The true rhythm of Tuscany has set in. They tend to be married middle-aged women, often traveling together. But even single men like Marcus Boehm, a scientist from San Diego and the eighth member of our class, are not uncommon. You just need to love good food. Mary Beth Clark, who has run the well-known International Cooking School of Italian Food and Wine in Bologna since 1987, has seen participants getting both younger and older.
People come to learn and have a good time.
That we do. After each morning's class, we galloping gourmets set off on a gastronomic excursion, immersing ourselves ever deeper into the roots of this rustic cuisine. As we traverse the narrow, winding roads, we're surrounded by country vistas sliced from a Leonardo da Vinci painting. Shafts of sunlight illuminate olive-green hills, glinting off ancient stone buildings and lonely cypresses, tall as towers. It's as much a feast for the eyes as a zesty rag is for the palate.