brought to you by Linda and Ted Fondulas of

Taste, Learn, & Enjoy

Umbria April 25-May 2, 2008

Program Highlights

•Guided tour of the historic wonders of Rome with your home base hotel at La Scalinata above the spectacular Spanish Steps

•Stroll through the famous local food market in Piazza Testaccio in Rome

•Visit the medieval hill top town of Orvieto, home of Antinori wines, leader of the Italian wine revolution

•Hands-on cooking class followed by lunch with Lungarotti wines at the 2 star Michelin restaurant, Le Tre Vaselle

•Visit an enchanting farmhouse with hands on cooking tutored by Mamma Maria

•Visit to the historic village of Montefalco with a hands on cooking class of regional specialties in a handsome villa

•Guided tour of the world renowned mecca of Assisi; plus taste of the best pizza north of Naples

•Private consultation with the proprietor of one of Italy’s foremost enoteches

•Taste wines, cheeses, olives, truffles, local specialties, and distinctively delicious Umbrian varietal wines

1. •View the beautiful Umbrian countryside from your hotel in charming Spello
   

Program Cost for 7 nights, ‘land only’:

is $4150. per person, double occupancy

Includes  all events, activities, visits, cooking classes, tastings, guiding, coaching, seven hotel overnights with breakfasts, six lunches, and  five dinners with wines.  Not included is departure travel from the Rome airport (or train station) at the program’s end, two dinners on your own, and expenses of a personal nature.

The single supplement is $500 (single rooms are limited and

should be requested before enrolling.)

Our tasting adventure in Italy features hands-on culinary classes; tastings of: wine, cheese, olive oil, and truffles; plus visits to markets, farms, vineyards, artisan workshops, and historic sites.

We’ll revel in the joys of traditional and contemporary Umbrian cuisine as we taste and learn in kitchens and vineyards, farms and markets, gardens and orchards, exploring delightful landscapes as we go.

We’ll immerse ourselves in the “green heart of Italy,” surrounded by Italians  who have a deep respect for history and a joyful love of life.

Day-by-Day Itinerary Umbria

Friday, April 25

Our Umbrian adventure takes us through two Italian national holidays; this first day being the Anniversary of Liberation. Participants may fly into the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, also known as Fiumicino International Airport. Taxis are available to transport you to Hotel Scalinata di Spagna, our hotel in Rome located above the spectacular Spanish Steps. Around 6:30 PM we’ll meet for a welcome reception and toast to our upcoming journey. After introductions we’ll walk to dinner to a nearby restaurant for traditional regional fare.

Saturday, April 26

After breakfast (prima colazione), we’ll explore the local food market in Piazza Testaccio. After some strolling or shopping on your own, we’ll meet for lunch. With a specialized Italian guide we’ll then tour Roman highlights of some of the most fascinating places of this Eternal City. We will recommend various restaurants for the evening on your own.

Sunday, April 27

We depart for Orvieto, where we shall be introduced to the magic of Umbrian medieval hilltop towns and villages famous for their artistic and culinary treasures. After wandering the little streets of Orvieto and seeing the breathtaking cathedral we will lunch. We then coach to Spello, where at the edge of town we check into our hotel rooms at La Bastiglia. Later we’ll walk down to the incredible Enoteca Properzio for an instructional Italian wine tasting with local supper snacks. Owner, Roberto Angelini, will guide your personal palate in a wine tasting of small production Italian vintners.

Monday, April 28

Again--after what you should know by then is prima colazione, we depart for the  small town of  Torgiano to visit the elegant Le Tre Vaselle,  owned by the famous Lungarotti family. We will have a cooking lesson and learn about historic recipes. Before lunch, which will be accompanied by Lungarotti wines, we will visit their small wine museum. After departing Torgiano, we can stop briefly at Deruta, a village famous for ceramics. We return to our hotel for R&R, and meet later to ride up to a quaint tavern tucked in the mountains above Spello.

Tuesday, April 29

We leave for an historic tour of Assisi, a world-known destination for art fanatics and Saint Francis lovers. We’ll go through its tiny streets and enter into another dimension where more than 700 years ago pilgrims arrived from all of Europe. We lunch at a local trattoria that perhaps has the finest pizza north of Naples. Cappuccino or gelato in front of the Roman temple of Minerva in the main square is also a must. Later we visit Malvarina, a charming farmhouse for a hands-on cooking lesson with the culinary wisdom of mamma Maria. We’ll sup on our creations and delight in the collections at this old farm turned agriturismo.

Wednesday, April 30

We drive to nearby Montefalco, famous for its olive oil, fine linens, and its wine, Sagrantino di Montefalco. There is also a small jewel museum. Set in a private park at Villa Pambuffetti we have a hands--on cooking lesson of traditional Umbrian recipes with owner Alessandra Angelucci Pambuffetti. Before lunching on our creations we’ll take a break for the rare opportunity to visit one of the most ancient wine production estates in the Montefalco zone, After lunch back at Villa Pambufetti we’ll break for a passegiatta around the Villa and town, then depart for our return to Spello. This may be your chance to obtain Roberto’s expert advice at Enoteca Properzio about other small production Italian vintners and arrange purchases for shipment. Dinner on your own.

Thursday, May 1

We take a day trip to Patrico in the mountains near Spoleto where the black truffle is found. We’ll discover its secrets and look for this gem with a local truffle hunter. We lunch on tastes of truffle for lunch, followed by a stop at one of the best olive oil producers to sample olives and oil, before returning to Spello for our final farewell celebrative dinner. Here at La Bastiglia we will feast on the delightful creations of  Italy’s up-coming star-chef, Marco Gubbiotti.  Sated with Marco’s alta cucina recipes you can continue to party or pack for tomorrow’s departure.

Friday, May 2

Our delightful Umbrian holiday comes to a close. An early morning coach will depart for the Rome airport or train station. Those continuing on our Food Odyssey to Tuscany will be taken by train or minibus to Florence..Ciao and arrivederci to all!

To enroll:  download, print, complete, and return the enrollment form that follows with the required deposit of $1000 per person. Make deposit checks payable to: Quantum North (mailing address: PO Box 337 Killington VT 05751). After enrollment a confirmation along with other information will be sent.

“Ever since our first visit to Umbria in 1991, we have wanted to return with friends

and share the treasures found in the ‘green heart of Italy’.”

Join Linda and Ted Fondulas of their celebrated Vermont restaurant, Hemingway’s, on a week-long culinary holiday from the glories of Rome

to the quaint and pictorial Umbrian hill towns

of Orvieto, Spello, Assisi, and Montefalco.