This Spring, the beautiful countryside retreat, Loyton Lodge, is embracing the warmth of the Mediterranean with a ‘Taste of Sicily’ weekend devoted to the food, wine and flavours of this historic Italian region. From Friday 24th to Sunday 26th April, Fabrizia Lanza (owner of the renowned Anna Tasca Lanza Sicilian cookery school) will join Julian Chamberlen of Goedhuis & Co vintners at the stunning 300 acre Devonshire estate to treat guests to a memorable introduction to the best of Sicilian food and wine.
The weekend will include cookery classes and demonstrations; wine tastings and master classes; informal discussions on the terroir, culture and history of Sicily; and relaxed lunches and dinners featuring the produce and wines guests will learn about throughout the weekend. Traditional Loyton Lodge activities including clay pigeon shooting are also included for those wishing to incorporate country pursuits in their weekend’s itinerary.
Fabrizia will teach guests how to make pasta, foccacia bread and robust Sicilian sauces, as well as techniques like candying and preserving. She will also be offering tastings of the produce of the region including ricotta, pecorino, pistachios and almonds. Guests will create Sicilian treats to take home with them and be treated to Fabrizia’s famous Cassata Siciliana (a popular sweet from the Palermo area). Julian will share his expert knowledge of Italian and Sicilian wines. He will introduce guests to Sicily’s complex and earthy wines and distinctive Marsalas, including those from Fabrizia’s own family wine estate, Regaleali.
Isobel Barnes, director of Loyton Lodge, said: “My love affair with Sicily began when I travelled to the region many years ago. Our first Taste of Sicily weekend brings together two of the most knowledgeable wine and food experts of the region. Guests can get as involved as they wish in the weekend’s activities, whether it’s foraging for the season’s first wild garlic with Fabrizia or simply booking a massage and putting their feet up to take a well earned siesta after lunch.”
A delicious four-course dinner on Saturday night promises to be the highlight of the weekend. The four course menu prepared by Fabrizia will have Sicilian wines chosen by Julian to accompany each course, with a brief introduction to each one. The dinner is open by invitation to outside guests.
The price of A Taste of Sicily weekend is £585 per person or £1015 per couple sharing a double room. The price includes accommodation, food, wine, tuition and clay pigeon shooting. A percentage of the profits generated from the weekend will be donated to the victims of the L'Aquila earthquake disaster.
If you can’t get out of the city this month, why not try some of London’s popular Sicilian restaurants? We recommend Sardo (off Tottenham Court Road); Adesso in Richmond; Vigata in Islington; and Il Siciliano (Soho).
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