Divina Cucina: Culture through Cooking
“From one day programs to one week culinary adventures, since 1988, Judy Witts Francini, the Diva behind Divina Cucina, has been helping people to be Italian. I offer:
- Market tour in Florence with lunch
- One to Three day cooking classes
- Week-long programs in Chianti or in Sicily
- Custom week-long programs anywhere in Italy
One-Day Cooking Classes:
The secret to creating great meals at a moment’s notice is to have a well-stocked pantry. My Pantry Class—La Dispensa—will teach you to improvise and create a complete Tuscan meal, based on what is available in the market on a daily basis. We will create the menu as we shop at the local butcher and vegetable shops and return home to create! Just like an Italian mamma! We will discuss what a well-stocked Tuscan pantry contains and also what to have for some other regional styles of Italian cooking.
Pantry Class–La Dispensa (Wednesday & Thursday)
One-day cooking classes in Colle Val d’Elsa on Wednesday and Thursday. Hands-on lessons creating a complete four-course Tuscan meal. We will stop for a snack in the main piazza and shop for the main course and seasonal vegetables in town, then head to my studio to create our meal, filling in with the basics from a Tuscan pantry. Class with meal and wine, my Secrets From My Tuscan Kitchen, apron included. (€ 175 per person)
Week-Long Programs:
Join Judy, the Diva of Divina Cucina, in a week-long program in the heart of Chianti. Three hands-on cooking classes and visits to wineries, butchers, cheese makers, and other local artists and artisans makes this week a full immersion in the Tuscan way of life.
Sample Program: Each week may vary as I try to include local festivals and markets.
Sunday: Check into hotel Palazzo San Lorenzo. Welcome dinner in Colle Val d’Elsa.
Monday: Tour and tastings at Florence’s Central Market, one of Italy’s largest food markets. After lunch, a guided tour of Florence. Dinner at a local family trattoria. more…
Tuesday: Crossing over the Valley into Chianti Classico area, we visit Panzano and its tiny weekly market. Panzano is home to the famous butcher Dario Cecchini. We will pick up supplies for our dinner at the shop and visit other artisans in the village. Lunch at Dario Cecchini’s Solociccia. Dinner cooked by Judy with our finds.
Wednesday & Thursday: Hands-on cooking class at villa preparing full 4-course Tuscan meals. Rolling out pasta, making bread, and basic sauces are all part of the program. Following the cooking class, we will head out to a local artisan or village.
Friday: It is market day in Colle Val d’Elsa, our last class will be a fun creative class inspired by the market and using the recipes and skills learned during the week.
Saturday departure.”
Just email Judy at info@divinacucina.com using IRVC in the subject line and start planning your Culinary Adventure!”