Sicily with Melissa Clark

Since our Week in Italy Tours for 2022 are almost all sold out, I’ve decided to add another tour to Sicily. March 13-19, 2022 Melissa Clark will be joining me for a Culinary Retreat in Sicily. We’ll be based in a lovely farm near Vittoria where we’ll be cooking, eating and visiting the amazing small towns, wineries and food producers in that part of the world. Our last two nights will be in the ancient town of Ortigia.

I first met Melissa Clark (she of New York Times fame and author of 40 cookbooks) on a limoncello and pizza-fueled trip along the Amalfi coast about 25 years ago. We’ve since traveled all over Italy together, from Piedmont to Sicily,  and have had the great good luck to have collaborated on food tours in Rome and Puglia. We’ve now decided to explore Sicily and have booked ourselves into two of our favorite hotels next March. To eat and drink and – of course – cook!

Would you like to join us?

We will be spending the beginning of our week in a 17th century baglio – walled farm – located in the south east corner of Sicily. Baglio Occhipinti is situated just north of the ancient town of Ragusa. The farm is set within 10 hectares of their own land, including ancient olive groves and the vineyards which make this area famous around the world. There is a huge organic vegetable garden, as well as a herb garden and citrus orchard. We’ll be spending 4 nights here, and will use this as our base to explore the south east corner of Sicily and it’s food culture. Cheese making, chocolate, almonds, olive oil and of course wine. There will be a full day of cooking and evenings full of fun and music. We’ll be visiting the center of Sicilian ceramic traditions, Caltigirone, and visiting one of the most beautiful farms on the island.

We will spend out final 2 nights in one of Sicily’s most romantically beautiful cities: Ortigia the small ancient island off of Siracusa. We will be staying in the Hotel Gutkowski, a small family-run, simple, but charming, 4-star boutique hotel, located near the sea. During our stay in Ortigia will be able to visit the well known market, take a tour of the archeological park and have time to shop.

DETAILS OF CULINARY RETREAT IN SICILY WITH MELISSA CLARK

When: March 13-19, 2022 (6 nights)

Who: This trip is limited to 12 guests

Where: We start our week at Baglio Occhipinti (near Ragusa) and end in Ortigia at the Hotel Gutkowski.

Nearest Airport: Catania, Sicily (International connection through Rome to get here)

What: The days will be full, with adventures both in and out of our hotels. But don’t worry, you’ll have some down time as well, to relax.

Some of the things we’ll be doing:

• Cooking class with Melissa
• Cheese making on a farm
• Seaside dinner
• Visits to the wineries of COS and Arianna Occhipinti
• Lunch at the famous Duomo Restaurant in Ragusa
• Chocolate making in Modica
• Visit to Ceramic Maker & shopping

There is lots more of course, and if you’d like to hear about the details, just send me an email. The trip is filling up fast (I announced it first in my newsletter last week) , but we still have a few spaces left. Hope you can join us!!

If you’d like to hear about the details, just send me an email. The trip is filling up fast but we still have a few spaces left. Hope you can join us!!

For the full list of our current tours visit this page.