In Italy food is more than just sustenance, it is art, tradition and community rolled into one; specialized butcher and bakery shops where the proprietors have served the same clients for years and where they know the providence of each cut they sell; weekly community markets where local farmers sell their produce, and dish gossip, with their friends; 0km restaurants who believe in sourcing locally grown vegetables and meats, hand-making their pasta and working with fresh, not frozen, ingredients. These things combine to create a culture of food that not only tastes better but also reminds us to slow down and enjoy our meals instead of rushing through them.
Over the past ten years of La Dolce Vita our meals, culinary lessons and activities have been undisputed guest favourites. We are pleased to continue that tradition in 2024. Won’t you join us as we delve deeper into the food culture of Italy?
At La Dolce Vita we look forward to introducing you to dishes that are served in family homes throughout Tuscany, with a bit of Piedmonte (Northern Italy) influence thrown in as well! While we will, of course, enjoy pasta, you will also be served soups typical of the region, seasonal vegetables, and the pork that this region of Italy is known for. All of our meals will be simple yet immensely flavourful, and we know that they will be a highlight of your time at La Dolce Vita.
We are delighted to have our on-site hostess Orsa helming the kitchen and preparing our meals during our week together. With a Doctorate in Anthropology and History of Food, Orsa believes without a doubt that the best way to know a culture, a country and its people is through its food. She encourages her guests to branch out and taste various dishes while in Itlay (not just pizza!) to discover the country’s many flavours.
With a few exceptions, most of the meals included in the retreat tuition will be eaten at our host estate. And most of these will be eaten, family style, in a large communal dining room. Or, on sunny days, we often dine al fresco on the veranda.
Breakfast will include your choice of Homemade cake, yogurt and granola, fruit salad, toast, cold cuts, eggs, and cheese. To drink, attendees will be able to choose from an assortment of coffees (espresso, cappuccino or Americano) teas, or fruit juice.
As for the beverages available with our other meals, water will be provided with each lunch, and with dinner we will routinely serve water, regular coffee and tea. There will be a few occasions where wine is provided with the dinners. You are welcome to purchase wine when it is not provided, or bring your own to the retreat. Further details will be provided in the private Facebook group, prior to the retreat.
In each apartment you will find a kitchen or kitchenette with a cook top and fridge which you will find stocked with water and enough soda to get you through the first few days. As we journey through Tuscany you are welcome to purchase more soda, or other food items and bring them back to your apartment to prepare and eat at your leisure.
If you have any food allergies, or dietary restrictions, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can confirm that the kitchen will be able to safely accommodate your needs.
There are two lunches and one dinner which are not included in the retreat tuition.
For the lunches: They are during days when we will be away from the estate at meal time. The first missed lunch is on the day we visit the antique market and the other is during our visit to Siena. In both cities, you will have plenty of options for your meals. You will find that you can eat on the cheap, with a €5 pizza, or go all out with a €65 four course lunch. The choice is up to you.
For the dinner: This dinner is on a day when we will have had a late, large lunch. There will be snacks available in the evening, in lieu of a dinner.
A day that will delight both eye and stomach, we will enjoy a culinary lesson at a 14th century villa and wine producing farm, tucked into the hills surrounding Siena. The villa, its gardens and 18th-century decorations have been carefully renovated and restored. After a tour of the property and its rooms, many which are museum quality, we will embark upon our group cooking lesson. Once the meal is ready, we will sit down together to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
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#146 5954 - 200 St.
Langley, BC V3A 1N3
(604) 723-4528
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