Experiencing Cooking in Italy

What to Do Without Eric?

I’ve posted earlier about Eric not being able to travel this spring. I decided this would be a good opportunity to try 3 different “cooking experiences” in Italy. One in Tuscany, one in Abruzzo and one in Piedmonte. The food is quite different in each region so each experience should be distinctive. I’ve just begun my first experience at La Mezza Luna in Mologno.

Where in the World is Mologno and Why am I Here?

Mologno is located in a valley between the Alpi Apuane and the Appennino Mountains about 34 km north of Lucca and almost directly east of Massa, which is on the coast.

I have come to Mologno, along with 6 other people to enjoy an 8 day, 7 night cooking experience at La Mezza Luna with its owner and chef, Rita. I’ll be posting later about the actual cooking and excursion experiences; this post focuses on where the experience is located, the views of the area, and a brief outline of what the experience includes.

Rita picked me up on Saturday at the Lucca train station for transport to her cooking school. I know now that you can get here on Trenitalia which arrives 2 times a day from Lucca. But, transportation from Pisa Airport or train station and Lucca train station is included in the experience.

Who Is Also Experiencing MezzaLuna?

When Rita picked me up in Lucca she had two other “experiencers” from the U.S. with her. In total, we are seven, of which one is a male. Six of us are from the U.S. and one from South Africa. We are made up of 2 single travelers, 1 set of sisters-in-laws/besties, and a couple with a sister-in-law.

What are We Doing for 7 Days?

The general itinerary of the experience is morning breakfast, then an excursion. After the excursion a cooking course for pranzo (which we then eat), a few down hours and then a cooking course for dinner (which we then eat). Meals are outdoors, weather permitting. It is an all inclusive experience with great food, good wine and a fantastic hostess/chef.

Where is La Mezza Luna?

La Mezza Luna is located on a hillside a short distance above the village of Mologno. From the terrace you can see multiple small hilltop towns and the town of Gallicano. Gallicano is walking distance from La Mezza Luna, but the walk is on a questionable 2-lane road with no sidewalks or walking path.

At La Mezza Luna you wake up to lots of birds singing and in the afternoons you can hear both an off-schedule rooster and geese honking in the distance. Oh yes, you can also hear the periodic horns of the buses and large transport vehicles as they navigate the blind corners on the roadways in the distance. But, after some wine, you really don’t hear them at all. There is a terrace at ground level and also above.

The rooms are simple and clean and the beds are comfortable…not that we spend much time in our rooms.