TUSCAN TOURS 2012

Please join us for a memorable week in a beautiful country house near Siena, Tuscany.

We have the experience and knowledge to show you the magic and beauty of the quiet hill towns of Tuscany. Let's share with the Italians their celebration of life through their love of food, wine, art, music, architecture, history, and so much more.

Accommodation is a beautiful stone country house, an ancient mill building that has been transformed with taste and quality. It has its own private pool and enjoys panoramic views of the rolling Tuscan countryside. We will prepare for you Tuscan feasts accompanied by fine local wines.

We will drive you to ...

ancient abbeys to hear Gregorian chants, browse colourful markets, explore Siena, tour a Brunello winery with our friend Mario the winemaker (Italy's best red), absorb the charm of the tiny hill towns, dip biscotti into heavenly vin santo, walk among wild flowers, see how the famous ewes milk cheese pecorino is made, learn about the fresh and perfectly simple flavours of Tuscan food, tour Tuscan gardens, admire Italy's best Renaissance urban design, enjoy frescoes undiscovered by tourists.

You may have special interests or requests. We would be happy to explore these for you -- to personalize the week for your enjoyment.

2001- 2011 guests say...

I have never before experienced such a relaxed and enriching holiday. Your calm, orderly and elegant way of managing everything at just the right level has made it possible to appreciate the beautiful landscape, the gorgeous towns, the history, art and architecture to the full. And the delicious food you have provided deserves a volume of it's own - which we look forward to sometime in the future. Thanks so much to you both. Susi, Wellington, 2011

Many, many thanks for the fabulous week, before this I was ready to go home, now I wish we had longer. Everything was perfect, and the best birthday ever even thrown in. John and Josephine Ullrich, 2007

You had us at HELLO. You have far exceeded all expectations. You have shared an intimate view of Tuscany and Tuscan life which we will carry with us forever. To say thank you seems inadequate to express all that you have shared with us ......including yourselves. We came as strangers, half a world away.....and we leave as friends.....how wonderful for us! Susan Staffa, Florida.

Elsa and I have enjoyed every moment of our stay with you. Lyn, your knowledge of the area, and especially its history, is profound and has made real meaning of what I am sure we would never have even found, let alone understood! Chris, your friendly, humorous and 'always there' style have also been an essential ingredient of our marvelous stay - not to mention your excellent driving skills! All this and I haven't even mentioned the endless gourmet food (and wine...), from a couple who REALLY know what it takes to be perfect hosts!. Good luck always and keep us on your mailing list. - Allan and Elsa Maclean, Auckland, 2006

"What a pleasure and a privilege it has been spending this week in Tuscany with you both. Your passion for this wonderful country and its cuisine is evident in everything that you do - and it has so enriched our experience of Italy - our first. Thank you for the amazing food, the fun and laughter, your warm hospitality and for sharing your knowledge of Tuscany and its history. We've loved it all. Unforgettable." , Sonia and Mike Stott, Christchurch

"A big thanks to Lyn and Chris for making our week in Tuscany one of the most enjoyable holidays we have ever had. Wonderful food and experiences have made for a memorable time. Your knowledge of the whole area and its history has made this so interesting. Also the shopping!!!! We take away so many happy moments and we will start dreaming of the next time..." -- Don and Jeanette Walker, Banks Peninsula, 2004

"When planning a vacation one wonders if it will live up to expectations. Thanks to you our week in Tuscany was all we hoped for and more. The food was fabulous, the scenery beautiful and the sightseeing most interesting." -- Stan and Cheryl Friesen, Littleton, Colorado, 2004

"Lyn and Chris, your delightful company, not to mention your knowledge of the region and expertise in Tuscan culinary delights, has made for a one off experience. The view from our window at Il Molino; sun bleached wheat framed by vibrant greens and the alluring blue of our cool haven, the pool, will remain in my minds eye, even without the photographs. Thank you for a perfectly balanced week... just the right amount of dawdling through duomos, wandering through ancient villages and meandering around markets before retreating to the pool each afternoon. But special thanks for presenting Tuscany on a plate each day... the food and wine was wonderful." -- Russell and Joss Brockie

