last minute internal family problems resulted in my brother (not my mother for whom the trip was intended) accompanying me.

We arrived on a Saturday, having no trouble meeting up with our driver in the Naples train station. We spent a wonderful, relaxing week in Positano. The 3 cooking classes were a lot of fun. For a couple of guys on a cooking trip, we had a blast joking with the chef and still learning some great tricks and recipes. And the meals were excellently prepared (if i do say so myself).

The trip itself had many events scheduled. However, we ended up with a lot of unplanned time, including the day going to Amalfi and Ravello (i think guided tours were available but we opted to have free time in the towns instead). We had transportation but the time in the towns was on our own. For us, it was ideal. Positano is small, so it’s easy to see all of it quickly. This allows for relaxation and never feeling like you are missing something. Some people may prefer a more packed itinerary. Just know you will have time to yourself, so you can plan ahead if you want more adventures. Or just relax in a beautiful villa, stroll the streets and steps of Positano, and find some off the beaten path restaurant.

Everything ran smoothly and the Cooking-Vacations representatives in Positano were always around to help! Also, we LOVED the villa where we stayed. The staff was great.

I would definitely recommend the Coastal Living

Lauren,

Thanks for the nice parting gifts. We made it back to NC without trouble except that somehow Carol’s bag didn’t make the flight from Naples but made it a day or so later.

I want to thank you for a wonderful experience in Positano. I loved the town, our hotel was convenient and our room spacious with a great view. The trips to Capri and to Amalfi and Ravello were a nice opportunity to see more of the region. I found the tasting tour in Amalfi a nice surprise. Angela was expert and made the experience interesting and informative.

Both of us were very pleased with the cooking experiences. Our Chef and the staff seemed like old friends after our five visits. Although I had expected a larger shared class, the opportunity to work in a smaller, more personalized way was a much better experience. Chef’s suggestions taught me many things that I will practice in my own kitchen.

Carol will, I’m sure, send you her thoughts separately. Thanks again for a great experience. Please vie our best to Rino and Gemma.

Betsy

Dear Cooking Vacations,

We had a fantastic morning and early afternoon learning about the history of Italian pizza and the various preparation styles for making pizza. Who would have thought there was so much cultural nuance behind the flat dough morsels.

As for our motivation behind taking the class – we wanted a class that focused on the needs of our 6 year old daughter and allowed her to gain a greater appreciation of Italy cooking. I know – a bit of a bold undertaking; but, I am here to witness – she loved the class. Our chef was awesome and the restaurant, truly off the beaten track, was the perfect place (in the words of our little girl – “we made pizza in Ariel’s grotto;” because the restaurant has an undersea/nautical theme).

The whole experience was just great – from the courteous and practical correspondence and prep we received from Ms. Lauren at Cooking Vacations to the genuine care and compassion the chef brought to teaching us to make a fantastic pizza. It was a wonderful way to spend time in Rome with our daughter. I highly recommend Cooking Vacations for families looking to have an adventure – and learn practical cooking skills at the same time.

Dr. Wayne Centrone

Dear Lauren and Rino,

Both of us would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for a most memorable Amalfi Coast vacation.

Everything was just perfect, and everyone was so warm and friendly. From the moment we were picked up at Naples Airport to the moment we were dropped off at Naples Airport a week later, we had the best time.

Our accommodations in Positano were first class…very spacious with breath-taking views of The Mediterranean, and everyone at the front desk was very helpful.

The cooking classes were a lot of fun…a lot of learning with just the right amount of humor sprinkled in. Raphael was an enjoyable teacher. And, it was such a treat getting to eat the delicious meals that we helped prepare. We also appreciated your
coming to our first class, which made us feel so at home. And the very special tasting dinner our first night was a wonderful touch.

Our excursions were all terrific, from seeing the ruins in Pompeii to the mountain top views in Ana Capri, to the charming town of Amalfi and the indescribable beauty of Ravello. Rino added a lot to those excursions, pointing
out many interesting sights along the way.

We now realize that having Laurel and Pietro with us on all the excursions was not an accident. We know you made that happen, and that made those excursions even better. Both are very charming, intelligent, talented and friendly.
It was great to get to know them, plus, in Pietro, we had an excellent built-in guide for all of our excursions.

We had just the right amount of time on our own, so we could go to the beach, do some exploring and get in some shopping.

The finishing touch on our final night was over the top and something we will never forget. For you and Rino to open your beautiful home to us and prepare an incredibly delicious dinner for us was beyond our wildest expectations.
The meal (no surprise knowing your talents) you cooked for us was perfect in every way. The only thing that rivaled it was the sincere warmth and graciousness that both you and Rino showed to us.

So, thanks again, and please know it would be an honor for us to recommend this extraordinary vacation to all who are interested.

Sincerely,
Lorraine and Harvey

Dear Lauren,

Thank you again for another lovely trip!!! Everything was Wonderful, and your people in Conversano are outstanding!!!

From Rita, who was so warm and welcoming, and very enthusiastic about cooking, to Angela at the hotel, who was charming and friendly any time that we needed anything throughout our stay, to our wonderful guide, Katia. Really, I can’t say enough.

Once again, top notch.

Kind Regards,

Joan

Learn Chocolate Culinary Secrets in Glorious Italy

Cooking Vacations, a Boston-based travel company that arranges specialty cooking classes in picturesque Italian locations, has created a workshop for chocolate lovers.

The Cooking Chocolate program takes participants through three hands-on classes focusing on chocolate desserts. Classes and accommodations are at the Villa Azzura in the seaside town of Positano. The classes are led by Maria Rosa Scuncio and Executive Chef Tonina, who learned the secrets of Italian cooking from their great-grandmother and worked their way up to the professional kitchen. Cooking Chocolate includes such recipes as Melanzane al Cioccolato, Palline al Cocco, Capri Cake, torrone (nougat), chocolate biscotti and double chocolate gelato.

