Tuscan Private Cooking Lessons

Held in Florence or Lucca, or at your private location

Francesca Nustrini, your chef for this program, is an expert Italian cook and an Italian language teacher with extensive experience in Italy and New Zealand.

She offers an introduction to preparing-and eating-traditional dishes along with the appropriate wines. The lessons begin at 4 PM. After assisting in the preparation of dishes, you sit at a table and at 630/700 PM you have dinner, enjoying your creations with the correct wines.  

Lessons in Florence are given in the rooms of an ancient palace just on the ourskirts of the historical district in a quiet environment in an interior medieval courtyard.

The courses in Lucca are also held in an ancient and historical downtown building.

From the following suggested menus choose one for your party to prepare for your lesson. Special menus are possible. Ask us for details and there may be a supplemental charge.

TUSCAN HORS D'OEUVRES

* The traditional Tuscan "crostini" sauce
* Panzanella (Tuscan bread salad) *
* Coccoli e Figattole
* Rosé wine Albiola Casale del Giglio Lazio

A TUSCAN DINNER FOR FRIENDS

* Pappa al pomodoro
* Tagliata di pollo all’aceto balsamico (chicken with balsamic vinegar)
* Panna cotta with sauce
* Red wine Chianti Selvapiana, Rufina

HAND-MADE PASTA

* Pasta fatta in casa: preparation of different kinds of pasta, cutting by hand and machine (spaghetti, taglierini, fettuccine, tagliatelle, etc.)
* Three typical Tuscan sauces: carrettiera, mushroom sauce *, and pesto
* Red wine Chianti collifiorentini Lanciola Impruneta

A MORE COMPLEX MENU

* Mezzelune con ricotta e spinaci
* Rotolo di manzo
* Seasonable vegetable side dish
* Red wine Sangiovese Lagone Livorno

ARE YOU GAME?

* Pappardelle sulla lepre
* Quaglie sul crostone
* Seasonable vegetable side dish
* Red wine Monteregio Fabula Massa Marittima

TUSCAN SEAFOOD MENU’

* Pesciolino finto
* Risotto nero alla fiorentina(Florentine “black”risotto with cuttlefish)
* Calamari in zimino(Squid with Swiss chard)
* Mousse al limone
* White wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano Casale Falchini

SEAFOOD LOVER’S

* Polpettine di cozze(Musselsballs)
* Linguine cozze e zafferano(Linguine with mussels and saffron)
* Polipo e patate(Octopus and potatoes)
* Mousse al limone
* White wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano Casale Falchini

ZUCCHINIS LOVER’S

* Frittelle di zucchine e fiori fritti(Zucchini pancakes and fried zucchini flowers)
* Risotto zucchine e fiori(Risotto with zucchini and zucchini flowers
* Fiori di zucchine ripieni/stuffed zucchini flowers)
* Panna cotta with zucchine sauce
* Red wine Barco Reale Ambra Carmignano

WINTER MENU

* Cavolo con le fette
* Arista al latte
* Seasonable vegetable side dish
* Red wine Morellino Le Pupille Scansano

MUSHROOMS MENU’

* Crostini di polenta fritti ai funghi( mushrooms on fried polenta)
* Risotto ai funghi(Risotto with mushrooms)
* Spezzatino di maiale ai funghi(Stewed pork with white wine and mushrooms)
* Frittelle di castagne(Chestnuts fritters )
* Red wine Chianti colli senesi Il Cerro Montepulciano

DELICATE MENU’

* Penne con zafferano e scalogno
* Polpettine al limone(Meatballs with lemon sauce)
* Verdure bollite con salsa di peperoni (Boiled vegetables with pepper sauce) o salsa verde
* Panna cotta with strawberries sauce
* Red wine Fabula Monteregio Morris Farm

VEGETARIAN TUSCAN MENU

* Salvia fritta (deep fried fresh sage leaves)
* Malfatti con ragu di verdure (hand made pasta with seasonable vegetables sauce)
* Verdure fritte (Fried vegetables)
* Mousse al cioccolato
* Red wine Barco Reale Ambra Carmignano

TUSCAN SWEETS

* Panna cotta with strawberry sauce *
* Tiramisù
* Crespelle dolci (hot stuffed pancakes)
* Vin Santo, Fattoria di Calcinaia, Greve

* Subject to seasonal availability and dishes may be replaced by other similar dishes due to seasonal availability of main ingredients.

PROGRAM PRICE per person

A supplement is charged for programs at your location.