“CucinArte” is dedicated not only to the visual arts, but to the discovery of one of our most precious treasures, the Art of Cooking” in Val d’ Elsa – not in the “palazzi,” but on the farms cultivated with passion and dedication by their artisan “contadini” (farmers). Today, the picturesque “contadino” is still an artist of the land and protector of a continued tradition of the cuisine of Val d’ Elsa that - for centuries - has preserved dishes brimming with scents and flavors that seem lost in today’s world of fast food and bad eating habits.

            “CucinArte” reveals a culinary heritage preserved in the “museum of Val d’ Elsa” – its Medieval villages and castles, Renaissance villas and our grandmother’s kitchens. On this tour, we shall relive the rhythm of nature and of the seasons as we participate in the harvest of the grape (“la vendemmia”) and in the bottling of the wine, picking of olives, hunting for white truffles, picking fragrant saffron and making bread from flours derived from ancient grains. We shall taste excellent wines in Medieval castles, savor fragrant olive oil on ancient estates, and visit typical “aziende agricole” (working farms) to enjoy local produce whose aromas and flavors are something to savored and cherished.

            The quoted price for the “CUCINARTE” tour includes associated costs of Cooking Courses, White Truffle Hunt, Estate visits for wine and olive oil tastings, and an English-speaking sommelier or food expert.