I’ve had the most amazing cookery experience on a Puglia Culinary tour of the heel of Italy this Summer! Sisters Cinzia and Marika run a cookery school, near Lecce (the Florence of southern Italy) and promote the Mediterranean cuisine through cookery classes and visits to local producers. Cinzia is back in Puglia after a Harvard MBA and many years of finance, and Marika is a Cardiologist in the local hospital. They are both really wonderful women, and very gifted. You will be too, as you sit down to sample your authentic and culturally steeped dishes of the day! Their Granny has a big influence on their style – she is in her eighties yet healthy and hearty.
To say it was a great way to spend a few days is a complete understatement. Cinzia and Marika are so full of interesting information on locally sourced ingredients, olive oils and wines that I doubt anyone leaves their school without feeling completely uplifted and inspired by their passion and respect for food. We were with the girls for three days and we covered everything from how to know a good antioxidant-rich extra virgin olive oil to how to make the most delicious tiramisu I have ever tasted. It being my birthday, I admit to having a second helping!
So if you want to stuff your own squid for dinner or learn how to make delicious foccacia or ravioli this is the place to go. The emphasis is on slow food - locally sourced quality ingredients and the girls combine my passion for food, nutrition and health wonderfully in their traditional Mediterranean way.
They haven’t had many Irish people to the school yet so check it out online. We stayed in Lecce where there are many wonderful hotels and you can fly from Stansted to Brindisi.
What are you waiting for – here’s the contact details, and say hi from Paula!
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