During the eight-day, seven-night program participants will learn the history of cooking with chocolate. Besides the three hands-on cooking lessons featuring chocolate, there will be excursions to Capri, Ravello and Amafli (to taste eggplant and chocolate ice cream made by a famous artisan). There will also be a wine-tasting visit, featuring Italy’s best wines with desserts, and an outside dinner. Daily breakfast, transfers to and from the airport or train station will be provided.

My plans were to visit the gorgeous Amalfi Coast and connect with Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli of CookingVacations.com in Positano for a few hours of culinary adventures.

Driving to Positano is one of the most exquisite and blood curdling drives in the world. Passing between mountains and the Mediterranean there is nothing but jaw dropping sites of homes, villas, restaurants built into the vertical cliffs and this 2 lane road winding around and around with not much between it and the sea hundreds of feet below.

I met up with Lauren at her fishmonger’s place right along this twisty road. There was a good selection of that morning’s catches and after getting what she wanted, an amberjack,

Lauren and I walked down the flower lined streets and steep steps to a famous bakery, La Zagara, where we could start our day with a coffee and delicious pastries. Sitting in the garden terrace surrounded by lemon groves and the cliffs all around, the owner chose to give me a sampling of many of their local cakes like cannoli, sfogliatelle, baba au rhum and delizia al limone. A bite of each was enough of a sugar rush for the day even though I could have easily finished them off. (Always good to have the crew around so there’s nothing to waste.)

The rest of my time in Positano was spent at La Taverna del Leone, a family owned restaurant since the 1960’s where the locals like to go. It was first opened as a pizza restaurant and while still having the best pizza around has evolved into a gourmet restaurant with a large variety of dishes using local traditions and products as well as international inspirations. I was brought into the kitchen where Lauren asked Chef Filomena to show me how to make gnocchi. Then, I watched the other chef prepare a dish called fish in “crazy water” or pesce all’Acqua pazza with the amberjack. It’s simply poached white fish with garlic and tomatoes but is said to be incredibly tasty – and it was. Of course I was not going to leave without trying the famous Neopolitan pizza and had a couple of different ones the pizza chef whipped up in less than a couple of minutes. Crispy, salty with fresh mozzarella and basil and not much sauce, the Margharita pizza was perfect and a great finish for the day.

I was definitely quite content and satisfied even with the hair raising ride back to the ship.

Cheers and all the best,
Zita

Lauren, Gemma, Angela & Irma,

My experience in May was fabulous and I am planning to do it again next May (for more days this time) at one of your other destinations.

It will be my pleasure to write a comment on Trip Advisor.

Per your request, my mailing address is…

Positano

Thank you Cooking Vacations Gemma.

It was truly our pleasure also.
Our time spent in Positano was fantastic…. a vacation our family will always treasure. Our sincere thanks and heartfelt appreciation for all that “Cooking Vacations” did to help make this such a memorable time for us.

Connie and Dr Bud

Dear Lauren,

We had an excellent time on our cooking vacation. Carlo, Valentina and Giulia were fantastic! They are very good hosts, interesting people, great tour guides, and the classes were a lot of fun. We felt much more like friends received us in their home than paying customers in a hotel. The place is beautiful, the places we toured were amazing and very enjoyable.
We already reviewed it in Trip advisor.

Rocio

My girlfriend and I went to Cooking Vacations in Bologna in March and were treated royally from the moment we landed. Absolutely no complaints and would recommend them to anyone. Every detail was attended to and could not have planned a better experience.
Stayed in the middle of the city which was fun especially since we had a bit of snow surprisingly.
I’ve long had a love affair with all things Italy, from the food to the culture, to the rich history.

What better setting for a cooking class than picturesque and iconic Positano, Italy? My bride and I showed up for a 1-day cooking class with chef Raffaelo and had no idea what to expect. What we did expect was a hands-on experience rather than a “demonstration” class. We rolled up our sleeves and immediately started with prepping (ie: cutting vegetables, cheese) and making dishes from scratch. The whole experience was a lot of fun and we highly recommend it to anyone visiting Positano!

Hi Lauren and Gemma!
Sarah and I are back in Boston, we absolutely loved Positano and our layover in Dublin.

Thank you so much for the writer’s almanac, the opportunity to come to such a beautiful place and for all of your advice and inspiration over our few short days.

We are currently so exhausted from traveling and have some catch up work to do but we will get organized and talk later this week about arranging a Skype session!
We loved the fact that it was so open and flexible. The exercises were very relevant and stimulated our thoughts, allowing us to keep more intimate and detailed pieces of writing for our travel diaries.

We would definitely love to come back and learn more from you both and work with others, guiding them through some of the best lessons we learned! Again, we truly enjoyed meeting you and had the most wonderful experience.

Thank you, also, for the departing gift bag – the small bell and its story behind it are adorable and something we will definitely cherish for years to come.

Hope you both have a great start to the week and we will be talking soon.

Best,
Jillian and Sarah

Lauren,

I wanted to tell you that my mother and I had the most WONDERFUL time today. It was truly an experience to remember. Annarita was so sweet this morning. And Chef Salvatore made us a meal to remember. I honestly can’t believe I ate so much amazing food today! Truly memorable.

Thanks, again.
Megan

Hi Lauren,
On behalf of all of the ladies I would like to thank you for making today unforgetable, and one of our best memories on our trip to Italy.
The staff at the cooking kitchen are wonderful and shared their love of good food with us. We all learned so much and enjoyed every minute. Lorna’s birthday will forever be remembered as one of the best as we were all together enjoying the good company of friends and family, thank you so much.
We ended up going to Antonio for sandals and next door to him for jewellery . Totally missed the Ivy, but we still have a few days to fit that in!
We are off to Ravello in the morning, trying to fit in everything we can before we return to Canada on Saturday.
Once again, thank you so much for all of the care you took with our surprise, we all appreciated it so much!
Please let us know when and were your book will be available… Good luck and GB!
Laurie and the Canadian ladies

Hi Lauren
Thank you also for giving us the opportunity. We enjoyed our stay very much in Positano, our B&B was great, Francesca, Paula and their mother Celeste were very gracious hosts and made us feel very welcome. We also enjoyed cooking with Chef Emilio and his team work their magic in the kitchen. Wow, what an impressive Cooking Vacations. I have made the lemon almond cake already and got rave reviews. Now I just need to invest in a kitchen machine, still trying to decide which one.

