. . . discover the true taste of Spain – authentic cuisine and culture in the mountains of Andalucia

With its Spanish Cooking Holidays Casa Ana offers you a new way to discover Spain. If you love to cook, or would like to learn about cooking, if you enjoy feasting on the fresh tastes of Mediterranean cuisine and relaxing in the Southern Spanish sun . . . then join one of the Casa Ana culinary adventures in Andalucia.

Home for the Spanish Cooking Holidays is Casa Ana, a four hundred year old private house perched on the side of the stunningly beautiful Trevelez river gorge in Las Alpujarras. The location is perfect . . . an easy walk to village kitchen gardens, to olive and almond groves, and to the mediaeval mountain paths for gathering wild herbs. From here you can also visit the area’s wineries, Moorish mountain villages with their famous dried Serrano and Iberico hams, and the fabulous historic city of Granada.

“A truly enriching experience…something I will always savour and remember with a smile” ~ Clare Laune

About Casa Ana Spanish cooking and culture holidays

These vacations offer a full programme of cultural and culinary excursions as well as cooking classes:

• You will sample Andalucia’s gastronomic specialities at the village bodegas and in Granada

• You will visit local vineyards and discuss wines with the winemakers

• You will take picnics to the river and visit the famous white villages of the Alpujarras

• You will spend a day in Granada at the Alhambra palace followed by a relaxing soak in the Arabic baths and shopping opportunities in the Moroccan quarter of the city

The Casa Ana chefs will teach you to cook dishes from all over Spain, from gourmet specialities to the simplest of recipes. Famous dishes are included, such as gazpachos and paellas which are prepared outdoors over an open fire. Also included are many regional specialities, from the rich and hearty broths of Galicia to the delicate Ajo Blanco garlic soup from Malaga - from the robust cazuelas of beans and pork, or lamb slow-roasted for seven hours, to the most delicate of flavours such as marinated oranges in rosemary honey.

The ingredients come glowingly fresh from the markets of Malaga, Granada and the mountain villages. In the spring and summer you will be able to forage for wild herbs in the mountains and in the autumn you will be able to go to the woods to gather sweet chestnuts and wild mushrooms for the kitchen.

A cooking holiday at Casa Ana will give you a rich and unforgettable new experience of Spain, its culture and its gastronomic treasures.

What our guests say about the cooking holidays

“I loved the food, the exposure to Spanish culture and the international nature of the Alpujarras. At Casa Ana we were well fed and pampered. The retreat center is set in incredibly beautiful countryside – a feast for the eyes, the stomach and the soul.” ~ Janice Knight

“The great food, the congenial service from all who helped at the house, the beautiful setting were all wonderful. A ‘group tour’ that felt more like a week with old friends . . .” ~ Pamela Cooke

“I liked the cooking classes very much. So much to see, smell, taste and eat but so little time. The songbirds, the river and the breeze all play the symphony ‘Annual Pilgrimage’” ~ Rick Closson

“Wonderful atmosphere and experience. I had the opportunity to both relax and have a fun experience.” ~ Tony Bardol

“Absolutely delightful.” ~ Carole George

“The Cookery & Culture course at Casa Ana was a truly enriching experience. Meeting wonderful people and sharing in cultural, culinary learning and excursions in a beautiful setting in Spain was delightful and something I will always savour and remember with a smile.” ~ Clare Laune

“A cooking adventure in a unique setting, surrounded by exquisite scenery, hiking trails, with access to locals knowledgeable about botany, wine making and restauranting.” ~ Sybil Krauter

AUTUMN COOKERY HOLIDAY : November 2008

This is the time for gathering chestnuts and wild mushrooms in the autumn sunshine and cooking hearty paellas over an open fire. Learn to prepare sumptuous dishes from all over Spain and beyond, visit local vineyards and sample cheeses and hams in the village bodegas. Plus a day in Granada with a visit to the unforgettable Alhambra palace.

Day One: Saturday 1st November

Arrival day: You will be met at Malaga airport by the Casa Ana representative. There is a wonderfully scenic drive up into the Alpujarra mountains to Casa Ana where you will enjoy a welcome drink, tapas and introductions before dinner at 7.30 pm.

Day Two: Sunday 2nd November

In the morning Anne Hunt, owner of Casa Ana, will take you through the almond groves to a hidden spring where you can collect pure mountain drinking water. You will also have your first glimpse of ancient terraces and mule paths, built centuries ago by the Moors, and traditional village threshing grounds.

