Georgina's Cucina is now operating from sunny Melbourne!!!
Many culinary delights to be be enjoyed, still cooking, using seasonal produce plucked from backyards.
Recently returned from a tour to China, guest at Yang Shou Cooking School, run by Aussie girl Pam Dimond, Georgina would love to take some adventurous cooks there in the future.
NEWS FLASH
New email address: geo@georginascucina.com.au
Monday, May 16, 2011
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Highlights from Taste of Tuscany, 2009
Day 1 Monday May 25 Arrrival at I Cinghiale
Rewarded after the drive up the Valley of the Serchhio River, with a magnificent view from theTerrazzo of the villa, chilled peach tea and beer..
After a well deserved lunch in the cool , time to unpack and then take a stroll to the ancient town of Orzaglio with Susan.
Cena served on the Terrazzo in the cool of the evening, accompanied by fire-flies.
Day 2 Tuesday 26 May To Market, to Market......
Down to Piazza al Serchio armed with bags & eskies for the provisions. Met with some of the locals and saw familiar faces – to the bakers, bottega, markets for cheese, seafood, fruit & vegetables.
Coffee and the new attraction for the town – a fresh milk vending machine
Back to the Villa for a light lunch of our market produce – the best Italian style BBQued chicken, cheeses, bread & salad, fruit and wine from the Bottega. A siesta after lunch, like all good Italians, before Cooking Class with Georgina in ‘the Barn’
Day 3 Wednesday 27 May To the Mountains – La Baita
Drive through l’Orechellio National Park (referred to as ‘the outback’ in Lucca) and up even higher to Coriole to la Baita, a sweet Albergo. Met our gracious hosts, Roberto & Mara, whose husband-wife banter we enjoyed in the kitchen. After kitting up with aprons and hair nets and reinforced with a good strong coffee, we were ready to hit the kitchen for a cooking class with Mara as we prepared our lunch.
A long slow lunch enjoying the fruits of our labour. Introduced to ‘corrected coffees’ at the end of a delicious meal, with Roberto’s home made grappa. This became a favourite for the rest of the tour.
Day 4 Thursday May 28 Castelnuova di Garfagnana, Markets & Lunch
Drive down the valley to the main regional centre of the Garfagnana for market & meeting day, as it has been for centuries. After exploring the markets, met at Vecchio Molino for Lunch, home of the famous Andrea, guru of the ‘Slow Food Movement’.
Lunched in the Cantina, hung with prosciutto, walls lined with wine, oil, preserves and cheese. Andrea joined us as we tasted some of the specialities of the region and the food that has sustained the local people for centuries. He talked about the food of the Garfagnana – chestnut flour (chestnut tree is known as ‘the tree of the bread), maiale, honey, polenta from the local corn, yellow cheeses . Told us about the trade of flour for fish along the via del sale
Home to be presented with a basket prized fresh porcini from Anna. These became the basis of our dinner – Risotto di Porcini
Day 5 Friday May 29 Our last day in the Garfagnana
Walk with Anna to identify and pick some of the local herbs used in cooking. Up to 30 – 40 herbs are used commonly and incorporated into recipes. Our last lunch on the Terrace of cheese, bread, meats, insalata, fresh fruit and wine
Drive to the marble quarry at Nicciano, through Gramalazzo by the lake. After a ‘periculoso’ drive we had a well deserved gelati on the way back to P di S. On to the fort for an explore and photos.
Back to I Cinghiali for pizza in the wood fired oven
Day 6 Saturday May 30 Down the valley to Lucca via Barga
First, a visit next door to our neighbor Domenico who has the best bread in the valley according to Andrea. He fires up his wood fired oven and bakes a potato bread on Saturdays only..starting very early. We stock up for Lucca.
A well deserved Pranzo at Caffe Capretze, after a climb to the top to visit the Cathedral. Well attended by a very affable Portugese waiter – ganzo is the word.
On to Lucca and our final arrival at the stupendous Residenza Manzi. After a quick unpack we quickly took to the streets to purchase supplies for our evening meal enjoyed on the terrace.
Day 7 Sunday May 31 Drive to Villa Reale and a walk through the gardens.
Explored the magnificent gardens of the Villa before the rain set in.. a great excuse to stop for a slow Sunday lunch, and although we were the earliest customers (and interrupted the staff at their meal), by the time we had finished, the place was full of locals doing the same.
Il Botteghino is a Trattoria in a traditional sense serving excellent local produce. The menu changes daily and is ‘recited’ by our waitress. Some tried the Baccala, but the favourite was the Bifstek, ‘just like Claudio makes’.
Day 8 Monday June 1 Explore Lucca/Cooking Class with Toscaneggionda
Alessandro and her accomplice came to the apartment to give us a cooking class. Our cook and teacher, is a lawyer who is so passionate about food and cooking that she does this just for fun. She told us that cooking must be done with love, using fresh seasonal products and what you have on hand.
Day 9 Tuesday June 3 Wine & Olive Oil Tour in the Lucca Hills with lovely Chiara
An early rise and walk or bicycle around the walls for some, followed by another hearty breakfast. The guests went with Chiara as guide to visit some wineries and olive oil farms in the Lucca hills. Time On their return for a quick supper then to a Puccini concert in the Cathedral of San Giovani.
Day 10 Wednesday June 4 A day in Lucca
Attending to further travel matters,fossicking in the craft and antique book market, followed by a deliciouslunch at Gli d’Orti, a most elegant Lucchese restaurant.
The afternoon was spent having a last explore of Lucca – the amphitheatre, the Guiglio Tower and taking the ‘passagiata’ in the late afternoon with the locals, just taking in the sights.
