A Review: Cooking with Cocktails Class in Florence 2025

Florence, at the end of the day, has a way of grabbing you. I mean, you’re walking down these old streets, and you kind of just feel history all around. I was looking for something a little different this time, you know, something beyond the usual museums and galleries. The idea of learning to cook Italian food, well, that’s pretty standard stuff you find on any travel site. But then I stumbled upon this experience for 2025, sort of combining that with crafting cocktails, and, honestly, it sounded absolutely perfect. It seemed like, you know, a really fun way to spend an afternoon, and frankly much better than just another walking tour. So, you can learn a lot about these sorts of unique city activities before you even book. Anyway, I signed up, feeling a good amount of excitement for what the day would hold, you know.

The Arrival and First Impressions

So, the location was, you know, tucked away in the Oltrarno district, which is just a little bit away from the main tourist crush and feels very authentic. The instructions they gave us were, actually, very clear, which I was pretty happy about. We found the big wooden door without any trouble, at all, which is sometimes a problem on these old Florentine streets. Ringing the bell felt, well, a little like we were visiting an old friend instead of going to a class. The person who opened the door, a woman named Sofia, had this, like, incredibly welcoming smile that immediately put everyone at ease. She was apparently one of our hosts for the day, and right away, you could tell this would be a, well, very personal kind of thing.

The space inside, honestly, was pretty amazing. It wasn’t one of those, you know, sterile, professional kitchens you see on TV shows. Instead, it was this really large, homey room with a giant worn wooden table right in the center, and all these shiny copper pots, you know, hanging from a rack on the ceiling. Sunlight was just sort of streaming in through these big windows that looked out over a small, quiet courtyard filled with plants. As a matter of fact, the first thing Sofia did was hand us each a drink, a Bergamot Spritz, which was, quite frankly, a perfect start. The taste was just a bit tart, you know, and super refreshing, sort of waking up the palate. At the end of the day, it set a really wonderful mood for everything that would follow; we knew we were in for a special time after finding these fantastic local places.

Shaking Things Up – The Cocktail Crafting Segment

So, after we settled in a little, Sofia, who turned out to be a really skilled mixologist, gathered us around her mixing station. Honestly, it was set up so professionally with all the shakers, glasses, and colorful bottles of liqueurs and bitters. She started by, you know, talking about the Negroni, which is basically Florence’s hometown cocktail. She explained its history, right there from when it was supposedly first mixed at Caffè Casoni, which was, frankly, a pretty cool story to hear. It’s one thing to order a drink, but it’s totally another to, you know, understand where it comes from, right?

Then, it was our turn to get hands-on, which was really the best part. Sofia showed us the proper proportions of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth – sort of the holy trinity of this particular drink. We each had our own station, so we got to measure everything out ourselves. She pointed out that using a high-quality local Tuscan gin makes, like, all the difference in the world. As I was saying, it’s those small details that make something good into something exceptional. Stirring the mixture over ice felt, you know, very professional. Garnishing with that perfect slice of orange peel was, honestly, the final touch. Sipping on the Negroni we made ourselves, which was arguably quite good, while looking around that warm kitchen, was a pretty memorable moment. It really made you appreciate the artistry that you can find with these classic Italian beverages.

“To be honest, making your own Negroni right in the city where it was born… well, that’s an experience that really sticks with you. It’s so much more than just drinking it.”

Getting Your Hands Floury – The Pasta Making

Alright, so with our Negronis in hand, we moved over to the big wooden table to meet Marco, our chef for the cooking part. Marco was, you know, like the classic Italian nonno you picture in your head, really warm and with a passion for food that was, frankly, infectious. First, he showed us the simple pile of ’00’ flour and the fresh, bright-yolked eggs that would become our pasta. He didn’t use a recipe book or anything like that; as a matter of fact, he said the feeling of the dough is what really tells you what it needs. He made a well in the flour, cracked the eggs into it, and, well, began to mix it all together with just a fork and then his hands.

Basically, he let each of us take a turn kneading the dough, and he gave pointers on how to do it correctly. You have to use the heel of your hand, you know, and really put your body into it. The dough starts off a bit sticky and shaggy, but after about ten minutes of work, it sort of becomes this smooth, elastic, and beautiful yellow ball. It’s actually a pretty good workout. Next, we got to use the pasta machines, which were clamped right onto the table. Marco showed us how to flatten the dough and feed it through the rollers, over and over, folding it each time. We made long, thin sheets of pasta that, honestly, looked almost like silk. Then we switched the attachment and cut the sheets into perfect tagliatelle noodles. Seeing that pile of fresh pasta that you, you know, made completely from scratch is an incredibly satisfying feeling, and it makes you curious about other secrets of Italian kitchens.

