Our unforgettable Tuscan gourmet food tour 2023

Nellie Kerrison

October 24, 2023

Experiences + Tours, Recipes

Our unforgettable Tuscan gourmet food tour

I am a couple of weeks back home from our unforgettable Tuscan gourmet food tour.

Travel opens our hearts and broadens our minds. Your feet wander, your eyes open, and your soul ignites.

We commenced offering gourmet food tours ten years ago. The very first was to northern Italy to a beautiful town called Liguria Italy. Since then, we have returned to Liguria twice, and we have hosted unforgettable tours in places like Portugal, Sicily and Morocco. In 2020, we would return to Italy and enjoy an incredible foodie adventure in Tuscany. We all know how that year went. 2020 threw much to all of us, and the cancellation of this tour was just one of them.

Italy, with its rich tapestry of history, culture, and cuisine, has always held a special place in my heart. To have the opportunity to offer this incredible tour again this year was beyond special. With a sense of both anticipation and excitement, we set out on a journey that promised to be as unforgettable as the tours before.

One of the things that strikes you in Italy is the warmth and hospitality of the people. Local hosts graciously opened their homes, their kitchens and palaces (true story). The experiences, conversations, and moments that we shared we will treasure for such a long time. Hopefully, a lifetime.

We stayed in our own private Tuscan Villa. Two villas to accommodate our group of fourteen wonderful guests. Here is a little behind-the-scenes look at Villa Saletta in Tuscany, a quick video tour that I made the day before our unforgettable Tuscan gourmet food tour commenced. It is the most beautiful of places and is set in stunning gardens. It was all ours to enjoy as a group. It was absolute heaven. Villa Saletta was our base and our retreat to return home after our special days out. We had our own private swimming pool to relax in and take in the stunning surroundings. It is here where we would dine together most evenings and where beautiful friendships and memories were made.

Some of the places we visited were Lucca, where we visited the markets and spent an afternoon inside the stone walls of Lucca. Lucca is such a beautiful town with a rich history. Our first lunch together was at Buca Di Sant’Antonio. It was fabulous, and having the Chef and owner come to welcome us was such a meaningful moment.

We enjoyed a truffle hunt together and took part in cooking classes together. A couple of these were relaxed classes conducted by me, where we made dinner together. They were a lot of fun. Another was held in a home just outside Volterra. We made bread, pasta, stuffed guinea fowl and a flan. To finish, we enjoyed a delicious chocolate souffle. It was a little more akin to a molten pudding. It was beautiful.

We had the incredible opportunity to dine in the palace at Ghizzano estate. Not something that is open to others. We were incredibly lucky, and the gardens, the palace and the lunch altogether were unforgettable. Countess Ginevra is a brilliant woman and winemaker and a very kind and generous host. I am still pinching myself. Just look at this table setting.

We enjoyed a full day in Florence. Oh, how I love Florence and can’t wait to return for another longer visit.

One of our favourite days was in the town of Pistoia. Michela, our gorgeous beaming Tuscan guide, is from Pistoia, so we knew this would be a very special day. She was so proud to show us her beautiful home village. It is a stunning town that is not touristic and full of character and characters. We had some time to shop and really take in its beauty.

On another day, we visited Lari and had the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of one of the world’s best Artisan pasta producers…..Martelli. It is such a small family-run business, and what they produce, as a small family business, is incredible. I previously stocked Martelli pasta at Relish Mama. I have always loved it, and although we can buy Martelli pasta here in Australia, for some reason, I had to bring a kilo home with me. This contributed to my excess luggage fee when flying out of Italy. I chuckle every time I tuck into some Martelli pasta here, as it has certainly become the most expensive dinner, my mistake.

We followed on with a fantastic and very personalised cheese tour for our group. As cheese runs wildly through my blood (& ever-expanding Italian waistline on the trip), there were many moments when I was just in awe. To see the process, to understand the many hours, the aging process and human care and commitment to making exceptional cheese was extraordinary.

We explored the stunning town of San Gimignano (fondly & humorously referred to as Sanny G 🤣 by some of our guests). It is beautiful, but it did feel very busy and touristy. I think we had perhaps been spoilt for the most part of our tour to not frequent super touristic places, so it did feel very noticeable. The views and inside the walls are quite breathtaking. I understand and appreciate the reasons to visit. We finished our day with one of the most divine gelatos before our final dinner altogether.

Our final dinner, Our unforgettable Tuscan gourmet food tour, included a wonderful BBQ prepared by our chefs, Eduardo and Nicolò. There were many smiles, happy tears and even dancing. It was such a happy night. There were so many special people together, enjoying the moment and all that we had experienced together. Some guests were strangers initially and quickly became a tight-knit group, bound by a shared love for food, adventure, and the joy of discovery. We laughed, we cooked, we dined, and we created memories that will last a lifetime.

This lovely Tuscan family trusted us, and we really got to enjoy unique and unforgettable experiences in Italy together. I know it sounds cliche, but…. we all know that life is short. Spending time with one another and sharing our stories brings this home all the more. We have shared a piece of each other and also this beautiful country. We stopped to enjoy La Dolce Vita. These great people said ‘yes’. We hope their life is a little richer. I know mine is.

Thanks to those who joined us, who trusted us & most importantly, who shared a table together.