Hi:

I am looking for a cooking lesson or class for 8 women to take for 1/2 a day in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

Does anyone know of a great home style place where we can have fun learning how to cook Italian?

We are all staying just south of Bologna, outside Vergato.

Thank you for you assistance!

karen

Hi Karen,

ColleenK wrote about A Delectable Gourmet Walking Tour of Bologna and I think the company she mentions also does cooking classes - might be worth a look.

Parma and Bologna are known for their cooking. Heres a Parma class if wound by googling "cooking class parma".

Here's a link on the Slow Travel site to some cooking classes Cook Italy

A friend just returned from a week-long cooking course at an agriturismo in Emilia-Romagna. I don't know if they offer 1/2 day classes, but will ask her to post if they do. She was *very* happy with the teacher and the recipes they learned!

Hi..I am the person that Colleen mentioned above. I have attached the Agritourismo where we went. We stayed a week and had lessons 10-1 each day. Great place. It is a restaurant kitchen, but very friendly and wonderful!
http://www.agricolalarazza.it/

years ago I took groups to one of the first Agriturismi in Italy, Villa Gaidello

Does a cooking class lunch, the lunch is huge!
The owner is a lovely lady!

I bet Cyndi would know someone; she lives in Emilia Romagna.

Thank you all for your advise!

I am researching options now and will let you know what I find.

villa Gaidello doesn't seem do cooking lessons anymore, for people who aren't staying there...from what I hear from them.

Also, looking for events, festivals, antique markets in emilia-romagna. would appreciate guidance here as well.

Thank you so much again!

karen

There are all kinds of cooking classes offered in and around Bologna. Just a quick search turned up these:

http://www.bolognacucina.it/

http://www.cookitaly.com/

http://www.bolognacookingschool.com/

I can't say if they are good or bad, as I haven't used any of them, but it is a good place to start.

I am also thinking that it would easy to set something up at an agriturismo near where you are staying (though it MIGHT be hard to find someone to do it English).

Could you refresh my memory with the dates that you will be in ER?

Cyn

hi cyn:

Thank you for your assistance.

We will be in emilia-romagna from September 3-16, 2008. We will be in a farmhouse near Vergato.

Do you know of any cooking classes in this area?

also, do you know of any events/festivals =in this area during this time?

And one more questions..... do you of any antique markets in this area?

thank you so much!

I look forward to meeting you in september!

Kind regards,

Karen

I suggest that you check out ParmaGolosa.it They arranged for wonderful tours for us at extremely reasonable prices. Thye may have cooking lessons available. Barilla offers lessons in Parma.

did you ask your rental service if they have someone that does cooking lessons?

I am sure that there will be SOME kind of festival going on around Vergato while you are there, as it seems there is ALWAYS a festival going on in Italy (our town festival is the week during Sept. 8).

To find out just what is going on in your area, I would check out the Emilia Romagna tourism event page:

http://www.emiliaromagnaturismo.it/english/events/ricerca_en.asp

Just type in the dates and region and it will come up with a list of what is going on.

Cyn

I don't know anything personally about these folks (they post on another Italian message board), but it might be worth checking it out. [URL=Taste of Italy]http://www.taste-of-italy.com/[/URL] ---Marlene