Thanks again
Vanessa

This is the fourth year I have done a Cooking Vacation with Lauren’s firm. This year, the selection was Liguria – with Chef Antonio. It was amazing! The owners of the villa in Sestri Levanate – Barbara and Marcello – speak very fluent English, and are immensely knowledgable of the history of the region and the many sites. They could not have been nicer and more helpful. Barbara took me to a wine exposition in Catelnuovo Magra – a very old town on top of a very scenic small mountain. The exhibit featured vermentino wine from a large number of producers. Lunch and a wine glass in a bag to hang around the neck were included – the latter was most practical! Barbara also took me by train to Cinque Terre National Park – a UNESCO National Heritage site. The towns along the coast are just beautiful – located in coves between rocky cliffs. The local foods, of course, were wonderful. We also visited Portofino, Santa Margherita (where the wine of the same name originates), San Rocco and Camogli (where part of A Summer in Genoa was filmed). Each was stunning. Another day we visited Borzone high up in the mountains – with an ancient abbey and an ancient face (Megalitich Face) carved in slate on the top of a mountain. We had lunch at an “agriturismo”, which is a type of restaurant in a home where everything served is produced on site. What a great experience!
Then there were the cooking lessons. Chef Antonio is truly remarkable. The taverna restaurant at Barbara and Marcello’s B&B served the most wonderful dinners (five star in my view) – the typical three course Italian meal followed by dolce. The recipes are relatively easy, and quite different and simply delicious. The meals were accompanied by the local wines – my favorite white being the vermentino, with a local red (Bossin) produced nearby.
The last day, Barbara drove me to La Spezia – where most of the exquisite mussels and clams come from. We went to a very large market, including a fish market. We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant and then drove to Portovenere, which has to be one of the most beautiful towns I have ever seen – very small, but with an ancient castle and church overlooking the Mediterranean, and amazing shops and cafes lining the narrow, winding pedestrian streets. The view of the Mediterranean from here was just stunning. The vacation also included a Happy Hour cruise of the “silent bay” in Sestri Levante. Just beautiful!
As with my previous trips (Positano, Ischia, Tuscany), Lauren took care of everything. Marcello picked me up in Genova, where I spent a few days overcoming jet lag, and drove me back there, as I had an early flight the next day.
One of the most interesting aspects of Liguria is the variety of terrain and sites. There are beaches, la citta (Genova), mountains and valleys, national parks along the coast and picturesque villages. I can see why they call this region The Italian Riviera!!

Dear Cooking Vacations,

Nancy and I want to thank you for the cooking week in Positano. We had so much fun and can’t wait to make the dishes at home. Nancy said she is making the sponge cake today for the tiramisu.
When you have the time, we would love to have the recipe for the Genovese Ragu that was so delicious.

Thanks for a remarkable experience.

Mary and Nancy

Dear Lauren,

I owed you an email.
Thank you for the wonderful time that Mary and I had at il melograno taormina in the cooking with Massimo on Sept 25, 2013. It was the highlight of our vacation. Massimo was such a great host and the food we prepared was so good we went back the next night for dinner. I can see why with sites as great as il melograno taormina you are a sought after firm for these types of events.

I am glad I found you.

Robert

Hi Cooking Vacations
Just to let you know, my husband really enjoyed his cooking lesson with Chef Massimo in Sicily. We will be using your services for other trips and plan to recommend it to our friends.
Best,
Ellen

Dear Lauren
That lemon olive oil is just delicious!!! If friends think they are getting ANY of it, they’d best think again.
I had a really wonderful time AND have already cooked twice from recipes from the course for family and friends. On the strength of one meal, my son went out and bought a pasta machine, just to make sure I didn’t use the excuse that “it’s too much like hard work to cook for a lot of people rolling by hand” …
Thanks again,
Linda
London, UK

Good Morning Lauren,
Is  there a place on your website to write a review?  I would like to post something if possible.  You deserve a 5 star rating!
We had a great time in Taormina, Massimo was awesome and our food creations were delicious!
I have attached 2 photos from our fabulous class.

thanks, I hope you are able to open the pictures
Joanne

Dear Lauren,
We have returned from our Roman trip…and want to report that it was spectacular. We wanted to let you know what a really wonderful experience we had at with Chef Roberto at Farmhouse to Kitchen, South of Rome. Manuela and Carlo have created a paradise and is very well-suited to the cooking experience. Chef Roberto was a wonderful teacher and it was fun to go to the garden to pick the vegetables and create our meals. Everyone at the Relais was so gracious and accommodating. We felt as though we were part of the family–the Royal Family! The staff is impressive. Perfection is alive and well The location with the views of the mountains and the tranquility of the land cultivated all combine, for us, to make a perfect retreat. Their impeccable taste in the architecture and furnishings is without equal. The homegrown crops so beautifully tended into sumptuous gourmet dishes by Chef Roberto and served so professionally by Gianluca, are designed for utlimate pleasure. This is one of the places where Cooking Vacations arranges for their unusual cooking classes. There were fresh-from-the-garden seasonal vegetables and fruits, highlighting pure organic herbs and seasonings. We accompanied Chef Roberto to the garden which he tends on the property and picked everything needed to make our beautiful, delicious culinary creations.
There were so many wonderful spaces for guests to enjoy—the beautiful infinity pool immediately relaxes, the hammocks on the lawn invite, the big round double chairs designed for lounging beckon. Every space has its own character. The breakfast table, filled with beautiful homemade breads and cakes served with homemade jellies and jams from their gardens, were a looked-forward-to treat.
Our room was charming—with its bleached wood, luxurious silk drapes, lavender walls—and its dragonfly theme extended to the sconces and even the water glass in the ultra-modern bathroom. This room also had an additional twin-bedded loft. And we must mention the wonderful shower with the sunflower head .
We so enjoyed our walks among the fruit trees and garden and especially our trip to Alvito, that classic Italian town with stone steps and mysterious alleyways leading to more stone steps and more mysterious alleyways. It was fun being lost there and finding our way again to the charming main street.
Best of all we enjoyed the true hospitality shown by Manuela and Carlo and their entire staff. It was a great pleasure to spend our Roman vacation in such lovely surroundings. We will return and we recommend this very special place to anyone who desires a truly unusual Italian vacation in a tranquil setting.
Baci
Eva e Marion

