Meet your host Patrizia at a coffee bar near the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. Walk together through this lively market in the historical center of Florence. Patrizia will walk you through the market pointing out some of her favorite vendors and food products and you will select fresh products that you will bring home together to use during your cooking lesson. Your market tour will last about one hour, after which you will walk about 15 minutes back to Patrizia’s home to begin your Florence cooking class and meal.
Join Patrizia at her family’s apartment located in the center of Florence in a traditional building of the area built in 1759. In your hands-on Florence cooking class, Patrizia will teach you traditional Italian dishes from Florence and Italy’s Emilia Romagna Region. You will prepare a first course, typically a fresh pasta like tagliatelle, ravioli, or gnocchi, a second course of meat, and dessert. Patrizia specializes in seasonal dishes that bring out the flavors of the region – in the summer you might enjoy sauces with fresh tomatoes, or in winter months you might enjoy seasonal winter vegetables like artichokes. Your cooking lesson will last about 2 ½ hours; after you finish cooking, sit down together to enjoy your meal and some delicious Italian wine in a local home.
Please note the market is closed on Sundays, and market tours are not offered on this day. Please also note that if you select a market tour there will be a small amount of walking, about 15 minutes, back to Patrizia’s home, so you should wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for some light exercise. Patrizia lives on the second floor of an apartment building so you will need to climb some stairs to enter her home. The price includes alcohol (up to two glasses of local wine).
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.
Main Course: Chicken Cacciatore (traditional Tuscan dish with tomato sauce and black olives), Scottiglia (traditional Italian meat stew with vegetables) or leek flanDessert: Tiramisu or Strawberry MoussePasta Course: Tagliatelle with Porcini, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Butter and Sage, Gnocchi with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil, or other seasonally appropriate pasta coursePatrizia is a cookbook author and wine and food journalist who is an expert on traditional Italian food products. She writes for three National Magazines and has traveled all around Italy and Europe to discover the highest quality food products. Patrizia’s mother was from Emilia-Romagna, Italy’s most important region for traditional home made pasta, and she learned to hand-make pastas such as tagliatelle as a young child. Patrizia’s passion for food and cooking led her to start teaching cooking lessons in her home. She says, “I love to teach cooking classes and I love to meet new people. I'm curious about different ways of living and different cultures.”
"Patrizia was a wonderful host! She had many interesting stories to entertain my daughters while we cooked a delicious meal. Highly recommend this experience!"
"We went to Patrizia's apartment in Florence for a wonderful evening of cooking and eating. She guided us through all of the preparations for Tiramisu, fresh pasta and a delicious chicken and vegetable dish. Patrizia was delightful to spend time with and she gave us so many great tips for making fresh pasta and selecting the right ingredients. We all sat down together to enjoy the wonderful meal."
"My husband and I had our honeymoon in Italy this past spring and were lucky enough to book Patrizia's Tuscan cooking class. The class began by meeting her at her local farmer's market and picking out the food we would use for our recipes. The produce was the freshest produce we had ever come across, everything fruit and vegetable was vibrantly colored and smelled amazing. We ended up making three different courses and she had appetizers for us to munch on while we cooked and wine to pair with our meal. Patrizia was such a gem to learn from, she was friendly, inviting, and so knowledgeable of everything culinary. My husband and I agree that this was one of our favorite things we did while in Italy and would absolutely dine with Patrizia again. Upon leaving she sent us an email that included recipes for each of the dishes we made and even included recommendations for some of the olive oils and cooking utensils we used with cooking with her. We loved Patrizia and will forever remember this cooking experience."
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