Cook with a cookbook author · Sicily
More Than Cake with Natasha Pickowicz
An intensive pastry course in which Natasha Pickowicz guides guests through designing and building a layer cake from scratch with Sicilian grains, nuts, dairy and fruit. Each day moves from planning and sponge to fillings, assembly and decoration, ending with tea and cake.
Ask us about this trip →Free to ask. We confirm dates, availability and price before you commit to anything.
What you will do
- Plan and design your own layer cake
- Making butter from fresh milk for buttercream
- Regional grains, nuts and cheeses in the sponge
- Mousses, ganache and fruit preserve fillings
- Buttercream coating, piping and fresh garnishes
- Sicilian baking session with a local baker
- Garden tour and cheesemaker visit
- Tea and cake with your finished creation
Before you go
Eat the region first, then cook it. Everything here is free and saves to your trip.
Who leads it
Natasha Pickowicz
New York-based pastry chef, four-time James Beard Foundation Award finalist and author of the cookbook More Than Cake (a NYT best cookbook of 2023).
Enza
Leads an evening Sicilian baking session; no biography published.
Day by day
- Day 1 (Mon Jun 21)ArrivalCheck-in from 3 pm; welcome aperitivo and dinner at 7:30 pm.
- Day 2Planning and butterGarden tour, session on planning and mise en place, then a butter-making class.
- Day 3Flavor and spongeCheesemaker visit with picnic breakfast, cheese tasting, and baking the base sponge with local ingredients.
- Day 4FillingsMousses, ganache and preserves; layers assembled and rested; evening Sicilian classics session with Enza.
- Day 5FinishingCoat, pipe and garnish cakes, then tea and cake time.
- Day 6 (Sat Jun 26)GoodbyesBreakfast and 10 am departure.
Itineraries can shift with weather, season and host availability.
What is included
Included
- Accommodation at Case Vecchie or a nearby cottage
- All meals, with Tasca d'Almerita estate wines at lunch and dinner
- All cooking classes and scheduled activities
- Guided visits and excursions in the program
- Group shuttle from Roccapalumba train station on request
Not included
- Private transport to and from Case Vecchie
- Airfare
- Travel insurance
Practical details
- Where you base
- Case Vecchie on the Regaleali estate, Vallelunga Pratameno (Caltanissetta province), central Sicily; visits to the Tasca d'Almerita winery and nearby farms
- Where you stay
- Stay in the farmhouse Case Vecchie or one of the nearby estate cottages; the grounds have gardens, a pool and a chicken coop. Room types are single or double occupancy; no further room detail published.
- Pace
- Easy to moderate: hands-on classes, short walks through vineyards and early-morning farm outings, with free time or pool time on some afternoons.
- Arrival and departure
- Arrive Monday Jun 21 from 3 pm; depart Saturday Jun 26, 10 am. Roccapalumba station shuttle on request.
- Who it suits
- Serious home bakers and pastry fans who want technique plus creative design.
Good to know
- Celiac and vegan guests cannot be accommodated (limited ingredients at the rural site)
- Remote rural estate; the schedule can change at short notice with seasonal farm rhythms
- Booking is through the school's Youli booking link
- See the school's Terms and Conditions for cancellation terms.
Dates and prices
€4,400 single room / €7,800 double room Ask the school whether the double price is per person or per room. Covers lodging, all meals with estate wines, classes and excursions listed; flights, private transfers and insurance are extra.
More trips in Sicily
Trip details are compiled from the published information of Anna Tasca Lanza (Anna Tasca Lanza School, Case Vecchie), who runs this trip. Dates, prices and availability change; we reconfirm everything with you before you commit.
Chef Amazing · Will Travel for Food · 250 food markets · The Best 100