The unmistakable gentle hills dotted with country villas and lined with stately cypress trees, the latticed olive orchards and vineyards, the graceful and medieval towns perched on hilltops; this could only be the wondrous countryside of Tuscany, the quintessential Italian region which, as Goethe observed, looks like Italy should.

The Tuscan people harvest the bounty of this rich land, which provides the finest quality local ingredients for their delicious hearty cuisine, and the many acres of vineyards produce some of the finest grapes in Italy, which have made Tuscany perhaps the most famous wine-producing region in the country.

What better way to discover the extraordinary cooking of Tuscany than with Mary Ann Esposito, host of the longest running cooking show on public television, Ciao Italia, now entering its twenty-first season. Mary Ann will travel with the group throughout the entire tour and conduct two hands-on cooking lessons in which she'll help you to prepare her favorite Tuscan recipes.

Please call us toll-free at 800-594-2901 or send an email to be put on the mailing list for Mary Ann's fall 2011 The Cooking of Umbria tour. Materials will be available at the end of this year.