Cook for 3 Days at an Enchanting Castle & Explore Friuli Venezia Giulia
Tour # DF3

Sample Itinerary
Tour dates and prices
To Reserve

Region: Friuli Venezia Giulia

Setting: Friuli Venezia Giulia is one of Italy's undiscovered regions for tourists and gourmets alike. Slovenia lies to the east, Austria to the north and the Veneto region to the southwest. Its wines rival those in Piedmont and Tuscany with world class wines in eight DOC areas. The region's cuisine mixes middle European, seafood, mountain fare and Italian with dishes like: potato gnocchi with plums, minestra with beans, potatoes and sauerkraut, fish soup served with white polenta, frico (a crisp cup of Montasio cheese with soft polenta and sauteed pancetta inside) and strudel. You'll savour the famous San Daniele prosciutto and genuine peasant dishes based on grains, pasta, beans, leafy greens, polenta, cheeses, sausages, game dishes and sweet desserts like Gubana, an exquisite cake with a filling of dry fruit and grappa.

A few years ago, I heard Fred Plotkin, long time food author, resident of Italy and author of "La Terra Fortunata: The Splendid Food & Wine of Italy's Great Undiscovered Region" (Friuli Venezia Giulia) say that the best food in Italy was in the Riviera, Emilia-Romagna and Friuli Venezia Giulia, and the best wines of Italy in Piedmont, Tuscany and Friuli Venezia Giulia.

The Castle

You live and cook at a large, enchanting, brick 12th century castle with towers, formerly home to a series of noble families, that dominates the countryside from up on a hill in the green, gentle Collio wine country hills. You're a one hour and 15 minute drive from Venice and Austria, 20 minutes from Slovenia and about three km from Cormons, the capital of the Collio wine district and the train station for trains to Venice. The peaceful 60 hectare estate includes the castle, its winery that produces excellent two red and six white wines and grappa, an inn and large park with gardens.

The castle's three star inn is a charming house, entirely rebuilt on the site of the castle's old tavern. It has a refined restaurant on the ground floor and 10 lovely suites on the second floor, with private bathrooms (some with jacuzzi bath or shower), elegant tapestries and furnishings, air conditioning, phone, satellite TV, minbar, hair dryer, and delightful wine country views.

Tour Director
During your week, you'll explore this fascinating region with Sonia and/or her staff. Sonia, born and raised in the Friuli, opened her tour company in 2000 and wants you to experience the best her beautiful region has to offer in history, art, culture, nature, cuisine and wines. She personally visits and chooses all the destinations and services to give you the best in comfort, charm, efficiency and interesting activities. She lived in the USA, England and Australia and speaks perfect English, fluent French and Spanish.

Chef Chef Tonino is from nearby Cormons, studied at a culinary academy in near Udine and trained in various restaurants in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and abroad. He started cooking when he was 15 started professionally at 26. As a professional chef for about 18 years in Friuli Venezia Giulia, he worked for hotel and privately owned restarants, a renowned seaside resort in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and owned his own restaurant for 7 years. Tonino is understanding, good hearted, very practical and professional. He believes in a tasty yet fat-free type of cuisine and most of all enjoys preparing dishes using local products available in each season. About presentation of food, he says, "A dish is like a fashion runway and the food is a haute-couture dress".

Sample Dishes You Could Create: ANTIPASTI - Appetizers Frico (fried cheese) "baskets" Stuffed zucchini flowers Frittata with herbs Warm asparagus salad with Parmesan shavings and quail eggs Spinach flan Octopus and black olives "tower" Soft polenta with squid and cuttle fish PRIMI PIATTI - First courses Risotto with season vegetables Stuffed cannelloni in various sauces Ravioli with different types of stuffings Eggplant layers with Parmesan cheese Spaghetti with European lobster Gnocchi stuffed with dandelion and smoked ricotta Risotto with shrimp RAGU' E SALSE - Ragouts and sauces Streaky bacon ragout Genoan pesto Duck ragout SECONDI PIATTI - Main courses Guinea hen breast with spring sprouts Roast veal bone in the oven Pork fillet with crust Chicken "the Chef's way" Baked turbot DESSERT - Desserts Napoleons puff pastry with different types of sauces Apple tarts Assorted buiscuits MOUSSE ALLA FRUTTA DI STAGIONE - Mousse with season fruit PREPARAZIONE DI PANE - PASTA - GRISSINI - PANE CARASAU - Preparation of different types of bread, pasta, bread-sticks, Carasau bread, etc. Chef Note: The mentioned dishes can be replaced or modified at the Chef's discretion Group Size: 4-10 Type of Class: hands-on

Day 1
Arrive at the castle in the early afternoon. Transfer from Cormons or Udine train station. Welcome and check-in at the castle's charming inn.
Time to relax in your comfortable suites or explore the surroundings and visit the castle cellars or take an optional short drive to Gorizia to visit the only town in Italy divided by a border (its eastern half, Nova Gorica, is actually located in Slovenia).

Afternoon cooking class followed by dinner.

Day 2
Breakfast.
Guided excursion to Trieste , the capital of Friuli-Venezia Giulia , set between the blue waters of its gulf, the green hills and the white rocks of the Carso plateau. Visit to the Miramare Castle and the city's historical center. Lunch in a typical local restaurant.
Afternoon: return to castle for your cooking lesson. Dinner of your own creations.

Day 3
Breakfast
Full day excursion to either Venice, Slovenia or Austria (free lunch).
Dinner at the castle restaurant.

Day 4
After breakfast, check-out at your leisure, taking with you lots of great recipes, new skills and ideas to prepare at home what you've learned during this unforgettable culinary experience!

2008 Dates		2008 Prices Per Person
Dates by request for a min of 4 people.		At Castle's Inn: 1395 Euros double occupancy, about $2065 CAD, $2050 US Single supplement: at Castle's Inn: with private bathroom 70 Euros Supplement for double occupancy at the Castle: 180 Euros Supplement for single occupancy at the Castle Inn: 220 Euros Includes: 2 cooking lessons followed by dinner 3 nights accommodation at castle's inn visit the castle's wine cellars & wine tasting daily guided excursions with transport 1 lunch, including drinks 1 dinner Roundtrip transfer to and from local train station (Cormons or Udine)

To Reserve:

Reservation policy: In order to confirm your space the booking form and deposit must be faxed to us 7 days from when you received it. Otherwise we may cancel your space on the cooking tour. We will only re-confirm your space once we receive your booking form and deposit.

Deposit: 25%of the tour price is due at the time of booking. Deposit is non refundable.

Balance due: balance due no later than 60 days before the start date. If the balance is not paid 60 days before the course starts, the school reserves the right to cancel the booking.

Cancellations and Refunds: Cancellation fees are as follows:
- 10% of the full amount from the date of confirmation up to 60 days before departure
- 50% of the full amount from 59 to 45 days before departure
- 75% of the full amount from 44 to 30 days before departure
- 100% of the full amount from 29 days to date of departure

No exceptions for any reason including personal emergencies. Cancellations must be made in writing by the person who signed the booking form and will be effective from the date the school receives the cancellation notice. There is no refund for leaving the program early or arriving late.

Prices may be affected by international exchange rates fluctuations.

Do you have questions? Just e-mail or call "Mama" Margaret Cowan

E-mail: margaret@italycookingschools.com
Phone: 1-800-557-0370 or 604-681-4074 (Pacific Time)

Our full service travel agency friends at Aquarius Travel, specialize in Italy and are Italian, so they can give you expert service for your other Italy travel needs like airfare, hotels, car rentals, villa rentals, cruises, and more.

It's one stop shopping for you whole Italy trip!