T R ULY
T RU FF L E S!
!!
LeMarche is one of Italy's prime truffle
regions, including the celebrated autumn
white truffles. We are joining the
celebrations of the 50th Acqualagna Truffle
festival to sniff, taste and marvel our way
around this picturesque mountain village as
it transforms itself into the heaving epicentre for all things truffle! We will join a
man and his dog for a dawn truffle hunt,
enjoy front row seats in the cooking theatre
and sample hand made Pasatelli with
truffles, cooked over open fire in the town
square. !We then move a few miles up the road to
nearby Urbino, a world heritage site with a
stunning Ducal Palace, cobbled streets,
mountain views, Renaissance painter
Rafaello's house and superb restaurants
dedicated to Truffle tasting menus. From
the excitement and crowds at Acqualagna's
classic Truffle Festival to the refined
Renaissance tranquility of Urbino, this trip
aims to revive tastebuds and restore inner
equilibrium.!
TRIP ITINERARY
Friday 30th October!
From Ancona airport we have approximately 45 minutes
transfer to tiny Acqualagna and the 50th anniversary of
its truffle festival. The drive up into the lower mountains
with their hill top villages and autumn coloured foliage
is delightful."
We check into wood panelled country inn Antico Furlo
where we will enjoy our first Truffle tasting menu and
retire to bed ready for a dawn outing with a local man
and his trusted dog. "
Saturday 31st October "
After what we hope will be a successful early morning's
truffle hunt, we will be dropped off in the town square
where the truffle trade, tasting marquee and al fresco
cooking will be gearing up for the day ahead. The
tiny square with the church at one end and main café
at the other, becomes an almost frenetic melting pot of
food stalls and truffle vendors - with the unmistakable
scent of fresh truffles infusing the entire town."
We will enjoy this lively scene as well as the main tasting
marquee full of local food purveyors offering samples of
delicious cheese, charcuterie, olives, hand made
chocolates, organic flours and more. "
Taking our lead from the locals, lunch will be a plate of
freshly made Pasatelli with lashings of truffles, butter
and Parmesan and a glass of local wine. Walk off lunch
and let your nose lead you to the best black or white
truffles for sale from one of the many vendors and pick
your size - from a modest €10/12 up to stratospheric
costs..."
We are booked in to the Salone del Gusto for an
afternoon of live on-stage cookery demonstration and
wine tastings. The fact that this is all in Italian matters
very little - you will watch and taste amazing food and
wine."
Late afternoon our driver will pick us up - bringing our
luggage - for a short drive to stunning Urbino - a well
preserved hill-top Renaissance town, university seat and
world heritage site."
We check in to the magnificent former convent Albergo
San Domenico, opposite the Ducal palace and will have
time for a couple of hours' rest before our evening meal."
Stepping out onto the magnificent and beautifully lit
Piazza in front of the Palace, smelling wood fire and
truffles, makes for a wonderful first impression of
Urbino. We will stroll down the hill to join the bustling
Friday night "Passegiata" centred around the delightful
Piazza della Republica and will nip in to one the bars for
a glass of Prosecco. Relaxed Enoteca and Deli Tartufo
Antiche Bonta is around the corner and awaits us with
its seasonal truffle tasting menu and excellent selection
of regional wines."
Sunday 1st November "
After breakfast we simply step out onto he palace square
and cross to the Ducal Palace - also the National Gallery
of Le Marche - and the Duomo. The palace is one of the
great Italian buildings of the 15th century. Built by the
town’s great patron, Duke Frederico of Montefeltro, the
rooms include a first-class collection of works by Raphael,
Piero della Francesca, Titian and Barocci. There is also the
Duke’s tiny studiolo lined with amazing trompe-l’oeil
intarsia (inlaid wood) depicting books, music instruments
and animals. It is one of only two such rooms to survive
from the Italian Renaissance."
The Duomo, next door to the palace, is a 16th-century
church substantially rebuilt after an earthquake in 1789. It
is home to three world class Barocci paintings: a couple of
early works, and a great Last Supper next to the high altar.
Barocci is one of two famous sons of Urbino, the other
being Raphael, or Rafaello. We will have a light lunch at
the palace café and then walk down to Raphael’s house
where he spent his early years. His father, Giovanni Santi,
was a court painter to the Duke and set up his studio here
in this smart 15th-century house on one of the town’s main
streets. "
Raphael was born here in 1483 and trained at home at
least until the age of 11, when his father died. There is a
small mural attributed to the boy painter in one room, but
the house is chiefly interesting as an atmospheric 15thcentury home/workshop which looks as if its inhabitants
only just left the room. The rest of the afternoon is yours
to stroll around the lovely and compact town centre. If
the weather is warm, we recommend enjoying the
afternoon sunshine in the lovely walled Botanical Garden
which is 200 years old and maintained by the university. "
Our final dinner together will be at the excellent Antica
Osteria de la Stella where we will enjoy more intoxicating
truffles as part of a 4-course menu."
!
Monday 2nd November"
The morning is yours to explore before our transfer to
Ancona airport."
*** Our culinary trips are all-inclusive with no need to
spend any money at all while with us. However, flights
are not included and our transfer service assumes
Ryanair flights from Stansted. Trips are all subject to a
minimum number of bookings in order to run. We
advise guests not to book their flights until final
confirmation has been received 6 weeks prior to the
start date. As stated in our terms and conditions, we
cannot refund payments in respect of travel in the
event of cancellation. Therefore, early booking of your
flights is entirely at your own risk.
!
!
O THER TOUR S RUNN IN G I N 2 015: "
!
Secret Italy Slow Food
Friday 8th - Monday 11th May"
!
Villa il Boschetto - Culinary Week in Le Marche"
Friday 22nd-Thursday 28th May!
!
Stockholm Heritage Food Adventure Friday 2nd-Monday 5th October
!
CAMBRI D G E COOKE RY SC HOOL Unit 9D, Homerton Business Centre,
Harrison Drive
Cambridge CB2 8QP
01223 247620 | www.cambridgecookeryschool.com
@ccookeryschool |
[email protected]
TA K E A T O U R
WITH US IN 2015
Prices and Dates
£775 per person Friday 30th October - Monday 2nd November