Cooking in Tuscany
ITALIAN COOKING TOUR
Cooking in Tuscany
OCTOBER 21-29, 2023
TRIP LENGTH
10 Days, 9 Nights
Departures
June 1-10, 2023
BOOKING DEADLINE
February 28, 2023
Trip Overview
Home to world-renowned pâtisseries and delicious boulangeries, Paris is a dream destination for any baker. On this 10-day baking tour of Paris, we’ll spend our days learning how to bake French pastry with a classically trained pastry chef.
From madeleines to croissants, we’ll taste the very best pastry Paris has to offer while learning how to perfect them in our own baking. Every aspect of this 10-day small-group tour revolves around the techniques, flavors, and ingredients that make Paris the creme de la creme of pastry.
Like all of our experiences, we believe that food is the best way to experience new cultures, and there is no better place to experience patisserie than in the City of Lights.
Highlights
- Learn to bake French pastry from a professional pastry chef
- Go on a full day e-bike experience tasting Champagne in the countryside
- Enjoy a food tour in the Marais district tasting chocolate and cheese.
Itinerary
Bonjour Paris!
First things first, let’s check into our hotel, drop off our bags, and freshen up from day of travel.
Next, we will head over to one of our favorite Parisian restaurants for our first group dinner. This is a perfect time to get to know the other people in our group, as well as our pastry chef, and chat about our plans for the upcoming week.
If you arrive earlier in the morning, you will have the whole day to explore Paris before dinner, and can drop off your bags at the hotel.
Meals included: Dinner
Let the baking begin! As a rule of thumb, we believe that in order to bake incredible pastry, one must first taste incredible pastry.
We’ll begin our day with a morning pastry tour lead by our resident pastry chef, Jennifer Pogmore. She’ll take us to a few of her favorite pâtisseries to sample a variety of fun, unique, and of course, delicious French pastries.
Next, we’ll pick up some items for a build-your-own-baguette picnic in the park. Jennifer will dive into French flavors and what makes a true baguette sandwich.
Afterwords, we will make our way to the baking studio for our first baking lesson: madeleines.
Once we’ve wrapped up with our first class, the rest of the afternoon is yours.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Today, we will learn how to make choux pastry! From profiteroles to eclairs and gougères, choux pastry is one of the most versatile pastries.
You will spend the morning learning how to make the iconic chocolate eclair stuffed with a delicious chocolate cream.
After the course, we will enjoy a light lunch in the baking studio.
You will have the rest of the day to wander the beautiful streets of Paris.
Meals included: Breakfast, light lunch
We have been going hard so far, so we are giving you the day to see and do whatever you like!
Whether that’s visiting Versailles to see the opulent chateau and gardens, getting lost in the Louvre, taking a stroll along the Seine, or booking a tea time at one of Paris’ grand hotels, the day is yours.
Jennifer will be offering an optional baking class for anyone interested.
Meals included: Breakfast
Today is all about the Opera Cake. After breakfast, we’ll head over to the kitchen where Jennifer will instruct us on how to make one of France’s most cherished cakes.
During the class, we’ll focus on creating rich flavor mixed with beautiful presentation.
Afterwards, we will indulge in homemade quiches and tarts prepared by Jennifer for a light lunch.
After lunch, we’ll give you the rest of the day to do with as you please.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
When life gives you lemons, we prefer to make tarte au citron (although, let’s be honest, we’ll take both!)
In today’s baking class we’ll tackle a recipe as quintessentially French as berets.
The tarte au citron is the perfect balance between tart and sweet.
Following the course, we hand the time back to you to explore the history, art, and magic of Paris.
Meals included: Breakfast
No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to Champagne country. Today we are taking a break from the kitchen to explore the vineyards of Champagne!
We will catch an early morning train to Reims where we will meet up with a local expert for our full-day e-bike tour.
We’ll learn all about the production process and taste some delicious Champagne at family-owned wineries.
When we’ve had our fill of Champagne, we will catch a train back to Paris.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
This morning you will be touring the Marais district with a local food expert. They will take you to some iconic and delicious shops to taste everything from chocolates and cheeses to delicious cured meats before ending at a wine cellar for a tasting.
But the day isn’t over yet! Later in the evening, we will meet up at the baking studio for a puff pastry class! What are we making? Croissants of course!
