Fun & Flavors of Italy

You are cordially inviteD To

 Premier Wellness Travel and Tailored Taste are excited to announce
a delightful collaboration—bringing the fun & flavors of Italy home!




In a series of three Sundays, we will be celebrating love—and our love of Italy. Together we’ll learn how to prepare a dish from a special Italian region. And then enjoy a virtual travel experience from the same area! You can pick 1 exciting travel experience or join us for all three and save! After you’ll have lifetime access to the recordings (in case you’re craving the dishes or longing to travel again!)


You’ll receIve

 
  • All you need to know to master delicious native Italian recipes. (You’ll get an ingredient list AND an equipment list well ahead of time.) This is NOT a demo class. We want you to participate and create your own dish in real time with us!

  • An understanding of how Italy’s history reflects in the food.

  • Views of the chef’s hands as well as her face for easy learning.

  • Intimacy with limited attendance for meaningful engagement.

  • Curated presentations from top travel guides on the ground in Italy.

  • Remarkable stories from knowledgeable Italian raconteurs from the regions we’ll explore.

  • Visit old favorites with a fresh, insider perspective.

  • Kindled travel dreams with possibilities and experiences.

  • Lifetime access to recording(s) of your session(s).


You can win

We will also be raffling off some fantastic prizes ::

  • GRAND PRIZE – A private lesson with Chef Monica, a certified Personal Chef and a premier member of the US Personal Chef Association. In 2017 she was inducted into the esteemed Les Dames d’Escoffier, a membership-by-invitation philanthropic all-professional association. Twice she has graced the cover of Personal Chef Magazine with multi-page story inside – the first chef to be honored more than once.

  • RUNNER UP PRIZE – A coupon for three Context Conversations, the most knowledgeable tour guides in the industry – now offering virtual tours. You can use these to dive deeper into Italy or another dream destination!

Note :: Once you add this event to your cart, scroll up to the top of the page to see
your cart and check out to complete your purchase of the 3-part series.


Where we are going

 


 
 

Our Itinerary


TUSCANY

Sunday, February 21st
4 o’clock eastern time

THE FOOD

Tuscany is one of those magical places where time stands still and is home to the rarest and finest truffles on earth, so that’ll be the focus of our menu this week. We’ll be blending the flavor of truffles with porcini mushrooms. 



THE ADVENTURE
With our partner Belmond, we will encounter the storied history of Tuscany. Known for the 20th century’s glamorous times with film stars and royalty who flocked to this region, Tuscany also offers archeological artifacts of Etruscan farmers and a rich agricultural past stretching back to the Bronze Age. Flock to this region of cypress trees, verdant hills, and fertile vineyards. Join us to encounter immemorial Tuscany!

  • Travel through time and walk in the footsteps of the great Leonardo Da Vinci. Trekking through Monte Ceceri Park, you’ll reach the top of the very same hill where humans first took flight.

  • Head out with your expert guide and experienced Lagotto Romagnolo dogs to learn all about truffle hunting, including the season and the techniques to discover some of the rarest truffles on earth.

  • Join an Italian safari in a designated nature reserve, where there is an abundance of wildlife to be spotted, including hare, pheasant, deer, wild boar and porcupine.


SICILY

Sunday, February 28th
4 o’clock eastern time

THE FOOD

Zucchini boats don’t sound very fancy but trust us when we say the way we make them, they’re just delicious! They include capers, raisins, bread crumbs, and cheese. 

We’ll also be creating a Sicilian simple salad with navel oranges, fennel, and red onions. Easy to make, gorgeous to look at, and beyond delicious.



THE ADVENTURE
With our partner See Italy, you’ll dive deep into 10,000 years of history and discover the unique blend of ancient cultures – from the Phoenicians to the Romans – that colonized Sicily. We will “travel” from the natural wonder of Mount Etna and the 1500 acre nursery Vivaio Faro at its foot to the monuments of Baroque Ragusa, listed and protected as UNESCO World Heritage, to the Villa Romana del Casale – a mosaic-adorned Roman palace preserved by a mudslide around 400ADCome with us!

  • Walk through Siracusa’s historical center Ortygia – an urban setting home to critical historical events that illuminate Sicily’s Greek influences.

  • See what Bronze-Age inhabitants carved into the limestone gorges in the Necropolis of Pantalica.

  • Walk the Path of the Saracens and learn how the Normans conquered this island.


