Art in the Kitchen- Cooking Lessons in Tuscany

Art in the Kitchen- Cooking Lessons in Tuscany

Food that looks good always tastes better!

We packed a lot into our Artfully Tasteful Tour of Tuscany.  The tour was about seeing the region, painting, cooking, relaxing with guitars in the evening, and of course, EATING!  Food is a huge part of the Italian culture.  Love of food and cooking is what drew many of us to take part in this tour.  We have been thrilled with what we've been eating and drinking here at San Fedele all week. We've also enjoyed what we were able to help prepare in the kitchen.  

Our chef at San Fedele, Andreá Anichini is excellent.  In addition, he is also a sommelier, but for me, what's really special about him is his great sense of humor.  Bottom line: Andreá is a lot of fun.  Sometimes, you might assume that if someone is an artisan in the food and wine world, they might also be a snob.  No food snobs here!

A self described, " Man from Chianti", Andreá loves to laugh and tease.  Butter is rare in his recipes. He usually cooks with wine, and frequently he puts it in the food!

We took a little break from touring and painting and spent some time cooking with Andrea a couple of times during our stay.  Enjoy these photos of some of us in action. 

Jim Ward mans the stovetop.

Ginny Ward gets some input from Andrea

Rebecca gets some direction on where to jump in from Ken

Many hands make light work

Martha Sue Henley Sledge and Becky Conwell in the kitchen making eggplant tartlets which tasted amazing!

Paul Zdybel scored the best job in the kitchen- licking the chocolate covered spoon!

Joan Chartier observes with a little of the obligatory vino di casa.

We knew we could take classes while at San Fedele, but it was such a pleasant surprise when we were informally welcome to drop into the kitchen with Andreá at any time.  One of our group was such a frequent visitor to the kitchens that we teased him about being the sous chef!  

Andreá Anichini and his sous chef for the week- Ken Chartier

By the end of the week, it was determined that Ken deserved his own hat!  Note the "Black Rooster"- the symbol of Chianti

A Typical Anti-Pasti or first course.  These olives were to die for!

A Pasta with meat sauce- Yummm!

English soup- tastes like Tiramisu

Next year's trip is scheduled for the first week of October 2015.  Contact me if you might be interested in experiencing Tuscany like this. =)

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons in all media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share any of this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

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Tuscany! Join me for an Artfully Tasteful Tour of Tuscany 9-27 to 10-4-14

Sign up for this exciting trip by following this link! (Numbers are limited so sign up early)
https://www.ilchiostro.com/index.php?action=workshop-details&item=257

Let's slow down and savor life the way they do in Tuscany...

Sometimes we need to distance ourselves from real life in order to gain perspective. After my fourth trip to this region, I have come to the realization that I love the Tuscan lifestyle!  I love focusing on the meal at the end of the day, with an appreciation of the fresh food and great wines that this region has to offer.  

I have a dream...

I am hosting a trip back to Tuscany combining all the things I love: Travel, Great Food, Cooking, Wine, Art, Teaching, Friends, Music…it's a dream fulfilled! 

Let's share the peace and tranquility created by the beautiful scenery.  

Let's share the experience of making art in beautiful settings. Personal and intimate connections occur with locations and people when you take the time to paint or sketch them while traveling.  

Let's learn more about how to cook "Tuscan style"...
and have a good time doing it!  

Then let's relax and enjoy delicious food and great wines! 
With home-prepared breakfasts, and dinners prepared by our excellent chef: 5 course gourmet meals and wine included in your price.  

In the process I hope we can cement new friendships and make some great memories.