You will have lunch at Casa Ana and meet Cordoban chef Francisco Lillo. Over lunch, Francisco will tell everyone about everything from Andalucian cookery and gastronomy, to the Moorish civilization, to the history of Granada . . . wherever the conversation leads. In the afternoon Francisco will take you out onto the terrace of Casa Ana to cook the perfect paella

Day Three: Monday 3rd November

After breakfast, herbologist Julio Donat will take you into the woods to gather chestnuts, mushrooms and herbs and will tell you about the culinary and medicinal uses of wild plants.

After lunch at Casa Ana, Kim Schiffer will teach a baking class, with culinary treats such as Almond-Olive Cake with Candied Kumquats and Tangerines, Port-Scented Flan and Anise Biscuits.

Day Four: Tuesday 4th November

An all day excursion to Granada. The excursion will begin with a visit to the fabulous Thirteenth century Alhambra (Red Castle), the last stronghold of the Moorish rulers in Spain, with its exquisite ceramic mosaics, fountains, shady courtyards and gardens.

This will be followed by lunch at one of Granada’s tapas bars. Then you will visit the hammam, the traditional Arab baths. As you soak in the relaxing hot baths, you are soothed by the scent of neroli oil and soft Andalous style music. From there you will visit the Moroccan quarter of the city for shopping.

Dinner will be with Francisco at his bodega with a chance to sample a wonderful range of gourmet delicacies, olive oils and wines.

Day Five: Wednesday 5th November

There will be a free morning followed by an afternoon cooking class with Kim. The theme is tapas: learn to make Moorish Chicken and Pine Nut Pie, Grilled Vegetables with Romesco Sauce, Tortilla Espanola and Cabrales with Port Marinated Figs - to name but a few.

Day Six: Thursday 6th November

An all day excursion to the wineries of the Contraviesa area with Francisco with opportunities to discuss wines with the local wine-makers.

You will have a picnic lunch out in the Contraviesa and on the way home, you will visit the village of Trevelez, world famous for its production of Jamon Serrano.

For dinner you will visit a local restaurant, the Corral del Castano in the village of Capileira.

Day Seven: Friday 7th November

In the morning you will visit the village of Pampaneira in the Poqueira valley, for shopping and a cheese and wine tasting in the local bodega.

In the afternoon Kim will teach a cooking class for your final dinner party. Seasonal specialities will include Chestnut Soup with Wild Mushrooms, Braised Lamb with Preserved Lemon and Olive Sauce, Lentils and Rice with Fried Shallots, Seasonal Vegetables and Salads and Filoas (Apple Crepes).

You will round off your last evening with some flamenco guitar, the true sound of Andalucia.

Day Eight: Saturday 8th November

Departure day.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR OTHER HOLIDAYS EMAIL info@casa-ana.com

SECRETS FROM EL LIMONERO KITCHEN : November 2008

In this 3-day cookery course, Wes Somerville, owner/chef of El Limonero restaurant in Orgiva, Andalucia, will share some of the secrets from his kitchen. Create a world of sumptuous flavours: aromatic herb breads, perfect pan-fried fish, wild boar baked in clay, lavender crème brulee and much more… This will be a hands-on experience as Wes leads you through every stage of cooking, from marinading and stock-making to ideas for exquisite presentation of each dish.

Between cooking classes there will be opportunities to explore the beautiful village of Ferreirola and take walks to enjoy the mountain scenery.

Day One: Thursday 13th November

Arrival day: The Casa Ana representative will meet you at Malaga airport in the afternoon. There is a wonderfully scenic drive up into the Alpujarra mountains to Casa Ana. You will be able to enjoy a welcome drink, tapas and introductions before dinner at 8.00 pm.

Day Two: Friday 14th November

Today Wes will take you through every step to creating the perfect pan-fried fish. You will also learn to make home-made ravioli with a roasted pumpkin and pine nut stuffing, and caramelized red onion chutney, and to bake delicious bread, flavoured with rosemary from the Casa Ana garden.

Day Three: Saturday 15th November

Today you will prepare a sumptuous dinner featuring ingredients from the area. Wes will show you how to take marinaded wild boar and bake it in clay, and how to prepare roasted red pepper and goat’s cheese salad, carved potatoes and breads with olives and roasted cherry tomatoes. And for dessert, lavender crème brulee.