"A treasure trove of wonders unlocked for us at Il Molino has been a truely memorable experience for Heather and I. Lyn and Chris, you are amazing people, professional, friendly, warm and caring, which makes us feel part of an extended family for the duration of our stay. We have felt so at home here, wonderful food and hospitality, comfortable surroundings -- an amazing ambience. If I could say it in Italian it would be more lyrical, but we would like to say... Thank you Lyn and Chris, from the bottom of our hearts." -- Heather and John O'Sullivan, New Plymouth, New Zealand

"It is cold and wet here back in England, however, I do have the tan, the piccies and the extra hips to remind me of our lovely Tuscan holiday. We both enjoyed our week with you tremendously and hope very much to repeat the experience when you venture into new pastures. Thank you both for all your work. Once I got over the 'not helping' thing it was wonderful to relax completely." -- Kate and John Edge, UK

"Our week with you both lived up to the huge expectations I had for my very first holiday in Tuscany. It had to be beautiful, with scrumptious food, history everywhere and, as I'm a nervous traveller, it also had to be easy... Well it was just great, and -- if anything -- even better than I had hoped. I came back full of ideas for painting, recipes for the fabulous local cuisine you treated us to, a far greater understanding of the centuries of history we were in the midst of and, amazing for me -- I was relaxed! Thanks for all the hard work and detail you put into making this holiday one of the best ever for us." -- Nancy Tichborne, French Farm

"Pip and I so enjoyed our Tuscan holiday, we want to say thanks very much. It was a very special holiday. Everyone knows about the beautiful Tuscan countryside and all the history which surrounds you. But what we enjoyed most of all were: not having to worry about arranging anything -- and the food; having a host who could speak Italian -- and the food; visiting those special places that only the locals know about -- and the food; our very friendly and relaxed hosts -- and above all those fabulous gourmet meals that you kept producing every day. It was what you always dream your holidays should be but so seldom are -- 100% relaxation and enjoyment. Thanks Lyn and Chris." -- Russ and Pip Ballard, Wellington

Many seasoned travellers share the fantasy of taking their own chef on holiday with them. For most, it's no more than a dream. More of us fulfil the desire to experience Tuscany. It has been high on the list for travellers from all over the world for years now. Europeans have tended to seek it out as a sunny, stay-put-in-a-rented-villa-with-a-pool kind of holiday. For most New Zealanders, the Renaissance icons of Florence and Siena, together with fields of sunflowers and cypress trees, are typically squeezed into an itinerary that forms part of the grand European tour.

Now, the best elements of both kinds of holidays can be combined - the dream included. The Gables in Tuscany offers week-long sojourns in a glorious villa in rural southern Tuscany, where guests can choose to laze around the pool, absorb the art-filled history of the region and delight in the regional cuisine - without so much as picking up a peeler or a tea towel from beginning to end.

These intimate episodes have evolved from a concept developed by Lyn Baynes and Chris Broome, two accomplished chefs who spend eight months of the year entertaining guests at their charming country guest house above Wainui on Banks Peninsula. Then, each June, July, August and September, when things become cooler and quieter at home, they become Tuscan tour guides and chefs, sharing their wealth of knowledge acquired over the years.

The guests get to go where most tourists don't - because Lyn and Chris know exactly the right days and times to go, where to park, what to look out for and what to skip. They know where to get a great coffee, the best pastries, which panforte to buy and from where to take the best photographs. They have befriended butchers and bakers (but no candle-stick makers!), fruit and vegetable sellers, wine and cheese makers, olive oil producers and art historians. And their guests reap the benefits.

It is, they believe, a unique proposition available to New Zealanders. A perfect introduction to Italy for those who want to venture out on their own in following weeks. Or a relaxing finale to a tension-filled time on the continent, arguing over directions and missed turns, wrong-side-of-the-road driving, and being constantly frustrated at one's inability to speak the language. This week becomes a time to let others take the strain, to ease back and glide through each day, all the more prepared to appreciate the wonderful food and wine at lunch or dinner that evening.

With a limit of six guests per group, personal treatment is assured. Lyn makes a point of asking if there are any particular features of the region guests want to see or participate in. Then, she will pull out all stops to arrange them.

