Day One—Tuscan cooking

The idea of taking a cooking class in Tuscany came about as Duchess and I were trying to figure out where to travel next, after our pre-pandemic plans to visit Russia were squatched, first by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and then by the pandemic itself.  Road trip?  Another river cruise? We finally settled on something simple and unique–a Cook in Tuscany week.  The event takes place in the town of Montefollonico and is situated a stone’s throw from Montepulciano, the Tuscan jewel I visited briefly 5-6 years ago.  We decided to sign up last fall.
Well, sometimes things don’t go as planned and you have to modify them, as was the case with this adventure.  A knee replacement and its lingering after effects proved too much for Duchess to navigate the uneven and sometimes grueling terrain of Tuscany.  Plan B, though, came through with flying colors, and Kirk joined me–his first European venture.  An avid chef himself, this vacation is perfect for him.

But how does one get to Montefollonico?  We flew from Minneapolis to Boston, then on to Rome.  Can’t say I didn’t admire those dudes in Delta One with their luxurious cubicles, but we didn’t suffer too much in Comfort +.  From Fiumicino, we took the Leonardo Express train (14 Euros) to the main Rome Termini station.  I subjected Kirk to a cruel sprint from one end of the station to another in 5 minutes to catch a non-stop train to Chuisi-Chianciano.  Somehow the train sat on the track for 3-4 minutes past its departure time, and we dragged ourselves onboard, dripping with sweat and out of breath.  Kirk was not a fan of such antics and I can’t blame him–crazy.

We knew Montefollonico was a 45 minute drive from the Chuisi-Chianciano station, but exactly how to get there?  We found a taxi and though the as-the-bird-flies distance was about 15 miles, the twists and turns required 45 mph and we were dropped off at La Chiusa, a fabulous hotel/restaurant and our home for the week.  We grabbed a nap, lounged by the pool, sampled wine, and eureka!  it’s heaven on earth here.

The 15 or so of our group all met for the first time on the terrace around 7 in the evening.   The sun was setting and Montepulciano glowed across the valley as we enjoyed an aperativ and sparkling wine.  Owners of La Cruisa, George and Linda, gave us a brief account of their hotel and restaurant–history of vineyards and olive gardens going back to 300 AD.   They’re only the second generation family to own and run this place.  Amazing.

Dinner was comprised of several courses (including lasagna and pork cutlets with a tarragon sauce) and was topped off with a lemon tiramisu.  All food/beverages here are locally sourced and naturally delicious.  

Kirk and I strolled lazily back to our room, simply amazed to be here.