GOALS:
The goal of this Agricultural and Gastronomic Discovery Tour of Italy is for participants to learn about time-honored traditions of farming, food production and marketing while gaining a greater appreciation for the local food systems in Italy.
WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?
The tour is proposed to farmers, entrepreneurs, chefs and anybody that has in interested in local, traditional food system or industry (but all are welcome). This discovery tour of Italy will promise a very full itinerary with plenty of exercise. The tour is to be meant as an “traveling workshop”. We will provide technical descriptions of the businesses prior to our visits, while the operational details of the farms will be explained during the visits. Particular focus will be on the marketing strategies that the farms use, from wholesale or direct sales of products to running restaurants on the farm – all marketing aspects will be explored.
THIRTEEN FARM/SPECIALTY FOOD VISITS:
»DAIRY FARMS: We will visit six farms (including cattle, sheep and buffalo) that engage in dairy processing; from bottling milk, to making other dairy products or processing it into cheese.
»CHEESE MAKERS: We will visit three small to medium-sized cheesemakers, that process milk from a multitude of species into traditional and niche cheeses.
»BEEF (CATTLE) FARMS: with special emphasis on those raising heritage breeds, like Chianina (accredited as the largest cattle breed in the world) and Maremmana, which is especially suited for outdoor raising in harsh conditions.
»PIG FARM: We will visit a pasture- based hog farm that raises the heritage breed ‘Cinta Senese’, which is well known for its charcuterie quality.
»DISTILLERY: The tour also includes a visit to a distillery that makes grappa, a brandy distilled from the fermented residue of grapes after they have been pressed in winemaking.
»FRESH PASTA: We will visit a shop that makes fresh pasta daily using recipes handed down for generations.
MEALS:
Meals will highlight time-honored Italian traditions, using only the freshest ingredients, at farms and restaurants that value the “farm to fork” approach. Great care has been taken to search out family-owned, family-run restaurants, that put emphasis on traditional dishes with a focus on meat and seafood dishes. All communal meals will be fixed menu and served family style.
LODGING:
Participants will have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of traditional lodging styles. From on-farm stays at some of the farms we visit to bed and breakfasts to hotels – all value traditional Italian hospitality and are quite comfortable.
EXTRAS:
Throughout this discovery of Italy, great care has been taken to build in time to visit some true historical gems. From an Etruscan necropolis to the resort town of Amalfi to the lush wine region of Montepulciano to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pienza. A trip to Italy would not be complete without taking in some of the ancient historical sites the Tuscan region has to offer.