Cooking, Wine and Volcanoes
in Sicily's Mount Etna and Island of Stromboli

Sicily Cooking Tour

Cooking Lessons in Sicily

Seafood and cannoli cooking class at restaurant by the sea in Fiumefreddo

You can also learn to make marinated fish and seafood, seafood salad, stuffed mussels, roasted calamari, tagliatelle with shrimp, or risotto with shellfish. After your cooking class, you can relax in their garden with a glass of fresh, white Etna wine or stroll along the beach or maybe even swim until you dine on your creations.

Our guide and cooking class interpreter, the effervescent Maurizio said, "I never cook. My mother does it all." But soon he was cleaning sardines and putting stuffing between two sardines for Sarde Abeccafico along with the tour members.

Our van driver, quiet Giuseppe, peeped into the kitchen and we encouraged him to join us. "I never cook", he said, "my wife does it all." But soon he was stuffing cannoli rolls with the tour clients.

After our dinner the restaurant owner, Nino, formed a rather accomplished one man band and surprised us all with talents we never dreamed he would have. I won't spoil the surprise for you but it cracked us up! One tour member, Janett and I danced, laughed and danced.

Mountain cuisine cooking lesson at restaurant in Mount Etna foothills

Our driver, Giuseppe pitched in to make meatballs in lemon leaves, while our guide, Maurizio stepped up to chop vegetables and other cooking tasks. One big happy family!

Our driver, Giuseppe making meatballs with lemon leaves

learning pan techniques with Chef Gaetano

work break for cooks at Gaetano & dad Pippo's restaurant

Pippo and Gaetano surprised us with a cooking class break of dry, bubbly wine and snacks, and at dessert time, prickly pears stuffed with prickly pear gelato and finally personalized "diplomas" for learning about "Cucina Tipica Siciliana"--typical Sicilian cuisine. What wonderful hospitality! The tour members said they learned a lot with Gaetano.

Island cuisine cooking lesson on island of Stromboli

Cooking with Chef Bartolo on island of Stromboli

For dinner we all sit around a big table outside on a patio overlooking their garden of orange trees, lemon trees and roses with a peekaboo view of the sea and the moon.

One time Bartolo sat on my right side and told me a sad love story from his life. B & B owner Calogero sat on my left side and told me a happy love story from his life.

Another time B & B owner, Maria (Calogero's wife) and Bartolo joined for more stories and fun around the dinner table.

Always a wonderful evening!

Sicily Cooking Tour