Chef Evan Kleiman Shares Her Love Of Italy

"Golden" green new olive oil pours forth from the presses, porcini are wild in the countryside for the taking and chestnuts, truffles and wild boar become center stage on seasonal menus"... These are just a few of the mouth-watering details describing the culinary delights participants will enjoy during Evan Kleiman's Cooking Adventures - one week travel excursions to Umbria-the "green heart" of Italy.

Kleiman, host of public radio station KCRW's "Good Food" (airing Saturdays, 11am-Noon)is a renowned cookbook author, chef and owner of the beloved Angeli Caffe. Her love of Italy motivated her to create tours that offer a uniquely intimate experience of the region's food and culture. In addition to cooking classes, participants will also learn about the celebrated traditions of the region; cheese making, cured meats & of course wine.

Participants will stay in a beautifully restored and decorated 19th Century farmhouse located just outside of the walled city of Todi (about a two hour drive north of Rome). Whether the day involves exploring local shops, foraging for the freshest ingredients to use in home-cooked meals, or enjoying the magnificent countryside during a day trip to one of the many charming local towns, Kleiman enriches each experience with her in depth knowledge of the area and its people. Rustic country trattorie will be stopping points for lunch, while most dinners will be prepared together at the villa in the form of participation classes.

Participants will also learn about several celebrated traditions of the region; making cheese, cured meats, olive oil and wine. Some of the nearby cities to be visited include Assisi, Orvieto (sight of the stunning Signorelli Chapel), Norcia, known for black truffles and cured meats made of boar and Perugia, the lively capital of Umbria. Deruta, a town celebrated for its ceramics is close by as are the cellars of Lungarotti, Antinori, Caprai and many others. Tour stops also include Spoleto, known for its annual music festival and Montecastello di Vibio- home of the smallest theatre in the world - as well as working farms where visitors will partake of home grown meals.

As head of the tour, Kleiman brings a profound knowledge of Italy gained from her personal travels throughout the country and through academic study. She received a BA in Italian Literature and Film , is fluent in Italian and is especially familiar with Umbria after working for private clients there for many years. Kleiman also leads the Los Angeles convivium of Slow Food, an international organization dedicated to the preservation of artisan food production. She is the author of six cookbooks, the first three of which- Pasta Fresca, Cucina Rustica and Cucina Fresca (William Morrow Publishers) will be re issued this July 2001. She has been the host of KCRW's (89.9 FM National Public Radio, Los Angeles) popular "Good Food" program since March of 1998.

Assisting Kleiman with the tour is Douglas Andrews, who went to Italy during his junior year abroad program 20 years ago and never left. He collects contemporary art and has lived in Umbria for several years bringing an insider's view of the region.

The tour prices range from $2850 to $3000 (depending on room occupancy) and include accommodations, classes, museum entrance fees, meals and gratuities. Travel arrangements to and from the villa can be provided but flight and transportation expenses are not included in the tour price. Two tours are offered for the summer; July 8-15 and July 26-August 2, and two for the fall; November 6-13 and November 17-24. Tour group sizes are extremely limited. For information and reservations, email inquiries to ANGELICAFFE@EARTHLINK.NET or fax your phone number to Angeli Caffe at 323-938-9873 and Evan will return the call.