We will be in Tuscany in Oct. and want to take a one day cooking class. I have lots of names of schools but wanted a first hand recommendation. Thanks.

Leslie, <BR> <BR>Try "Tuscan Cooking and More" run by a woman named Giuliana Giurlani. Last I knew, she didn't have a Web site, but her e-mail address is [email protected]. She will send you a beautiful brochure. <BR> <BR>We haven't been there yet, so this isn't a first-hand recommendation, but we know about her and her classes through a friend who raves about the time she had there. She also offers watercolor classsr. It's in a gorgeous setting in Lucca. If you go, let me know what you think. <BR> <BR>Jeanne

Leslie, <BR> <BR>I just see now that I have two brochures. If you'd like one, I'll mail it to you. Send me an e-mail with your address. <BR> <BR>Jeanne

Jeanne - did you take any class(es) from her? If so, how were they??

Paul, <BR> <BR>This is still not exactly a recommendation based on true personal experience TAKING a class, but it's almost that. <BR> <BR>In fact, this woman's offering of cooking instruction is very informal. I don't know what she charges. We visited her last fall, looking at the rental units (two buildings subdivided into six apartments). She invited us into her home, and she literally fixed us lunch while we sat in her kitchen. She offers a day of cooking classes (probably four hours) as an add-on to staying in the apartments that are on the same grounds as her beautiful home. She can take no more than 4 at a time, and I think that's about for the size of her kitchen - - neither small nor large, using upscale American kitchens as my yardstick. <BR> <BR>Anyhow, you can find her under "Rome Countryside" at Villa Valrosa on www.domani-usa.com - - worth checking into, and a very rustic undiscovered part of Italy. Note: it is NOT Tuscany. It's about 1 hr ENE of Rome, or 1-2 hrs beyond Perugia/Assisi. I personally think that this might be what Tuscany was like, 30 years ago, before it got so popular. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex