Workshops
Themed and guest-led culinary experiences
WHEN
October 18 – 23, 2021
PRICE
Single Room: €2,475 Double Room: €4,375
Costs include accommodation at Case Vecchie or one of the nearby cottages, and indicated lessons, meals, wine and excursions. Lunch and dinner are served with wines from the Tasca d’Almerita estate. Typical meals and cooking lessons include three or four courses.
info
Airfare and transportation to and from Case Vecchie are not included in the cost. At the time of booking, please let us know if you would like us to book a car to and from the estate. Planned activities and schedules may change at short notice due to seasonal rhythms of life in Sicily.
Olive Oil
This five-day educational workshop takes place during Sicily’s olive harvest season and explores the vast world of olive oil from production to tasting. We will take you through the olive groves and walk you through the process from tree to table. Visit the local olive mill and learn how to taste for common defects and quality of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy cooking lessons focused on olive oil as an ingredient and different ways olive oil is incorporated into Sicilian cuisine.
Example Program
October 18
3:00 to 5:00 pm | Check-in and get settled into your room
7:30 pm | Welcome aperitivo and introductions followed by dinner around the table
October 19
9:00 am | Breakfast followed by a structured olive oil tasting and an introduction about how olive oil is made, including variations in the methods and timing of the process influence the taste
1:00 pm | Lunch around the Case Vecchie table followed by an afternoon to rest, relax or explore the surrounding fields
5:30 pm | Cooking lesson with local ingredients followed by a delicious dinner
October 20
9:00 am | Breakfast followed by a stroll through the oliveto (olive groves) of Case Vecchie. Talk about how the care and maintenance of the olive groves influences the production of extra-virgin olive oil. Visit an olive mill and get a look at how the machinery works
1:00 pm | Lunch around the Case Vecchie table followed by an afternoon to rest, relax or explore the surrounding fields
5:30 pm | Hands-on cooking lesson using a full olive oil-inspired menu. Our ingredients for dinner will be seasonally sourced from the garden
October 21
8:00 am | Depart to the local shepherd to watch ricotta production and sample freshly produced cheeses with a picnic breakfast
12:00 pm | Return to Case Vecchie for a Sicilian cheese tasting followed by lunch
5:30 pm | Cooking lesson incorporating various other uses of olive oil keeping with Sicilian tradition
October 22
9:00 am | Breakfast followed by a special tasting to identify the typical defects found in olive oil and a conversation about the scrupulous practices of in the industry
1:00 pm | Lunch and an afternoon to read, rest, relax or explore
7:30 pm | Final aperitivo and farewell dinner
October 23
9:00 am | Breakfast at Case Vecchie and goodbyes
10:00 am | Check out
Booking requests
Excursions
All overnight stays of more than one night include excursions to the surrounding areas to explore local artisans and food producers. You’re welcome to request specific excursions at the time of booking but due to the seasonal rhythm of life and agriculture in Sicily, planned activities and schedules may change at short notice.
Agrigento
Take a half-day trip to explore the famous Greek archaeological site The Valley of the Temples. Enjoy a relaxing picnic lunch in the garden of Kolymbetra, an ancient citrus grove.
Pasta Factory
We might make pasta by hand in the kitchen, but here’s a chance to visit a large scale dry-pasta maker in the town of Valledolmo. Get to know what makes packaged pasta delicious.
Pizza Making
Visit a local pizzeria for a lesson in pizza making using local Sicilian flours and then enjoy your own pizza creation from their wood-fired oven.
Coffee Roasting
Meet Carmelo, the local coffee roaster in Valledolmo who creates a powerful blend of robusta and arabica beans to get your day started right.
Wood Working
The Cilano family have been woodworkers for centuries, but they are now leaders in making wine boxes for Sicilian wine companies. Experience local craftsmanship firsthand.
Olive Oil Mill
During the fall, the opportunity to visit local olive mills is one you don’t want to miss. Understand the picking and processing of these century-old trees and learn how good olive oil is made.
Wine Tasting
A visit to the Tasca D'Almerita winery will demonstrate the process of a company that produces 3.5 million bottles of wine annually, yet still does most of their grape harvest by hand. Sip and savor a number of wines from grapes cultivated right under your nose.
Ricotta Making
Join us for a morning visit to a local shepherd and cheese-maker, where we will watch traditional ricotta-making and learn more about Pecorino aging. This excursion is typically followed by a Sicilian cheese tasting back at Case Vecchie.
Artisan Visits
A half-day visit to Polizzi is worth the hour-long drive and winding roads to this hill town in the Madonie mountains. Visit a local ceramicist or take a trip to taste the Slow Food Presidia products followed by lunch at a local salumeria.
Flour Mill
A trip to Mussumeli to the Lo Manto mill will introduce you to two types of wheat processing: stone ground and cylindrical mill. Learn about the differences in wheat and grinding for the best breads and pastas.
The whole experience, from the accommodations (food, the beautiful location) to all the people we encountered was top notch. The kitchen crew was awesome in every way! I will definitely recommend to friends. David was great, enjoyed his casual style and expertise.
J.N.
David Tanis Workshop
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and thought the standard of the course was exceptional. I have taken other cooking classes in other countries, and this course was by far more authentic, serious, in-depth and has inspired me.
J.S.
David Tanis Workshop
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".
S.M
David Tanis Workshop
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!
B.W
Tomato Paste Workshop
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.
Y.W.
Breadcamp
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.
J.C.
Pasta Workshop
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!
C.H.
Pasta Workshop
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!
C.H.
Pasta Workshop
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