Lessons are conducted by Antonella Tagliapietra, whose philosophy is that food is central to life. Meals should be full of flavour, beautifully presented, and not too difficult to prepare. It's a question of lifestyle, and all that is required are the right skills and attitude. Learn to be boldly creative and cook with confidence...
Antonella has had a passion for cooking ever since she was small, when she helped her mother in the kitchen. Perhaps unusually for an Italian, she has also studied other cuisines, including Indian, Chinese, Thai and Mexican. This demonstrates her curiosity and enthusiasm for all kinds of foods. Her speciality, of course, is her native Italian cuisine, which she'll present to you as an Italian with an international outlook. Antonella takes traditional Italian recipes, as prepared in Italian homes, but occasionally adds her own creativity to produce dishes that you'll rave about. Her temperament couldn't be further removed from that of Gordon Ramsay, by the way. Everyone appreciates her patience and easy-going manner! Having lived in London, she speaks fluent English.
Lessons take place in a beautiful rustic kitchen that is light, airy, and furnished with modern equipment. It also has wonderful views of the castle on the hillside, and is a real joy to work in. Detailed instruction is given in a manner that is relaxed and fun. You're here to learn life-long skills to take back home with you, but you're also here to enjoy yourselves! Classes are fully hands-on, with a maximum of six students, meaning plenty of individual attention. Each lesson lasts around three hours, the fruits of which are eaten afterwards in wonderful surroundings. We cater for any level of cooking skills, so even if you've never touched a pan before, then come and have a go! We've transformed many lives, especially for women who thought their partner couldn't cook! And vice versa! Singles are very welcome. Indeed, this is the ideal holiday for a single traveller. So, too, are children welcome.
Courses concentrate on the cuisine of the Veneto: its antipasti, pastas, risottos, gnocchi, crespelle, sorbets, main courses and desserts. Ingredients used are seasonal and mostly sourced locally. Our fishmonger brings seafood directly to our door from the market in Venice.
We have catered for vegetarians, celiacs, and people with special religious dietary requirements. If you have any special wishes, then please just ask. We can also arrange courses together with a Chinese or a Mexican cook from London to compare the different cuisines, using the same ingredients. If this is of interest, then please contact us. To see details of the two cooks, please visit www.guoyuemusic.com and www.sofiacraxton.co.uk
You're also introduced to wonderful local wines, concentrating on indigenous grape types, for there's no other country with such variety in wine as Italy. Because we live in the middle of the Prosecco DOC region, we always have our 'Prosecco time' whenever it's needed. We also introduce you to the favoured red of the Venetian Republic during its heyday, Raboso, a fascinating wine which is produced not far away. All wines we offer are bought within a two hour driving radius, which includes the fine wines of Friuli to the east, and Soave and Valpolicella to the west.
1 Week Course
| Day 1 - Saturday Collected from airport. Settle into Casa Gialla. Welcoming drinks and dinner. |
| Day 2 - Sunday Breakfast. Relaxed morning, allowing a wander around our beautiful village. After lunch the first cookery lesson. Dinner, eating the fruits of the lesson. |
| Day 3 - Monday Breakfast. Second cookery lesson in the morning. Lunch. Afternoon tour around local area, seeing one of the best examples of 13th century abbeys in Italy, a beautiful old waterwheel, and a visit to a local wine producer. Dinner. |
| Day 4 - Tuesday Breakfast. Third cookery lesson. Afternoon trip to Villa Barbaro, one of Palladio's greatest masterpieces, decorated with frescoes by Veronese. Then to the beautiful hill-town of Asolo. Dinner. |
| Day 5 - Wednesday Breakfast. A day trip. It could be to Venice, the Dolomites, Padova, Vicenza, Belluno, Bassano d. Grappa, Feltre, Treviso, or any other place within a reasonable distance. |
| Day 6 - Thursday Breakfast. Fourth cookery lesson. Lunch. Afternoon free to enjoy a local walk or visit to Castel Brando on the hillside or go clothes shopping at local factories. Antonella will bake bread in our 18th century bread oven. Dinner. |
| Day 7 - Friday Breakfast. Morning trip to food market at Conegliano. Lunch. Fifth cookery lesson, preparing for the farewell dinner. |
| Day 8 - Saturday Breakfast. Taken to airport for flights. |
3 day Course
| Day 1 - Saturday Collected from airport. Settle into Casa Gialla. Welcoming drinks and dinner. |
| Day 2 - Sunday Breakfast. Relaxed morning, allowing a wander around our beautiful village. After lunch the first cookery lesson. Dinner, eating the fruits of the lesson. |
| Day 3 - Monday Breakfast. Second cookery lesson in the morning. Lunch. Afternoon tour. Many beautiful towns are within easy travelling distance (see 'location'). You may visit one of the best examples of 13th century abbeys in Italy. You could see Asolo, a beautiful hill-town beloved by Robert Browning among others, or a visit to a local wine producer. Dinner. |
| Day 4 - Tuesday Breakfast. Third cookery lesson in the morning. Lunch. Taken to airport for flights |
