Spur of the moment...we booked the coolest Groupon to Italy!
Jun 10th, 2012, 12:34 PM
#22
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Hi all...I couldn't wait until getting home to start my trip report. We've been here one day and it's impossibly amazing! Rugged terrain with tiny hilltops on top of most mountain peaks, a flower celebration in the town with a procession from the church at the top to the piazza way down the hill and the most amazing food at the palazzo!
The food couldn't possibly be as good tomorrow...we are cooking!
Time for bed - it's been a long day of traveling, processioning and eating.
The food couldn't possibly be as good tomorrow...we are cooking!
Time for bed - it's been a long day of traveling, processioning and eating.
Jun 11th, 2012, 01:24 PM
#26
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If you ever want to go to a cooking school in Italy, you have to do this! Today we toured a small olive oil plant (and bought olive oil), went to a local butcher shop where he makes many types of sausage (and could buy his special spice blend), and then had an entire lunch of tasting the different types ... with wine, and finally back at the palazzo, spent a few hours making involtini, stuffed zucchini and tiramisu, with more wine, then ate it all for dinner. I never had such a great meal! They have a huge old farm table in the kitchen which is where we ate tonight. Everyone is so nice and willing to do anything for us. I'll be so happy to relive this in a more detailed trip report.
Jun 12th, 2012, 08:02 PM
#29
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Yesterday was the "pasta making extravaganza" - we made hand-rolled cavatelli and hand-cut spaghetti...then ate them for lunch with homemade sauces. Dessert was a slushy of lemon sorbet, white wine and limoncello - a traditional summer dessert TO DIE FOR. I can't tell you how delicious it all was! Later was a wine pairing class and movie night...'Mediterraneo'. (that wasn't in the initial itinerary - as the owner gets to know us, he offers other things he thinks we might like)
The palazzo where we are staying was bought 10 years ago and is the highest point of this hill town. It took 5 years to renovate and has been open as this cooking school since then. The rooms are simple but with beautiful antiques, and are all tiled and very comfortable. We got the suite since there are 3 of us - 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and tiny connector hall. The views all around are striking, amazing!!! Mountains dotted with other tiny hill towns mixed with Tuscan-like patchwork fields of hay bales down below. Just breathtaking.
Today we'll be going to Vasto, a popular seaside town, for sunbathing (a bit too chilly for that for me), walking, shopping.
Hey, maybe this should be my trip report, although it's hard to believe I could ever write such a short one!
The palazzo where we are staying was bought 10 years ago and is the highest point of this hill town. It took 5 years to renovate and has been open as this cooking school since then. The rooms are simple but with beautiful antiques, and are all tiled and very comfortable. We got the suite since there are 3 of us - 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and tiny connector hall. The views all around are striking, amazing!!! Mountains dotted with other tiny hill towns mixed with Tuscan-like patchwork fields of hay bales down below. Just breathtaking.
Today we'll be going to Vasto, a popular seaside town, for sunbathing (a bit too chilly for that for me), walking, shopping.
Hey, maybe this should be my trip report, although it's hard to believe I could ever write such a short one!
Jun 13th, 2012, 01:29 PM
#31
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We started with Groupon with half price ice cream and now we're in Italy. This trip had all great reviews on Tripadvisor so we took the plunge. The owner likes nothing more than to make his guests happy and every single one of us here this week is having the best time ever! If you ever want a cooking trip, I can't recommend this enough.
Jun 13th, 2012, 01:44 PM
#32
kwren - only just found your thread and had forgotten [if I ever knew] that you were doing this and had booked la casa di clelia, though i do remember you asking me about it.
sounds as if the week's cooking is living up to expectations, I hope that la casa does the same.
please say hi to catherine for me - though i doubt she remembers me, we were the people who were there in the snow 2 years ago who wanted to go to the rugby!
sounds as if the week's cooking is living up to expectations, I hope that la casa does the same.
please say hi to catherine for me - though i doubt she remembers me, we were the people who were there in the snow 2 years ago who wanted to go to the rugby!
Jun 14th, 2012, 11:57 AM
#34
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How fabulous! In case anyone is interested, here is the link for the hotel (at least I hope it is the correct link)
http://www.palazzotd.com/paese.html
I've been fascinated by the thought of a trip to Abruzzo, since the recipes from that region are so outstanding. So glad you are on the scene to file these tasty bulletins!! More, please!!
How was the beach at Vasto? Did you like the town?
http://www.palazzotd.com/paese.html
I've been fascinated by the thought of a trip to Abruzzo, since the recipes from that region are so outstanding. So glad you are on the scene to file these tasty bulletins!! More, please!!
How was the beach at Vasto? Did you like the town?
Jun 14th, 2012, 01:38 PM
#36
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Annhig - I will certainly say hi to Catherine for you, although I don't want to leave here at ALL to be able to do so 
I'm sure it will be great though.
Denisea - I'm about the slowest one I know to get involved with technology, but I'm sure glad I signed up to get Groupon emails.
Ekscrunchy - if you want to go to Abruzzo and cook you would love this trip. We make all Abruzzi recipes and have many homemade wines and Abruzzi liqueurs. As a matter of fact, they even break out the wine on some of our excursions!
The beach at Vasto looked pretty, but it was too chilly to go swimming so we had a quick tour and some time for a little shopping. Many of the people in the group were saying they wished they would have thought to rent a place on the beach for a bit after this week, but it isn't quite the tourist season yet so it was not too busy. I'd prefer going to Rome (good thing since that's what I'm doing), but I'm not much of a beach person. Anyway, ek, if you might be interested in this trip, ask all the questions you want!
Anward - I was thinking this might serve as the trip report, but if people prefer more details, I can do a long version (but be careful what you wish for
)
As an aside, I got a picture of a little old lady holding a freshly plucked chicken today. Cool shot! 3 of us also ended up in the apartment of another little old lady having wine and cookies with her after she dropped a stocking off her balcony. This vacation has been very different in so many ways!
I'm sure it will be great though.Denisea - I'm about the slowest one I know to get involved with technology, but I'm sure glad I signed up to get Groupon emails.
Ekscrunchy - if you want to go to Abruzzo and cook you would love this trip. We make all Abruzzi recipes and have many homemade wines and Abruzzi liqueurs. As a matter of fact, they even break out the wine on some of our excursions!
The beach at Vasto looked pretty, but it was too chilly to go swimming so we had a quick tour and some time for a little shopping. Many of the people in the group were saying they wished they would have thought to rent a place on the beach for a bit after this week, but it isn't quite the tourist season yet so it was not too busy. I'd prefer going to Rome (good thing since that's what I'm doing), but I'm not much of a beach person. Anyway, ek, if you might be interested in this trip, ask all the questions you want!Anward - I was thinking this might serve as the trip report, but if people prefer more details, I can do a long version (but be careful what you wish for
)As an aside, I got a picture of a little old lady holding a freshly plucked chicken today. Cool shot! 3 of us also ended up in the apartment of another little old lady having wine and cookies with her after she dropped a stocking off her balcony. This vacation has been very different in so many ways!
Jun 15th, 2012, 09:06 PM
#39
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The end of a fabulous week! We cooked, ate, drank wine, relaxed, drank wine, toured the area and drank wine!! We depart in an hour and not one person wants to leave this paradise
However, it's off to Rome for us so it's not all sad!
However, it's off to Rome for us so it's not all sad!
