By Catherine Rayburn-Trobaug
For the premier wine and food experience in the
United States, nothing can beat Napa Valley, California. Located north of
San Francisco, Napa County has the ideal climate and geography for growing grapes and other produce and because of this, wineries are abundant as well as world-class restaurants featuring California cuisine. If you love to cook and you crave the casual atmosphere that Napa Valley provides, then consider a cooking vacation.
Organic Cooking
Napa Valley farmers excel at organic farming, and the local chefs say it makes all the difference in the taste of foods. There are several cooking vacation packages available that specialize in organic foods. The teachers at Cooking with Julie will teach you how to cook with local organic and natural foods including free range poultry and artisanal cheeses. You can choose from several tour/cooking courses combinations or take a private class for more personal attention.
(707) 227-5036
P.O. Box 5412
Napa, California 94581
cookingwithjulie.com
Hugh Carpenter
Hugh Carpenter, author of 15 cookbooks and world-renowned chef, offers cooking courses in his Camp Napa Culinary for specific summer and fall dates. While Hugh and his wife Teri, don't provide accommodations, they work in conjunction with local hotels. Enjoy a relaxed dinner in their home and a week of cooking classes and tours of the area.
(888) 999-4844
Hugh Carpenter /
Camp Napa Culinary
3960 Hagen Road
Napa, California 94558
hughcarpenter.com/
Casa Lana
Casa Lana's Gourmet Retreats makes it easy to learn to cook the Napa Valley way while enjoying a relaxing vacation. Casa Lana features small class sizes and an ala carte menu of courses from a single class to a full week's worth. All supplies are included and recipes are provided to take home.
(877) 968-2665
1316 South Oak Street
Calistoga, California 94515
casalana.com/cooking_classes.shtml
About the Author:
Catherine Rayburn-Trobaugh has been a writer and college writing professor since 1992. She has written for international companies, published numerous feature articles in the "Wilmington News-Journal," and won writing contests for her poetry and fiction. Rayburn-Trobaugh earned a Master of Arts in English from Wright State University.