Prerequisites if you would like to join us:

1. A positive attitude and a capacity for laughter
2. Willingness to dwell on beautiful things and/or indulge others as they dwell on them
   
3. A taste for farm-to-table organic foods and wines,  
   
4. Willingness to explore incredibly beautiful and wonderfully medievel Tuscan towns.  
   
5. Interest in learning about art, and/or making art through drawing, painting, photography, and/or writing.  
   
   If you aren't an artist, then you can either indulge us when we talk about these things or do your own thing...take a walk, swim in the olympic size pool, grab a nap, read a book, write your novel, make notes in your journal, or take advantage of #6...
6. Have an interest in Optional opportunities to cook with my favorite Tuscan chef, Andrea Anichini?  If you are part of this trip, then you can enjoy some cooking lessons..how fun will it be to learn a few of Andrea's Tuscan Tricks of the Trade?! And yes...he is just as  FUNNY AS CHARMING AS THIS PHOTO IMPLIES! (He is also a sommelier!)

   

   Our Chef -Andrea Anichini

7. Interest in Optional tours of local Tuscan wineries, viewing local art history sites and/or historical sites.  (These might be alternatives for artists and non-artists alike). 
   
   
   
   Act now and hold your spot on this great trip!  A deposit of $500 will hold your spot in this very LIMITED GROUP. This deposit may be made by following the link below.  I will cap the number to keep it manageable and friendly.  

In case you have health concerns, my husband Paul is a physician and is ready to lend medical assistance to our group members.  I always ask him to bring along antibiotics...just in case. 

The dates for this trip are set for Sept. 27-Oct. 4, 2014. I have developed an itinerary with Il Chiostro, who will be handling all the registration. The complete description of the tour is found on their website which you may review via this link.

https://www.ilchiostro.com/index.php?action=workshop-details&item=257

I’d love to hear from you and possibly have you join me for what is sure to be a memorable time in Tuscany Sept. 27-Oct. 4, 2014. If you'd care to come early and/or stay longer, feel free to use this trip as a jumping off point for further travels in Europe...

Comment here or contact me via email. Andiamo!  (let’s go!)

Bubble Boys- Castellina, Italy

San Fedele Awaits- Watercolor by Rebecca Zdybel

Rebecca Zdybel
Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor
Art Lessons in all media
Myrtle Beach, SC
rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

"Like" my facebook page: Rebecca Zdybel- Artist
Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+ Profile

Photos of My Art Trip to Greece: Lesbos, Chios, Athens

What Inspires You??

Beautiful Light?

Landscapes?

Sunsets?

Perhaps something unusual makes you pause...

Yes, those really are octopi hanging on the line!

Maybe you find beauty in wildlife...

Maybe color inspires you...

I loved the lavender shutters in the house shown above

The beautiful bougainvillea against the magenta shutters was inspirational for me...

Perhaps you like shapes, and Abstract forms...

Maybe you love things with character and texture...

Whatever inspires you visually, you'll find plenty here in Greece! There's nothing better than traveling as an artist!  If you'd like to try it, think about joining me next year in Tuscany for a painting and cooking trip...Sept 27-Oct 4 2014!

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons in all media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

Artfully Tasteful Tour of Tuscany Fall 2014- Italian Encore!

What to do when you leave a little of your soul back in Tuscany?  

Join Me for An Italian Encore!!  

Our souls are not capable of moving quite as fast as we can move in the modern world...our souls move more slowly...  

It seems that in our American culture we are rushing around, productive in every moment, multitasking our way through the day and in the process we have lost a little of that poetic sense of the romance in daily living.  What if our souls can’t move at the same speed as our bodies? Perhaps that is why so many of us are walking around feeling stressed and unfulfilled. Perhaps we can look to the Tuscan life style as a model for how to slow down and savor life.

Let's slow down and savor life the way they do in Tuscany...

Sometimes we need to distance ourselves from real life in order to gain perspective.  I have a definite change of perspective since going on this trip.  After my fourth trip to this region, I have come to the realization that I love the Tuscan lifestyle!  I love focusing on the meal at the end of the day, with an appreciation of the fresh food and great wines that this region has to offer.  It is a ritual means of punctuating the day's activity and connecting with those I care about.  I love focusing on beautiful things and celebrating that beauty by trying to capture it via art and photography...

