Tuscan Women Cook guests consider La Cantina de la Porta one of their most memorable restaurants during their week with us. Seated at long, festive communal tables, our guests marvel at the fragrant dishes coming from the kitchen.The fresh, locally sourced cuisine is spectacular, but owner Daria Cappelli is the real reason our guests fall in love with this Tuscan treasure. Daria's extensive knowledge of food and wine, along with her warm, welcoming spirit and linguistic talent (she speaks four languages!) sets the table for a meal to savor and an evening to remember. La Cantina is located in the picturesque Tuscan village of Monticchiello, which boasts the most dramatic panoramic views of the Technicolor Tuscan sunsets. 

Daria opened her first restaurant, Osteria La Porta, twenty-one years ago without any restaurant experience. La Cantina later followed. She began by turning a family-owned building into a wine bar, running it by day and becoming a certified sommelier at night. Daria's popular wine bar grew into the acclaimed Osteria la Porta, quickly embraced by locals, international tourists, and notable writers including international travel bloggers, hospitality web sites, and the New York Times ("Daria welcomes everyone like a relative."). All wrote glowing reviews about Osteria La Porta and La Cantina, often highlighting Daria's signature dishes, including the succulent Chianina beef cheeks slowly braised in wine and black pepper, that have become our Tuscan Women Cook guests' favorite dish. 

We were delighted that Daria included Los Angeles on her recent trip to the United States. We loved showing her our town and treating her to local dishes ranging from Malibu beachfront sushi at Nobu to one of our favorite downtown Los Angeles Italian spots,  Bottega Louie. We even included her in the quintessential all-American tradition, our annual Super Bowl party, complete with every imaginable Super Bowl snack.

We are doing it again! It's America's Game Week on Wheel of Fortune, and contestants will have another chance to win an all-expense week with Tuscan Women Cook in Montefollonico, Italy. Wheel and Tuscan Women Cook fans may remember the excitement during the Girlfriend Getaways Week when two best friends, Monique and Sierra, screamed with excitement over winning our first giveaway. We look forward to announcing the latest winners in our next newsletter and welcoming all our Wheel of Fortune winners on upcoming Tuscan Women Cook vacations.

Be sure to watch Tuscan Women Cook on Wheel of Fortune this coming Friday, April 13th. Check your local listings for show times.

Tuscan Women Cook guests enjoy a family-style cooking class at the gorgeous Andreucci winery. We will pair our meal with their award-winning Super Tuscans and outstanding whites, in an exclusive afternoon led by Flavio.

Flavio makes it easy to order his wines from Italy. Visit the Andreucci website for details. Mention Tuscan Women Cook for a 10 percent discount. It's time to stock up on Prosecco and refreshing whites for spring and summer!

In any country around the world, locals appreciate when a visitor makes an effort to speak in the local tongue. No one expects you to master the entire Italian language before your week with Tuscan Women Cook, but there are a few key phrases and common mispronunciations we thought you may want to know. We enjoyed this blog post from  Girl in Florence  and thought it may be helpful for you to read before your trip to Italy. Remember, penne is pasta, pene is...not.

We want to thank every single guest who signed up for 2018 Tuscan Women Cook. We are thrilled to report that all 2018 weeks are sold out. Spots are also filling fast for our 2019 dates, so plan ahead and say YES! to a trip of a lifetime with Tuscan Women Cook! For more information on Tuscan Women Cook itineraries, classes, and accommodations, visit the Tuscan Women Cook website.