Culinary Travel: Cooking & Food Tour of Umbria, Italy

	This is my third big trip with Culinary Communion and I can't wait for the next one!
—Guest of 2003 Cooking Tour of Maui and the 2005 and 2006 Cooking Tours of Provence

	What a wonderful week in Provence! Traveling with Chef Gabriel was a delightful adventure. His enthusiasm for good food and wine is contagious and I'm looking forward to more travels with Culinary Communion.
—May 2006 Provence Guest

	Even though there was a pretty full agenda, we still had time to relax. My favorite part was having the luxury of spending time out by the pool. I mean who has time for that in Seattle!
—May 2005 Provence Guest

	Good food, good wine, good company—Great Trip!
—May 2006 Provence Guest

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	2008 Cooking Tours of Italy! *Culinary Communion is pleased to present two Cooking Tours of Italy in October 2008!* The Cooking Tour of Italy is a group of ten "foodies" traveling to the Umbria region of Central Italy (near Tuscany) for a week of cooking, eating, and soaking in the culinary delights of the area. We'll go truffle hunting and make cheese, take hands-on classes with local experts, and enjoy hands-on cooking lessons most evenings at our private estate. Read on... Trip Dates There are two sets of October 2008 dates to choose from. Both sessions will be nearly identical in their details. Session 1: Saturday, October 4 through Saturday, October 11, 2008. Maximum 10 guests. Session 2: Saturday, October 11 through Saturday, October 18, 2008. Maximum 10 guests. Accommodations We stay at a large, beautiful estate in the Italian countryside, just outside the village of Todi, near the city of Perugia. Our group will have the house to ourselves, with a big communal kitchen for our evenings of cooking. Double occupancy with ensuite bath is the norm; please let us know if you would like other arrangements and we'll do our best to accommodate you. Our estate is graced with a 360-degree view, situated on 50 acres of forest, olive groves, vineyards, and orchards, all for our exclusive use. All bedrooms have ensuite baths, most with hydromassage showers or tubs. Its gracious living area includes a woodburning fireplace and a grand piano. Several other cozy gathering areas provide plenty of space to relax with a book or curl up with your iPod. The kitchen is a gorgeous, professionally equipped gourmet's paradise with plenty of room for us to cook together. Air conditioning throughout will keep us cool. There's also a swimming pool. Activities Our goal is to immerse ourselves in the food of Umbria, with tours and in-depth, hands-on lessons at a variety of food producers, cooking classes from acclaimed Italian chefs, and informal cooking sessions with Chef Gabriel at the estate. We will also plan to do some "tourist" travel, but all activities are optional and we'll have the flexibility to allow guests to participate or not as each person chooses. A tentative schedule for the week is below; please remember this is subject to change. Who Should Come This trip is focused heavily on the food and wine of the Italian culture, with active days. Guests should be ready for lots of walking and hands-on cooking, but there is time for relaxing, too: we don't want you to have to go home and need another vacation to unwind. This trip is geared toward food- and wine-loving adults! Please contact us with any questions. What's Included The following is included in our Cooking Tour of Italy: Unique culinary education from local experts, including hands-on cooking classes with renowned Italian chefs; Cooking lessons and "guided tour" dining experiences with Culinary Institute of America -trained chef and certified sommelier, Gabriel Claycamp; Week's lodging at our estate in Umbria, double occupancy; Most meals (all breakfasts and dinners, with a few lunches excepted), including a reasonable amount of wine; All ground transportation within the Perugia area, from pick-up to drop-off in Perugia (airfare and transportation to and from Perugia are not included (although we are happy to give you advice on how best to travel there); Custom-embroidered apron; Customized educational material about the wine and cuisine of the Umbria region; All recipes from the week's cooking classes; and Detailed itinerary with color maps etc. about our planned activities. Cost and Payment Structure October 2008 Trip Costs IMPORTANT NOTE: Because of the fluctuation of the U.S. dollar with relation to the euro, and because nearly all of our expenses for this trip are incurred in euros, we have given the price for this trip in euros. To see the current conversion rate, click here. Payments may be made either in euros or in U.S. dollars at the current conversion rate on the date of payment. Please let us know if you have any questions. The October Cooking Tour of Italy is 1,995 euro per person by cash or check (payable in euro or USD, see above); please add a 5% service charge for payments by credit card. A deposit of 495 euro is required to reserve your place; an installment of 750 euro is due on April 1, 2008, and the second installment of 750 euro is due September 1, 2008. Deposits are nonrefundable; the remainder of the trip costs are refundable up to three months prior to the trip and nonrefundable thereafter. Guests must read and sign our Terms & Conditions Agreement and complete a Medical Information & Waiver form. Tentative October 2008 Schedule Our schedule is subject to change, but you can expect the final schedule to be reasonably similar. A hearty, fresh continental-style breakfast will be served at the house each morning before our departure for the day's activities. Saturday: The group arrives. We will meet in Perugia (location and time TBA) and carpool to the estate, where we'll settle in, then enjoy welcome drinks, appetizers, and dinner. Sunday: Visit Wine & Olive Oil Museum; sight-seeing; relaxation. This evening will be our first hands-on cooking session at the estate. (These dinner-making sessions are optional; if you prefer to nap or lounge by the pool, by all means do!) Monday: Morning truffle-hunting session. Afternoon relaxing by the pool, then an evening cooking class with Italian cooking instructors utilizing our truffle treasure trove. Tuesday: Morning in Perugia at cheese school, with a tour and class, then visit of cheese shop and lunch at the cheesemaker's restaurant. Afternoon of sightseeing. Dinner and class at the house with Gabriel. Wednesday: Visit a local cashmere factory in the morning, then out to lunch. Cooking session at the house with Gabriel. Thursday: Visit to the great market at Pont di San Giovanni; picnic lunch with market finds. Wine tasting and visit to cantina in Betona. Dinner at a restaurant. Friday: Activities TBD; final farewell meal at our estate. Saturday: Departure by 9am. To Make Your Reservation or Learn More Ready to join us? Or have some questions? Please give us a call at 206.284.8687 or email us.