Our wonderful Villa
has the most perfect farmhouse kitchen with plenty of room to
chop and roll. There is a wood fired roasting jack and gorgeous
views from the windows into the gardens and woods. There’s also
a large terrace and gazebo for al fresco dining near the pool.
Day 1-Benvenuto!
Relax after your arrival
with a walk in our private woods, a dip in the pool or see what’s
cooking in the kitchen as our first classic Tuscan meal is being
prepared and we welcome special friends.
Wine, Herb & Cheese Pairing
Our French friend Pierre,
or "herbs shepherd" as he likes to be called, will introduce you to the aromatic world of spices – from the secrets of the harvesting and the drying process to preserving the fragrance. Giulio, a native Italian began his career as a restaurateur in Milan at the highly respected restaurant Le Api. Having traveled all over Italy, his journeys eventually led him to Tuscany, where he soon fell under its spell and began another career as an enologist. He will share wine and olive oils personally selected from his preferred producers – ones
hidden throughout the small farms and hills that we'd never find
on our own.
Giulio and Pierre are very unique artisans who are deeply passionate about their land and craft.
Together they combine
their passion and knowledge for an absolutely delightful cheese,
herb and wine pairing. From the first bite of the “Mousse of Sage Leaves” with buffalo mozzarella and Pierre’s special “herb mixture,” and
you know this is going to be heaven. The next courses of delicate
sage and thyme flower are perfectly paired with wines of Vermentino
and Vernaccia that Giulio has brought to us directly from the wineries.
But, perhaps best is when Giulio beams with pride as he whispers
to Laura how he arose at dawn and drove an hour to the cheese maker
to bring us an astonishing fresh goat cheese made just for our
tasting.
Day 2: Food Gathering
in San Gimignano & Cooking
Today starts in the magnificent
medieval village of San
Gimignano where we visit
some of our favorite shops for selecting salumi at La buca di montatuto,
pecorino, olive oils, and goodies from the pasticceria Lucia and
Maria’s. Within the old town walls we’ll walk, admire and enjoy this charming village. A favorite stop is at the chocolate maker who’s
balsamic and pepper filled
chocolates are incredibly
unique and a great take home present!
Visits to the Muses della Collegiate to view the eerie Benzzo Gozzoli frescos of Judgment Day are a must in this perfectly preserved ancient village.
Love to cook? Our kitchen
stove is bubbling with
a traditional robust
Tuscan ragu, which we’ll later serve with polenta for dinner. As always we’ll
we making a typical Tuscan
antipasto of with the delicious regional cheeses, bruschetta, cured
meats and sausages.
Whether its potato gnocchi,
truffle pasta or “caccicucco” the spicy fish stew, desserts are never overlooked. The decadent “zucotto” is
doused with liquors,
hazelnuts and of course,
chocolate.
Day 3:
Lessons & Lunch with Donatella
No pasta machines here! Donatella will demonstrate hand-made pastas, sauces and baking. The abundance of fresh vegetables, herbs, meats, fish, and local farm products is the first ingredient for this robust cuisine. We will add both classic and creative spins to our repertoire, including:
-
Tagliatelle with Fresh Tomato Sauce; Tortelli with Spinach Ricotta and Sage Butter; Gnocchi Nudi; and Cantucciini.
After lunch explore on
your own, relax by the
pool or join Laura in
the kitchen where she’ll be working on another terrific dinner. The grill is being fired up for a “Bistecca ala Fiorentina” and she’ll need a taste tester for the “Zuppa
Inglese with Lemoncella.”
Day 4:
Siena, a Treasure Trove for Gourmets
and Art Lovers
Visits to more of Tuscany
famed gourmet markets
for regional specialties
for our Tuscan kitchen. A visit to the Duomo is a must and we’ll have lunch at a great trattoria before returning to the villa. If you prefer after lunch you may linger for visits to more of Siena’s
art treasures of fabulous
shopping.
Cooking Lessons
Lessons will include
learning how to prepare
such exquisite Tuscan
meals as: Classic Ribollita with Baked Cheese
Crust; Risotto with Asparagus,
Shaved Crete Senesi Pecorino and Truffle “Salsa;” Osso Buco with Black Truffle Gremolata & Saffron "Strozzapretti; and the “Torta” Pasta
Pie Layered with Homemade
Sausages, Ham, Mushroom
Tortellini Cheese, Pine
Nuts and Spices.
Day 5:
Visit with a Master Bread Artisan
The making of fresh bread is a tradition that has passed from generation to generation, and this week, the secrets will be passed on to you.
We will arrive at the farm of Viola, a warm Italian lady who has been cooking bread for as long as she can remember. After a warm welcome, Viola will show you how to make bread from scratch, using the products on her land. Delicious flatbread with rosemary and olives and pizza crust are on today's menu! She'll also share some tips on using old bread so it doesn't go to waste. Lunch with Viola is next with; you guessed it, bread and pizza for all.
Later another feast is being prepared in the kitchen and you may just want to spend the afternoon cooking and enjoying our beautiful Villa Monitgnoso.
Day 6:
The Chianti Wine Road
We’re off to the market in Panzano to gather fresh vegetables, fruits, cheeses and breads. We’ll
stop at Macelleria Cecchini
and meet Dario, the butcher
of Tuscany whose family has owned this shop for 250 years. His
delectable homemade sausages and superior roast pork will make
for a fine dining on our terrace.
We’ve lined up two of our favorites wineries to visit too, Felsina
and Fotodi both of whom
have been making exceptional
Chianti for decades.
A little further up the
road is Greve another
stop on the Chianti trail
and home to another very famous butcher owned by the Falorni’s whose homemade sausages and salumi’s are considered some of the best in Tuscany. Their “Enotecca” is
known for its superb
wine collection of Chianti
wines, to taste by the glass or to stock our larder. We know this
will be the perfect introduction to the Chianti Region.