Buongiorno Lauren and Rino,

Now that we are home and back into our routine, I just wanted to take the time to reach out and say thank you for the incredible experience you provided to our family. We all still look at pictures every day and wish we were back in Positano. This week we are also attempting some of the recipes we experienced in Italy. We’ll let you know how they turn out.

We could not have had a better first experience, and are blessed to have met both of you. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Warmest Regards,

Jerry and Heidi P.
Pennsylvania

Dear Cooking Vacations

On behalf of myself, Mr and Mrs Pretorius and Mrs Burger, thank you so much for a wonderful stay at the lovely villa in Positano and the very efficient and well organized programme we worked through during our week-long stay.

The cooking classes were not only a cultural adventure to us and the food sometimes new to our taste buds, but we also learned so much new cooking techniques and exciting recipes, which we could test back home!

The trips we explored to Amalfi, Ravello and Pompeii, we not only educational, but also exciting in experiencing it from a tourist’s point of view.

My personal thanks also to Melody, who saw to it that everything ran smoothly, on time and without any hitches.

Lynette
Swakopmund, Namibia

Ciao Cooking Vacations!

I just wanted to thank you both so much for all your help and correspondence arranging  Katie’s cooking experience in Capri!  She is on a “gap year” between high school and college and is experimenting with many different things (right now is in Costa Rica studying Spanish and scuba diving!).  She had a simply marvelous time in Capri, loved Maria and her family (who as you suggested would take her under their wing as a family member!), learned so much about cooking (had a one on one experience with Maria and I’ve been the beneficiary having her cook so many wonderful things for us at home!), thought Capri itself absolutely beautiful (I’ve never been!), and also learned some life lessons about being alone in Italy at age 17 (I think Maria and her family were a little surprised by how young she was when she showed up!).  Anyway, she’s not very good herself on writing thank you notes (what teenager is?!) so I just wanted to say thanks myself!  Would you please do me a favor and write Maria for me to thank her as well as I have no Italian language skills but just wanted her to know how grateful I am for her great care of Katie!

THANKS!

John

Lauren, Melody and all,

We had a wonderful time on our Cooking Vacation.  We are enjoying making many of the recipes at home already, and hope that Christmas brings a pasta maker so that we can share Filomena and Fortunata’s wonderful ravioli and tagliolini recipes with our family.

It has been very busy since we have been home, but I will write a Trip Advisor review soon.  It is definitely on my list of things to do!  In the meantime, we have shared details of our trip and your school with many of our friends.  Perhaps some of them will be heading your way one day!

Best to all in sunny Positano!

Nancy W.
Norfolk, VA

Hi Lauren and Melody,

Please don’t let the lateness of this note be any measure of how much I enjoyed my cooking vacation in Positano. I had high expectations before I got there, and they were exceeded in every single way. The accommodations were superb; the excursions were well-planned and added just the right amount of adventure; the town itself (Positano) was so comfortable, so friendly, sooooo beautiful; and of course, the cooking experience was AMAZING! Not only did I learn a lot about Italian cooking, I learned even more about the Italian way of being in the kitchen, and I loved every minute of it. Thank you so much!! The week is structured with just the right balance of adventure, cooking, and on-your own time. I wouldn’t change a single thing. And who could ever ask for a better chauffeur/ guide than Rino.

Elaine
Burlington, VT

Lauren and Melody,

I am back in Napoli ready to head back to DC at a very ugly hour in the morning!!
I had the most wonderful time in Ischia.  I learned so much from Chef Nino – different things from what I learned in Positano. Very complementary.
As I may have noted before, I need more equipment and utensils!  I already ordered a mandolin from Crate and Barrel that should arrive next week, and am looking at a food mill and other items on the Sur La Table website. I do not think I have ever seen or tasted such exquisite appetizers.  These things are not in recipe books or on websites.
When I told Chef Nino that I was impressed with the appetizers the pool bar brought with drinks, he dedicated the first lesson to such.  He asked me what else I liked, and the answer was pasta and seafood.  So the next two lessons were devoted to pasta and seafood!  He even asked what ingredients I disliked – the only one being anchovies, although I am allergic to eggplant/aubergine.  (Allergy developed later in life – very regrettable, as I loved eggplant.  Maybe ate too much! Same with coconut. Thanks to you, the hotel was already aware of this.)
Thank you so much for arranging all the transport and the island tours and for making me feel at home in a foreign country in a region I had not been to.  (Bella!). You picked a great hotel and people there to fill out your program.  They were so helpful and friendly, and very much on top of everything.  I know this did not happen without considerable effort on your part behind the scenes.  Very seamless!!  Grazie, grazie!!
Most of all, thank you for making all of this so fun.  I will now start planning for next July!!
Ciao!

Molly
Washington, DC

Hands-on with Chef Guiseppe all the way, excellent products, traditional Umbrian food, and I loved the staff.  The hotel, the cooking classes and every detail included was fabulous.  I learned so much and ate even more!!!  Chef Giuseppe loves his craft and it shows.  Thanks everyone at Cooking Vacations.

