We will start with a deep dive into Sardinia’s landscape, history, and pastoral heritage.  In the afternoon, we will visit a local olive mill to see the pressing of the olives as it is the season of the harvest!

In tandem with Samuel at Sinnos Formaggi, we will spend the day in the creamery transforming milk into pecorino cheese and ricotta. Hands-on and theoretical lesson about making cheese followed by a tasting of all eight different cheeses that they make in-house.

We will spend the morning cooking with a focus on semolina and the heritage wheats that define Sardinian cuisine. Together we will learn to make traditional pasta shapes like culurgiones and malloreddus. In the afternoon, we will visit the workshop of the last remaining copper blacksmith on the island, and you will get to try your hand at making a sheep bell. 

We will spend the full day in the field learning from a local shepherd and his herd of sheep. Using the land as our outdoor classroom, we will discuss the link between pasture-raised animals, land health, and product quality. Lunch will be a rustic barbecue at the shepherd’s house. 

We head to a local winery for a visit to understand the island’s native varietals and wine-making techniques. We’ll explore the vineyards, discuss fermentation in winemaking, and enjoy a slow lunch with a wine tasting. Back in Gergei, we’ll gather for an informal aperitivo and group conversation to reflect on the week and share insights on our experience.

We will spend the morning foraging for wild edibles in a nearby nature reserve with a local guide. In the afternoon, we will gather for our final cooking class to prepare Sardinian specialities for our last celebratory dinner in Gergei.

We say goodbye to Gergei and head toward the northeast coast. On the road, we stop and visit the Nuraghe of Barumini, one of the most iconic of the 7,000 archaeological sites from the Bronze Age scattered all over the island. We will settle into our accommodations and take an evening walk to discover the town where we’ll be for the remainder of our trip.

The day is dedicated to the most iconic bread of Sardinia, pane carasau. This twice baked crispy flat bread, endearingly known as music bread for the sound it makes when you break it, is on every table across the island. Today we will observe and participate in its preparation.

On our final full day together we will get to see the making of filindeu, the world’s most intricate pasta, still made by only a handful of families in the region. Not only will we get to see it being made, we will also get to taste it at lunch served in a traditional sheep broth.