A typical week is likely to include a harmonious blend of iconic 'must-sees', such as Siena and its well-preserved architecture and artworks, with off-the-tourist-track gems like the nearby Abbadia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore with its stunning frescoes that arguably challenge the Sistene Chapel. Or the Gregorian chants of the Cistercian monks at Sant'Antimo. Then there's the opportunity to call in for a tour of a small, family-run factory that makes Pecorino, the highly regards sheeps-milk cheese introduced to the area centuries ago by Sardinian migrants. Or a visit to a local winery, a resting place on the pilgrims' route since the 9th century and now one of the few producers of the region's famous Brunello, widely acclaimed as Italy's best red wine.

Back at the villa, after the activity of the day and a leisurely swim in the pool, Lyn and Chris combine their culinary talents by serving up a dinner that is true to the fundamentals of Tuscan food. Fresh, good-quality meat, vegetables and fruit bought at the market that morning, reflecting the local approach. Beautifully presented and bursting with flavours, it will typically feature herbs they potted as soon as they arrived from New Zealand.

Most often, the dinner is themed to the food, wine or region featured that day. Locally made brasaola (air-dried beef), served with rocket and Parmesan, buffalo mozzarella with tomato and basil and round zucchini stuffed with creamy risotto. Afterwards, three types of Pecorino. Fresco: up to 20 days old; Semi-aged; coated with tomato paste (now replacing sheep's blood): and aged: encrusted with ash. Served with fresh pears, it is delicious.

Every balmy evening, in the courtyard under the walnut tree, turns quietly to darkness as one delight after another is introduced by the pair - usually to the magical accompaniment of the local fireflies, who float about in the half-light, akin to gloworms on the wing.

"My passion for this region stretches back to the early 1980's," says Lyn, who, even then, was attracted by the reputation of the region's food and wine. At the time she had been cooking for an English couple in Sardinia and the strong Italian influence evident in the food both she and Chris present can be traced back to this time. Then in 2000, they were asked to bring a group of New Zealand women to the area and cook for them. The guests loved it. So did Lyn and Chris. And The Gables in Tuscany was born.

Their enthusiasm for southern Tuscany is reciprocated by the warm manner in which locals have responded to the concept. The bonus to guests is the rare insight such interaction gives into the everyday lives of ordinary Tuscans.

If at all possible, one evening each week, dinner is hosted in the home of a charming couple who prepare the food in the traditional manner: plump and generous home-made pasta with meats cooked over a wood-fire ....a kind of indoor barbeque. In the absence of any Italian-speaking guests, copious arm waving and reliance on Lyn's interpretive skills are required this night as neither Signore nor Signora speak a work of English, despite the presence of an "English for Italians" book on the sideboard.

Having now completed the third season of The Gables in Tuscany, Lyn and Chris plan to branch out in 2004 by offering the same concept for part of the summer near Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna, just north of Tuscany. To food lovers, Bologna is also the capital of Italy, situated as it is in the fertile Po Valley. It has given the world Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, tortellini, mortadella, ragu, prosciutto crudo and a host of egg pastas. Quite naturally, it is intended to place more emphasis on the food for these trips.

But Tuscany will remain on the menu. After all, no self-respecting chef removes anything that is a favourite with the customers....let alone themselves.

The tariff includes...

• Accommodation in double bedrooms, each with bathroom in our private country house (maximum 6 guests).
• All dinners with wine, pre dinner drinks and nibbles, all breakfasts and 3 lunches. Menus will be designed around the local cuisine and produce.
• Organisation of the itinerary and transport in our comfortable, new Renault 9-seater van.
• Entrance fees, payments for tastings on the itinerary.
• Pick-up at Chiusi train station at 3pm on day of arrival.
• Drop-off at Chiusi train station at 10.30am on day of departure.

About us...

• We are chefs with considerable cooking experience within New Zealand and in the United Kingdom and Italy. For 14 years, we owned and ran the well-known and award-winning Christchurch restaurant Six Chairs Missing.
• In 1998, we purchased and restored The Gables Country House, an exclusive guesthouse at Wainui, Banks Peninsula. Please click here to visit our website.
• Lyn speaks Italian and has considerable cooking and travelling experience in Italy.
• Since 2001 we have led tours each summer in Tuscany, which we now think of as our second home..