School is done.

We each were given a certificate of completion. Very wonderful to receive. One of the fellow guests added up the dishes we made in the week. It added up to just shy of 50. Today we leave for the shopping leg of the trip. I found some cool Italian everyday white plates. They say Italy on the back...very important!

It's hot here. I miss home. I also need a break from the visiting part of being in a group :] The dinners always start at 8 and go to midnight so it's definitely not what I''m use to. But I have enjoyed the experience immensely and am so grateful for everything. Buen juerno.

Buffet

Breakfast Buffet served each morning.

Annie working so hard to plate her creation.

Look Ma!  I get to eat Gnocchi too.  Special GF version made with the loving hands of mom.  It was delicious.

I forget the name, but it sure is pretty.

Roast Duck

Can't remember again, maybe the it's the wine. :)

Annie's pork creation that she complete from start to finish by herself.  She's confident she can reproduce it at the lodge so get ready girls!

Last but not least, gnocchi.

More Pictures

Annie kissing her special Sea Bass made with GF flour marked with Ann on top to distinquish it.

Our lovely table setting the other evening.

Mama's favorite, Creme de Limonce.

Free day by the pool, very sunny and hot but oh so fun.

The outlook point at the restaurant.

Another view from the outlook point.

And Italy wins!  Horray!!!

She did it again!

Goat killed the camera's battery again yesterday.  It's hard to believe because she did exactly as she said she would do, sat by the pool most of the day with a good walk thrown in there.  Her downfall came with our evening excursion to Poppi to a restaurant and then to a local bar to watch the World Cup where Italy beat the heavily favored Germans in "football".  What an atmosphere.  There were some happy Italians here last night.

I had my massage and it was fabulous and refreshing, just the thing I needed after all this cooking.  It was mostly undone when the gardner drove us to town in the Land Rover and I stratled two jump seats so we could all fit.  Mamma Mia.

I'll be able to download some pictures when the camera charges up. :)  Tonight is a buffet.  Mom will finally learn to make gnocchi, and I will make pork tenderloin with pancetta, grapes, and walnuts.

Our 4th Day

tThis is Rose posting. We had a special treat for lunch. The owners who come once a month were here. They will also join us for supper. What a delightful couple. Real entrepreneurs. They started Casa Ombuto (where we are) and it went so well that they bought the other place and now have two villas for cooking school. They live in Holland with their children. The husband did all the construction part of it. The wife does the internet site and the "cookbook" printing but I'm bringing a copy of it to Maiden Rock and you will see how it is sooo much more than your standard cookbook. I must go. Supper awaits. Tomorrow is a free day and Ann is having a massage and I am going to lay by the pool all day. :)

Pictures

Paella - Yummy!

Allegri 15 - Cheers!

Our instructor Laura in the middle with classmates making Mojitos.

Arrezo Duomo

Excursion Day

Ann on the balcony of our room.

Second of five courses on Monday.

Ann with her gluten free fochaccia.

Happy Momma!

Laura and Ann discovering the yeast packet that went with the special flour after completing the bread.  Oops.

We've had requests for more pictures.  I'm actually skipping out of part of our evening lesson to post, but I thought pictures were important and I can still hear the lesson.

Excursion Day

We had an unbelievable day today. All 11 of us jumped on a bus and went to a vineyard, a olive oil farm and a goat cheese farm. Each person had such a passion for their respective farm.  The vineyard is owned by a neuro-physcologist who has a 5 acre vineyard that has won in top 10 at international wine contests. He lives in this 16th century home that is original. He bought it 12 years ago and liked how it was all original walls etc. etc. I bought 2 bottles of wine that we will have in Maiden Rock. It's a red wine so Fran I'm sorry. It's the only kind he's passionate about (red wine)!. The olive oil farm has been in the family that owns that since the 18th century. We met a son and then the Momma and Pappa showed us their library that has 16th century manuscripts! I'm bringing two kinds of olive oil and some truffel paste to Maiden Rock. We had a 2 1/2 hour lunch with the olive oil family. Then the goat farm guy treated us to actually seeing the goats being milked. No goat cheese though. What a day. I end with a supper here at the villa and white wine. Tomorrow we cook again. No pictures yet. They're in Ann's camera and she's not here as I type. A trip of a lifetime with Annie Michelle. Love to you all.

First Day of Cooking Lessons

 Let's say Goat and I were extremely happy to find that the recipe we were set to task on included Moscoto.  Yum, Yum.  It was Italian Day and we made ravioli from scratch along with a fantastic dessert yáll will be treated to in Wisconsin.

  

This is heaven. Having a blast.

Count down to Tuscany

Annie's got her Tuscany dress all ready. We leave Thursday!! I have a dress but Noods and I have had two glasses of wine so I'm a little wabbly.

count down

60 days to go and our boots hit the trails!

Greetings from Illinois

Team DD got their tickets today for the Camino. The training has begun.

Team DD (Dynamic Duo)

The preparation begins for Liz and Rose to try to do the whole Camino.  Next weekend we're meeting up with Fran to go over the special notes she took for us while on her walk. We've both started training. The plane tickets haven't been purchased but that's the next step. Tentatively we plan to do it in Septemberish. Soooo exciting.