inexpensive cooking vacations
 

I'm looking for an inexpensive (the ones I found on the web come to about a thousand dollars a day for 2) cooking class in an old farmhouse type location in
France for a few days. I can plan my own trip and tour on my own, but I'd love to stay at an inn for a few days and shop for produce, cook and EAT. Ideas?

I've been looking for years. If you find one can you let me know?

Hi,

If you two will spring for the farmhouse and the ingredients, I shall bring my "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and give you lessons for free.

And for the same deal I shall do the market tours and wine selection :D

I have priced half-day cooking classes in Paris and they have run in the $180-280 USD range. I haven't had a chance to do one yet [partially fear of being told I'm a culinary idiot by an imperious French chef!]

I DID stick my toes in the water in Southeast Asia. I did a great hands-on class in Bangkok with market tour and super lunch after for about $70 USD and a demonstration class, market tour and lunch in Hanoi for $50 USD. Maybe now I'm brave enough to submit to the French :D

On BBC's Holiday program, they showed a wonderful little cooking school in Normandy, which took place in a very pretty, two-star hotel in a small town. It was quite inexpensive and looked like a lot of fun, including such things as a Calvados tasting, a visit to an oyster farm, etc. I'll snoop around the BBC site and see if I can find the info.

Well, that was easier than I thought! It took me less than a minute to track down on the BBC web site. Here's the link with info:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/holiday/destina...frenchcooking/

Thanks for the information...It is hard to find a two day or three day or even a one day cooking trip outside of Paris...does anyone know of any others?

I haven't done a lot of research on what they have in France, but found some lower-priced options on Shaw Guides for Italy:

http://cookforfun.shawguides.com/

They have over 500 listings for cooking classes in France - hopefully you can find one!

That said, if you do decide to go the Fodorite route, I'll pick up the wine costs if you invite me, too!

Gee, why don't we all just throw in together and have a cooking teach-me-exchange? I don't expect anyone to pay anything for me. Just split all the costs. That was (and still is) the idea behind a "Fodorites trip", as I originally outlined them.

October? anyone?

Best wishes,

Rex

YES YES YES!!!

:-)

Is that a baguette in your pocket, Mischka? or are you just glad to see me?

Sorry to burst your bubble Rex, but I think it was more like the food and wine that excited me :-)

No sorry required. Wasn't sure if the idea of assembling a trip provoked your response or not.

Or maybe you are hoping to make an offer to others like that of ira, sfowler, or Andrea?

PBProvence, who posts sometimes on this site, gives cooking classes at her lovely B&B in Provence for a good deal less than that. I don't want to post her e-mail without permission, but if you want to contact me at [email protected], I can put you in touch with her.

Well to be honest Rex, I would prefer Italian cooking, but any cooking/eating get-together sounds good to me.
Now if I have to volunteer my services.... mmmm..... let me see.... I can cook, I can eat, I can drink! Oh yeah and I have a good strong back and hefty legs, so I can help carry all that good fresh produce back from the market. So can I come?

Or reach her directly like this (does not disclose her e-mail address this way)...

http://forums.delphiforums.com/dir-a...ame=PBProvence

but I guess you have to join to access any of the pages on the Delphi forum.

If you are serious, write to me.

The Fodorites' 2001 Italy trip started from just such a thread as this...

See www.rexbickers.italy.com for a little more info... (it was never totally updated to reflect all the exact details of the trip, but you'll get an idea of how it evolved).

And personal info about me is not up-to-date there. Moved to Indiana in 2003.

This is a fabulous program in the Chianti region: http://www.tutti-a-tavola.com/

Rex, I had a look at that url, sounds great. Did anyone write a trip report? Are there any photo online to be viewed?
It sounds like a wonderful idea to me and I would seriously consider it if you do plan something.

sera !!!
I typed in http://www.tutti-a-tavola.com/

and something freaked me out so MUCH :

Culinary program
TAT in details...

Food friends
TAT around the world...

Press release
TAT on newspapers...

Contact us
TAT answers you...

Tutti a Tavola recipe
TAT selected recipes...

Tell to a friend
TAT for friends...

Then I got it
tutti-a-tavola = tat !!!

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