Cooking courses
When eating the delicious dishes of the Maremma is not enough, you should take part in a cooking class.
Like every region of Tuscany, Maremma is dotted with cooking schools. Most are run by local chefs and housewives who are passionate about their food, the food their ancestors have been cooking for centuries.
These schools are designed specifically for tourists, so they are all in English, and represent an opportunity for any intrepid traveler to get their hands dirty and truly experience Maremma food beyond what is served to them on a beautiful white plate.
Depending on the class, you might make from scratch pappardelle alla lepre (pappardelle with unctuous hare sauce), boar alla cacciatora con polenta (boar hunter style with polenta), acquacotta (a delicious vegetable soup), or any other incredible soup dishes that define this region.
But it’s not just about cooking great food. When you take one of these courses, you learn the secrets of Italian cuisine and usually get a good dose of the rich traditions of the families you are learning from along with them. Most courses will also take you shopping before settling into a beautiful provincial kitchen, so you’ll know where to shop to recreate your experience.
Classes range from two-hour crash courses to full weekend immersions with trips to local markets to purchase fresh produce.
Some agriturismos even organize cooking classes on site, otherwise they will be more than happy to tell you where you can go.
But to get you started, here are some of the best cooking schools in and around Grosseto:
Sensini Lounge Time: These guys are the best. Their chefs are stars of local cuisine and their courses are truly chic, teaching everything from pasta making to cake decorating. Visit www.loungetime.sensinistyle.com.
Via Ricasoli B&B: learn to prepare ravioli filled with ricotta and spinach, acquacotta and cantucci from one of the best chefs in Grosseto. Or take a full-day guided tour of the capital’s markets, so you can select the best fresh produce for yourself and discover exactly what makes Tuscan cuisine so irresistible. Visit http://www.bebviaricasoli.it/in-cucina.html
Antica Casale Scansano: Homemade pasta, peasant soups and Tuscan desserts, this cooking school will teach you the classics of the Maremma tradition, just like your mother did. Visit www.anticocasalediscansano.it/ristorante-toscana/corsi-di-cucina.
And if you want to do some practice before leaving for the Maremma, visit my recipe page and recreate an Italian classic at home.