Day 7:
Private Castle Wine Tour
Our friend and Tuscan
partner Giulio Benuzzi
is a restaurateur and
enologist with an own personal perspective on Italian vino. Giulio
says, “Good wines are like beautiful women – diverse,
mysterious and fickle.
Each wine must be understood
the same way. Always
start with a refusal
and give in only to those who aim at the soul more than the body.”
Giulio’s opens the door to a small but mighty producer we’d never
find on our own. Lunch
will be served in a private
castle after touring their vineyards and tasting their delicious
products.
Evening at Ristorante
Dorando
Housed in a 14th century
building, the cozy and
charming ambiance at
Dorando is ideal for our private dinner. Although the menu varies,
past seasonal selections have included, “Fried
Tomatoes in Pistachio and Hazelnut Batter with Squash Blossoms
and Tarragon," and “Tagliatelle with
Lobster, Fresh Tomato and Smoked Ricotta.” The restaurant’s
inventive style comes
from ancient recipes
presented with a modern twist designed to please any palate.
Day 8- Arrivederci!
Additional Options
Olive Oil Tasting & Vineyard Lunch Coltibuono
Chianti road is home
to numerous olive producers,
but one that is especially
celebrated for its oils
and wines is the quintessential Coltibuono. After varietal oil
tasting, we’ll have lunch in the vineyards.
The remainder of the
afternoon will be spent on a lazy drive around the rolling hills
of Radda or Castellina in Chianti. Or perhaps we’ll stop for another
tasting at the endless wineries. Our final dinner preparation will
be underway, so please join in the preparation if you’d
like.
Saffron Tour & Lunch
We will visit our friend
Bruno at his home in
San Gimignano. A saffron
producer who almost single
handedly, and with no prior experience, revived the industry. Bruno
will share his fascinating story with us, after which his son,
a chef, will prepare a multi-course “saffron lunch” for
us.
Afterwards, we’ll peruse the many gourmet food shops found up and down San Gimignano’s cobblestone streets as well as take in the ancient flavors of this charming village – including
the Museo della Collegiato
and the eerie fresco
of the Last Judgment.
Choose between returning
to the villa and join
Laura in the evening’s dinner preparations
or visit Cesani, a boutique
family-run winery that
produces two styles of Vernaccia, plus a grappa that's flavored
with saffron, another ancient crop of San Gimignano. The estate's
star, however, is its award-winning Super Tuscan wine, called Lorenzo,
made from sangiovese and the disappearing native grape colorino.
Tuscany Information
Steve Schmalhorst-+39- 813-383-3360
Laura Schmalhorst +39-813-382-5257
Travel
We generally recommend that our travelers wishing to visit Florence arrive at least a day or two before, or depart a day or two after your Vagabond Gourmet adventure. There are flights into to Florence from all major airports in North America; otherwise there are daily flights into Rome with connecting flights to Florence. Connecting flights from Munich and Paris are easily booked and flying over the Alps is spectacular.
The villa is approximately
45 minutes from the airport.
The town of Montaione
has all necessities, post, pharmacy, internet café and shopping.
On the top of a hill, 650 meters above sea level located in an absolutely beautiful area, between two of the loveliest medieval towns in Tuscany - San Gimignano and Volterra. We are just 30 km away from Siena, 45 from Florence, 35 from Pisa, 50 from Lucca, and 60 from the seaside. Additionally, we are not far from Certaldo, and from Castelfalfi, Montaione and Gambassi Terme,
Accommodations
The estate consists of a large elegant villa with several formal sitting areas, two huge wood fire places in the dining room and living rooms. The separate dependence also has a sitting area, fireplace and has recently been restored in its original style. The bedrooms are furnished with classic Tuscan furniture, armoires, queen sized beds and the bathrooms are new with showers, bidets and dressing mirrors.
The villa has been carefully restored to its original style of elegance and grace. The accommodations are a classic yet rustic style is pure Tuscan. There are oriental rugs through out, with marble accents, travertine and high quality fixtures. However, special care has been given to modern comforts. Satellite television, telephone a laundry room and swimming pool are among these.
Weather
Most likely it will be
warm during the days
but morning and evenings
can still be cool. Occasional showers are possible. Best advice – be
prepared for both. The large pool
and outdoor areas have
several lounge chairs and opportunity for sunbathing. Generally
the day treks are planned to return to the property for a dip in
one of the pools or nap before dinner.
Auto Rental & GPS
Car rental is easily
accessible at the Florence
airport. We suggest if
you plan to arrive a day or two early to visit Florence take a
short taxi (about $20) into town then return to the car rental
pick up the next day. Parking in Florence is difficult and you
don’t need a car to see the sights.
Europcar.com is reliable
and seems to have very
competitive prices and
Auto Europe is a USA based company with 24 hr assistance, transfer
services and delivery to hotel is you’re
arriving a day early.
GPS navigational equipment is available from several car rental companies which are inexpensive and great amenities.
Travel Insurance Inquire about travel insurance from your airline ticket provider or Expedia or Travelocity. Or www.travelguard.com
Cell Phones
International cell phones can be rented from www.worldcell.com and will be delivered to your home prior to departure with the number. The cost is reasonable. We carry phones with us and there is a phone at the residence.
Emergencies
The property is equipped with detailed instructions for all types of emergencies and the property manager speaks fluent English
*Special Note: Many of the flowers
attracts bees so if you have bee allergy please bring your medicine.
The house is in the countryside and typical for these regions are
gnats and occasional biting flies. We keep bug repellent on hand
and most people are not bothered.
Privacy Policy: Vagabond Gourmet respects and is committed to protecting your privacy. We do not share any customer’s personal information.
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