Jennifer will be teaching you how to make the classic, buttery croissant and pain au chocolate. After the class, we will make delicious sandwiches with our freshly made croissants paired with fresh salads for dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Our last full day together! To make the most of it, we’ll take a trip to a charming local market to pick up produce for today’s baking class: the Fraisier – a delicious cake filled with strawberries and cream.
Following the class, we’ll give you some free time to see the sights still on your personal bucket list.
Later in the evening, we will gather for our last group meal at a Parisian hot-spot to enjoy a meal, drinks, and good company.
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
We’ll start the day off with breakfast at the hotel before saying our goodbyes to the group.
Time to return home or to your next destination!
À bientôt!
Meals included: Breakfast
Emiko Davies
COOKBOOK AUTHOR & chef
Following a classical training in French pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris nearly 10 years ago, Jennifer gained experience working in Parisian pastry boutiques Carl Marletti and Ernest & Valentin before returning to Le Cordon Bleu as a chef instructor. Here she developed her passion for teaching, having the opportunity to instruct students from all over the world.
Now working as a freelance pastry chef based in Perpignan in the south of France, Jennifer will be joining us as our dedicated pastry chef in Paris where she will be teaching you how to make classic French pastries.
*All photos of pastries on this page are baked and photographed by Jennifer Pogmore.
Meryl Feinstein
SPECIAL GUEST & CREATOR OF "THE PASTA SOCIAL CLUB"
All of our baking classes are private and exclusive to our group with our own professional pastry chef.
The classes will be a mix of hands-on baking and demonstrations from our resident chef, Jennifer Pogmore, as she teaches techniques and the science behind French pastry.
*As part of our mission to take care of our planet and reduce waste, we have opted for this class structure on our baking tours.
Ready to Cook in Tuscany?
RESERVE YOUR SPOT
June 1- 10, 2023 | Paris, France
Where We Are Staying
HÔTEL ADÈLE & JULES
Located in the 9th arrondissement, Hôtel Adèle & Jules is in the perfect location to explore Paris. Close to many bakeries, restaurants and the attractions, this hotel is a lovely spot to call home for our stay in Paris.
Breakfast is included in your stay, and you can also enjoy complimentary tea time every afternoon from 4pm-6pm.
The hotel is located 20 minutes by metro (on one line) from the baking space.
All rooms are double occupancy. Please note that the rooms are cozy (it is Paris) and the twin beds are close together.
The baking space
There is nothing more Parisian than baking in a lovely Parisian apartment!
We have rented a beautiful space in the 11th arrondissement for all of our baking classes.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Accommodation (9 nights)
- All meals listed in itinerary
- Breakfast daily
- All baking courses listed in itinerary
- All activities listed in itinerary
- Trip leader
- A group of fellow pastry lovers
- Transportation to activities
- Welcome gift
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
- Flights to/from Paris
- Airport transfers
- Mandatory travel insurance
- Meals not listed in itinerary
- Visas (if necessary)
- Personal expenses
- Incidental expenses
Who Is This Cooking Tour For?
The Baking in Paris tour is for any amateur baker who wants to improve their baking skills and immerse themselves in the culture of Paris.
If the descriptions below sound like you, you’d be an excellent fit for this stay:
- You enjoy baking / eating patisserie.
- You believe that food is the best way to understand a culture.
- You love trying new places to eat.
- You want to make new friends with shared interests.
- You are kind, respectful, and open-minded to different ways of living.
The trip starts and ends in Paris. There are two major international airports in Paris – Charles de Gaulle (CDG) or Paris Orly (ORY). The city is just a quick metro ride away from both of these airports.
Yes, of course.
Please note – Paris rooms are small and while you’ll have your own twin bed, the beds will be quite close together.
If you’d like to book a private room, please send us an email and we will try to accommodate your request.
A single occupancy is an additional $1,350.
Yes, the minimum age requirement is 21 years old for all of our stays.
Yes, after paying your deposit, if you’d like to break up your payments into multiple installments, please send us an email to arrange this.
All payments are due 120 days prior to the trip start date.
Yes, due to the frequently changing requirements of the French government, we require all participants to be fully vaccinated, which includes the most recent dose of the booster.