Mirella’s approach to cooking has been influenced by her Florentine, Tuscan and proudly peasant roots which have made her appreciate the richness of ‘poor’ people’s food. Peasants couldn’t afford to throw anything away and so they invented the most ingenious ways of recycling yesterday’s leftovers, like “la ribollita”, the famous Tuscan vegetable stew made with dried bread. Her cooking is also greatly influenced by Renaissance cooking, especially the dishes served at the Medici court. Cooking for the Tuscan nobility was an art and ingredients were rich and expensive.
Enjoy a traditional Tuscan meal in Florence with Mirella and Stefano at their home. There is a different menu for every season, as she prefers using seasonal ingredients in her cooking. Some of the dishes you might eat during the winter are bruschetta with sausage and stracchino cheese, ribollita (stew) or Florentine pork with peas. In spring you may be served a vegetable tart, penne with ragù sauce (meat-based sauce), peasant’s meatballs with seasonal vegetables and cioccolatissimo (extra rich chocolate dessert). The summer may include dishes such as bruschetta with tomato and basil, fresh cheeses and honey, pappa al pomodoro (made with dry bread, tomatoes and olive oil), hunter’s chicken with roast potatoes and tiramisù. In autumn you may be treated to eggs with caper salsa, pecorino cheese and salamino grapes, pumpkin risotto, pork with prunes and pinenuts, and chocolate flan.
These are only examples of her seasonal menus - they can be changed to accommodate special requests. Wine is included in the cost of the meal.
For your guided Florence market tour you will visit Sant'Ambrogio, one of the more central markets in Florence, a 30 minute drive from Mirella's home. During the market visit you will visit local producers of wine, oil, fruit and vegetables. This will be a fun filled experience of buying food, talking about food, preparing food and finally eating together!
The aim of Mirella’s Tuscan cooking class is to share her knowledge about food, its preparation and its Florentine and Tuscan history. In your hands-on Tuscan cooking class in Florence, learn to make 3-4 of the dishes you will eating later, such as various bruschette or antipasto, a pasta, a main, pasta sauces or other seasonal recipes - some of the foods you must try in Florence. Weather permitting, Mirella will host the cooking and meal experience in her outdoor garden area!
Your meal price includes a glass of prosecco (Italian white wine) with the antipasto (hors d'oeuvre) and two glasses of wine with the meal. Mirella also offers limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur) and/or vin santo (Italian dessert wine) with dessert.
In-villa option available: Note that Mirella is also pleased to offer a private cooking or meal option at your Tuscan villa, if you prefer not to travel. For rates and availability please contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.
Please note that, as is common in many Italian homes, this residence
does not have air conditioning.
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
Cioccolatissimo (extra rich chocolate dessert)Peasant’s meatballs with seasonal vegetables Penne with ragù sauce (meat-based sauce)Vegetable tartMirella lives with her husband Stefano (her partner in life and in the kitchen!) in a small town called Antella located in the South of Florence. The town is in the Chiantigiana area and is surrounded by the Chianti Hills. Mirella's love for food and cooking comes from her paternal grandmother (nonna) who she used to help in the kitchen as a young child. As an adult she began trying out her nonna's recipes for herself. Her grandmother was a highly skilled top chef and an expert in the history of Florentine cuisine from the Renaissance period. After Mirella completed her schooling, she decided to follow her passion and enrolled at the Istituto Alberghiero in Florence, a school which trains you to work in restaurants and hotels. Over the years she has worked in several restaurants, hotels and schools. Given her vast experience she often had to accommodate special dietary needs such as gluten or lactose intolerance and frequently prepared meals for people of different religions or for vegetarians and vegans.
Mirella is a multi-faceted woman who organizes cooking courses and summer camps for students, teaches simple cake baking and organizes visits to nearby farms where you can learn about milking cows and cheese making. Mirella not only cooks ethnic family recipes but also enjoys fusion food and experimenting with new ingredients. Recently, she has become more and more interested in organic food as a means of eating more naturally and also of safeguarding biodiversity. She loves going to markets and local producers to look for ingredients that can be used fresh in her recipes.
On days when her husband Stefano is available, he will also join you for your experience. Like Mirella's, Stefano’s love for cooking began in his childhood. He was born into a family of pastry chefs who owned several high-quality patisseries in Florence where Stefano learned the trade. As an adult he followed his other passions when he opened a winery and later a restaurant in Elba.
"Our time with Mirella and Stefano, shopping, cooking, and dining was a highlight of our time in Florence. Our hosts were kind, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to spend the day with. We learned so much in their kitchen. Everyone got a chance to help preparing our meal, and each dish was incredible. Can’t recommend this enough!"
"Mirella & Stefano were the absolute best, this was the highlight of our time in Florence. They
welcomed us into their beautiful home, where we learned how to make 6 delicious Italian
dishes. We cannot recommend this enough."
"Mirella and her husband were wonderful!! My friend and I did a morning/midday cooking class with them. We met at the market, where they bought all the fresh ingredients for the meal, and then we went to their house which had an incredible garden. We did a combination of prepping and cooking inside and outdoors, and then we ate a perfect lunch in their garden and had a lot of laughs and conversation.
Food was delicious, and Mirella gave us the recipes so I am ready to make the dishes back at home in Seattle. We made bruschetta, focaccia, handmade gnocchi and tagliatelle with tomato sauce, eggplant Parmesan, and tiramisu. Yum! During the meal, they provided drinks.
This was one of the most worthwhile things we did on our entire trip to Italy.
I highly recommend!"
"This was such an amazing experience! They (Mariel and Stefano) are absolutely lovely and
being able to experience the market and their amazing garden hidden behind their house
while making our own very simple florentine dishes was incredible!!"
