Meals catered at your vacation accommodation :: Tuscan cooking lessons
Contact me to discuss your wishes
Email:
Greve in Chianti
Elisa Berghi - your chef
Contact me for a price quotation
Tel: +39 333 499 60 64
Tuscany, Italy
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Personal chef
Cooking lessons
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• traditional Tuscan meals catered at your Tuscany holiday accommodations, for 2 to 20 food-lovers
• hands-on cooking lessons in the Tuscan culinary tradition, for 2 to 10 cookery enthusiasts
Catered midday and evening meals
This is my cooking service where I and, when necessary, my assistants come to your accommodation and prepare a full lunch or evening meal. We will also be happy to welcome you to our farm house where you can dine in the garden or in our attractive dining room. We are located near Greve in Chianti and we prepare and serve full dinners for large and small groups.
We prepare meals from the ground up using fresh local produce and home-made ingredients. Whenever possible, I use organic produce. I offer a number of traditional and innovative menus (see below) but the final menu is always discussed with you and personalised to meet your wishes. I can also help you choose your wines.
I am happy to travel anywhere within the Chianti wine territory and if you are staying in Tuscany outside Chianti also feel free to enquire.
I prepare meals for a single occasion or even for an entire week.
The minimum price per person for groups of up to 10 is Euro 45 per person. Children five years old or younger are not charged, children from six to fourteen are half price.
Included: all food materials, table wine, the cooking, food brought to your table.
Not included: special wines - I will be happy to make recommendations and locate interesting local wines.
Tuscan cooking lessons
These are my cooking courses: •homemade pasta: together we will prepare the antipasto, tagliatelle and ravioli with seasonal sauce, dessert. •soups and risotto: together we will prepare various types of soups, those appropriate for both summer and winter, learn how to cook risotto, and dessert. •finger food and anti-pasti: how to prepare a buffet for friends •small pastries and sweets: how to prepare biscuits and sweet pastries •typical Tuscan menu: appetiser, main course and dessert (antipasto, primo, secondo e dolce) • The courses are for a minimum of two persons and can be a single lesson. I also offer personalised cookery courses of more than one day. The courses may be taken in the villa where you are staying or in a kitchen located in Chianti. •Every Tuesday there are open group lessons. If you would like to cook and meet new people, this is for you. Ask me for information about the dates. • A lesson is usually held in the afternoon and lasts 3 hours plus the duration of the dinner. • Lessons are in English. A French or German interpreter can be arranged upon request but costs extra. • The price includes the materials, the practical lesson in the kitchen and serving the meal at the table. Local wine is included. • Those who dine but do not participate in the course pay only the cost of the dinner.
Please contact me with details of the number of people in your group, your location and the number of lessons you would like so that I can quote an individual price.
Recent comments from our cooking class guests
Elisa thank you very much for making our stay such a memorable experience. Your wonderful cooking was a perfect accompaniment for the celebration of love and friendship in our group. We will always remember this experience. Al and Angela Diaz MD 2007
Elisa a beautiful person who makes beautiful food. Thanks for taking me to the market. Come visit us if you’re ever in Washington DC. Richard Gritting 2007
Thank you Elisa for being such a special “ingredient” for our visit with you. Everything was perfect and we can’t applaud you enough. Mary and Jon Smitch 2007
Elisa, you are blessed an artist in the kitchen. We have been your grateful recipients of many wonderful dinners. Thank you! Kathrine and John Mitres 2007
Spring and Summer Menus
Menu 1 "Lavanda"
Menu 2 "Ginestra"
Antipasti misti toscani Assortment of Tuscan appetisers
Panzanella con tonno Cold bread soup with fresh tomatoes
Tagliatelle fatte in casa al pomodoro e basilico Home-made tagliatelle with fresh tomato and basil sauce
Taglierini fatti in casa al pesto con fagiolini e patate Home-made taglierini with pesto sauce, green beans and potatoes
Pollo alla contadina Chicken with olives, pine nuts, capers and raisins
Maiale al forno al finocchio e limone Roast pork with fennel seeds and lemon
Patate Potatoes
Erbe saltate Sautéed herbs
Torta di mele Tuscan apple pie
Cantuccini e vinsanto Tuscan almond biscuits and sweet “holy” wine
Menu 3 "Iris"
Menu 4 "Viola"
Gelatina di pomodoro e peperone con crostoni e burrata Pepper and tomato jelly with crostoni and burrata cheese
Zuppa di peperoni gialli con crostini di pane Yellow pepper summer soup
Filetti di sgombro con uvetta e pinoli Mackerel filet with raisins and pine nuts
Tortini alla ricotta e zucchine con salsa alle olive Quiche with ricotta cheese, zucchini and mint
Insalata di campo Wild salad greens
Insalata di campo Wild salad greens
Bavaresi al limone e frutti di bosco Lemon Bavarian cream with wild berries
Mousse di cioccolato con fragole e menta Chocolate mousse with strawberries and mint
Crostini
Aubergine
Bresaola di manzo
Menu 5 "Girasole"
Menu 6 "Papavero"
Involtini di zucchina e caprino, melanzane e scamorza Zucchini rolls stuffed with goat cheese, and aubergines and scamorza cheese rolls
Saccottini di stracchino e salvia con miele e senape Pasta “sacks” stuffed with stracchino cheese and sage leaves, with honey and mustard sauce
Passato di piselli e pecorino Green pea soup with pecorino cheese
Gnocchi con salsa alle pere e pecorino Potato dumplings with pear and pecorino sauce
Formaggio alla griglia con frutta di stagione Grilled cheese with seasonal fuit
Piatto di formaggi, verdure e frutta Goat and sheep cheeses with greens and fruit
Verdura di stagione alla griglia Grilled seasonal vegetables
Insalatine di campo Wild greens
Sfogliatine di pesca e amaretti con crema Puff pastry with peaches, almond macaroons and warm cream
Mousse di cioccolato bianco e frutta fresca White chocolate mousse with fresh fruit
Menu 7 "Ranuncolo"
Menu 8 "Calendula"
Fiori di zucca e salvia fritti Fried sage and pumpkin flowers
Carpaccio di bresaola rucola e parmigiano Bresaola carpaccio with parmisan and rocket
Risotto con funghi porcini Risotto with porcini mushrooms
Crespelle alla fiorentina Crepes with vegetables
Baccalà con crema di ceci Stockfish with creamed chickpeas
Roast-beef ai funghi porcini Roast beef with porcini mushrooms
Melanzane alla menta e noci Aubergines with mint and walnuts
Purè di patate al pepe Purèed potatoes
Crema di ricotta fragole e arance Ricotta cream strawberries and oranges
Torta al cioccolato con panna e fragole Chocolate cake strawberries and cream
