You enjoy the Italian food, but would like to go further deep and discover the ingredients which make our food culture one of the best in the world? You would like to practice some famous recipes? Barbara, our chef, is a certified sommelier, owner of a previous school La Pentola delle Meraviglie, with a sound background in restaurants and professional teaching. Hands On Italian Cooking Program Your class will begin with the learning how to select the freshest and best products and how to spot a fake! Italian cooking uses a very large variety of fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood. You will learn how to prepare an appetizer, a first course pasta or rice dish, a main course and a yummy dessert to finish. The chef will tell you how to use sustainable ingredients for your own good as well as the environment’s. Our chef will meet you and walk together to the food market (either S. Lorenzo or S. Ambrogio). Strolling through the market's alleys you will stop at the famous “Trippa” stand, where you will discover this very famous Florentine “comfort food”, or taste it if you really feel adventurous! Our chef will explain you what we do with the giblets and interiors of the animals, explore all the seasonal ingredients, from tomatoes, to porcini mushrooms, to truffle and peppers. Once the visit of the market is finished you will start an hands-on cooking section of about 3 hours, preparing a complete meal: one pasta dish, one meat dish (or fish on request) with a side dish and a dessert. With the expert guide of our chef, you will be involved in creating your own dishes, improve your culinary skills with pleasure and fun. When ready you'll will sit comfortably at the table and taste what you have prepared. Matching wines will be served. CHOOSE THE LOCATION OF YOUR COOKING LESSON: A "COUNTRY HOUSE" ON THE HILLS OF FLORENCE or A NEW COOKING SCHOOL IN TOWN. COOKING CLASS IN THE CHEF "COUNTRY HOME": You will enjoy a “country” experience, reaching Barbara's lovely country home, “Le Mortinete”, a wonderful house built in the 16th century, located at the beginning of the Chianti area. It is a rare opportunity to be just a few minutes from the center of Florence, but in the heart of the Tuscan countryside!The house has a very well-equipped kitchen where you will have your hands-on lesson, preparing a complete meal: one starter, one pasta dish, one meat dish (or fish on request) with side dish and dessert. In the garden of her house, surrounded by olive trees and roses, weather permitting, you will enjoy your lunch. Barbara will take you from the market to her home by car (her car holds up to 4 people besides herself), and she will call a taxi for you, to take you back to Florence after the class (a taxi ride is about € 20/€ 35).Included: the market visit, all ingredients, the transfer to the cooking school at Barbara's country house on the hills of Florence, the class, the wines and the printed material. Not included: the transfer back to the center of the city. COOKING EXPERIENCE IN THE CITY CENTER: Our chef will walk you from the market to the school, a few minutes walk through the old streets of Florence. You will experience the newly equipped kitchen where you will have your hands-on lesson, preparing a complete meal: one starter, one pasta dish, one meat dish (or fish on request) with side dish and dessert. At the end of your lesson, being in town, you may decide to go home on foot, or Barbara may call a taxi for you, to go back.Included: the market visit, all ingredients, the class, the wines and the printed material. Payment conditions: payment can be done by Paypal, as you confirm we will send you the Paypal details; or by wire transfer to the bank.