Theme Dinners

Since Giovanna works only with a limited number of participants, she has dedicated herself to the research of those details that make the difference. Precious embroidered tablecloths, which have been hosting meals since more than half a century, silver cutlery and hand-decorated dishes. A sober but elegant table, which aims to surprise guests. Giovanna is from Florence, so she is particularly fond of traditional dishes such as lampredotto (cow stomach), poppa (breast) and trippa (tripe), often presented in unusual and tasty recipes. Theme dinners based on excellent local cuisine, one of Giovanna’s great passions. The king of taste, our beloved truffle, could not be missing. The wood-fired oven inside the house is often used to prepare many dishes. Many ingredients, such as eggs, vegetables and olive oil, are mainly organic.

Cooking Classes

The philosophy of Giovanna and her chef is: creativity, traditional cuisine, organic products. Short but sufficient courses to achieve these three points. Our guests will be able to choose what to focus the course on among tasty sauces, homemade pasta, roasts, Tuscan sweets and other delicacies. The ingredients used for the realization of the courses will be mainly organic and coming from our farm: from eggs, to oil, vegetables, fruit, aromatic herbs and if our dog Blich from truffles doesn't have a whim... also some truffles. Often the courses will take place in the well-equipped outdoor kitchen surrounded by aromatic herbs and an amazing view.

Prices: Depending on the number of participants and the duration of the course a quotation will be provided.

Cheese

Grab the unique chance to visit a typical dairy farm close tour farmhouse, which produces and sells cheese, ricotta and sheep’s cheese.
Pecorino is the most typical traditional tuscan cheese. Summary description of the product: Seasoned ‘pecorino’ (sheep’s cheese) is about 2.5 kg it has a pale yellow texture and small holes. It is seasoned for at least 120 days, and has a strong and slightly spicy flavour. Fresh pecorino is about 1 kg, and has a compact white texture. Seasoning lasts for at least 20 days, though the cheese is usually eaten after 30-45 days.
Ricotta is a dairy product produced by heating the whey left from cheese processing and adding pasteurised milk, whose specific origin - whether sheep, cow or both - gives pecorino its specific name (sheep’s ricotta, cow’s ricotta, mixed ricotta). The cheese, made with whey, pasteurised milk and salt, is sold immediately once it is produced. Ricotta has a soft and cream-like texture, and a sweet flavour.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil is a typical food of the Mediterranean area, a very ancient and valuable product, subject, because of its high economic value, to many kinds of sophistication. Italy is one of the largest producers of olive oil in the world, but despite this, due to high internal demand, is forced to import it.
Better so, since we are talking about an excellent food product. The healthy climate, the nutritional richness of the land and the typically hilly landscape have made Val di Chiana the home of excellent olive oils. Our company also boasts a modest but valid production of olive oil.
Our oil is also sold in small quantities to our guests. When the harvest is finished, which takes place at the end of October, we take our yield to the oil mill ... after a few days we have our oil that we use jealously to give the right flavor to our traditional recipes.

Truffles

Truffle is the fruit of a subterranean fungus. There are many kinds, but mainly two are recognised: white and black truffle. White truffle is rare and valuable, so it is more appreciated and expensive than the black; it is consumed "grated" (cut in very thin slices with the appropriate tool). Its ideal matches are delicate and light dishes, that exalt its aroma and taste. On the other hand, black truffle has an inferior organoleptic complexity and is less rare than the white, so generally it can be purchased at a lower price. It can be grated, but it is also used as an ingredient of elaborate dishes and patés. The use of truffle is very remote: it seems it has been used since Jacob's era, 1600 years before Christ. Truffle can be found in many areas in Central and Northern Italy. In Tuscany, white truffle is particularly abundant in the Crete Senesi area, in San Miniato, in the Val Tiberina, in Mugello and Casentino. The Scorzone variety is very widespread in Tuscany, is often found in calcareous soils covered by artificial oak and pine woods, in the provinces of Arezzo, Florence, Siena Grosseto, Pisa, Lucca, and Pistoia. The seach it is a school of life, a world made of technique, cooperation and altruism. The soil donates its valuable and scented fruit, while the complicity with the dog (a mix of devotion, friendship, profession and play) creates that intimacy that characterises the man-animal relationship. The hunter indicates to the dog the direction of the sniff and, by using an appropriate language, incites it in the search. When the dog finds the truffle, it starts to scratch: the hunter completes the work with his hoe, extracting the truffle with utmost delicacy. One of my four dogs is a sweet Lagotto, the breed used for the truffle hunt, named Blich, trained as a sniffer when he was a puppy, who often found fragrant Scorzone truffles in the inner garden of the farm.

Cycling Excursions

At about 1 Km from Brolio Quinto farmhouse there is the cyclo/pedestrian route of the Canale Maestro della Chiana, which links Arezzo to Chiusi and reaches the archaeological site of Sodo, in Cortona. It is a 62 +12 km route, properly equipped and protected for those who like to travel slowly, cycling or walking. The ancient road used for both canal and lock maintenance is, in fact, a natural track without any height or level differences which makes it particularly suitable for sport tourism with the family.

For more info visit: sentierodellabonifica.it

We are glad to provide three mountain bikes to our guests. In case of further needs, our staff is at your disposal. We can make guided trips led by professionals by request.