We are on the terrace of Hotel La Costa in the 13th century hilltop village of Montefollonico, situated about 100 kilometres south of of Florence. George, along with his wife Linda and their daughter Whitney, are our wonderful hosts of Cook in Tuscany, a week of gourmet cooking classes run by local women, fine dining and excursions.

We step inside the sunlit breakfast room, which offers tempting dishes such as hard-boiled eggs served with olive oil and chilli flakes, Italian fruit pie, fresh juices and fine coffee. After breakfast, my partner, Amanda, and I stroll over to nearby ristorante La Botte Piena to join an eager group of Americans, Canadians and Australians already wearing aprons and rolling up their sleeves in readiness to cook and indulge in some of Tuscany’s best dishes.