Let's Get Cooking: A Farm-to-Table Wine & Cooking Adventure

This tour is part of our 2012 "Winter Wine Tasting Series Package".  We offer this tour once each month from January through March.  This package includes an intimate wine tasting tour and cooking class experience with regional chef Samantha Buyskes, and a winter getaway at La Tourelle Resort and Spa.

Immerse yourself in the bounty the Finger Lakes.  On this one-of-a-kind culinary wine tour, you will create your own Finger Lakes meal from the ground up. 

We start our morning with a visit to Sheldrake Point Vineyards, where you will spend time in the tank and barrel room with one of the wine makers.  You will taste wine right out of the barrel, as you experience three vintages of winemaker, Bob Madill's personally crafted Pinot Noir .  You will then enjoy a wine tasting of a selection of Sheldrake Point's finished wines - Three of which will be featured as part of your cooking class experience later in the afternoon. 

Next, we head to Lively Run Goat Dairy.  Here you will meet the cheese makers and learn how they make their fabulous goat milk cheeses.  You will sample their varieties of French-style Chevre, Mediterranean-styled Feta, and their unique Cayuga Blue; one of which will again appear as an ingredient in your cooking class meal.  You might even say hello to a goat or two. 

The tour culminates with a cooking class and meal experience with regional celebrity chef Samantha Buyskes.  Alongside Chef Samantha,  you will learn and discover the beauty of ingredients grown and locally sourced right here in the heart of the Finger Lakes.  During the 3-hour class, you join Chef Samantha in her home kitchen as she prepares and demonstrates the creation of a three-course meal featuring the cheese and wines experienced earlier in the tour. Enjoy the flavors of the Finger Lakes as you learn about preparation and cooking methods, shopping tips, and the magic behind the wonderful regional food of our area. The theme and menu of the class changes each month. 

Join us for this very special tour series, expand your mind, palate and skills as you indulge in the winter wonders of the Finger Lakes.

Time:    10:00 am - 4:30 pm

Tours depart from Ithaca (La Tourelle Resort and Spa click HERE for map)