TUSCAN WAY'S ORIGINAL SEVEN-DAY COOKING COURSE

IMMERSES PARTICIPANTS IN FOODS & CULTURE OF SOUTHERN TUSCANY

                COCONUT GROVE, FL -- A seven-day cooking course offered by Tuscan Way, a provider of culinary & wine tours to Italian destinations, immerses its participants in the foods and culture of southern Tuscany.  A four-day package is also available.

                Staying at "Casa Innocenti", the picturesque medieval home of the chef and host, Carlo Innocenti, in the small village of Arcidosso, guests are taught "La Cucina Povera", the simple and flavorful style of southern Tuscan dishes.  This was the peasant's cuisine -- centuries of creativity, a love of flavors and herbs, and an abundance of locally produced, organically grown foods  led southern Tuscans to explore every imaginable ingredient and recipe combination available.  The relaxed, informal style of cooking class, a glass of local Tuscan wine always within arm's reach, the small group (maximum of eight guests), and the personal attention given by the host, produces a member-of-the-family atmosphere not found in more formal schools.

                Carlo Innocenti teaches five hands-on cooking courses throughout the week, hosts a wine-tasting session and leads his guests through local markets, restaurants and Tuscan vineyards.  Four excursions are planned to nearby villages that include Montalcino, known for the vineyards that produce the celebrated Brunello wine; the pretty seaside village of Castiglione della Pescaia; and Sovana and Pitigliano, with their ancient ghettos and Estrucan tombs.

                Reservations, brochures and additional information can be obtained from Tuscan Way, 2829 Bird Avenue, PMB 242, Coconut Grove, FL, 33133; telephone (800) 766-2390 or (305) 598-8368, fax (305) 598-8369, website: <www.tuscanway.com>.