Coco Paige
Canada

Lauren,

Thanks so much to Melody and you for all the work you did for our cooking vacation trip to Positano this month. I had been dreaming about this trip for so many years, and it met all my expectations. I didn’t want to leave and want to return to Positano as soon as I can. I loved the cooking classes, and there was also enough time to go sightseeing, shop and relax. Salvatore’s classes were so much fun! Mi amore Salvatore!!! I want to marry him and move to Positano!

Positano is indescribable, and the people are warm and friendly. We met new friends in our classes and locals we could call out by name as we saw them throughout the week. Because my job is so stressful, one of my most favorite things was just sitting/relaxing on my terrace each morning having breakfast overlooking the deep blue Mediterranean.

I was flipping around channels on my TV last night, and the movie Under the Tuscan Sun was on. (Of course, I have 2 DVDs of the movie.) Anyway, I caught it just when she and Marcello were driving down the curvy highway to Positano. I saw the beach where we went a couple of time. I cried wishing I was still there.

Keeping doing what you are doing – it was a fabulous experience, and my sister and I made memories we will cherish for a lifetime.

All the best,
D. Jones

Lauren & Rino-

Thanks for being flexible and touring us around the Amalfi coast.  My friends were quite happy to visit their father’s family home in Minori.  And, enjoyed shopping in Amalfi.  They were sorry not to get to Positano.  I told them they’d just have to come back!

Rino was an excellent driver in some terrible weather.  And we really enjoyed the route back to Napoli through the valley.  Some beautiful sights!

Arrivederci – until the next trip,
Julie

Hello Lauren.

I LOVED my vacation. You were wonderful, Elizabeth was so sweet, and Positano was magical. It was perfect and still feels a little like a dream.

I would love to come back some day.

Thank you so much for all of your efforts to make it such a memorable week.

In gratitude,

Cheryl

Dear Lauren and Cooking Vacations Co.

My daughters and I had a wonderful time.  The cooking classes were excellent and we were made to feel very comfortable plus they were lots of fun.  Everyone was friendly.  Rino was a very attentive driver.   The villa was lovely.  Overall we had a great vacation.

Louise Little

Hi Lauren!

Justin and I had a wonderful time in Rome doing cooking classes with Chef Eugenio and his staff.  We also had a great time with Stefano and Francesca!!

Thank you for organizing our trip!

Truly a wonderful time

Jillian and Justin

Hi Girls and guys,
Wanted to write and share my photos of the greatest cooking experience of my life. Venturing to Ischia and learning the cuisine of a non tourist place was a great idea. I ate, cooked, relaxed and relaxed more! It was just what the doctor ordered. I met a sweet man too and will be coming back to Italy sooner than planned. The vacation and all your assistance on restaurants, shopping, and activities changed my life.

Roseanne Davis
Dallas, TX

To Lauren and Cooking Vacations Family
I cannot tell you how much I truly enjoyed my Italian Cooking Vacations! Traveling alone as a single woman was a challenge, but as soon as I arrived and Rino met me at the Airport, I knew I was in great hands. From the hands-on cooking classes to each and every tour, my Ravello experience was a most memorable one. I hope to come back soon and visit another part of beautiful Italy with Cooking Vacations.

Rhonda Jilbert
Ontario, Canada

Dear Lauren and Company,
I cannot thank you enough for your patience and help in planning my trip of a lifetime. The Don Alfonso program was more than I would have ever imagined. Great food, people and classes. Grazie!

Georgie Hall
Tampa, FL

Thank you!
My friend and i thoroughly enjoyed cooking with Eugene Rossi in Rome! this past July. He was very full of local culinary information for generations back– going to the ancient Testaccio Market was really exciting and great shopping too. I found a great pair of shoes for my daughter she adored! We will definately do it again!
Ciao! and Mille grazie for all your help!

Nancy Nickerson
FLA

Dear Lauren, Melody, Rino, Fabrizio and troupe:
I just wanted to take a few minutes and say thank you again for the wonderful trip. As summer progresses, I find myself thinking often of the great memories of my time in Positano and Tuscany as well as the breathtaking landscapes. It was fun meeting all of you and sharing a moment in your lives there. I especially loved the wonder, beauty and charm of Positano and the people there. As well, the peace and comfort of the Tuscany countryside was complemented by the friendliness and openness of the people at Podre del Anselmo and will always have a special place in my heart. I am including some photos for you. If meet anyone who is contemplating going to Italy, I will be sending them your way! Best wishes to everyone in the future and I hope I might see you all again some day!

Rebecca Schimelfenig
USA

Hi Melody and Lauren:
Thank you for an incredible AND unforgettable Italian cooking vacation. From the waiters, to the chefs, to Giovanna, Melody and Lauren, and the drivers, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We learned some small samplings of the hows and whys Italian cooking is so famous at the great restaurant Tre Sorelle. As an added treat, Giovanna, the granddaughter of the original owner, taught us a bit of the history of the restaurant where we worked. Giovanna narrated the chef’s work, as we eagerly took our turns making delectable fish dishes, pasta dishes, and amazing desserts! Also, the side tours, such as Lauren’s educational tour of Italy’s local foods at Positano’s delis, the tour of Michaelangelo’s Mozzarella production company in Sorrento, and finally the excursions to Pompei, Amalfi and Ravello were an added treat, and not to miss! Thank you again, for an unforgettable cooking vacation in Bella Italia. We cannot wait to return and learn some Italian along with the cooking on our next trip!

A Cooking Friend Always,
Kathy Steinhause

I wanted to write you all and tell you how much I learned to enjoy life while with everyone during the wine tour and cooking classes. Great job to the entire staff, Lauren, Melody, Giuseppe and Rino. The chefs and folks along the way made it so beautiful. Will send photos soon.

