Truffle hunting

October 16-24/2010

A tour available every two years to attend the SALONE DEL GUSTO – Slow Food
International convention in Turin, Italy. A worldwide collaborative of farmers, chefs, and culinary craftspeople meet every two years in late October to work toward the preservation of the essence of what we eat, where it comes from and how it is made. Here tour participants would be able to shake the hands of the farmer from Parma who raises the pigs that become the very special Parma hams, and the cheese maker who milks the cows and makes the real Parmesan cheese. The Slow Food philosophy embraces the need to preserve the integrity of food’s origin, its taste, and its honored preparation, founded upon the cultures and traditions of small, independent artisans who take great pride in the methods, manners and incredible products of their livelihood.
The goal is to build a sense of relationship, loyalty and community as food is eaten, from the moment of a seed’s planting or the birth of an animal, through its conversion as food to the point where it enters the mouth and the inspired taste of the consumer.
Our group will be strictky limited to 14 people.
We are now taking pre-booking reservations, since this event receives worldwide attention, and hotels will be in high demand.

Day 1 Saturday – Arrival day
Arrival at Milano Malpensa airport. Transfer by private coach to Hotel
Villa San Carlo in Cortemilia, a well-known wine town near Turin. Welcome
drink and a brief look at Carlo’s wine cellar. Gourmet dinner with a Grand Tasting Menu paired with 4 wines. Caffé, after-dinner drink and “buona notte.”

Day 2 Sunday – Relaxing day/Truffle hunting
Colazione alla Piemontese. Breakfast Piedmont style before a truffle hunting outing with a famous local “trifulao,” (truffle hunter). Light lunch to savor the truffles found, dessert and a properly-paired wine, before heading out on the Strada delle Nocciole (Hazelnut Road). Visit the quaint village of Bergolo and the medieval, well kept, castle of Prunetto with a visit accompanied by an English-speaking guide. Return to Cortemilia in the afternoon for a wine tasting class with Carlo. This class is designed to teach tasting techniques and the aging and refining process. Dinner and buona notte!

Day 3 Monday – Wine tasting tour/Barbaresco
After breakfast our first cooking class.
• This class is designed to teach some tips and prepare some Piedmontese recipes. Lunch will follow the class.I the afternoon we will take a private tour with an English-speaking guide of the Barbaresco district, an area with its own DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin) that produces some excellent red wines with a 95% base of Nebbiolo grapes. Visit of a Ca Romé winery, famous for its wines production and tasting of some of their wines. The winery owner will guide our tasting. Return to Cartemilia in the evening for a dinner paired with 2 wines, coffee, after-dinner drink and.. “buona notte.”

Day 4 Tuesday – Acqui Terme/Wine and Spa
After breakfast and another cooking sessions with Carlo short bus ride to Acqui Terme famous spa town for its hot mineral rich waters. There will be time to try some (no spa service is included in the price) of their treatments, you can choose between a “Chocolate beauty day” (please, call us for details) or “Cleopatra beauty day” or a “Mud bath and massage” or a “Stone massage.” The choice is totally up to you. Time for strolling along its streets with excellent shopping opportunities or visit the very interesting medieval area. Going to & returning from Acqui Terme we will drive along the panoramic cheese road we will make a stop to visit Ca Bianca well-known maker of Roccaverano cheese and and excellent Moscato wine. Tasting and return to Cortemilia for dinner. Buona notte!!

Day 5 Wednesday – Torino – city of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games
Morning ride to Turin, home of the Winter Olympic Games in 2006. Turin is a very elegant and sophisticated town, Italy’s former capital city, and before that, the seat of its Royal Family. The city has preserved intact its elegant “palazzos” and other attractions from that era. Beautiful shops and miles of “portici” (arcades) make Turin an ideal place for shopping and outdoor meetings before lunch or dinner. Its “Gianduiotto” a tender soft paste made of first quality cocoa and hazelnuts (another local product) are not to be missed. Walking guided tour with an English-speaking guide and free time in the afternoon for personal activities. Return to Hotel Villa San Carlo for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 Thursday – Salone del Gusto Opening Day
Transfer to Torino exposition area for the Salone del Gusto opening day. Full-day at the convention. Return to Villa San Carlo for dinner and overnight.

Day 7 Friday – Salone del Gusto
Transfer to Torino exposition area for the Salone del Gusto. Full-day
at the convention. Return to Villa San Carlo for dinner and overnight.

Day 8 Saturday – Truffle Market in Alba
After breakfast departure for Alba to enjoy its weekly outdoor market that includes its fascinating truffle market. This unique and interesting happening is well worth the trip. Free time for lunch. Afternoon visit of the Grinzane Cavour castle that houses the Enoteca Regionale del Piemonte, the largest wine and Grappa library in Northern Italy. We will also visit a Torrone artisan laboratory. Return to Cortemilia in the evening for the Gala Farewell dinner, as always, paired with 4 wines. Buona notte!!

Day 9 Sunday – Departure
Early transfer to Milano Malpensa airport for departure.*

PACKAGE INCLUDES:
• 8 nights accommodations based on double occupancy
• Breakfast daily
• Dinner daily with paired wines
• Wine tasting as indicated in the itinerary
• 2 cooking class
• 1 Wine tasting class
• Truffle hunting
• Wine taster diploma
• Transportation as per itinerary
• Airport transfers at pre-arranged time* Please, talk to Gabriele before you make your air arrangements.

PACKAGE PRICE: €2565, per person, based on double occupancy. Single room €2695.

NOT INCLUDED: Items of a personal nature, gratuity of any kind, wine with meals; optional tours, meals not specified in itinerary.