Cooking Programme

Learning to cook Italian and Umbrian kitchen food

The Italian cooking course concentrates on genuine, basic Italian / Umbrian kitchen food.

You'll learn how to make fresh pasta, how to use the famous Umbrian wild mushrooms, make Umbrian regional bread and cook speciality meat and fish dishes, and delicious deserts.

Only fresh, local produce will be used.

You will prepare part of each day's lunch or dinner in close co-operation with the chef and kitchen staff, under the supervision of your tutor, Claudio Covelli. We will teach you how to present the food that you prepare, and you can enjoy the fruits of your labour together with a good local Umbrian wine.

Typical Weeks Menu

	MONDAY
Aperitive with appetizer Battered Courgette flowers and Sage Leaves Tagliatelli with mushrooms Tomato Salad Seasonal Fruits
	TUESDAY
Bruschette – Tomatoes and mushrooms Sausages with lentils and peppers Potato and parsley Salad Cream desert
	WEDNESDAY
Grilled courgette and aubergine Oven baked fennel, peppers and tomatoes au gratin Gnocchi with tomato sauce Rissoto desert
	THURSDAY
Roquette, mushrooms and cheese Ravioli with butter and sage Crostata e torcolo with sweet wine
	FRIDAY
Assorted Pizza baked in traditional pizza oven

Typical Weeks Programme

SUNDAY

Depart from your chosen airport eg. London Stansted (Ryanair) for a 2 hour flight to Perugia - other travel arrangements can be discussed. On arrival a coach will bring you to Hotel San Donino (3 stars) in the beautiful Umbrian hillside setting on the outskirts of Citta di Castello. Hotel San Donino was a summer retreat for the Cardinals in Rome escaping the heat during the summer period. The Hotel still has its own chapel in a beautiful woodland park setting as well as a large pool. The coach journey takes approximately 45 minutes from the airport to the hotel.

19.00

Welcome drinks will be served on the hotel terrace followed by dinner.

MONDAY

07.00-09.00	Continental breakfast is served
09.15	Cooking guests depart for La Panterra where the cooking lessons take place (5 minute bus journey). It is possible to walk for those that want to (15 minute walk). The road is along a brow of a hill with beautiful views of the Umbrian hills on either side.
12.30	Guests will eat the lunch they prepared themselves in La Panterra and then return to San Donino to relax before excursion.
15.30	Coach departs to visit Anghiari a hilltop town in Tuscany followed by a visit to Sansepolcro to see the famous work of Piero della Francesca and visit shops.
19.30	Dinner in Fiorentina a family run restaurant in Sansepolcro.

TUESDAY

07.00-09.00	Continental breakfast is served.
09.15	Guests depart to La Panterra for cooking lessons.
12.30	Guests will eat the lunch they prepared themselves in La Panterra and then return to San Donino to relax before excursion.
15.00	Excursion to the beautiful Tuscan town of Arezzo with its luxury shops and many museums. We will visit the Domenican Church of St. Francis to see the restored frescos of “Legend of the True Cross”.
19.00	Depart Arezzo for Citta di Castello.
20.30	Dinner in Restaurant Preludio in Citta di Castello.

WEDNESDAY

07.00-09.00	Continental breakfast is served.
09.15	Depart for cooking lessons in La Panterra.
12.30	Guests will eat the lunch they prepared themselves in La Panterra and then return to San Donino to relax before excursion.
17.00	Depart for Wine Tasting.
19 .30	Dinner in Spa Resort of Fonteccio in Citta di Castello for an evening meal.

THURSDAY

07.00-09.00	Continental breakfast is served
09.15	Depart for cooking lessons in La Panterra
12.30	Guests will eat the lunch they prepared themselves in La Panterra and then return to San Donino to relax before excursion.
16.00	Excursion to the beautiful town of Gubbio. This is excellent for sightseeing, museums and shopping.
19.00	Leave Gubbio
20.00	Dinner will be taken in a very exclusive restaurant called Monte Corona. This is an old monastery with a very interesting Roman Crypt. We have arranged for a small flute recital in the church.

FRIDAY

07.00-09.00	Continental breakfast is served.
09.15	Depart for cooking lessons in La Panterra
12.30	Guests will eat the lunch they prepared themselves in La Panterra and then return to San Donino to relax before excursion.
16.00	Excursion to the very beautiful town of Assisi. We shall visit the famous Basilica with its beautiful frescos by Giotto.
18.00	Dinner in Restaurant San Francesco overlooking the beautiful façade of the Cathedral.

SATURDAY

07.00-09.00	Continental breakfast is served.
10.30	Visit to Citta di Castello market and shops for those that want to go, otherwise relax in the hotel.
13.00	Lunch in Hotel San Donino
	Afternoon to be spent in the hotel or possibly visit a local festival (depending on date)
19.30	Dinner in Montone.

SUNDAY

07.00-09.00	Continental breakfast is served.
10.00	Preview and discussion of week’s painting.
11.45	Light lunch.
12.30	Depart for Perugia airport.

Weather in Umbria

Temperatures in June/July/September vary from 21 to 28 degrees. Evenings can be cool as the hotel is in the mountains. A sun hat is strongly recommended!

Suggestion

Why not book a second week to relax without tuition and excursions for an additional £699 half board (+£100 surcharge for single room occupancy).

Painting Courses

We also run PAINTING IN ITALY courses, offering painting lessons and excursions to places of artistic interest and significance, of which Umbria has an abundance. Please contact us for a brochure or click here visit our website.

We are able to combine the Painting and Cooking Course. Friends / Partners are able to do separate activities (Painting or Cooking) in the morning and join together in the afternoon for the excursions and visits to restaurants.

Notes

1) Although we supply all drinks, including wine, soft drinks and coffee during meals, we have to ask you to pay personally any other drinks ordered during your stay. The Hotel will open a “tab” account for you to be paid when you check out of the Hotel. This includes the cost of the telephone if used.

2) Please ensure that you have personal travel insurance, with full medical cover for sickness and accidents.