23/11/2022
Chicca was a professional architect and designer who cycled around the world and then decided to follow a dream close to her heart. She, too, was adopted by Tuscany and she settled on the coast in the region of Bolgheri. Wineries that bottle famous wines such as Ornellaia and Sassicaia are literally her neighbors. Here she lives in her Tuscan House, La Casa Toscana, where she offers cooking classes and a local’s insight into the region. Also Chicca's French partner Arnaud is, like herself, passionate about cycling, so if you see someone cruising around Tuscany on his bike, there’s a good chance it could be Arnaud! Their Tuscan House is also the home to Chicca's daughter, Elsa, and their adorable dogs.
We first got to know Chicca when we took our annual outing to Bolgheri a few years ago. No Tuscan summer is quite right without an escape from the boiling hot Florence and preferably to the seaside. We don't just need the cool Mediterranean breezes, there's also the draw of grilled sea bass and a chilled glass of locally grown Vermentino!
Chicca has a real passion for cooking and has made it her livelihood. She was offering classes locally and when Covid hit and our lives went online, so did her cooking classes. Chicca discovered that she could virtually take people from all over the world into her very real and self-designed Tuscan kitchen and share her love for Tuscan food. Even now that travel is back with in-person classes and tours, she is keeping her cooking club alive for all those who are not traveling and still want a piece of Tuscany and its food culture. She is now in season 10!
Save the date: On December 3rd you can join Chicca for a free live cooking class. She is going to show you how to make flourless gnocchi, one of Chicca’s specialties. When you register you will receive an ingredient list so you could cook along. Furthermore, Chicca is cooking with our freshly pressed organic olive oil. She will tell you about the Italian way of using olive oil in the kitchen to capture all of its flavor and health benefits.
.in.tuscany