Back to pack and then out for a superb pizza in Caffe Rustica, sitting at a table in one of Lucca’s many laneways. Back to the apartment for Zucotta cake and our last ‘corrected coffee’ together.
Day 11 Thursday June 5
Last walk and cycle around the walls before breakfast and then time to call the taxis to take our guests on to their further travel adventures.
Rewarded after the drive up the Valley of the Serchhio River, with a magnificent view from theTerrazzo of the villa, chilled peach tea and beer..
After a well deserved lunch in the cool , time to unpack and then take a stroll to the ancient town of Orzaglio with Susan.
Cena served on the Terrazzo in the cool of the evening, accompanied by fire-flies.
Day 2 Tuesday 26 May To Market, to Market......
Down to Piazza al Serchio armed with bags & eskies for the provisions. Met with some of the locals and saw familiar faces – to the bakers, bottega, markets for cheese, seafood, fruit & vegetables.
Coffee and the new attraction for the town – a fresh milk vending machine
Back to the Villa for a light lunch of our market produce – the best Italian style BBQued chicken, cheeses, bread & salad, fruit and wine from the Bottega. A siesta after lunch, like all good Italians, before Cooking Class with Georgina in ‘the Barn’
Day 3 Wednesday 27 May To the Mountains – La Baita
Drive through l’Orechellio National Park (referred to as ‘the outback’ in Lucca) and up even higher to Coriole to la Baita, a sweet Albergo. Met our gracious hosts, Roberto & Mara, whose husband-wife banter we enjoyed in the kitchen. After kitting up with aprons and hair nets and reinforced with a good strong coffee, we were ready to hit the kitchen for a cooking class with Mara as we prepared our lunch.
A long slow lunch enjoying the fruits of our labour. Introduced to ‘corrected coffees’ at the end of a delicious meal, with Roberto’s home made grappa. This became a favourite for the rest of the tour.
Day 4 Thursday May 28 Castelnuova di Garfagnana, Markets & Lunch
Drive down the valley to the main regional centre of the Garfagnana for market & meeting day, as it has been for centuries. After exploring the markets, met at Vecchio Molino for Lunch, home of the famous Andrea, guru of the ‘Slow Food Movement’.
Lunched in the Cantina, hung with prosciutto, walls lined with wine, oil, preserves and cheese. Andrea joined us as we tasted some of the specialities of the region and the food that has sustained the local people for centuries. He talked about the food of the Garfagnana – chestnut flour (chestnut tree is known as ‘the tree of the bread), maiale, honey, polenta from the local corn, yellow cheeses . Told us about the trade of flour for fish along the via del sale
Home to be presented with a basket prized fresh porcini from Anna. These became the basis of our dinner – Risotto di Porcini
Day 5 Friday May 29 Our last day in the Garfagnana
Walk with Anna to identify and pick some of the local herbs used in cooking. Up to 30 – 40 herbs are used commonly and incorporated into recipes. Our last lunch on the Terrace of cheese, bread, meats, insalata, fresh fruit and wine
Drive to the marble quarry at Nicciano, through Gramalazzo by the lake. After a ‘periculoso’ drive we had a well deserved gelati on the way back to P di S. On to the fort for an explore and photos.
Back to I Cinghiali for pizza in the wood fired oven
Day 6 Saturday May 30 Down the valley to Lucca via Barga
First, a visit next door to our neighbor Domenico who has the best bread in the valley according to Andrea. He fires up his wood fired oven and bakes a potato bread on Saturdays only..starting very early. We stock up for Lucca.
A well deserved Pranzo at Caffe Capretze, after a climb to the top to visit the Cathedral. Well attended by a very affable Portugese waiter – ganzo is the word.
On to Lucca and our final arrival at the stupendous Residenza Manzi. After a quick unpack we quickly took to the streets to purchase supplies for our evening meal enjoyed on the terrace.
Day 7 Sunday May 31 Drive to Villa Reale and a walk through the gardens.
Explored the magnificent gardens of the Villa before the rain set in.. a great excuse to stop for a slow Sunday lunch, and although we were the earliest customers (and interrupted the staff at their meal), by the time we had finished, the place was full of locals doing the same.
Il Botteghino is a Trattoria in a traditional sense serving excellent local produce. The menu changes daily and is ‘recited’ by our waitress. Some tried the Baccala, but the favourite was the Bifstek, ‘just like Claudio makes’.
Day 8 Monday June 1 Explore Lucca/Cooking Class with Toscaneggionda
Alessandro and her accomplice came to the apartment to give us a cooking class. Our cook and teacher, is a lawyer who is so passionate about food and cooking that she does this just for fun. She told us that cooking must be done with love, using fresh seasonal products and what you have on hand.
Day 9 Tuesday June 3 Wine & Olive Oil Tour in the Lucca Hills with lovely Chiara
An early rise and walk or bicycle around the walls for some, followed by another hearty breakfast. The guests went with Chiara as guide to visit some wineries and olive oil farms in the Lucca hills. Time On their return for a quick supper then to a Puccini concert in the Cathedral of San Giovani.
Day 10 Wednesday June 4 A day in Lucca
Attending to further travel matters,fossicking in the craft and antique book market, followed by a deliciouslunch at Gli d’Orti, a most elegant Lucchese restaurant.
The afternoon was spent having a last explore of Lucca – the amphitheatre, the Guiglio Tower and taking the ‘passagiata’ in the late afternoon with the locals, just taking in the sights.
Back to pack and then out for a superb pizza in Caffe Rustica, sitting at a table in one of Lucca’s many laneways. Back to the apartment for Zucotta cake and our last ‘corrected coffee’ together.
Day 11 Thursday June 5
Last walk and cycle around the walls before breakfast and then time to call the taxis to take our guests on to their further travel adventures.
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