Thank you all,
Bob and Barbara
Burlington, MA

Top Chef cooking with a 5 star staff, and a great gang at Cooking Vacations headquartered in Positano! What a combination. Great recipe for the greatest vacation I ever had.

Tara Lee
Atlanta, Georgia

Lauren, Melody, Carlo and company, A big thanks to everyone in Italy who made our family dream come true. Visiting the homeland of my family and being with all of you who are locals to this beautiful area of Italy where my great grand father came from brings tears to my eyes. So refreshing to see that so life has not changed in this beautiful part of Italy and the cheese still tastes the delicious same way as it did when my bis nonno made it.

Ciao a tutti!
Giovanna, Marco and family
Johnston, RI

Chef Massimo in Montepulciano taught us the best Tuscan pasta I ever ate. In a short weekend, I learned, laughed and enjoyed life Italian style. Thanks everyone for a great time.

Tom and Leeah Turk
San Diego, CA

Chef Claudio was the best, I can finally make great Tuscan classics. Thanks to Claudio and his wonderful family and staff.

Tess Camidge
Newton, MA

Hello Melody and Lauren,

I adored Italy and loved the class with Cooking Vacations. Positano is magical! Perhaps we’ll visit Northern Italy next year and will incoroporate a fews days with your school at that time.

Thank you so very much for the wonderful recipes…can’t wait to “lovingly inflict” them upon my friends and family! I’m attaching a few pics from the class.

Give my best to everyone and again, THANK YOU, (profusely)

Ciao,
Regina

Thanks Carla and family for opening up your heart and kitchen to our group. The food, cooking, wine and side trips were beautiful. We loved it and will be back.

George, Mat, Penny and the Ohio Gang!

Thanks for a great hands on cookery class, the wine was great, the planning superb. Chef Fiora Angela spent her whole day with us, in the kitchen and around the property. It was way better than staying in any hotel. Thanks for sharing, inviting us into your kitchen and sharing your family recipe book with us all. I cannot make the cassata as good as you yet, but will send you photos of what I did create. My family loved it and I am so very proud, thanks to you Chef. We really had a wonderful time and our women’s group want to return soon.

Mary Blake and the Wine Women’s Club, CT

Thank you for a wonderful time, words cannot express our appreciation. Chef Rosy your are an amazing lady. The food, the prosecco and all the tasty foods of the Veneto region was a food explosion for our group. All 8 of us are joining Weight Watchers now that we returned. It was worth every bite. Thank you all. Lauren and Melody thank you as well, great planning and professional service all the way.

Jack Sullivan and Family
Boston, MA

Dear Lauren,

Thank you so much for setting up a wonderful trip to Positano and the Amalfi Coast.

I so much enjoyed my cooking experience. Please thank Chef Roberto and Pietro for a fun time with lots of laughs, and of course all the new cooking techniques I learned. My time with Mamma Rosa was great, now everyone wants me to make homemade mozzerella for them.

Unfortunately the marinated eggplant I purchased from Emilia was taken from me at the Naples airport, too much liquid. I begged with the security guards to eat it and not throw it out, but…..Anyway if she can ship me a small jar it would be greatly appreciated. Send my best to Mario, and Melody

Once again Thank you so much for a memorable trip and a great time.
Arden Ginsberg

Dear Lauren, Just returned from beautiful Italy. Our last ‘adventure’ just before we left for our trip home was the cooking class with Chef Rosa. What a fantastic experience! The entire family was wonderful–so charming, so welcoming, so well-prepared. Loved the people, the up-to-our-elbows cooking, the eating, and the tour of their family property. We would recommend this to everyone!!!! The family was phenomenal! And we would not hesitate to recommend it to everyone! Thank you for all your patience and assistance in arranging this excellent ‘farewell-to Italy” for us!

Best, Sandy Rothschild

Hi Lauren,

Griffin and I so very much loved our cooking class.The chefs were so incredibly nice and warm. It was really a pleasure to meet them. The recipes were great. Our taxi driver was so enjoyable as well. Positano was beautiful and our boat trip to Capri was superb. So as you can see, we loved the cooking class (the people were so great), we loved the boat trip and we really liked Poitano. Will be in touch for future travel

Karen Brill
Boston, MA

Hi Lauren,

We had a great time in Italy, thank you for everything you did to make our vacation so wonderful. We did receive the recipes and we will enjoy making everything for our friends and family.

Kath & Mike Forbord
Wayzata, Minnesota

Dear Lauren, Caitlin and I had a wonderful time at the Secret Garden Positano. All the planned activities were perfect and we met such wonderful interesting and warm people. The B & B, the cooking lessons, Mario, Enzo etcall made our trip one to remember. Caitlin returned to Florida and I to Michigan so all is well.

Keep in touch! Love, Carol

Hi Lauren,

Thanks so much for making my dream happen – I had a wonderful time & Fabrizio & his cooking “family” were wonderful. I’m looking forward to my next cooking adventure & will contact you soon.

Regards, G.A.

We had a wonderful time in Italy and loved Villa Ortaglia.

Mr. Mrs. Ross

What a way to learn and we did learn. Chef Antonella and Anna were just great. The 2 Chefs, 2 Kitchens: City To Country Cooking gave us an insightful view into both the city and country of Bologna. Far from the tourists, Bologna is a beautiful well-kept city with elegant people and excellent cuisine. No wonder why it is called la citta grasse-we ate our way through every food hall, cooking class and restaurant. And the best chocolate too.

Glen and Sara
Atlanta

Chef Francesco I did it, I finally were able to recreate those wonderful recipes in my own kitchen. Thanks for your patience and help during each class. Our Cooking Vacations tour to the Italian Riviera was most splendid. Our cookery program was a total immersion and we loved each day of it. Thank God England is so close and we can return again soon. Many thanks to all who welcomed us into their culture.

Mary and Dick Bacon,
London

It was more than I ever had expected, the classes and food knowledge and market visits-wow! So nice to see how tradition remains the same and works. Many thanks to our wonderful Chef Pina. The fresh pasta with the spring vegetables was the best.

