When thinking of Tuscany, and Italy in general, one of the first things that comes to mind is the fantastic food. From the simple pleasures of fresh fruits and vegetables at the market to the gourmet meals at even the smallest of trattorie, Tuscany is a treasure trove of delights for the palate. But, what about recreating those taste sensations when one returns home? Wouldn't it be fabulous to not only share our photos, stories, and souvenirs from our travels with friends and family from home, but also a meal? But how? The answer is simple, take a cooking lesson!

When overseas in October I had the chance to do just that with Maria, one of our apartment owners in Florence and the sister of Simonetta, the owner of our Le Chiuse accommodations and vineyard in Tuscany. I was invited by the sisters to join a lesson with some of our guests and experience the joys of the Tuscan kitchen. And that I did!

We met at the Le Chiuse farm at about 3 pm where we used one of the available apartments for our lesson. Maria brought what seemed like everything but the kitchen sink from her home: sharp knives, a pasta machine, and even aprons for each of us to wear. We prepared a full meal, from crostini Toscani (canapés with Tuscan pâté) to Tiramisu for dessert. It was completely hands-on, from the chopping of the chicken livers for the pate to the hand kneading of the dough for the tagliatelle to the deboning of the pork roast. Maria explained the process of each dish in English and began by demonstrating the techniques. She then gave each of us a task and helped along the way when needed. In the end, at about 6:30 pm, we had a full meal and the wine to go with it. In this case our guests, DH Johnson, Barbara Beatty, and Paul and Karin Schneider, opted to pack up their meal and enjoy it at their apartment, Poggio Rose 2. Maria had prepared for this as well, bringing appropriate containers for each of the components of their meal. And, graciously, they packed some dinner for me as well. I was lucky enough to have some guests of my own that evening and we shared the crostini and tagliatelle with ragu, and of course some good wine from Le Chiuse.

The cooking lesson with Maria and our clients was one of the highlights of my time in Tuscany. It was fun, informative and a great way to learn and share information about our cultures. And, most importantly, it was a yummy way to bring a little bit of Tuscany home with me. As I sit now and look at the recipe packet that Maria prepared for each of us, my mouth waters and I wonder when I'll next prepare and share those dishes with my friends and family.