Celebrate the last hurrah of winter with a Winter Tuscan Dinner party. Join travel writer and Wanderlust Tours owner, Shawnie Kelley as she demonstrates a few rustic, yet complex tasting dishes with centuries-old roots in northern Italy—perfect comfort food for a wintry gathering of family and friends.

Be carried away to the rolling hills of Tuscany with a soul warming Sienese Minestrone and Kale Pesto Soup – a brothy recipe versatile enough to become your soup for all seasons. The main course illustrates the genius of Tuscan cooking, as heavy sauces are bypassed to allow the flavors of simple, high quality ingredients to shine. The star of our show, Garlic Rosemary Skillet Chicken with Pappardelle Basil Pasta is the perfect dish to serve family-style on a platter. Green beans and spinach lend a pop of color, while hand-cut, homemade pasta ribbons are robust enough to stand up to the flavorful and festive-looking dish. Class ends with a traditional dessert of Florentine Carnival Cake—an orange infused sponge cake popular leading up to Easter. During the cooking demonstration Shawnie shares her experiences traveling through the Italian countryside along with a slideshow of images. Learn to make her fail proof pasta dough while discussing Tuscan food traditions, culture, and a bit about her research for “A Woman’s Guide to Italy.” Buon appetito!!