Sally Bennet
Chicago IL

Grazie Chef Giuseppe and the entire family in Umbria, thanks for teaching us how to make the delicious stringozzi and most of all thanks for your hospitality. We had a great time and are telling all our family and friends about it. Thanks to Lauren and Melody who helped us choose the right program and see another side of Italy with an excellent Chef, somewhere where we would have never dreamed of traveling to. Grazie, and we have even recreated the recipes back home in our own kitchen.

Damian and Tammy Aloe
Salt Lake City

Lauren and Melody thank you for your assistance in planning my dream vacation. Everyone was so helpful, Chef Luciana was more than I could have imagined her patience with us in the kitchen, excellent food and now I have to join weight watchers to get back on track. It was well worth it. Ciao e grazie.

Mary and the gang from CT

A big thanks to everyone in Rosanna’s kitchen, our kids truly enjoyed the experience from the tours to Pizza, Tropea and more to the cooking classes, we really enjoyed it all. Thanks.

Mike, Jenny and Brady Family
Florida

Thank you! We had a fabulous time. The agroturismo, Montechiaro, was the very best – Carla and her daughter Cristina, together with Nicholas and Teresa, were wonderful teachers and generous to a fault. The rooms were terrific, the meals great, their flexibility and customization very helpful, and we were very happy there.

Anna, our guide for the tour of the cheese factory and balsamic vinegar maker and in Bologna, was also wonderful – tremendously knowledgeable, kind, and generous. The tours were wonderful – far more informative and special than we had imagined before! And her introduction to Bologna was also very good, giving us an excellent orientation to the city, the food market and to restaurants that we enjoyed as well. Your clients should know how lucky they will be if she is available for their visits… and the bed and breakfast was just perfect. Charming, pretty, comfortable, air conditioned, and very well located for all that we wanted to do. Paula, the hostess at the bed and breakfast, was also wonderfully helpful, and made us feel very well taken care of.

The entire trip exceeded my expectations, and I would be more than glad to be a reference for both the Bologna and Montechiaro parts of the itinerary. Please let them know for us how happy we were with our time in both places.

Warm thanks – Molly

To the staff of Cooking Vacations:
My husband & I thoroughly enjoyed our Cooking Vacation in Trevi with Chef Giuseppe.
Chef Giuseppe was a great teacher and helped us learn so much during our three sessions in his kitchen! We really enjoyed the variety of foods we prepared, and the dinners in his restaurant were outstanding. His wine recommendations and selections were excellent! We’ve tried some of the techniques we learned, and are anxious to try the recipes as well. It was a unique experience, and a very memorable vacation. It came at the end of our 2 weeks in London & Italy, and it was the perfect way to wrap it up.
We will never forget!

Ann & Dave Mertes
Urbandale Iowa

Puglia!

I enjoyed it immensely. Another wonderful trip to Italy under my belt thanks to cooking vacations. What a fabulous area. I really enjoyed Conversano, while it was not Positano with the beautiful sea there were many endearing qualities. The people, the food, the landscape, the wonderful towns, the produce, the wine, the tour guides – all things beautiful. I really enjoyed the diversity of the trip since we cooked three days, spa three days, toured and had a bit of time to ourselves. It was really action packed.

One of the most interesting things is that when I was in Positano I purchased a black and white framed photo from one of the Galleries of an older (old) couple walking down a cobblestone lane/street holding hands. The photo was taken in Matera. So when we got to visit Matera I felt like I was connected to it. What a wonderful town and such great history.

I loved the two young ladies that we had as our tour guides. Annalisa and Catia were so informative. And since they were both born and raised in the area there were lots of inside things they knew about which got us right in with the locals. Most enjoyable. I have been in touch with them since the trip. Me and Catia just got along so wonderfully I almost felt related to her. Annalisa introduced us to Italian music and made me a cd of Italian singers that included Mia, Vinucio Cappasello, etc.

Maritza and her daughter were also fun to be with. I felt like I was with relatives. We laughed, ate and cooked. I also got a minute to meet Litiza’s dad who was wonderful – I got a few pictures with him.

The spa was also a crazy and wonderful experience. I enjoyed it so much – it was so relaxing. Although the women only spoke Italian and there was a bit of translation issues I was just fine with the experience. When in Conversano do as the Conversanians do is my policy.

The Villa was beautiful the staff great.

All in all in was a total submersion into the culture and I felt like I was at a study abroad program. I felt like I learned so many things with the language, food, wine and people.

I would travel again and again with cooking vacations.

Thanks ladies.
p.s. still working on photo album but once completed I will send so you can view.

Marie Lewandowski
Philly, PN

Dear Lauren,

Nancy and myself want to thank you for helping us book our Cooking School trip in Venice. We just returned yesterday and everything from the accommodations, cooking school, tours and transportation were first class. We want to specially say that Linda and her partner Martina were most helpful in showing us around Venice and all the areas that most visitors do not get to see. Linda was most helpful in enlightening us about the history of the lovely city of Venice with her knowledge and perfect English…We really felt at home in the “Palace” and Maria Grazie was the perfect host .

The cooking lessons given by Maria and Sebastiane Molani were not only fun, but delicious! We certainly will be contacting you next year to visit some of the other cities that you have to offer.

Regards,
Kathleen Salata

Lauren, our cooking vacation was a wonderful and rich experience that we would recommend to friends, family and strangers alike. Both of the classes were excellent in their own unique ways and were terrific compliments to each other. The logistics and lodging were perfectly thought out and coordinated and that made us able to relax and just get in the spirit of the Amalfi coast. And Positano was indeed perfect, thanks for that suggestion. Wonderful! Molto bene!

Regards,
Barbara Doyle
USA

Lauren & Melody –
Thank you for all of your assistance — my trip was fabulous – Rocco was a very amiable and gracious host — His wife and sister were wonderful teachers — I learned a lot and had quite a bit of fun in the process. They made me feel so welcome in their kitchen and their love for and knowledge of Ischia is evident and really enhanced the experience.

