Catacurian is a fourth generation family house, built in stone by Alicia’s great grandfather, and it is located in the small town of El Masroig, located within the region of El Priorat.
Recently Catacurian has been completely restored and transformed into a private hotel fitted with all of the amenities necessary to make your culinary vacation stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. There are three double bedrooms, all with private bathroom. A sitting room provides a common area where guests can read, listen to music, converse, or just relax. There is also a computer here with high-speed internet access for use by all of the guests. The heart of the house is the large kitchen/dining area with its open fireplace, where your classes will take place. Under the house is the barrel filled wine cellar with adjoining wine tasting room. Here is where you will learn of the famous priorat wines. A separate bar area provides yet another space where aperitifs or after dinner drinks are served. The garden and outdoor fireplace is where you will be making “Carn a la brasa”, a typical catalan meal consisting of a variety of meats grilled over live coals. The whole house is climate controlled so that you may be cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.
El Masroig is a small agricultural town of merely five hundred inhabitants. It has its own cooperative for wine and olive oil production which are its principal activities along with the cultivation and harvesting of almonds. The surrounding mountain ranges are visible from all around, and when looking towards the south the view covers miles and miles of unbroken land. At night every star is visible in the sky and this is a great time to have a walk to the nearby Ermita de les Pinyeres.
Faculty Information:
This culinary vacation program will really allow you to discover first hand why Catalonia and its food have become so popular. With six or seven hands-on classes of approximately three hours each and a combination of restaurant meals and class preparation meals, a very good knowledge of Catalan cuisine is attained. Four visits to local Priorat wine producers and vineyards, along with wine tasting will allow you to discover and appreciate the fantastic DOC Priorat and DO Montsant wines. An official olive oil tasting presentation will let you discover the incredible DO Siurana olive oils. A trip to a local ceramics producer, the Scala Dei monastery, and the Gaudi architecture in Reus will enable you to learn of the areas history as well as indulge in the landscapes of this beautiful and unspoiled region.
Other Activities:
Alicia is a native of the Priorat region and will be teaching you her region’s specialties in the very home that her family has occupied for the last 4 generations. You’ll immediately feel at home here, thanks to Alicia’s warmth and enthusiasm for Catalan cuisine. The lessons focus on using the freshest ingredients including seafood, vegetables, and specialty meats.
Facility Information:
About the cooking lessons: Catalan cuisine is a form of cooking that still closely reflects its medieval origins; occupied for nearly seven hundred years by the Romans, followed by several centuries of the Visigoths, and then four hundred years of occupation by the Moors, the varied influences are still discernable today. During the program, you will have a chance to visit some of the Priorat's best wineries where the wine tastings and one-on-one presentations will allow you to discover what makes the wines so fabulous and renowned. You’ll also discover why the Priorat olive oils are so outstanding with the help of an official olive oil tasting session.
Notes:
3-night program: $1700 per person, based on double occupancy
3-night single supplement, $300
6-night program: $3000 per person, based on double occupancy
6-night single supplement, $600
Maximum Number of Guests is 6.
Please inquire for details on: two nights in Barcelona with Alicia as your personal guide or a three-night Wine Tour.
* Transport to and from the Barcelona airport or Barcelona city center (Plaza España) at around 10:30 am on the day of arrival and after breakfast the day of departure
* Welcome apéritif
* Accommodations w/private bath
* All breakfasts, lunches, and dinner, including premium Priorat wines
* Catalan cooking classes
* Open bar with fine liquors and Cuban cigars
* Diploma, apron, gift and recipe book
* Transport and entrance fees for all of the excursions
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