AMALFI COAST

Sunday, March 7th
4 o’clock eastern time

THE FOOD

Rather than focusing on traditional tomato & basil flavors, we’re going to craft a pasta featuring the citrusy goodness of lemon! We’ll create a lemon fettuccini with a simple lemon cream sauce.

And on this final stop of our tour, you’ll also learn how to make your own homemade, delicious limoncello.



THE ADVENTURE
With our partner Access Italy, we’ll meet Vittorio, who’ll entertain us with the history of these cliffside, colorful villages along the turquoise Mediterranean, each with its own character and appeal. We’ll explore sentiero dei limoni (the path of the lemons) that connects two villages, the secret garden for the spirit in Tramonti, and the Paper Museum in Amalfi, where we’ll hear about making paper, a process that has remained unchanged since medieval times. Accompany us along this stunning coast. 

  • Traverse the hillside roads of Sorrento and see this city’s stunning views. Sorrento is also the birthplace of limoncello.

  • Tour the Ravello’s playground with fantastic views from the Terrace of Infinity, the charming gardens of Villa Cimbrone, and the timeless atmosphere in Piazza del Vescovado.

  • Take in the ancient towers, old castles, and historic churches of Maiori, a town with tons of character, so much so that Roberto Rossellini chose this town as the background for four of his films.




How it Works

We’ll gather on Zoom for three Sundays and spend about 45 minutes preparing a delicious, native dish from Italy! Chef Monica’s recipes are simple but utterly delicious—and this is a small, intimate group, so you’ll be able to connect and master these dishes. You’ll also have a view of her hands so you can closely see how she is preparing the recipe.  

While we enjoy the fruits of our labor, we’ll then relax and listen to a special presentation from a top travel guide on the ground in Italy. Rekindle your travel dreams and rediscover old favorites with a fresh insider perspective!

Once you sign up, you’ll get a confirmation that you are registered. And then keep a look out for your ingredient list & roster of equipment—well in advance, so you’re not scrambling. 

We can’t wait to bring the fun & flavors of Italy to your home!

Note :: Once you add this event to your cart, scroll up to the top of the page to see
your cart and check out to complete your purchase of the 3-part series.


YOUR HOSTS


Cassandra Marcella Metzger

Cassandra Marcella Metzger is a wellness travel designer and escape artist extraordinaire. With discerning expertise, she designs holidays that her clients bring home with them, so they feel more grounded, clear, and alive.  

A published writer and former PBS attorney, she uses travel dreams to inspire la dolce vita in various ways. Premier Wellness Travel offers online courses, guided video meditations, and Bath Escapes, an ebook series that bring foreign cities to us – even while travel is restricted.

A yogi since 1994, she’s taught since 2002 and been a certified yoga therapist since 2017. Having experienced the transformative power of travel, her signature approach to travel design creates lasting change and powerful shifts to a more authentic, meaningful, and healthier life.  

Her work has been featured or published in MindBodyGreen, Huffpost, and Teach.Yoga, and she’s been quoted in USA Today, The Guardian, and The Washington Post. 



Monica Thomas

Certified Personal Chef and Owner Monica Thomas is a graduate of the Culinary Business Academy, a premier member of the United States Personal Chef Association, and a ServSafe© certified food manager. In 2017 she was inducted into the esteemed Les Dames d’Escoffier, a membership-by-invitation philanthropic all-professional association.

Prior to becoming a Personal Chef, Monica worked with one of the largest and most prominent caterers in St. Louis, MO, Patty Long Catering. She also spent many years in the event planning business working with hotels, caterers, florists, and other service industry providers.

Monica’s pride and joy has been her adopted elementary school for the Chefs Move to Schools program. In 2016 she wrapped up her sixth and final academic year with the twice-monthly hands-on Chef’s Club for 4th through 8th graders. Beginning with 30 children in 2010, the club grew and grew each year, reaching a peak of 60 students! Because many of the kids returned each year, Monica has never repeated a recipe for this group resulting in over 150 delicious child-created masterpieces.

As an extension of her successful personal chef business, Monica has launched Tailored Taste Coaching for new personal chefs or those considering a career in this fascinating field. She has created training videos and provides one-on-one coaching for personal chefs across North America. 

To keep up with Monica’s musings on food, see photos of what she’s cooking for clients and  virtually tag along wherever her travels take her, follow Monica on Facebook and Instagram.