Day Four: Sunday 16th November

Departure Day.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR OTHER HOLIDAYS EMAIL info@casa-ana.com

SPANISH COOKING HOLIDAY IN ANDALUCIA : April 2009

Spring is the perfect time for a cooking vacation in Andalucia. The sun shines gently and the early vegetables and wayside herbs are at their best. You will prepare sumptuous dishes for dinner parties, cook with sherry, quince, garlic and pistachios, feast on authentic tapas and learn the secrets of Spanish baking.

You will also explore the culture of Andalucia with visits to the Alhambra Palace in Granada, local wineries and bodegas in the mountain villages.

Day One: Monday 20th April

Arrival day: You will be met at Malaga airport by our representative. There is a wonderfully scenic drive up into the Alpujarra mountains to Casa Ana. Join us for a welcome drink, tapas and introductions before dinner at 7.30 pm.

Day Two: Tuesday 21st April

In the morning Anne Hunt, owner of Casa Ana, will take you through the almond groves to a hidden natural spring where we can collect pure mountain drinking water. We will also have our first glimpse of ancient terraces and mule paths, built centuries ago by the Moors, and the traditional village threshing grounds that dot the hillsides.

We’ll have lunch at Casa Ana and meet Cordoban chef Francisco Lillo. Over lunch, Francisco will tell us about everything from Andalucian cookery and gastronomy, to the Moorish civilization, to the history of Granada … wherever the conversation leads.

In the afternoon chef Kim Schiffer will teach a baking class with sweet and savoury treats such as Bitter Chocolate Coffee and Cardamom Truffle Cake, Orange Flan, Cherry and Custard Tart and tangy Manchego Crackers.

Day Three: Wednesday 22nd April

After breakfast, herbologist Julio Donat will take us into the mountains to pick wild herbs for our cooking. He’ll also tell us about the uses of herbs in traditional medicine.

In the afternoon Kim will introduce you to the variety and splendour of authentic tapas. You’ll learn to prepare Prawns with Oyster Mushrooms and Manzanilla Sherry, Tortilla Espanola, Quail Baked in Flatbread with Pistachio Sauce and Grilled Spring Onions and Wild Asparagus with Romesco Sauce … to name but a few.

Day Four: Thursday 23rd April

In the morning we’ll visit the village of Pampaneira in the Poqueira valley, for shopping and a cheese and wine tasting in the local bodega.

From there we’ll take a picnic lunch to the beautiful Poqueira river gorge. There we’ll feast on Fig and Walnut Tapenade with Assorted Cheeses, local breads, Two Bean and Olive Salad, and a delicious Almond Torte.

The afternoon will be free.

In the evening chef Hersh Bakr invites us for al fresco dining at his restaurant La Alcachofa in the nearby village of Pitres, offering Andalucian and Moroccan flavours. Hersh’s speciality is Middle Eastern cuisine.

Day Five: Friday 24th April

An all day excursion to Granada. We will begin with a visit to the fabulous 13th century Alhambra (Red Castle), the last stronghold of the Moorish rulers in Spain, with its exquisite ceramic mosaics, fountains, shady courtyards and gardens.

This will be followed by lunch at one of Granada’s tapas bars. Then we will visit the hammam, the traditional Arab baths. As we soak in the relaxing hot baths, we are soothed by the scent of neroli oil and soft Andalous style music. From there we will visit the Moroccan quarter of the city for shopping.

In the evening Francisco invites us to his bodega for dinner with an opportunity to sample a wonderful range of gourmet delicacies, olive oils and wines.

Day Six: Saturday 25th April

The morning will be free.

In the afternoon Kim will lead a class to prepare a sumptuous Spanish dinner. Recipes will include Sangria with Fresh Fruit, a traditional soup such as Gazpacho or Ajo Blanco, Grilled Fish with Allioli, Lamb Slow Cooked with Artichokes and Mint, Roast Duck with Membrillo and Sherry, Salad with Pedro Ximenez Dressing, Cheesecake Torte with Pine Nut Glaze … and more.

Day Seven: Sunday 26th April

After breakfast we’ll go to the high mountain village of Capileira with its stunning views of Mulhacen and Veleta, the two highest peaks in mainland Spain. From there Anne will lead a 2-hour hike and for those who prefer to stay in the village, there will be opportunities for shopping, postcard-writing and watching the world go by over coffee in the plaza.

Lunch will be at Casa Ana and in the afternoon Francisco will take you out onto the terrace of Casa Ana to cook the perfect paella.

