Fava Feast!

When

May 10 – 14, 2027

Price

Single Room: € 4,400
Double Room: € 7,800

Example Program

Arrival and settle into your accommodations

7:30 pm | Welcome aperitivo & dinner at Case Vecchie

9:00 am | Breakfast

10:00 am | Fava harvest with Arcangelo and Giovanni in our garden!

11:00 am | Podding favas & cooking frittedda

1:00 pm | Fava feast al fresco!

5:15 pm | Departure to visit to Tasca d’Almerita Winery

7:00 pm | Countryside walk back through the family’s vineyards

8:00 pm | Dinner at Case Vecchie

7:45 am | Departure to visit Filippo the cheesemaker

9:00 am | Picnic breakfast at Filippo’s: fave & pecorino

12:30 pm | Sicilian cheese tasting followed by lunch

5:00 pm | Gathering in the courtyard for curtigghiu & double shelling favas to make macco

7:30 pm | Aperitivo & dinner at Case Vecchie

9:00 am | Breakfast

10:30 am | Cooking Lesson with chef Leah: spring Sicilian classics featuring favas!

12:30 pm | Aperitivo and lunch

5:00 pm | Beekeeping class and honey tasting in the garden with Giovanni

7:00 pm | Pizza party! Making sourdough pizza in our wood-fired oven

9:00 am | Breakfast

10:00 am | Goodbyes and departure

Planned activities and schedules may change at short notice due to seasonal rhythms of life in Sicily.

Info

  • Accommodation
    5-night stay at Case Vecchie or in one of the nearby cottages.

  • Shuttle Transfer
    Group shuttle service from/to Roccapalumba train station, upon request.

  • Meals
    All meals are included. Lunch and dinner are served with wines from the Tasca d’Almerita estate. Typical menus and cooking lessons feature three or four courses.

  • Excursions
    Guided visits and local experiences as indicated in the program.

  • Lessons
    All cooking classes and other activities specified in the course schedule.

  • Transportation
    Private transportation to and from Case Vecchie is not included. Take a look here to know what is the best way to reach us.

  • Flight
    Airfare is not included.

  • Insurance
    Travel insurance must be arranged independently by participants.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate guests with celiac disease or a vegan diet due to the limited availability of specific ingredients in our rural and isolated location.

Many know about Sicilian summer, only few know about Sicilian spring. During this workshop, we will learn, cook, and talk everything fava beans.

Favas are a historically important crop in Sicily and their harvest still marks a central activity in rural Sicily, including on our farm. Countless recipes originate from this bean, and we will uncover them through the voices of our community, learning the techniques, customs, and stories that keep this knowledge alive. Not only are favas a staple in Sicilian cuisine, but they are part of an agricultural system where this incredible bean helps regenerate soil, supports viticulture, and is preserved to guarantee food throughout the year. And because shelling favas is best done together, we will also experience the art of the curtigghiu – the lively Sicilian tradition of gathering, chatting, and sharing gossip while working side by side. If you want to be part of this abundant tradition and learn about its practices from the very people who keep it alive, this is your chance.

We've been telling everybody what great experience we've had at Case Vecchie: breadmaking, Sicilian cooking lessons, daily walks to the winery, visit to the flour mill and ricotta maker and the sheep, your beautiful grounds filled with fruit trees and vegetable gardens and the chicken coop.

My time at Case Vecchie was one of the best experiences I've ever had. The setting is gorgeous, the hospitality amazing, and all of the cooking events were exactly what I had hoped for. I've spent my career in the food business and although I had made a lot of the recipes before I still learned so many things. Emiko is a wonderful teacher-so easy to relate to and a wonderful instructor. I would love to return.

If you’re considering gifting yourself with a week of creating and connecting in the countryside of Sicily, this is the spot!

Everything about the week was worth the effort to get there and the planning was well worth it. It was a week of gourmet eating. The participants were all enthusiastic about being there and that helped make the overall "experience".

My stay at Casa Vecchie absolutely confirmed for me that my future is in food, I cannot thank them enough for solidifying that for me. My stay at Casa Vecchie absolutely confirmed for me that my future is in food, I cannot thank them enough for solidifying that for me.

I loved everything, beyond beautiful surroundings, fabulous food, wonderful instruction and opportunity to learn about Sicilian cooking, as well as the knowledgeable and very helpful staff. The flowing wine and other guests, who just happened to be amazing also added to my exceptional experience!

That was such a great experience and it was so much fun to be with all of you during the week. Please extend my thanks to the entire team who made things so fantastic. I can't wait to get started in my own kitchen!

That was such a great experience and it was so much fun to be with all of you during the week. Please extend my thanks to the entire team who made things so fantastic. I can't wait to get started in my own kitchen!

The people I met: both the staff (kind, energetic, happy, informative) and the other folks in my group. Gathering around the table and laughing, learning and sharing stories is what stands out. And the fact that roosters crow all day which I didn't know. The setting is truly special as well - felt worlds away from the distractions of everyday life and instead in a rich, hands-on learning environment.

Next Workshops

Tomato Paste

August 24 – 28, 2026

Autumn Harvest

with Emiko Davies
September 7 – 12, 2026

Sweet Lemons, Bitter Honey

with Letitia Clark
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Sketching and Drawing

with Samatha Dion Baker
September 28 – October 3, 2026

The Sicilian Farm Kitchen

with Sophie Hansen
October 19 – 24, 2026

Olive Oil

October 26 – 30, 2026

Sweet Lemons, Bitter Honey

with Letitia Clark
April 26 – May 1, 2027

Fava Feast!

May 10 – 14, 2027

Baking and Preserving Sicily

with Sarah Owens
May 17 – 22, 2027

Two Greek Villages

with Conor Curran
June 7 – 12, 2027

The majority of the website showcases the beautiful photography of Anne Embrun. Other photos are done by the Anna Tasca Lanza team and staff. 

The visual identity and website were designed by StudioForward.