Travel to Italy to Cook Like a Tuscan

This blog is a guest post from Peggi Clauhs, tour director for Cook Like a Tuscan. Peggi operated a cooking school in Bucks County, PA called the Cooking Cottage for 25 years. During that time, she offered annual culinary tours to the world’s best food enthusiast destinations. Peggi and Viktorija Todorovska, former sommelier at The Chopping Block, team up to lead this annual culinary tour in Tuscany on behalf of The Chopping Block and Onward Travel. Peggi loves to return to Tuscany again and again to discover its treasure and enjoy the fresh, ingredient-driven local cuisine.

A few spots are still available in both tours this October, but they are going fast!  

Viktorija, Dario and Peggi in Tuscany for Cook Like a Tuscan 2021

From Peggi ~ 

I love the bucolic Chianti region of Italy in autumn. The Antica Macelleria Cecchini, also know as Dario’s Famous Butcher Shop, is located in the picturesque village of Panzano, just a short stroll from our beautiful stone villa. Dario’s practice of preparing simply delicious cuisine using the best of ingredients, is well loved by foodies around the world. 

I’d like to share a simple but favorite recipe from Dario. 

Tuscan Beans

3 cups dried white beans

9 cups water

3 cups olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Soak dried white beans overnight.
2. Cover the beans with 2 parts water and 1 part olive oil. Add a handful of fresh sage, 1 whole peeled garlic bulb and salt.
3. Simmer for 2 hours.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This recipe makes a nice big batch, but you can adjust the recipe ratio for any quantity you like. It's a wonderful accompaniment to any meat dish! 

In addition to enjoying the white beans, we also roll up our sleeves and prepare some iconic Tuscan beef dishes with Dario’s team. Here is a look at the fun we have at his shop during Cook Like a Tuscan.

Here is Viktorija preparing “Chianti sushi” aka beef tartare:

We visit the cows that graze on the nearby hillside from the butcher shop. If you look closely, you can see the stone villa that is our home base perched above the vineyards.

Preparing Brasato al Midollo ~ marrow-braised beef shank:

Mise en place for a beautiful roast Dario prepared with dried local herbs… Profumo del Chianti:

 We have a few spots left if you’d like to join Peggi and Viktorija in Tuscany this October for this incredible culinary adventure of Cook Like a Tuscan. We are offering two tours this fall:

• October 15—22, 2022 (4 spots left)
• October 22—29, 2022 (6 spots left)