icily ... Italy's largest island, but an island that somehow feels like another country due to the diversity of its people, its terrain, its lifestyle and, last but not least, its cuisine.
Sicily is an island rich with the flavor of the numerous diverse cultures which have left behind their unique treasures. Agrigento, situated on the southern coast in what is known as the valley of the temples, epitomizes this wonderful blending of cultures.
At Baglio della Luna you will learn to prepare a unique array of dishes which are strongly influenced by the island's rich Arab tradition; the use of sweet and sour, the use of raisons and pine nuts, sherbet (from the Arab sciarbat). Then when you sit down to enjoy your creations you will look out to the 2,500 year-old Greek temples that dominate the hills of Agrigento.
The Foresteria Baglia della Luna is a charming four-star hotel just minutes from Agrigento's Valley of the Temples. The oldest part of the structure is the 13th-century tower, and over the centuries more buildings have been added. Now the property is a charming country inn that has maintained the flavor of Sicily from many centuries ago. The many terraces and gardens are lush with scenery and colorful flowers, all of which overlook the greek temples situated in the valley. Baglia della Luna's restaurant, Il d'Oro, is considered to be one of the island's three best restaurants.
Il d'Oro chef, Damiano Ferraro, who will lead your cooking classes, is at the young age of 30 already an award-winning chef who has worked at a number of top restaurants and hotels in Europe. Agrigento-born, Damiano comes from a French cuisine training background which enables him to give a twist of haute cuisine to traditional Sicilian dishes.
Day One
Your culinary experience begins with an afternoon welcome cocktail in Baglia della Luna's outdoor garden, during which Damiano will outline the details of your upcoming cooking course.
Day Two
Your first morning class with Damiano might include this speciality: grilled fresh tuna with aromatic couscous and a delicate sauce prepared with peppers, Pacchino tomatoes, and a hint of mint. There will be an afternoon guided visit to the Valley of the Temples, five Greek temples including the archaeological museum.
Day Three
Today's morning class, followed by lunch, might include turbot with a sauce prepared with oranges, fresh oregano and Marsala wine. In the afternoon we will take a walking tour of Agrigento, including the historic Arab quarter.
Day Four
Morning visit to a local Sicilian ice cream producer, where you will learn the secrets of how Sicilian specialities such as couscous and pistachio ice cream are made. Sicily is credited with being the first to make ice cream. Later that afternoon there will be a guided wine tasting of bottles from the
cantina of local pruducer Cantine Cusumano.
Day Five
Morning cooking class followed by departure by bus for Bagheria close to Palermo. Settle into your accommodation and take some time to relax. Dinner in the center of Bagheria at a traditional Sicilian restaurant. Enjoy the chatter and atmosphere. This restaurant will give you the true flavor of the Sicilian people.
Day Six
Today we will head off to one of Sicily's finest wineries. The lovely winery property includes the Villa Vallguanera, one the most sumptuous villas in the Bagheria area. Here we will sample the tenuta's fine wines, the most outstanding of which is the Duca Enrico, a wonderfully mature full-bodied red wine. Excellent among the white wines is the Bianca di Vallguanera.
Day Seven
Today our cooking class comes to an end. Our last class will take place in the home of a fabulous Sicilian
signora's home. Enza will teach you how to prepare everything from
pasta alla Norma, named for the opera
Norma by the Catanian Vincenzo Bellini. It is made with fried eggplant, rich tomato sauce,
ricotta salata (a salted ricotta that has been hardened) and fresh basil, to
sciusceddu (a delicate souffle-like dish with miniature delicately flavored meatballs), to
seppioline (cuttlefish) stuffed with pine nuts,
uva passa (semi-dried grapes) and pecorino cheese.
Your final afternoon before departure will be dedicated to a tour of some of Palermo's most famous sights, including the Piazza dei Quattro Canti in the heart of the old city, the exotic Orto Botanico (Botanical Garden), the streets of the Favorita, which lead to Monte Pellegrino (Pellegrino Hill), providing a spectacular panoramic view of Palermo.
Six nights double room accommodation with breakfast, five cooking classes, four lunches, two dinners, course certificate, recipe booklet and commemorative hand-painted ceramic platter.
Feb. 13-20, 2007
March 6-13, 2007
May 1-8, 2007
Nov. 13-20, 2007
