Italian Food and Flavours
Italian cooking school
Artisan food producer tours : Wine tastings : Cultural tours
Luxury accommodation : All-inclusive : No singles supplement
“We’re gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse”
(after) The Godfather
“What a wonderful week we had! We were looked after at every turn. We learnt so many great recipes and techniques for preparing them. We visited places where people created food with pride and passion. We got to know Le marche in its people and places…and all in a week!” Ruth: Leeds
Hands-on cooking lessons
delivered by a very special chef
five star restaurant
One of the most important finds for anyone visiting our area is the restaurant Castello de Marte (The Castle of Mars) in Cossignano. Run and owned by Fabio de Girolami, the restaurant has an unrivalled reputation in this part of Italy. With a five star TripAdvisor rating and winner for the last two years of TripAdvisor’s Excellence Award, more people are in the know and eat at Fabio’s.
award winning chef
All the cooking lessons on our Italian cooking school are all taught by Fabio and they are all hands-on. Fabio’s approach is to involve you in preparation and cooking from the start. The lessons cover dishes such as Fabio’s signature antipasti; small servings to share, of the freshest local produce designed to give a taste without filling you up. Most of these dishes are vegetarian and make creative use of seasonal vegetables direct from the garden farm and market. Fabio’s Italian cooking school also covers traditional processes such as making pasta from locally milled flour, creating dishes from fresh Adriatic catches and locally reared meats.
Whether it’s his lively and engaging personality, his love of sharing the secrets of authentic Italian cuisine or his consummate skill in the kitchen, we have yet to find anyone who has not enjoyed the experience and learned something along the way.
“We have had an amazing holiday with Italian Food and Flavours. The B&B was a beautifully renovated house that was part of the village wall. The program for the week was packed full. The cooking lessons were run by Fabio who was passionate about food and local ingredients. The food and wine were free flowing. Throughout the course we had lovely Jo with us as an interpreter and guide. She spread her happiness and joy around us all day.” Maria: Bristol
Luxury accommodation
Medieval atmosphere and Renaissance luxury
luxury accommodation
We have secured exclusive use of one of the most historic houses in Cossignano as the base for our Italian cooking holidays. The 17th century house “Casa Pansoni” is built into the original town walls and is the blue plaque home of historian and town chronicler Nicola Pansoni. Just seconds from Fabio’s restaurant Castello de Marte, it is the ideal base for taking in the atmosphere, relaxing between cooking sessions and exploring this delightfully historic Italian hill town.
relax by the pool
Casa Pansoni has been sensitively restored over the years by owner Luca who has decorated his house with historical fixtures and artefacts from the region. While equipped with modern comforts such as free wifi and central heating you will be staying in a building full of atmosphere.
We try to make sure our Italian cooking holidays are set at a relaxed pace, even so you may feel the need for a session or two off. If this is the case and you fancy getting out of town into the country you are always welcome to relax by the pool in the beautifully managed gardens of the nearby villa Casa Montalto.
“We have eaten in the restaurant for a week, and had the privilege of being taught to cook Italian food by Fabio. The food is authentic Italian food with first class ingredients. Fabio is passionate about his food, sourcing his ingredients locally, using traditional recipes with a modern twist. You are made to feel very welcome by him and his lovely small team. ” Hugloviking: Bristol, TripAdvisor
Artisan food tours
and a little local culture
local producers
When we ask our guests what they want from our Italian cooking school, one question is often asked. Where do the ingredients come from?
What makes Italian food exceptional is the loving care and attention to detail in the preparation of speciality foods. We include a number of tours to local farms, cheese makers, bakeries, markets and butchers so you can experience first hand how the delicacies you love to serve are produced.
food for cooking
Some of the ingredients you see being produced and those we select from the markets, you will be able to turn into traditional dishes when you work alongside Fabio in the cooking lessons. You will learn how to use fresh seasonal produce to create authentic and modern variations of traditional rural Italian dishes.
Italian culture
While our Italian cooking holidays are of course primarily about food, wine and cooking we have a number of guests who are also interested in seeing and learning something of the culture of the region, this is Italy after all! Rupert is our culture guide, he is a retired university lecturer and is a practising artist himself. You can read one of his articles on a fresco that is in the church next door to your accommodation.
Whether you are a novice or a budding expert yourself we are sure you will enjoy the opportunity to visit some of the local treasures. If not, of course there is always the pool!
An excellent holiday, which was perfectly organised. Everyone was very friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble. The week was packed with excellent visits to various producers and places of interest. Needless to say that we enjoyed plenty of good food and wine. I and I think everyone else on the course had so much fun and hope that, perhaps other courses may be planned. Ian UK
Expert wine tastings
exceptional local wines from exceptional wine makers
new producers
The fertile valleys and hillsides around cossignano have always been notable for their abundant produce. In the past this has of course included ample supplies of local table wine. While perfectly palatable and sometimes very good, this wine was produced for quantity and local consumption rather than quality with export markets in mind. Over the last couple of decades however things have changed. Many local producers have upped their game and some outsiders have bought up prime land and planted new vineyards. The upshot of all this activity has been a boom in excellent new red and white wines .
wine tastings
The area around Cossignano now produces the famous DOC Rosso Piceno Superiore and the DOCG Offida Pecorino. There are two visits with wine tastings on our Italian cooking holidays. One to a local Cossignano cantina who is registered organic (locally called “Biologica”) and the other to a larger and well established producer of some of the finest local wines.
“I stayed in Casa Pansoni B & B for a week long Food and Flavours Culinary experience. Valentina and Luca, the proprietors, are gracious hosts and are always considerate of your space and comfort. The quiet cobble stone street and the location are just a leisurely short walk to the central Piazza and fabulous Castello de Marte Restaurant and Bar for a glass of wine, beer, cafe’ espresso or a leisurely lunch or dinner . The village and accommodation are a wonderful step back in time where you can truly enjoy a friendly experience and relax from today’s hectic pace.” Gary: Minneapolis, TripAdvisor
Stunning central Italian location
landscape, history, art; the Italy you dream about
Falling for italy
Like many others who arrive for a holiday we fell under the spell of Le Marche some 25 years ago and became captivated by all that this part of Italy has to offer. The Italy where you can eat well and relax in style without paying the tourist rate. The ideal holiday Italy with rolling hills between the the Sibillini Mountains National Park and the endless sandy coastline of the Adriatic.
Italian Food and Flavours was created as the vehicle to enable us to share our love of the region, its food, wine and culture. Everyone involved in our holidays is either Italian or has lived here long enough to know the area and its people very well.
We know our town like you you know yours. On our holiday we can show you the secrets, specialisms and delights that only locals know.
Le Marche
If you have visited you will know all about beautiful countryside, the dramatic fairytale hill-towns, the stunning beaches, the friendly people, the relaxed pace of life, the delicious food and the the wonderful wines. Le Marche is off the tourist trail, no hot sweating queues, no tourist menus, no selfie-sticks and definitely no stress. This is Italy and the Italian lifestyle of your imagination, slow-paced, where you can take the time to savor the food, the wine, the environment and the company.
New visitors to Le Marche invariably ask “How come I haven’t heard of it before?”
and when they are here they say “This is the most beautiful part of Italy I have visited”
and when they leave they say “Don’t tell anyone about Le Marche, lets keep it our secret!”.
We very much look forward to meeting you and sharing the secrets of this piece of paradise – vita e’ bella – Life is good
Debby, Fabio, Luca, Valentina, Jo, Rupert
The devil is in the detail
and angels look after you on our holidays
