An Italian Cooking Class in Tuscany for the Whole Family

Italian cooking class
The divine Chef Dania at La Chiusa – How cute is she? So talented too!


Italian cooking class

Who wants to go to an Italian Cooking Class? Me!

How many of you have dreamed of taking an Italian cooking class that is actually in Italy? Yes, me too! Last summer I enjoyed my time with Tuscan Women Cook so much, but I was traveling alone. I had a total blast, but often I was thinking how much fun it would be if my family was there with me too!

Fast forward one year

When our plans to travel to Italy to see The Palio were reserved, I went to work arranging the Italian cooking class. Do you ever take cooking classes? They can be so immersive and educational. All the week’s worries can melt away when a talented chef is sharing how he or she can make the delicious dish sitting in front of you.

Italian cooking class

 

Many of my home-cook talents can be attributed to taking many, many of these types of classes. I have taken pie making classes, cake making classes, pizza making classes, cocktail making classes and many others just in the last few years. I have been taking classes on and off since I was a teen. A very long time ago!

Italian cooking class
Grandpa Gus rolling pici. Pici is the local pasta which is similar to bucatini, but without a hole in the middle.

Very often I receive emails from readers who ask me how to bridge the gap between parents and their adult children. How do we find a common interest that we can enjoy together while spending quality time? Taking a cooking class is always a top suggestion of mine and also a recommendation based upon personal experience. We have already taken several classes with our adult children and loved it!

Our Italian cooking class went like this!

Italian cooking class
Mom, Alex, Nick and Dania talk about plating the finished risotto.

 

Not all of us were super strong cooks, but everyone participated in every cooking lesson and activity and all eight of us absolutely loved the experience! Our class participants were my mom Linda and her husband Gus, Craig and Me, our oldest Alex and her fiancé Brent and our son Nick and his girlfriend Kylie.

Italian cooking class
Kylie piping the filling of the ravioli after she rolled out the dough.
Italian Cooking school
Craig stuffing the zucchini squash blossoms.
Italian cooking class
Buttering the stuffed zucchini blossoms.
Italian cooking class
Brent rolling pici!

 

Chef Dania showing us her technique for making vegetable risotto. Nick is translating.

Italian cooking class
Getting a lesson from a talented local chef how to roll pici!

 

Italian cooking class
Pici in a rich tomato sauce. So good!
Italian cooking class
Aromatic Italian chicken

 

Italian cooking class
Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms ~ So delicious and pretty as a picture!

 

Italian Cooking class
Dania’s garden was full of organic vegetables and herbs ready for the kitchen

Of course there was dessert!

Italian cooking class
First you make the caramel and then you test it. When it cools just enough the string will thin out and you can pull off what you need.

 

In addition to a caramel gelato, Dania showed us how to make caramel and then how to make a light “nest” of very thin caramel to decorate the dessert. It is very hot to touch and we all had a turn. Kylie did it with a big smile!

Italian cooking class
Mom and the nest of caramel with fresh rose petals on top.
Italian cooking class
Lunch is served.
Italian cooking class
Enjoying time together. <3

 

Since I had already taken this class, my primary goal was to watch and listen to my enthusiastic family as they tried new technique after new recipe for about four hours! As a wife, mom and daughter I was thrilled to watch my kids and their grandparents interact during this class. My husband who can barbecue like a pro, was less confident in the stuffing of zucchini blossoms and hand rolling pasta portion of the class. But honestly, would you be? I had never done it either until I tried it last summer. There were smiles all around and the smell from the stove was beyond happiness! At the end of the class we all sat down to enjoy our work! We tasted every recipe and we were all quite proud of our accomplishments. What a perfect way to spend a day.

For you to Pin!

 

More from our trip to Tuscany ~

Adventures at the Palio in Siena – An Exhilarating Experience

Our Dreamy Life at the Villa: Our family style feast, local wines and spritzin’

 


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2 thoughts on “An Italian Cooking Class in Tuscany for the Whole Family”

  1. Loved this post Suzanne, as it combines two favorite priorities— family and cooking! What a fabulous memory you now have on so many levels for so many reasons! Bellissimo!

    Reply

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