Didn’t take a lot of pictures and since I got back late last night haven’t had a chance to upload them yet — if there’s anything worth sharing I will certainly pass it to you. I’m afraid I’m going to have to focus on work for a bit (banking — yikes!!) before planning my next trip, but I would love to explore more cooking vacations in the future and will certainly keep your offer in mind.

Ciao and mille grazie!

Susan

Secret Garden – Positano – was just the perfect trip for me! It had a balance of cooking and opportunities to explore the treasures of the Amalfi Coast. Since I have never traveled outside the United States, I was thrilled that this opportunity was available. The cooking classes were so enjoyable — and I liked the fact that everyone got a chance to do everything Salvatore and Giovanna demonstrated. It was “hands on” with a great deal of laughter. (As a former second grade teacher, I can vouch that this philosophy is the best way to learn.) The foods were so fresh! It was as if my taste buds “woke up”. The flexibility of your programs was as impressive as well: I had wanted to learn how to bake artisan breads, and you were very willing to accomodate my interest. However, since this was my first time traveling, I wasn’t sure about the time factor, so I decided to save it for a future trip. The accomodations at the Albergo were everything I had hoped an Italian vacation spot would be. To be able to go to sleep listening to the waves break on shore in Positano was relaxing. Our driver, Reno, was so conscientious and polite. Usually I am extemely nervous when someone else is driving — especially on steep, winding roads, however, I had no anxiety, and felt very calm with him at the wheel. Please be sure to thank him for me. (I had hoped to thank him when he took us to the airport, but Reno wasn’t our driver.) I was very pleased with the availability of the Cooking Vacations staff. When our flight was delayed in Dusseldorf, a phone call to you was all it took to relieve two very worried travelers from Illinois, USA. The wine and olive oil tasting was fun and educational as well – I appreciate the fact Cooking Vacations support local businesses, and tell their stories. (It would have been fun to tour a winery and visit an oil grove to learn more, and get a first hand look. Maybe include a lunch and tasting at a real vineyard and olive grove?) My experience was so enjoyable that Peg and I are considering another Cooking Vacation — we are thinking perhaps the Tuscany region would be a culinary delight with many things to see and do. Until then… Grazie e Ciao!

Cheryl & Peggy

Dear Lauren,
We were very pleased with our cooking classes with chefs Massimo and Andrea in our Food & Wine In Medieval Montepulciano experience. The meals we prepared were exactly we wanted to learn. They were both easy to prepare and will be elegant enough for us to serve to our friends back home. In the two plus days we were their we we experienced three fantastic meals plus the the two tastings of what we had prepared. The accommodations were outstanding. The view at the top of Montepulciano needs to be seen to be appreciated, the room had all the amenities and our hostess more than willing to accomodate all our questions and requests.

Thank You,
Nancy & Bob
Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Lauren & Melody

Thank You Very Much – for the recipes and the picture! It brings back excellent memories.

You girls rock… and does Raffaele, too!Barb

Lauren,

You always make my day when I get our little updates. I never told you how much I enjoyed my time with you in July, it was WONDERFUL!!

Dear All,

It was so great to spend time with you in one of the world’s most beautiful spots. I had such a lovely vacation and you all were an important part of what made it so much fun.

I hope that those of you who had the great pleasure of visiting other cities after Positano, had lots of adventures and I look forward to hearing about them. For myself, I am back to work and trying to adjust my sleep pattern. I’m hanging on to my vacation as much as I can, even to the extent of cooking a dinner last night. Lauren and Melody, please extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who welcomed us into their kitchens. It was a unique experience and a great privilege.

Pictures to follow as soon as I upload them.

Best to you all,
Liz NYNY

Hi, Lauren. Thanks for keeping in touch. We had such a good time that we’re still talking about it to all our friends. I’ll figure out how to EMAIL you a picture of me and Fabrizio drinking Belinis.

R. Morrell

THANKS, we had a great time. Chef Rossi was very nice, we and our daughter had a great time with him. The location was great and the apt fine so all worked out very well.

We went to the same little restaurant place every morning (since 1836) I think and it was great to be able to get to everything in no time. We cooked our favorite saltimbocca,,, Siggy our daughter said she couldn’t care less about the Vatican, and the other old rusty buildings, but she loved the cooking and couldn’t get enough of that. hopefully we get to do this again sometime.

Thanks a lot, all the best Sigga

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit with Fabrizio at the Forconi Estate in Tuscany and thank you again!

G. Pizzaro
C.A.

Ciao! I had a wonderful time here at Ortaglia. Because of your warm hospitality, great cooking and beautiful home you made my first trip in Tuscany a memorable one. Hope to be able to visit Ortaglia again in the future. I wish you more happiness and success.

Cheers, D. Pacho Manila,
Philippines

I just wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful time in Sicily, the highlight of which was my two days at Villa Siciliana. Donna Antonia Giuliano (Natoli) is an absolute sweetheart. Thank you for your kind assistance in helping me organize my own “cooking vacation,” particularly on relatively short notice. The villa is a gem.

Pete Rosanthal
New York, New York

Becky and I really enjoyed our stay at Villa Ortaglia! The Villa and surrounding vineyards were just fantastic! The hospitability and warmth extended by Mara and Terenzio would be hard to exceed. The cooking classes with Maria and Mara were a lot of fun and most rewarding in that we dinned on the results, and what a reward that was! Thanks again for the wonderful vacation package the Villa and the area were like a little piece of Heaven.

B. Wallace
Arlington, Texas

Hi Lauren,

Just to let you know how much we enjoyed the day at the cooking school and the vineyard. The food was magic and we were treated so well. We appreciate all the organizing you did and would recommend the day to anyone who wants a typical Italian experience.

B. Sheards
Australia