Visiting a wine shop on a Casa Ana cooking course Shopping at the market on a Casa Ana cooking course

Day Eight: Monday 27th April

An all day excursion to the wineries of the Contraviesa area with Francisco with opportunities to discuss wines with the local wine-makers.

We’ll have a picnic lunch out in the Contraviesa and on the way home, we’ll visit the village of Trevelez, world famous for its production of jamon serrano.

For dinner we’ll visit a local restaurant, the Corral del Castano in the village of Capileira.

Day Nine: Tuesday 28th April

The morning will be free.

In the afternoon Kim will prepare the dishes for our final dinner party with informal cooking demonstrations We’ll round off our last evening with some flamenco guitar under the stars.

Day Ten: Wednesday 29th April

Departure day.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR OTHER HOLIDAYS EMAIL info@casa-ana.com

Your hosts

The Casa Ana team came together to run Spanish cooking holidays because they share a passion for Spanish cuisine and culture, and have a great love of the Spanish countryside:

Kim Schiffer - a chef with a passion for local, seasonal and organic foods who has cooked in Italy, Morocco and California, and has now realised her dream of running cooking vacations in Spain;

Francisco Lillo - chef, gourmet and raconteur from Cordoba who now runs Granada’s most famous delicatessen, La Oliva;

Julio Donat - has devoted his life to the study of the local flora and the their culinary and medicinal uses;

Anne Hunt - a former festival director in London who in 2002 made the leap to go and live in Spain. There she stumbled on a derelict, 400-year old house in the Alpujarras and transformed it into a beautiful centre for mountain retreats;

The accommodation at Casa Ana

You will be staying at Casa Ana, a four hundred year old private house in the Alpujarra mountains of Andalucia. a traditional, white rendered Spanish house, with terraces and gardens and views along the high mountain valleys of the Alpujarras in the Sierra Nevada range. Once a family home, Casa Ana is now a place for groups to meet and work, to relax and explore, to eat well and live comfortably, all in beautiful and tranquil surroundings.

You will find stylish and comfortable accommodation, a fabulous country-style kitchen for your cooking classes, and terraces with stunning mountain scenery . . . the perfect setting for preparing paella, grilled fish and other culinary delights.

Facilities include:

• comfortable bedrooms for 10 people (12 in 2010) in a combination of doubles, singles and twins
• five new bathrooms
• group activities room with piano
• wi-fi internet access in the main living area
• dining room with wood burning stove, leading to outdoor dining terrace
• underfloor central heating
• south facing roof terrace, ideal for yoga, tai chi, stargazing
• four garden terraces and a secluded courtyard garden
• easy access to local bars and restaurants, swimming pool, walking paths and hiking trails

In between cookery classes and excursions, there will be time to enjoy being at Casa Ana, with its secluded cottage garden and superb views of the Trevelez river gorge. You can wander out to the spring to collect pure mountain water, or have a look round the tiny, unspoilt village of Ferreirola, or write your postcards on the terrace, or do nothing at all but listen to the distant sound of goatbells and the river.

About Las Alpujarras

The Alpujarras is a stunningly beautiful mountain area on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada range in Andalucia. It is situated about 90 minutes drive south from the historic city of Granada, and the same distance north of the Mediterranean sea.

To explore the Alpujarras is to step back in time. For many centuries the area was populated by the Moors who left their mark on the landscape . . . everywhere you look there are terraced fields, mediaeval mule paths and an incredibly sophisticated, hand-constructed irrigation system with hundreds of kilometres of water channels (acequias) and tiny reservoirs (alberquas). For a thousand years these have provided water from the high sierras to every village and every meadow, almond grove and vegetable garden in the area. This system is still in use today.

The Alpujarras is famous for its white villages, clinging precariously to the mountainsides. This too shows the legacy of the Moors - the jumbles of flat-roofed, rammed earth dwellings are not seen anywhere else in Spain but closely resemble the building style of the Atlas mountains of Morocco.

For anyone who enjoys walking, horseback riding or mountain biking, the Alpujarras is a paradise of winding paths and stunning views. It is also renowned for the abundant variety of its flora and fauna - the Sierra Nevada is home to more than 2,100 plant species, over 80 of them unique, and many rare species of butterflies, insects, and birds. At certain times of the year you can see 65 - 70 different species of butterfly in a week.

Photographs courtesy of Rick Closson