Culinary Vacations & Classes Schedule 2007

Culinary Vacations 2006 & 2007

MULTI-DAY CULINARY, WINE, & CULTURAL VACATIONS

Maximum 6 in each class with at least 2 instructors

Coucous, Wine, & Saffron: A hands-on cooking class: Mediterranean Cookery in Andalusia, 4 or 2 days including Spanish wines

A highly cultured introduction to Mediterranean cuisine grounded in the the wealth of food ingredients found in Andalusia and Granada and with a special look at Sephardic cookery and tastings of Spanish wines.

Instruction takes place in the mornings, including hands-on lunch preperation and wine. With the exception of one day with a field trip, afternoons and evenings are kept free to allow culinary vacation participants to tour the Alhambra Palace and enjoy Granada, a beautiful and culturally alive city.

Typical daily themes include:

Spain's Sephardic Heritage
Couscous
Eastern Mediterranean Cuisine: Herb & Spice
Seafood & Vegetable Cookery from the Heart of Andalusia
One evening or afternoon wine tasting focusing on the new trend in Spanish red wines

Outings include visiting the lively food markets at Plaza Larga in the Albaicin or San Augustin in downtown Granada, learning about ingredients and purchasing fresh ingedients.

The program is available as either room included (in residence at Casa Azahar; space limited) or with the culinary instruction only. The School can assist with accommodation arrangements, including local hotels such as the Alhambra Palace, Ladron del Agua, Los Migeuletes, and Carmen de Santa Ines.

One day may be spent outside of Granada touring the wine and olive areas of Andalucia that define Mediterranean food culture. Visit Malaga or Montilla, famous wine producing regions that specialize in generosos such as Sherry, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximenez dessert wine. Or, we'll take a trip to Hacienda La Laguna in the midst of Jaen olive country, visiting the fascinating Museo de la Cultura del Olivo in a 17th century Hacienda outside Baeza, including a degustacion lunch at the Hotel School or local restaurants. We'll then move on to sightseeing in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ubeda, a Renaissance-era treasure.

Maximum of 6 participants with 2-3 instructors

4-day Programs

Cost with Loft View apartment at Casa Azahar, 4 nights, 4 Spanish-style, self-service breakfasts, & 4 lunches, field trip included (double occupancy): euro 599.00 per person

Cost with Casa Cueva House Rental at Casa Azahar, as above, double occupancy: euro 619.00 per person; quadruple occupancy 549 euros per person.

Cost of culinary program only: euro 429.00 per person (Granada Cooking School can assist with area accommodations) including 4 lunches and field trip.

2-day Programs (non-residential)

Cost of culinary program only: 239 euros per person including two lunches and wine tasting

Typical itinerary (subject to change)

Day One:

10 am: Introduction to the Cooking School and Casa Azahar, walking tour of the Albaycin, including the market at Plaza Larga to purchase ingredients for lunch. Learn to make couscous from scratch and prepare a healthful salad, dressing, and dessert.

12 pm: Lunch preperation: hands-on culinary instruction. Introduction to Mediterranean cuisine, ingredients, and techniques, in the teaching kitchen.

1:30 pm: Lunch on the terrace or Casa Cueva dining room including wine.

Afternoon Free

7 pm: Spanish red wine (and/or sherry) and artisanal foods tasting on the terrace (attend if you wish)

Day Two:

9:30 am: Walk to purchase fresh ingredients for the day's lunch at San Augustin Market followed by instruction in cooking methods of the Mediterranean, in the Casa Azahar kitchen. Emphasis on fresh seafood and vegetables like asparagus, cardoon, and artichokes.

12 am: Lunch preperation: hands on instruction, including grilling.

1:30 pm: Lunch on the terrace

Afternoon and evening free

Day Three:

8:30 am: Meet at Casa Azahar for field trip orientaton, followed by field trip to area food destinations. A typical day will include a walking tour of one of the Renaissance gems of Spain, Baeza or Ubeda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, followed by a guided tour of the Museum of Olive Culture at a 17th century Hacienda de la Laguna. After the tour, we will have a degustacion lunch at an innovative hotel school restaurant, and then return to Granada for a free evening. Optional excursions also include wineries in Malaga and or Monitlla (Cordoba).

10 a.m. Sephardic Cuisine: the little known culinary tradition of Anadalusia, plus lunch

Day Four:

10 am: Smoking and curing: a Mediterranean tradition

12 pm: Lunch preperation: hands-on instruction, Eastern Meditteranean dishes, lambi mint, and eggplant

2 pm: Farewell lunch

A hands-on cooking class: Sephardic Cuisine: 3 days

An introduction to the culinary tradition instilled in Andalusia by 800 years of Arab and Jewish influence and settlement. This course will introduce participants to particular ingredients, seasonings, and cooking techniques that awaken and enchant the senses including saffron, fresh herbs, dried fruits and nuts, savory olives and fruity olive oils.

Schedule similar to the above, with morning classes and lunch, but for three days with a field trip to the Alhambra Palace and lunch out at a local, Albaycin restaurant on one of the days.

Maximum of 8 participants with 2-3 instructors

Cost with Casa Ceuva Houe Rental, 3 nights, 3 self-serve breakfasts, & 3 lunches or dinners, Alhambra Palace entrance or market tour included (double occupancy): euro 495.00 per person; quadruple occupancy: 449.00 euros per person.

Cost with Loft View Apartment at Casa Azahar, as above, double occupancy: euro 487.00 per person

Cost of culinary program only: euro 359.00 per person (Mediterranean Cooking School can assist with area accommodations) including 3 lunches and Alhambra Palace entry.

View of Generalife Summer Palace from Casa Azahar

The Mediterranean Cooking School is located in the heart of the historic district