Happy Saint Valentines

Thanking the man Saint Valentino-who was a Roman saint and not afraid to claim his amore- so he wrote a love letter to prove it breaking the rules -circa the 3rd century! 

 

Happy Hearts to everyone!

Buon Natale - Merry Christmas!!

From Milan to Rome, this is the Italians' favorite Christmas cake! 

Enjoy a slice of this tradition with your family this year!

Happy Halloween From Cooking Vacations!

Roasted Pumpkin & Walnut Torta

Makes 2 (8 x 4 Inch) Loaves
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup homemade applesauce
4 organic eggs
2 cups roasted and pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup almond milk
3 cups farro (spelt) flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. and lightly grease two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.
In an electric mixer, beat the oil, applesauce, and sugar together until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the pumpkin puree and milk, and beat well. Whisk together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients and blend just until mixed.
Fold in the walnuts. Divide the batter between the two baking pans. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon topping, and sprinkle over the top of each loaf.

Bake the loaves for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the loaves from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes.
Remove cakes from the pans, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.

Italian Sunday

Join us on the Amalfi Coast!!

No Matter How You Slice Your Tomatoes!

Pansanella ~ Bread & Tomato Salad
Serves 4

4 pieces Pane Biscottato, twice baked hard bread (substitute with day-old toasted wheat bread if needed)
3 Fresh Tomatoes, chopped
¼ Onion, chopped
Oregano, pinch, to taste
Fresh Basil, to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to taste
Salt, to taste

Dip the Pane Biscottato in water for a few seconds then allow excess water to drip off. Break it in small pieces and mix with chopped tomatoes, onion, a pinch of oregano, fresh basil ripped by hand, salt and a generous amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Mix well to combine and serve.

The Magic of Majani

Founded in 1796, Bologna’s Majani chocolates are among the world’s most tempting creations.

By Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli
April 2014
 

Click here for Lauren's full article.

Read All About Us & Get Cooking On The Amalfi Coast!

"A week of cooking classes around Italy's pleasure-loving hill town of Positano delivers a primer on pastas and pastries-and an abiding enthusiasm for living large."

-Elizabeth Berg

For the full article CLICK HERE!

Happy Cooking from all of us at Cooking Vacations!

Italian Spring!

Look was blooming in our kitchens at
 www.Cooking-Vacations.com!

Cortona's Sunflower in Taste of Italia

Lauren of www.Cooking-Vacations.com brings you the latest in food news from Italy in this month's article in 

Cortona, Tuscany.

Distinctive terra cotta ware from Tuscany is decorated 

with a girasole, or sunflower, as a reminder of its sunny heritage. Traditional shapes include wine pitchers, 

bean pots, and vases.

 

Recipes:

Tuscan-Style Cannellini Beans

White Bean Soup With Spinach & Prosciutto

Tuscan Braised Beef With Tomatoes

 

* Click here for Recipes *

The Rolling Hills Of Tuscany in Taste Of Italia

Cooking in harmony with the four seasons in the Tuscan village of Montespertoli. Find out more in the latest issue of Taste of Italia!

 

Travelers follow well-worn paths to the town of Montespertoli, south of Florence, seeking splendid wines and traditional dishes like tagliatelle and risotto.

Includes recipes for… 
Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Tuscan Apple Almond Cake
Peposo ~ Chianti Wine Braised Beef
Pappa al Pomodoro ~ Tomato Bread Soup

From August to November, So Many Chances to Be a Part of the Harvest!

While most of Italy is still savoring the last beach days of summer, the grapes in the valleys and mountains are hard at work. Grapes are grown throughout Italy from the volcanic slopes in Sicily to the cool limestone of northern Alto Adige. With such variations in microclimates and soil profiles, the ripening time of grapes also differ. Now in late-August, native white grape varieties such as Pignoletto grown in central Emilia-Romagna are ready for the picking. While in the north the Nebbiolo di'Alba needs another few weeks before heading to the press.

With every harvest there are also festivals. Most take place in October, the peak of the season, but if you happen to be in Tuscany from September 6 to 11th stop by the 42nd annual Chianti Classico festival in Greve. The week hosts a variety of events including tastings from the region's best producers.
Can't make it over until November? Not a problem, in South Tyrol from November 10-12 you'll be able to sample Italian-Austrian influenced food and wine at the Merano Wine Festival. From strudel and knodel to fresh pasta and biscotti all served with a glass of wine of course!

Don't miss out; with such a long season there's many opportunities to be a part of the action! From north to south, whether one to six days, Cooking Vacations has plenty of wine tours to satisfy the palate. Make your wine harvest vacation dreams come true!

Piedmont: Cooking & Wine In Barolo’s Cuneo ~ 4 Day

Tuscany: 

Siena Cooking Classes & Wine Tour With Chef Elena~6 Day

Montepulciano:   Tuscan Food and Wine Trails Tours ~ 3 Day
Campania: Amalfi Coast Wine Tour & Cooking Class ~ 1 Day

Sicily: Exclusive Sicily Wine Tour ~ 1 Day

Music is in the Air in Ravello

Summer in Italy often means friends and family at the spiaggia with plates of pasta and fresh grilled fish,-Italian style barbecues-, Sunday afternoons with grilled spiedini, and of course, musica nella piazza, -live music in the square.  

Whether in a café or an amphitheater, la musica Italiana, Italian music, comes alive as its surrounded by the beauty of nature and a starry night overhead in Italy. Now imagine a stage suspended on the cliffs of the beloved Amalfi coastline with the waves of the Tyrrhenian Sea as a background.  This is is the stage for the Ravello Music Festival at the Villa Rufolo.

From piano, to violin, to orchestras sometimes with 100 musicians hitting the high notes of Mozart, Verdi & Wagner, music lovers from around the globe come to for this festical held in Ravello.  The concert series, which showcases musicians from all over the world, is held in the the 13^th century, Villa (and in the ancient village of Scala). Rufol0s' gardens are the inspirational setting for the world class series of open air concerts performed by both Italian and international musicians. The Ravello Summer Concert series began in 1953 in honor of Richard Wagner, and plays on all summer long.  For concerts and dates, visit www.ravelloarts.com.  

At Cooking Vacations we can satisfy both your love of food and music with programs like Ravello~Music in the Kitchen with Chef Raffaele One-day and Five-day vacations.

Call us at 1.800.916.1152 to learn more about our cooking and music programs,- or any others!

Cooking Vacations Featured in Fodor's

We are thrilled that Cooking Vacations was featured in the Fodor's Travel Intelligence Guide!

In honor of the sweet Sibillini hills, which helped Acoli secure its status as the country's best truffle hunting grounds... CLICK to read on!

Check out the featured program on our website...

Truffle Hunting and Family Cooking Classes ~ 4 Day