Pilates and Cooking Discovery
Asti, Piedmont

About the location: The Poppy Farmhouse is located within an organic vineyard and gardens in a stunning “eagles’ nest” location, overlooking hilltop villages and vineyard-covered hills and valleys in southern Piemonte, just outside of Asti. However, it is really a misnomer to call this a farmhouse. The owners, John and Robyn, are both designers, and they have brought their remarkable talents to the renovation to create a lovely and charming accommodation.

Every detail is of the highest quality and design; each of the five bedrooms has a different color theme, LED lighting, oversized double beds (or twins) with Quagliotti Egyptian cotton bed linens, Gabel bath towels, hair dryers and robes, and flat-screen satellite TVs. There is also broadband wi-fi access or Internet telephone connection. The teaching kitchen and Pilates studio are equipped to the highest professional standards. More? Yes, but you will have to discover for yourself! The location of the property is also wonderful. If you would like to experience Italy where the tourists are not, then a town like Asti is a treasure. An affluent and older community, Asti clings strongly to the sense of tradition and community that was representative of Italy in the early 20th century and is disappearing. Most noted for its bubbly and sweet Asti Spumante, it is also home to an antique “palio” horserace and many interesting churches and cathedrals.

About the lessons: Each day, in addition to the normal cookery courses, Chef Gino Minicapilli will take students on a food adventure around Italy by sampling and comparing one type of food (e.g. Prosciutto, Olive oil, Gorgonzola, and so forth) from different regions, and experiencing the different flavours and textures between regions, perhaps exploding a few myths and legends in the process. This food adventure is at the heart of your cooking discovery and takes full advantage of Gino’s unequalled knowledge of regional Italian food and personal involvement with many small producers around Italy, whom he regularly seeks out and visits when not tending his vineyards or teaching. We often talk about passion in this field, and Chef Gino is the embodiment of such passion and devotion to his art.

About the pilates: a programme of visiting Pilates teachers is supplied by the Pilates Institute of the UK. For experienced Pilates students, they are free to use the Pilates studio at any time and benefit from the advice of the Pilates instructor. For complete beginners, instructors will provide hands-on introduction sessions to assess your capabilities and develop a personalised schedule for each guest. Pilates is a fun and elegant exercise regime, which is beneficial for all ages and people, and is also suitable for anyone with an injury.