One of the best ways to get to the heart of Puglia’s culture is through the cuisine and wine. In Italian, Stile Mediterraneo means Mediterranean Lifestyle. The Stile Mediterraneo Cooking and Wine School provides cooking classes, food and wine tours and experiences for you to savor the Mediterranean way of life. Classes are for small groups and based on the traditional home made cuisine of Puglia, This cuisine is the typical Mediterranean cuisine based on lots of vegetables, artisan cheeses, fish, hand-made pasta and extra virgin olive oil. The School is located near Lecce and close by famous DOC wine and extra virgin olive oil producers.
The School is run by two sister Cinzia and Marika Rascazzo, both from Puglia. Cinzia was raised in Boston, New York, London, Milan. She decided to come back to Puglia to contribute to her region, promoting the local cuisine and very select food and wine producers. Cinzia is a professional extra virgin olive oil taster and wine sommelier. She is also a consultant to the local food and wine companies and a food and wine writer. Marika is a professional Cardiologist and when not working at the main hospital she loves entertaining guests about the benefits of the Mediterranean cuisine of Puglia for the health and heart! It will be a unique opportunity to meet the local people and do what the locals do: meet the local artisans, go to the local food markets and taste the local products and wines. Instructors speak English, French and Italian.
Classes location: The School is located near Lecce and close by famous DOC wine and extra virgin olive oil producers, which makes the whole experience even more authentic. The countryside is surrounded by millenary olive trees and wonderful vineyards. We will be happy to suggest you the most convenient accommodations in order to attend our classes.
Cooking Classes: All classes are hands-on and taught in English. You may join the 1 week pre-arranged cooking course or ask for a shorter program (3 day or 1 day). We also offer custom and private courses. You will be guided by two instructors, so to receive the most personal attention. Classes are for small groups (6-7 people maximum). Cookery classes can be private (for example for 1 or 2 people) as well as joinable. Classes are based on the traditional home made cuisine of Puglia. Ingredients are seasonal and locally produced by select farmers. Cooking classes always include visits of the best local food markets (where we buy ingredients) and visits of the best artisans hand making products with ancient and traditional methods. During the classes you will learn how to pair wine and food and olive oil and food.
Wine and Olive oil School: Our wine school includes: wine tastings at the best vineyards; grape harvest and wine making from September till November. You may joing the pre-arranged 1 week wine tour or ask for a shorter program (3 day or 1 day). We also offer tailor made and private wine and olive oil tours. Puglia has 25 DOC wine areas. Each area produce very unique wine variety from excellent grapes: Primitivo, Negroamaro, Salice Salentino, Malvasia, Locorotondo, Aleatico, Fiano, Verdeca, Sussumaniello, Ottavianello etc. We also offer olive oil tastings. You can attend the olive harvest from October till December.
Italian Language lessons: The Cooking classes and wine tasting can be combined with an Italian language course. Our Italian course has been designed for gourmets and wine lovers seeking to combine an Italian learning experience with the pleasures of cooking the authentic Southern Italian and Mediterranean dishes. The program includes Italian language lessons, conducted in the mornings and cooking classes held in the afternoons. Italian is taught in an informal and relaxed way.
Weather in Puglia: Puglia has a typical Mediterranean climate. It is sunny 99% of the year. Winters are very mild: at midday temperature can be 15-20°C.
People and partners not attending the classes: Guests not attending classes included in this tour will be free to relax, read a book, use the bicycles for a ride along the coast, relax in the beautiful Lecce historical center.
Date of the programs: Programs are organized all over the year. Programs can last from 1 day to 2 weeks.
Your Hosts: The school is run by the 2 sisters Cinzia and Marika Rascazzo who were born and brought up in Puglia. Their grandmother taught them all the little secrets about the Pugliese recipes. Their grandfather took them to the vineyard during the grape harvest and taught them how to make the wine. After spending many years abroad studying and working in Boston, New York and London and being exposed to the most diverse and international cultures, Cinzia decided to move back to her home town and started the Stile Mediterraneo School. Marika is a professional Cardiologist and also contributes to Stile Mediterraneo. Her interests include: travel, cooking, wine, photography. They both speak fluent English and French. Stile Mediterraneo is a way for Cinzia and Marika to promote the local Mediterranean cuisine and the local producers and wine makers, to small to reach the international markets.
People attending the Stile Mediterraneo classes discover the authentic secrets of Southern Italy and Puglia! At our school, guests do what the local Italians do: mingle with interesting local people, learn about the real local culture, visit the best artisans, learn about the authentic local cuisine and wines. Our school approach is relaxed and friendly, but very professional at the same time: guests will experience only the best of Southern Italy.
We highlight two kinds of programs:
- Program 1: Cookery & Artisans a Tour in Lecce Puglia.
* Six-days cooking program (3 hands on cooking classes, 3 artisans/markets/wineries visits, 1 whole day outing, all lunches and dinners)
* Three day cooking & wine program (1 whole day wine tour, 1 market/artisan tour, 2 hands-on cooking classes)
- One day cooking classes ( 1 visit of a food market/artisan + 1 lunch + 1 cooking lesson + 1 dinner).
- Program 2: Wine Tour in Lecce Puglia
* Six day wine & Olive oil tour (visits of select wineries in the many different DOC wine areas; visits of extra virgin olive oil producers; tastings included)
One day Wine Tour (visits of several wineries + tastings).
One day Olive oil tour & tasting (visits of wineries and olive oil producers).
Faculty Information:
The school is run by the 2 sisters Cinzia and Marika Rascazzo who were born and brought up in Puglia. Their grandmother taught them all the little secrets about the Pugliese recipes. Their grandfather took them to the vineyard during the grape harvest and taught them how to make the wine. After spending many years abroad studying and working in Boston, New York and London and being exposed to the most diverse and international cultures, Cinzia decided to move back to her home town and started the Stile Mediterraneo School. Marika is a professional Cardiologist and also contributes to Stile Mediterraneo. Her interests include: travel, cooking, wine, photography. They both speak fluent English and French.
Stile Mediterraneo is a way for Cinzia and Marika to promote the local Mediterranean cuisine and the local producers and wine makers, to small to reach the international markets.
Other Activities:
biking, walking, wine tasting, wine tours, olive oil tastings, olive oil tours, Italian language classes, market tours, culinary tours, corporate events, team building events
Facility Information:
The School is located near Lecce and close by famous DOC wine and extra virgin olive oil producers, which makes the whole experience even more authentic. The countryside is surrounded by millenary olive trees and wonderful vineyards. We will be happy to suggest you the most convenient accommodations in order to attend our classes.
Notes:
- Price will be different for guests and partners not attending the cooking classes.
- The above price does not include the accommodation. We will be happy to suggest you the best boutique hotels, private villas and B&Bs conveniently located to attend our programs. So this won't be any stress for you.
- We accept payments through cash, bank money transfer or Paypal. Please note that we require a Net amount, after all the fees you may have to add to make the payment.
Also see Vacation Schools in:
Cooking schools
Europe
Italy
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