Panzano: Rustic Italian Cooking - Girls Night In

A culinary fantasy come true...  My mother, sister and I took a cooking class at the Tuscan cottage where we stayed (see my previous post for pics).  Our chef was the very sweet Stefania who often partnered with our B&B proprietor Giulietta on catering events.  I had a mission of learning how to make fresh pasta in Italy.  My sister, already a well-trained amateur chef was just happy to eat.  My mother had a goal of making a scrumptious local dessert. 

The menu was a medley of local vegetables,  pork roulade cooked in milk, spinach and ricotta ravioli with butter sage sauce and a Tuscan apple cake.

The herbs were picked outside on the grounds.  The olive oil used was pressed from the proprietor’s own olives.  The lemon used in the cake was still warm from the sun…Gorgeous, no?

Kneading the pasta was quite the workout, but I realized that with Italian food, it’s pretty simple once you know what you’re doing.

Since returning home, I have made ravioli several times and the apple cake twice.

Cooking lessons and B&B: http://www.fagiolari.it/

Panzano: Celebrity Butcher, Dario Cecchini

What is a celebrity butcher? I watched an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations on my ipod during the bus ride from Florence. His sarcastic description of Tuscany's treasures featured Dario Cecchini. Jack Nicholson proclaimed the best hamburger he has ever eaten was consumed here. Mario Batali counts Dario as a mentor.
He was described as an expert of traditional Italian cuisine, classic butchering techniques and a performer of Dante. The chefs of my B&B spoke mostly of his passion for food.
Upon visiting his shop in Panzano, we were welcomed with open arms and immediately offered a glass of house wine.

The best way to taste the results of his culinary passion is to visit his restaurants. There is a steakhouse and Antica Macelleria Cecchini. For 30E at Antica, one joins a tightly-seated communal table to taste dish upon dish of the freshest meats and vegetables you could hope for. This endless feast is accompanied by wine, ends with olive oil cake and then the party continues across the street at the shop for some grappa. A wonderful value, the servers and guests make the night with their enthusiasm and sense of humor.
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Panzano: Bespoke Shoes and Indie Fashion

One wouldn't think a small town like Panzano could be a shopping destination... Yes, it has made a name for itself as a pretty Tuscan village and for its celebrity butcher.

My mother treated herself to her most elaborate purchase, a pair of bespoke shoes. The Verso x Verso boutique offers classic and fashionable shoes in everything from suede, crocodile, lambskin to stingray. The handmade footwear has traditional colors, or can have super-bright colors to your wildest fashion whims. The prices, for a custom shoe, were quite reasonable, starting at round $350 (I recently interviewed Hungarian designer Ildiko Gal whose custom shoes ranged from $3000-$7000).

Also sharing the boutique space was Karina Wollinsky. She is a former economics professional who is now following her dream of fashion. Her sculpted pieces had beautiful workmanship and seaming.

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Panzano: Tuscan Agro-Paradise at Fagiolari

Eco-sensitive agro-tourism bed and breakfast. As you can see, the views are gorgeous, the pool was a life-saver in the Tuscan heat. Owner Giulietta has scores of olive trees which are pressed to make the house olive oil. She makes her wine from her vineyard. The herbs and lemons on the property were used in a cooking class we took later.
http://www.fagiolari.it/