The Main Course and Another Drink Pairing

So, with our fresh pasta resting, Marco turned our attention to the sauce. He said we were going to make a very simple, but incredibly flavorful, sauce with cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, and some really good olive oil. Seriously, that was pretty much it. He had us slicing garlic—paper-thin, you know—and he explained that you never want to brown the garlic too much or it becomes bitter. The tomatoes went into the pan whole, and we just sort of watched them as they started to soften and burst, creating their own sauce right in the pan. The smell, I mean, was absolutely incredible; it was that pure, clean smell of summer in Italy. It was a really good reminder that, often, the best food doesn’t need a hundred ingredients, just a few really good ones.

Just as the sauce was simmering away nicely, Sofia came back into the picture with our second cocktail lesson. This time, she taught us to make an Americano, which, you know, is sort of like the Negroni’s lighter cousin. It uses Campari and sweet vermouth, but tops it off with soda water instead of gin, so it’s a bit less strong. She explained that its slight bitterness and bubbles are, like, the perfect thing to cut through the richness of a pasta dish. It cleans your palate between bites, so you can taste every flavor more clearly. It honestly made so much sense when she explained it like that. We mixed our own Americanos and took a sip; it was really refreshing and definitely felt like the right drink for the meal we were about to have, almost like you were getting insider info about these smart beverage pairings.

A Sweet Finish – Tiramisu and a Digestivo Cocktail

Okay, so you’d think we would be done by now, but there was still dessert to make. Marco introduced us to the art of Tiramisu, which he said, you know, translates to “pick me up,” and is a favorite in his family. Honestly, his method was surprisingly straightforward. We started by whipping egg yolks with sugar until they were pale and fluffy, and then we folded in creamy mascarpone cheese. He had us each take a turn at this, so we could feel the texture change, which was, you know, pretty helpful. In another bowl, we whipped egg whites until they formed stiff peaks. He showed us how to gently fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture, which is basically the key to getting that light, airy texture Tiramisu is known for.

Next, we did the fun part: the assembly. We quickly dipped Savoiardi, those little ladyfinger biscuits, into strong, cooled espresso. Then we layered them in a dish with the mascarpone cream. We did a layer of biscuits, a layer of cream, and repeated the process, finishing with a generous dusting of cocoa powder. To go with it, Sofia showed us how to prepare a final, very simple drink. It wasn’t really a cocktail, but a serving of a local Amaro, which is a type of herbal liqueur. She explained that this drink is a ‘digestivo’, meant to, you know, help you digest your meal. It’s a little bitter, a little sweet, and it was, frankly, the perfect, traditional way to cap off a big Italian meal. You kind of get a full education in how Italians approach dining, which you can read more about when it comes to sweet courses.

The Communal Feast – Savoring the Creations

Finally, the moment we had all been working towards arrived. Marco boiled our fresh pasta—it only took about two minutes, which was crazy—and then tossed it directly in the pan with that fragrant tomato sauce. He plated it for us, and we all sat down at that huge wooden table, which now felt like a family table, to eat together. Honestly, taking that first bite of pasta that you made completely with your own two hands was, like, a really special moment. The pasta had this amazing texture, a little bit chewy and firm, and the sauce was so fresh and full of flavor. Paired with our Americano, it was, at the end of the day, a pretty much perfect meal.

The conversation around the table was, you know, really easy and fun. We were all strangers at the beginning of the afternoon, but after cooking and drinking together, it felt like we were old pals. We shared stories, laughed, and just enjoyed the fruits of our labor. After the pasta, Marco served up the Tiramisu we had made. It was so light and creamy, with that perfect coffee kick. Sipping the Amaro afterward, you just felt this, like, complete sense of satisfaction. As I was saying, it was much more than a class; it was about the connection, the process, and the joy of sharing food and drink. It’s one of those experiences that you really feel, and it’s something you can’t get from just visiting a monument. You really begin to understand a culture through its food, especially when you can find these opportunities for a deep connection to local traditions.