A Culinary Journey
This journey for amateurs is a collaboration among professional cooks, artisanal pastry makers, fishermen, wine makers, sommeliers and olive oil producers. The activities take place in kitchens, on boats and in cantinas reserved exclusively for A Casa. The variety of themes give participants the chance to choose the class that best suits their interests and needs. Classes can be given in English, Italian, French and Spanish. Read about each theme in detail: Theme 1: Herbs in Italian Riviera CuisineTheme 2: Wine, Olive Oil and Vinegar
Theme 3: Not only Bread
Theme 4: La Pasta
Theme 5: The Richness of the Sea
Theme 6: A Menu from the Market
Theme 7: Biscotti and Caffè Prices listed are for groups of four persons. The classes and workshops are offered independently and separately from lodging.
Theme One: Herbs in Italian Riviera Cuisine
Morning: Visit to the open-air central market in La Spezia. Introduction to herbs in the regional cuisine
Afternoon (16:30 pm to 19:30 pm): Cooking workshop Topics covered include:
-Wild herbs in the kitchen
-Vegetables stuffed with herbs
-Herb fillings for pasta, meat and fish
-Not only pesto: garlic sauce, green sauce, arugola (aka rocket) sauce and nut sauce
Herb liqueurs Evening (20:00 pm to 21:30 pm): Four course dinner based on a market menu prepared with the help of the participants. Wine and liqueurs included. Morning visit to market, cooking workshop, and dinner: Euro 95 per person
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Theme Two: Wine, Olive Oil and Vinegar
Evening (18:00 pm to 19:00 pm): Visit to private wine cantinas and/or local olive presses including a tasting of their production Tasting (19:30 pm to 21:30 pm)Local product tasting includes
-DOC*Wines: Cinque Terre, Vermentino, Colli di Luni Rosso
-Meditation Wine: Sciacchetrà Cinque Terre DOC
-DOC Olive Oil: Riviera di Ponente, Riviera di Levante
-Vinegar: Cinque Terre vinegar and agresta The wine, olive oil and vinegar tasting will be paired with regional hors d'oeuvres and traditional sweets. Tasting will include Sciacchetrà wine. Visit to a cantina, food and wine tasting: Euro 65 per person
*DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin)
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Theme Three: Not only Bread
Afternoon: Workshop (16:30 pm to 19:30 pm)The workshop will introduce various types of flour, slow rising techniques and preparation of basic dough, bread and focaccia (both genovese and al formaggio), farinata (chickpea flour), pita bread and “music paper,” as well as grissini and biscotti. Evening (20:00 pm to 21:30 pm)
The tasting includes “breads” paired with local wines, regional products and crudités. Workshop and tasting: Euro 65 per person
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Theme Four: La Pasta or the One Dish Meal
Afternoon: Workshop (16:30 pm to 19:30 pm)The workshop will introduce:
-Techniques, instruments and recipes for pasta varieties including maccheroni alla genovese, fidelini, gnocchi, trofie, corzetti, testaroli, pansotti
-Preparation of two types of pasta al dente and accompanying sauces
-Pasta al dente and sauté technique Evening: Dinner (20:00 pm to 21:30 pm)
The four course dinner will include vegetable crudités, the pastas and sauces prepared with the collaboration of the participants, dessert and tasting of local wines. Workshop and dinner: Euro 65 per person
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Theme Five: The Richness of the Sea
Morning Visit to the local open-air market
Afternoon: Workshop (16:30 pm to 19:30 pm)
-Introduction to the tradition of seafood in Riviera cuisine
-Raw and marinated seafood
-Fish broth
-Sauces
-Foams and mousses
-Herbs and seaweed of the sea
-Cooking techniques and instruments
-Assisted preparation of regional specialty Cappun Magro
Evening: Dinner (20:00 pm to 21:30 pm)
Seafood broth
Regional specialty Cappun Magro
Dessert
Wine included
Morning fishing excursion: optional additional price. Visit to the market, workshop and dinner: Euro 95 per person
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Theme Six: A Menu Fresh from the Market
Morning: Visit to the local open-air market and visits to various specialty grocers Afternoon (workshop 16:30 pm to 19:30 pm)Assisted preparation of a market menu of four courses:
-Mixed antipasti
-First course
-Second courses (meat and fish)
-Dessert
Evening: Dinner (20:00 pm to 21:30 pm)
Four-course dinner prepared during the workshop with the help of the participants, accompanied by local DOC wines. Morning visit to the market, workshop and dinner: Euro 95 per person
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Theme 7: Biscotti and Caffè
Morning: from 09:00 am to 13:00 pm (or afternoon: from 14:00 am to 18:00 pm)This stage for groups of four to six persons will be held in a historical landmark pastry shop and café where you will be introduced to the local biscotti specialties such as lagaccio, amaretti and almond based pastries such as anicini and baci di dama. You will also learn about traditional sweets reserved for holiday festivities such as spungata and panettone genovese. The stage will include a visit to the pastry laboratory to observe the daily biscotti production and to gain knowledge about the instruments, techniques and recipes in daily use. Finally, a tasting of traditional fresh biscotti accompanied by caffè, espresso, cappuccino, tea or, when in season, hot chocolate, will be served in a charming ambiance. Program Schedule
Self-guided round trip from/to Cinque Terre: 8:30 am to 14:00 pm
Visit, stage and tasting: 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Stage, visit and tasting: Euros 65 per person
Estimated local transport: Euros 10 per person
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