Sat 26 Oct – Fri 1 Nov 2024
(7 days and 6 nights)
DESCRIPTION: This food and culture tour takes you to the heart of the origins of the story of Rome itself: a nearby countryside region known as Sabina. Here we take you for an intimate look at the Medieval hilltop villages and into the lives of the people who have been practicing sustainable, small-scale agriculture for centuries.
Offering exclusive access to chefs and food producers who are dedicated to their own ecology, history, and express the true simplistic beauty of ‘Italian food’ — you will come away from this week with a deep and full understanding of pastoral food practices, as well as inspiring new knowledge about the history and origins of Rome.
STUDY LEADER: Rissa Miller: A professional chef, (formerly Le Cordon Bleu, Paris), art history teacher and academic expert in the food cultures of Italy and the Mediterranean (MA, John Cabot University). Rissa has been giving immersive food and art tours in the region of Sabina for over 7 years. She is currently also working on a PhD in Food Culture in Lisbon, Portugal.
COST: $3,500 per person single occupancy (or $3,000/person double occupancy) including instruction, gourmet restaurant meals, food tastings, farm-to-table meals, entrance fees, local ground transport for excursions, course materials, and private, 4-star accommodations in Medieval hilltop village.
Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrival, transfer from airport. First meeting at the Borromini Center followed by group departure for Sabina, accommodation check-in and restaurant dinner w/sunset views in our countryside village base.
- Day 2 Visit to organic honey farm, honey tasting and lesson by a certified honey and wine sommelier and bee farmer; Extended farm-to-table tasting lunch hosted by chef and food producer; historical walking tour of Medieval village.
- Day 3 Historical tour of an ancient Roman market site and Carolingian church. Traditional Sabine trattoria lunch w/wood-fired oven grill menu; historical walking tour of nearby village and aperitivi hour on an agriturismo w/sunset views.
- Day 4 Olive harvest, oil tastings and oil production methods; lunch on site hosted by 100% organic, small-producer & agriturismo. Dinner at typical nearby trattoria.
- Day 5 Excursion to a Roman-style pizza making lesson in another exquisite village, hosted by award-winning local pizza-maker and chef, followed by tour of a Medieval-era abbey.
- Day 6 Guided nature walk with wild herbs foraging, followed by cooking lesson and lunch in a private countryside cottage using our foraged herbs. Private Farewell Dinner catered in a 15th century palace.
- Day 7 Breakfast discussion and transfers to Rome’s airport for those departing.
AT A GLANCE
- Small groups of no more than twelve allow hands-on engagement with sites
- Stay in comfortable, centrally located lodging
- All transport to/from Rome
- Small-scale, organic, olive oil production at the peak of olive harvest season, including an option to participate in a hand-picked olive harvest!
- Enjoy discussions with the group and local guides in typical local venues over delicious meals.
- Gain special access to out-of-the-way sites and meet with top local experts in food and history.
- Relax with just enough down time in late afternoons and evenings
- Enjoy privileged access to panoramic vantage points.
- Celebrate the course’s completion with a special farewell meal.
