Testimonial Archives
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I wanted to express my sincere thanks for the wonderful experience you provided on our trip to Bologna. I wish you continued success in your business. While I have returned to the US, I find myself being even more selective in the food that I consume. The good news is that I have a local market that sells many Italian specialities.
My best regards, Brenda The trip in Piemonte exceed my expectations.
The countryside was more beautiful than I could have imagined. This was my fifth trip to Italy and still I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the landscape. We’ve seen vineyards before, but nothing like this. The villages were picture-postcard charming, with their colorful stucco buildings and tiled roofs. It was so nice to leave everything in Bluone’s hands. We had no responsibilities except to sit back, eat, drink, and enjoy. The highlights of the tour were several: the dinner at Gianni and Graziella’s home was delightful. It felt like a wonderful family dinner. I also loved the visit to the honey place. What lovely people they are. And I’m now addicted to acacia honey! With my need for authentic parmesan cheese and, now, acacia honey, I’ll have to make an annual trip to Italy to stock up! And, of course, the personalities of Raffaella and Marcello are always the highlights. It’s so wonderful to leave everything in the capable hands of two such lovely, intelligent, kind, charming, wonderful people. We love you both! Dear Raffaella and Marcello,
what a perfect day we had with you! We planned our cooking lesson & market tour many months ago when we found you on the Internet. We were not sure what to expect... we thought: how will we spend our 12 hours day together? We had so much fun and it was exactly what we hoped for! We learned a lot about specialty products of this area, saw the gorgeous market, met local people, had lunch, met new friends, learned how to cook some of our favorite dishes, enjoyed time in your lovely home, having our delicious dinner, wine and many laughs! Thank you for a deliciously unforgettable day. We will return, your new friends, K & C Hi Raffaella, Marcello & Francesca, I wanted to write to thank all of you for the wonderful time we had with you last week. My mother and I had a great time… My mother and I had a great time the entire week with Marchello and all the interesting people he introduced us to in Bologna and the surrounding areas. The parmesean cheese plant and the herb garden were particularly amazing - we learned so much. All of the meals were superb - especially the one in your home.
Most importantly, the personal attention that you and your family provide is what made the trip one of the best we've ever been on. It is obvious that you are very well connected in Italy's cooking circles! I hope we're able to stay in touch and be assured I will highly recommend your cooking school to all of my friends who travel and who enjoy cooking. Thank you again for such a wonderful trip, and thanks Francesca for the soap...you are so sweet!!! Have a wonderful summer. Dear Marcello, Raffaella & Francesca,
Our cooking adventure with you is an experience beyond compare. I cannot stop raving about our day in Bologna to my family and friends. I have taken cooking classes in the US where they focused on step-by-step instruction and was expecting the same. Instead, we were warmly welcome into the Tori family and Bologna culture from the instant we arrived. We started the day as teachers/students and felt we ended as old friends. Marcello provided the humour and stories. Raffaella and Francesca spent countless hours with us in the market and streets of Bologna making sure we understand the tradition and history of the food and Bologna as well as making sure we picked just the freshest and perfect ingredients. We cooked for almost four hours, but the time flew by too fast. I learned not only of how to cook true Italian but also of true hospitality. The warmness and generousity of the entire Tori family is evident in every part of the tour. My only regret is that I did not book a second day. I am anxious to try out my new pasta making skills with my family and friends. |
Dear Marcello & Raffa, I was very lucky to meet you seven years ago. I cannot believe it has been so long!The first program we did together was wonderful not just the food and the beauty of Italia, but your genuine warmth and generous spirit. Since that time we have become true friends and I consider you to be like family. You have gone out of your way to invite me into your home and to make me feel a part of your family and life. I have done two ther tours with you since the first, and each has been special. But the most special thing is your continued friendship and caring you and your family represent everything that is wonderful about Italy. La Dolce Vita is alive well in your home in Bologna. I look forward to coming again next year with some of my family so they can meet you and enjoy some cooking and wine adventures with you. You and your family are always welcome in my home. Ci vediamo presto. Hugs and love.
Dear new friends,
I can't think of a nicer day that I've ever had while in Italy. Thank you so much for your most generous hospitality -in opening your beautiful home & hearts to Lori & I. I hope some day I can do the same for you if you visit us in NYC. Until then I will remember this wonderful day. Many thanks. Dear Marcello & Raffaella- Thank YOU! Your hospitality and knowledge was exceptional and your tour and lunch exceeded all of our expectations. Spending the day with you and your family was truly our favorite experience in Bologna. Thank you for making our visit so very special. Please also thank lovely Franscesa -- we continue to marvel about the beautiful Zuppa Inglese she made!
