Tuscan cookery

An hour south of Florence, concealed amongst the warm, golden hills of Tuscany, lies the village of Montefollonico. Infused with centuries-old traditions of heavenly, natural, local cuisine, not to mention the Montalcino and Montepulciano vineyards, it is the perfect setting for a culinary epiphany.

It is here that the local women, the real 'experts', provide an education for the mere mortals of the cookery world. They share their family recipes, secret techniques and unbearably gorgeous ingredients, so you will leave with the enviable skills of gnocchi and tagliatelle-making, wine-tasting and many more. The tangy, local Pecorino, aromatic tomatoes and delicious wines are not easily forgotten, and neither are the tutors, who will often set an example by inviting you for dinner at their own houses, or showing you how to choose the best market fare.