In September 2026, I will be back in central Sicily to lead my Autumn Harvest workshop at Anna Tasca Lanza, where I have been lucky enough to teach for the past five years. It is a very special place, a working, nineteenth century farmhouse, Case Vecchie, that was turned into a cooking school in the 1980s by the Marchesa Anna Tasca Lanza and is continued by her daughter Fabrizia Lanza. For nearly forty years it has been the place for learning about Sicilian traditions, with figures like Alice Waters and David Tanis coming here over the decades.
Whether we are making tomato paste, letting the fresh tomato sauce dry in the hot August sun, learning about cheesemaking or rolling out fresh pasta stuffed with something we just picked from the garden, there is always something to learn here.
There is a rhythm to life in the Sicilian countryside that calls you to slow down the moment you arrive — there is always a good, unrushed meal, time for a wander or lounging in the garden or a dip in the pool, aperitivo in the courtyard, in between our cooking sessions.
Join me 7-12 September, 2026 in Sicily.
In this workshop, we will focus on the bountiful season that is early autumn — the best season, if you ask me. Our daily cooking sessions will be inspired by what is ripe in the garden: figs, tomatoes, eggplants, grapes, wild herbs, capers and the freshest ricotta you will ever taste — we pick it up ourselves from the cheesemaker. We even have time for a day trip out to the beautiful mountain town, Polizzi Generosa, where we will visit a ceramic tile maker and do a creative workshop with him.
An idea of our itinerary for this week in Sicily together:
Monday 7 September:
3:00 pm| Arrival and settle into your farmhouse accommodations
7:30 pm| Welcome aperitivo & dinner together
Tuesday 8 September:
9:00 am| Breakfast
10:30 am| Cooking Lesson
12:30 pm| Aperitivo and lunch
4:30 pm| Garden tour with Fabrizia
7:30 pm| Aperitivo & dinner
Wednesday 9 September:
7:45 am| Departure to visit Filippo the cheesemaker and picnic breakfast at his farm
12:30 pm| Sicilian cheese tasting followed by lunch
5:30 pm| Cooking lesson
7:30 pm| Aperitivo & dinner
Thursday 10 September:
9:00 am| Breakfast
10:30 am| Cooking Lesson
12:30 pm| Aperitivo and lunch
Free afternoon
7:30 pm| Aperitivo & dinner at Case Vecchie
Friday 11 September:
8:30 am| Breakfast
9:30 am| Departure for a tile workshop in Polizzi Generosa
1:00 pm| Lunch at Restaurant in Polizzi Generosa
3:00 pm| Departure back to Case Vecchie
6:00 pm| Mini Cooking Lesson with Emiko: Cocktail + Aperitivo
7:30 pm| Final Dinner at Case Vecchie
Saturday 12 September:
9:00 am| Breakfast
10:00 am| Goodbyes and departure
Some practical information:
The weather: I have been lucky enough to visit Anna Tasca Lanza in every season. September will be quite warm but the evenings might be cool (we will be in an altitude of 800 meters above sea level). We are on a farm and will be cooking almost every day, so bring comfortable clothes and shoes for exploring. Don’t forget swimmers for when you need a refreshing dip in the pool.
Getting to Anna Tasca Lanza: Fly in to Palermo or Catania (I usually choose Palermo), which are both about 2 hours drive away, and a driver can be organised to take you directly to Case Vecchie or you can take the train from Palermo station to Roccapalumba and get picked up there.
Cost: From €3750 for double room per person or €4100 for a single.
See more details here.
Ready to cook together in Sicily? Book here.
Comments
What a stunning itinerary!
Just a heads up, you write about the tomato paste drying in the August sun, but the workshop takes place in September ☺️
Yes, I was writing about my previous experiences at Anna Tasca Lanza, which include making tomato paste in August (twice!). I have been lucky to have been there in spring, summer and autumn. We will get to taste the efforts in September!