I want more of this kind of living in my life!

I have a dream...

Since coming back to Myrtle Beach, I am dreaming a dream, and hoping that verbalizing the dream will help it to become a reality. I want to host a trip back to Tuscany and take others along with me!! Combining all the things I love: Travel, Great Food, Cooking, Wine, Art, Teaching, Friends, Music…what’s not to love, right?

I want my friends and students, and people I care about to experience what I experienced…peace and tranquility, beautiful scenery, making art on location, delicious food, great wines, bursts of joy, lots of laughter, new friendships, singing in the evenings, and a little adventure.  How could I not want to experience more of that? Why would I not want to share that?

Prerequisites if you would like to join me:

1. A capacity for laughter 
2. A positive attitude
3. Willingness to dwell on beautiful things and/or indulge others as they dwell on them
   
4. A taste for farm-to-table organic foods and wines,  
   
5. Willingness to explore incredibly beautiful and wonderfully medievel Tuscan towns.  
   
6. Interest in  viewing art, learning about art, and/or making art through drawing, painting, and/or photography.  If you aren't an artist, then we'd require a willingness to indulge us when we talk about these things.  You can always choose those moments as an opportunity to take a walk, swim in the olympic size pool, grab a nap, read a book or take advantage of #7...
   
7. Interest in Optional opportunities to cook with my favorite Tuscan chef, Andrea Anichini, If you are part of this trip, then any of us may cook with him whenever the schedule allows or the mood strikes...how fun will it be to learn a few of Andrea's Tricks of the Trade- Tuscan Style?! And yes...he is just as  FUNNY AS CHARMING AS THIS PHOTO IMPLIES! (He is also a sommelier!)

   

   Our Chef -Andrea Anichini

8. Interest in Optional tours of local Tuscan wineries, viewing local art history sites and/or historical sites.  (These might be alternatives for artists and non-artists alike). 
   

9. Enjoyment of being serenaded with Broadway tunes after dinner by Michaelino from Il Chiostro,

10.  Possibly making our own music if I can persuade Paul (my husband) to bring a guitar! Warning:  link to the following video is a little PG-13 Video link to Paul singing/playing "Wild Thing"  PS-- he doesn't know I'm posting that one!  lol
FYI- Paul will be joining us and along with his musical talents, he will bring his qualifications and experience as a physician...so we have a little medical back-up along with us should we need it.  =)

Please contact me if this trip sounds like something you would like to do. No obligations, but I will keep you informed if you contact me. I will need a minimum of 6 participants, and an initial non-refundable deposit of $500 to hold your spot.  I will cap the number to keep it manageable and friendly.  The dates for this trip are set for Sept 27-Oct 4 2014. I have developed an itinerary with Il Chiostro, (the organization who handled the trip I just took). I'm super excited about the plans and the towns we will visit.  I was able to choose my favorites!
My goals for this trip are as follows:

1. Visit my favoriteTuscan hill towns and sample the views, the charm and the local food and wine
2. Explore painting/drawing/photograpy on location with those interested in doing so
3. Have the chance to visit a couple of vineyards to tour and learn about the agriculture and winemaking process, sample their wine and food,  and/or paint on location
4. Give Art lessons on location and in the studio space at San Fedele for those who are interested
5. Take advantage of multiple opportunities to cook with our chef, Andrea Anichini (he is a friendly, and vivacious guy as well as an incredible cook).  

I will let those of you who contact me know about all the details first. Space is limited so let me know if you're interested! I’d love to hear from you and possibly have you join me for what is sure to be a memorable time in Tuscany Sept 27-Oct 4 2014.

Comment here or contact me via email. Andiamo!  (let’s go!)


Rebecca Zdybel
Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor
Art Lessons in all media
Myrtle Beach, SC
rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

"Like" my facebook page: Rebecca Zdybel- Artist
Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+ Profile