Our most popular cooking adventure in Calabria
In Italy Tours invites you to join us for our most authentic cooking class in Calabria to date – a day set on seven acres of sprawling olive groves, flourishing vineyards and gardens in the rolling hills above Tropea. You’ll enter as a guest and leave as part of the family after a day of cooking and feasting on made-from-scratch Calabrese cuisine with our hosts and dear friends, Peppe and Vera.
We had launched the class in 2012 and has been our best food experience to date. Peppe, a noted chef with over 30 years of Calabrian culinary expertise, and his lovely wife Vera will teach you to make recipes handed down from generation to generation – all using ripe, organic vegetables and fruits, fresh seafood and farm raised meats including fresh ingredients produced straight from their farm.
From Garden to Table
Your gastronomic journey is set in the family’s garden where you’ll find an abundance of Tropea’s famous red onions, vine-ripe tomatoes and gorgeous violet eggplants ready to be hand-picked by you for your Calabrian cooking lesson. You’ll sample organic honeys made on the farm, and handpick fresh figs, sweet peaches and plums straight from the tree.
We will show you around the expansive olive groves from which he produces his own olive oil and tour you through lush vineyards dripping with grapes used to make his homemade red and white wines. You’ll also notice a large portion of land dedicated to his chillie pepper production which plays a major role as you taste his homemade Nduja. A whimsical delight, the farm is also home to many animals, including goats, pigs, donkeys and horses.
Cooking Calabrese
You’ll learn to make handmade pasta, made-from-scratch sauces and an array of savory meat, seafood and seasonal vegetable dishes. At least 10 recipes will be made in class with the freshest ingredients. Plenty of wine is included throughout the day.
A Calabrian Feast
After your cooking class, you’ll enjoy your feast in authentic Calabrese style at a beautifully set table under an open-air canopy. Savor the robust flavors of local and DOC red and white wines, some of which are produced straight from the vineyards on the family farm.
The feast will finish with libations including Peppe’s handmade limoncello and licorizia, made from licorice root, served with sweet desserts.
Not only is this the ultimate food experience, it is a chance to be with authentic local people and experience the ‘dolce vita’ with them.
Follow this link to see photos of our cooking classes in Calabria.
Contact us for pricing information.
Price Includes:
- Transport to and from Tropea. If you are staying elsewhere we can arrange a car for return fare at an extra charge
- Tour of Peppe and Vera’s farm, garden, vineyard and olive groves
- Hands-on cooking class with Vera and family
- English speaking guide
- Full course feast to share after class including local and DOC wines, dessert and homemade liquors.
About Our Classes
We offer cooking classes during the day.
Pick up time is at 10:30 am from Tropea. Private transfer is included but if staying outside of Tropea an extra fee is required.
