Cooking Lesson on Natural Leavening Bread Preparation at the 17th Century Ancient Mill and Visit to the Old Village of Novara with private transport
- 1 Day
- 7 Persons
- Medium difficulty
Cooking Lesson on Natural Leavening Bread Preparation at the 17th Century Ancient Mill and Visit to the Old Village of Novara with private transport
- 1 Day
- 7 Persons
- Medium difficulty
Novara, one of Italy’s most beautiful villages with ancient origins, lies on the border between the Peloritani Mountains and the Nebrodi, serving as a treasure chest of ancient farming and culinary traditions. Noa, as the Greeks may have called it upon encountering the local Bronze Age community, still preserves the few remains of an Arab fortress known as the Castle, numerous 18th-century buildings, and a large number of churches built and renovated between the 14th and early 20th centuries.
Time seems to stand still in Novara: we will visit the ancient water mill, owned by the Affannato family since 1690 and still operational today, which produces bread from local ancient grain flours: Russello, Tumminia, and Maiorca. The visit will feature a special culinary experience on preparing and tasting homemade naturally leavened bread, along with typical local products. Among these is the famous Maiorchino, a sheep’s milk cheese that can age up to 30 months, the star of a true community event where Novara families compete in teams by rolling cheese wheels down the village’s winding alleys—for four consecutive weekends from January to February!
- Flexible Meeting Point: The meeting point will be as pre-arranged with the client in Messina, the Etnea area, Catania, or nearby locations, based on their specific needs. From there, we will travel together by private vehicle to the village of Novara.
- Along the way, we can admire the fantastic view of the island’s northern coast with the Aeolian Islands in the background, the Peloritani and Nebrodi Mountains, and Mount Etna in the distance.
- Novara exploration: Once arrived, we will take a pleasant stroll through the village streets to the Cathedral, built in the 1400s and renovated over the centuries up to the 19th. Together, we will see the crypt with the remains of canons and archpriests, in some cases naturally mummified due to the unique microclimate.
- Stop at the view point: Next, we will head to the highest point of the Novara rock with the remains of the Arab castle, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Gulf of Patti as far as the Milazzo peninsula and the Aeolian archipelago.
- Visit at the ancient water mill: After the short village visit, we will be welcomed at the ancient mill by Mr. Mario, the last heir of the Affannato family that has custodied the site since 1690. We will observe up close how the 1400s hydraulic mechanism works, see how flour is produced, the types and nutritional characteristics of the ancient grains still used today, and the traditional tools.
- Cooking lesson and tasting: Next, we will experience a real hands-on lesson on preparing the dough for bread, following all stages of fermentation, leavening, and baking in the oven. After the lesson, we will taste the prepared bread seasoned with local olive oil and accompanied by a tasting of local cheeses, pickled olives and wine.
- Return: Once the tasting is concluded, we will leave Novara to return to the initial meeting point indicated by the client, where the tour ends.
This itinerary is fully customizable to suit your preferences.
Duration: 8 hours (flexible based on pickup and pace). Cooking lesson and tasting at the water mill lasts 3 hours.
Vehicle: Mercedes Minivan V 250. Seating capacity: up to 7 passengers (plus the guide). Features: leather seats, air conditioning.
I’m not a guide-driver but I can provide a professional driver with his own minivan or car for commuting.