Join Eleonora, a noted authority on Italian and Sicilian gastronomy, who lives and teaches in her lovingly restored antique Sicilian house in Viagrande, on the slopes of Mt. Etna near Catania. Here, surrounded by the orange groves and vineyards, which flourish in Mt. Etna’s fertile soil, the sensual pleasures of Sicilian cuisine comes alive. Our 1 day class brings up close and into the kitchen of Eleonora for a complete immersion of food Sicilian-style.

Eleonora
For 30 years Eleonora has worked in and contributed to promoting tourism for the Provincial Tourist Board of Catania, organizing exhibitions of Sicilian gastronomy and products throughout Europe, as well as in the U.S., Japan, Thailand, Egypt and Brazil. She has received many awards, including the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and a Medallion of Merit from Sicilian Chefs’ Association. She is an honorary member of the Italian Academy of Cuisine and a past President of the Catania Chapter, has appeared on television in Japan, Germany, England, USA and has hosted her own culinary program in Sicily for Teletna - Antenna Sicilia.

Eleonora has a daily column Her column appears in the daily in the newspaper ‘La Sicilia’ and has collaborated on editorial articles about Sicily in the magazines ‘Vogue -– Paris’, ‘Maison et Jardin’, ‘Marmite’, ‘Cuisines du Monde’, ‘Voyager’. She wrote the introduction of the book ‘La Sicilia a Tavola’, where some of her recipes are included, too. The book is published in Switzerland, in German. She is fluent in English and French.

Sicily
Sicily has a fiery passion about it, a vivacity and spirit that extends from the top of Mount Etna, to the waters that surround the island, to the hearts of all of its people. Sicily is the melting pot of the world, where exists since it was first inhabited, a great marriage of civilizations and cultures. The island is Asia, Africa, and Europe melded into one spectacular place; it was once home to a Greek colony, a Roman province, an Arab emirate, and a Norman kingdom. Each group left behind a rich tapestry of timeless beauty and eclectic history. Sicily is all at once complex and simple, a land like no other; a world and entity unto itself. Orange and lemon orchards color lush forests, vineyards and ancient olive groves line the rugged lands, and almond orchards and wheat fields embellish the rolling hills.

The Sicilian cuisine is often described as "del sole e mare," "of sun and sea," and it's something of a magical symphony, combining elements of Arab, and Greek spices with Spanish and French influences, making it the world's tastiest seafood. The people of Sicily are genuine, passionate, and friendly. They are always willing to help or stop to have a conversation, and it is not uncommon for visitors and tourists to receive invitations to a local's house for dinner. All who encounter Sicily and all her charm, diversity, and beauty are always reluctant to leave.

Catania
Catania is Sicily’s second most important city (after Palermo), and is dominated by the volcanic presence of Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano. Over the years, Catania has been damaged a number of times by lava flows and earthquakes, most notably in 1169 when it was almost completely destroyed by a particularly violent earthquake, after which the city was gradually rebuilt. 1669 and 1693 brought more earthquakes and volcanic activity and even in 2002 the city was covered in dust and ash as Etna erupted again and enthralled the world with her spouting rock and rivers of bright orange lava.

Catania has much to offer visitors, from its grand baroque architecture, Roman amphitheaters, Ursino castle, a solid fortified construction built on the sea front, museums, art galleries, to its Duomo with its beautiful Spanish doorway, its chapel dedicated to Sant’Agata, the city’s patron saint and the funerary stele of Bellini, Catania’s famous composer, and many other important churches and monasteries.

Cooking Classes
Eleonora’s classes are rigorously hands-on and you truly couldn’t ask for a more qualified or dedicated teacher. Her knowledge of Sicilian cuisine is second to none and her passion for her subject makes classes so much more than just cookery lessons. You’ll learn how Sicily’s gastronomy is the result of an enigmatic melding of cultures – French, Greek, Arab, Turkish and these civilizations have left tell tale signs of their passing: saffron, mint, olives, dried fruits; cous cous, citrus plants, all of which are still widely used in Sicilian cooking today. But as much as much as you will be delighted with the new dishes you have learned, it is Eleonora and her welcome that will delight you most.

Every menu is focused on seasonal products, and will always include some well known Sicilian recipes and may vary as follows: pasta with sardines, pasta Norma style (with eggplant, tomato sauce and ricotta salata cheese), pasta with broccoli, or with fish, breaded veal rolls, scaloppini, fish Sicilian style, tomato and red onion salad, orange salad, bell peppers au gratin, zucchini with honey sauce, caponata, agrodolce (sweet and sour) dishes, cinnamon jelly, cassata, cannoli, etc.