Classic Journeys cooking tour in Italy, France

Discover cuisine as a part of culture on a Classic Journeys Culinary Tour. A lively mix of food-related activites is the secret ingredient to our tours. In some fantastic kitchens, you'll collect exciting recipes…try out new techniques…soak up a little of the region's cooking philosophy. We balance our food forays with easy-going walks. And our full-time local guide will see to it that you get a good taste of the history, the sights and the culture of the region you visit.

We've included a few of our favorite recipes and some photos of Classic Journeys guests in action to give you a taste of what you'll experience on a Classic Journeys Culinary Tour. We hope you'll join us soon on one of our departures in Italy or France!

A TASTE OF TUSCANY

Tuscany is well known around the globe for its savory cuisine in addition to its gorgeous hilltowns. Classic Journeys has found the secret ingredient to a great trip in this famed region with our Taste of Tuscany culinary tour. Each day is carefully planned to include historic and scenic highlights combined with the classic tastes of the Tuscan menu. Join us to explore the ancient streets of Florence and Siena, stroll among the 14 medieval towers of San Gimignano, participate in hands-on cooking instructions with local chefs, take a walk to a local olive mill for a discussion and tasting of olive oils, and taste the famous Brunello wines on a visit to Montalcino.

Read more about our Taste of Tuscany tour or view the detailed daily itinerary

Polenta and Mushroom Crostini

Ingredients:

300 g (10 oz) small porcini mushrooms	extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves	salt and pepper
1 sprig calamint	maize meal polenta

Instructions:

Clean the mushrooms carefully, removing the earth from the stalks and lightly scraping the caps. Rinse them quickly in water and dry well. Once dry, finely chop the mushrooms.
In a small pan add three tablespoonfuls of oil, 2 cloves of garlic, a sprig of calamint, the finely chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper.
Cover, and cook over a moderate heat for 20 minutes, then take off the saucepan lid and let the contents thicken.
Cut the polenta into little rectangles (about 7/8 cm by 5/6 cm) and fry them in olive oil (you can also grill them).

Dress the polenta with the mushroom sauce. Serve hot.

AMALFI, AL BUON GUSTO!

If you are a foodie, a visit to the Amalfi Coast of Italy would not be complete without an introduction to the cooking and culinary traditions of the Amalfi peninsula. This region has given birth to some of our favorite foods such as totani e patate, a stew of seafood and potatoes. On this Classic Journeys weeklong culinary tour, you’ll pick up this and other equally wonderful recipes from famous local chefs during hands-on cooking instructions. To atone for the extra calories, we’ll take beautiful walks along the sunny coastline with visits to Positano, Ravello and the Isle of Capri. Our week concludes with a visit to Pompeii with an archaeologist friend.

Totani E Patate (Squid and Potatoes)

Ingredients:

1 ¼ lbs squid	a pinch of ground red chile pepper
1 ¾ lbs potatoes	peanut oil
3 cloves of garlic	table salt
freshly chopped parsley

Instructions:

Cut the squid into 2-inch long strips and cook until almost done in a wide, shallow pan with the oil and garlic.
Peel the potatoes, cut them in half and then slice them (approximately 1 inch thick). Wash and pat the potatoes dry.
Fry the potatoes in plenty of hot oil in either a pan or a fryer.
When the potatoes are cooked, add them to the squid and cook them for a couple of minutes, adding the salt, freshly chopped parsley and a pinch of ground chile peppers.

Serve hot after removing any excess oil. Serves four.

COOKING IN PROVENCE

Learn the secrets to Provencal cooking on this Classic Journeys culinary tour in the sunny, storied south of France. A private chateau is our home for the entire week, so you'll have an opportunity to settle in and relax—although it may be difficult to leave! The 18th century estate of the Marquis Grille L'Estoulen is surrounded by its own vineyard and beautiful gardens. The area is prime truffle territory, and we join our hosts for walks through the estate and to local markets. We'll explore the charming nearby hilltowns and walk through the wine-producing village of Châteauneuf de Papes, taking time to taste the exceptional Côte de Provence wines.

Chicken, Turkey, Veal or Sole Rolls with Herbs

Ingredients:

6 thin scallops of veal/chicken/turkey or sole fillets	½ bunch of parsley
200 grams of thinly sliced ham	3 minced garlic cloves
50 grams of sun-dried tomatoes (purée)	1 egg yolk
the middle part of 2 leeks	40 grams ricotta
½ bunch of basil	40 grams butter
½ bunch of mint	olive oil, salt and pepper

Instructions:

Wash and mince all the fresh herbs. Mix them with 20 grams of butter, all of the ricotta, the garlic and the beaten egg yolk.
Cut the middle of the leeks into 3 parts and cook them for 4 minutes in boiling water and keep apart.
Flatten the scallops/fillets and layer each one up as a sandwich:
Scallop of veal / sole fillet
Purée of fresh herbs
Green of leeks
Sun-dried tomatoes
Slice of ham
Roll them up and fix them with 2 wooden picks.
Heat the rest of the butter and add a touch of olive oil in a pan. Sautee the rolls for approximately 5-10 minutes.

Serve with vegetables or small potatoes. Decorate the plate with the rest of the herbs. Makes six.

Please call us at 800-200-3887 if you would like additional information about any of our Culinary Tours or if you would like to reserve a space on one of our departures. We hope to see you on tour soon!