IN VALERIOS KITCHEN: The Best of Umbrian Cooking
Valerio and Arianna |
Art Workshop International has been a welcome presence in Assisi, one of central Italy’s most coveted hill towns, for over 28 years. Our community of artists, writers, and other interested people has become a part of the fabric of the town, and we are proud of the relaxed, enriching environment that we’ve created.
AWI now offers a creative culinary course for people who love to cook. During this two-week-long session, Valerio Mogliani, who is the house chef of our headquarters, a 3-star hotel in the heart of Assisi, will help you discover and celebrate the best of Umbrian cuisine.
We’re extremely fortunate to have Arianna Calzolari as our interpreter and guide. A professional part planner and integral part of the hotel’s staff, she speaks excellent English and has lived in the area for her entire life.
The cooking workshop offers an in-depth immersion in the finer aspects of Umbrian cooking. Valerio will introduce you to the subtle interpretations of the region’s cuisine. He infuses the re-gion’s famous ingredients - its truffles, olive oil, and wines - into simple, yet elegant dishes that both entertain the palette and please the eye. Included in the workshop are trips to Trevi, Umbria’s olive oil capital; Norcia, home of the black truffle; a tour to a winery, an ingredient-shopping excursion to Bastia, and a class in making chocolates at Perugina.
|
Culinary Arts Program Details:
Pricing includes shared doubled
room with private bath, daily breakfast and dinners at the hotel,
and all transportation costs associated with day trips in addition
to all cooking classes. Partici-pants arrive Thursday, July 22,
depart Wednesday, August 4; two weeks.
5-7 people: $4,650 per person, $350/week single room supplement.
Highlights of Culinary Arts cooking demonstrations and tour:
Thursday, July 23
Meet Arianna, the interpreter/planner, and Valerio, the chef of the hotel, after breakfast.
Drive to hill town of Trevi, the Umbrian capital of olive oil.
Visit an olive oil mill, see how olive oil is produced, taste oils.
Free time to explore Trevi.
Friday, July 24
Have breakfast on the terrace of
the hotel, and meet with other workshop participants who are taking
visual arts, creative writing or Italian language courses.
In the hotel’s commercial kitchen, prepare an APPETIZER COURSE. This
includes typical Umbrian appetizers; bruschetta with garlic,
tomatoes, and mushrooms sauce...and a Valerio speciality, spinach
and carrots formato.
Saturday, July 25
Drive to Bastia for food shopping and visit a hand-made pasta store.
Return to
the hotel for the FIRST COURSE (PRIMA), a special homemade pasta,
strangozzi alla norcina, and gnocchi al sugo (potato dumplings).
Sunday, July 26
Drive to Norcia, a longer drive through mountain valleys to the Castelluccio Plain, world famous for lentils. Norcia, home of the black truffle, is also famous throughout Italy for its salami,prosciutto and sausages
Visit a "salumificio,” where they make salami.
Lunch at a typical restaurant in Norcia.
Explore Norcia’s historic centre with its lovely medieval piazza and wealth of food shops.
Valerio in his kitchen |
Monday, July 27
Drive to Montefalco to visit a winery and sample some of
the best wines in Italy.
Visit Montefalco’s historic centre, including a
magnificent cathedral.
Tuesday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 29
Days off for all participants. You may take short
trips to surrounding towns.
Dinner will be served at the hotel for those
participants who remain in Assisi.
Thursday, July 30
Resume classes with the MAIN COURSE (SECONDO):
preparation of tagliata di bue (filet mignon with wild
mushrooms sauce and balsamic vinegar) and traditional
torta al testo.
|
Friday, July 31
Drive to Perugia to make chocolates in the world-famous Perugina candy factory.
Visit the chocolate museum with an English-speaking guide.
Saturday, August 1
In the hotel’s commercial kitchen for DESSERT: preparation of panna cotta with wild berries (frutti di bosco) and green apple sorbetto.
Sunday, August 2
Slow Italian food” luncheon in Spello sampling balsamic vinegars, wines
Monday, August 3
Optional trip to Deruta to view world-famous ceramic factories.
Farewell dinner at the hotel.
This evening, you will receive your "Umbrian Cooking Course Certificate.
|
|
Tuesday, August 4
Breakfast at the hotel, final farewells, for those who
are not staying for another Art Workshop International
course.
Included in the Program:
Thirteen nights double accommodation.
All breakfasts and dinners.
Four cooking lessons.
“Slow food” luncheon in Spello
English speaking guide.
Excursions as listed in itinerary (Deruta extra).
Participants are encouraged to attend a two-week visual
arts or creative writing class before or after the
Culinary Arts course. Or simply prolong your stay,
before or after the culinary arts course, if you wish. |
|