We will stay in touch and, of course, contact you on our next visit to Italy. Please come see us in Texas, too. You are always welcome. Warm regards. Ciao Marcello & Raffaella, I would like to tell you that when we booked this trip we didn't know what to expect but were so looking forward to it; well it exceeded our expectations. Having and opportunity to see the countryside and experience the wonderful food of the region was a real treat. My friends thought that I would be tried of Italian food when I returned home but it was the opposite I wanted more. Meeting the chefs and having their cuisine and then spending and evening with you and your family and learning how to prepare all of the dishes your family picked out for us was a great ending for our vacation. The herb garden and lunch was a real treat. This has been one of the best vacations Elizabeth and I have ever taken and we will recommend it to everyone who asks about it. Your hospitality and concern for us was appreciated and we will remember it and Bologna for a long time.
Francesca and Tommaso it was a pleasure to meet you both, good luck with your school work and I know that you will both have a bright future.Raffaella I don't know how you could allow so many cooks in your kitchen but you did very graciously and made us feel so welcome, thank you. We loved the cheese and vinegar factory's and linen business. All in all it was a great trip. Fondly. Dear All,
We are still recovering from our wonderful WONDERFUL meal on Saturday! We had such a tremendous day with you, but our most favorite experience was sharing dinner with your family. It was so special and something we will never forget! We hope we will be able to share a meal together with you again... We also feel that we left Bologna having made great friends. Please do stay in touch, and we will do the same. Thank you again for such an amazing and memorable experience! Wishing you much love and luck. What fun to see first rate, authentic Italian home cooking in a family atmosphere in Italian’s Food Capital. What fun to see first rate, authentic Italian home cooking in a family atmosphere in Italian’s Food Capital. Not only are Raffaella and Francesca terrific cooks and teachers, together with Marcello they are exemplary hosts. An experience that we can highly recommend without hesitation.
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My dearest Raffa & Marcello, again you have fulfilled all my dreams! I don't know where the earth ends and the heaven begins - I believe it is in Italy! My heart feels this is time. Today and forever I love you! God bless.
Dear Raffaella & Marcello, every once in a while one gets to have a truly unique one of a kind experience. Today and tonite it was such an experience. You have a wonderful family, a wonderful home and you have given me a great gift. The food was only part of it even though it was simply fabulous. You both are so gracious. I only hope one day I can return the favor. Grazie mille. It was wonderful, I hope to take many more courses and tours with you.
To our dear friends, Raffaella, Marcello and family, as we sit down to write this note we look back at our wonderful week and wonder how it is possible that we had so many unique experiences! Unlike an impersonal tour you made us feel like a dear friend was sharing his hometown with us.
Your careful planning never made us feel rushed. We so enjoyed the regional chefs and culinary artisans. Letting to know your loving family made us feel most welcomed and cared for. We will dream of a third wonderful adventure in the future. Wishing you a great success and much love. Dear Marcello, Raffaella, Francesca, Tommaso and Emanuele, I wish I could find just the right words to express how much I adored my day (and night) with you all. To say that it was beyond my expectations wouldn't be saying enough. To say that it was beyond my expectations wouldn't be saying enough. When I first emailed and explained that I was a solo traveler coming in from Tuscany and could only spend one day in your beautiful city, you went out of your way to accommodate me -- offering the independent apartment next to your own for the night, picking me up from the train station and then having wonderful Marcello drive me back to the station the next day, help me buy my ticket and get me to the platform just in time. And the day itself was spectacular. I've traveled to my share of wonderful places worldwide and taken many tours related to food and wine. What made this truly special was that it wasn't just another tour or a class, it was like being adopted into an Italian family for a day and beyond. I understand now why so many of your previous clients have walked away calling you "friends." You all have such a passion for food and for life, and it is a true gift to be able to experience that joy and to learn from you.I also appreciated how extensive the day was. Because I love to cook, I didn't want to spend my money on some quickie tour and food "demonstration," but rather a true, hands-on experience -- and that is exactly what I got, and more. I learned so much during the tour of the food market -- from how to select the most authentic balsamic to which tomatoes produce the best sauce -- and even more from Raffaella and Francesca in the kitchen when we got down to work making our multi-course feast. Before your class, I'd never attempted to make fresh pasta at home. It always seemed too time-consuming and overwhelming, despite my love of cooking. Now I know I can do it. The one thing I most relished was your commitment to "homemade": The homemade limoncello and hazelnut liquors you brought out at the end of the meal; the homemade cherry jam Raffaella had made just the day before and insisted we try with some fresh ricotta (still warm from the market. I can still taste it!!); the homemade strawberry preserves Francesca had made and which I was able to share with you over breakfast the next morning.
All of it: That's not just some "tour" -- they are memories I'll cherish always. This was, as you know, my second trip to Italy, and I was really looking this time to get away from all of the crowds and tourists and do something special. You all gave me "my true Italian experience," the one I'd always dreamed of. I just can't thank you enough. Warmest regards always. Dear Raffaella,
thank you for opening up your home to me. I had a wonderful time spending a day with your family as you taught me the ways of Emilia Romagna cooking... your humour and patience made this a truly unforgettable experience... Me and my stomach will never forget your cooking and I'll take away your priceless lesson and put them to good use. Grazie and ciao. |
