“The Odd Factory” – Cooking Classes

Hello friends,
As promised, today I’m describing the “Odd Factory”, a new entry in the series of new photos that will be added to the site..;

Oh yeah! We are not the usual resort or even the usual retreat… but a re-treat (a treat:pleasure repeated!!) and so we have a lot to describe and talk about!

The “Odd Factory”  did not exist on the estate, it was designed by me, taking my cue from the classic shapes of post-war factories, I have always loved those geometric shapes which also inspired me to design a hat when I worked in fashion; ‘odd’ because here are held activities going beyond what normally is produced in traditional factories!

It is therefore a large volume shaped as a right triangle.
El Mirador on the upper floor is named so because of its walls, all made of glass, offers a spectacular view upon the estate.

The Kitchen, the realm of our “golden handed” Betty, is furnished with appliances inspired by the design of the 50s and 60s… just to emphasise that we still produce with that honest authenticity of the last century, the colours chosen are blue sugar paper and red that remind me those of my grandmother’s one in her dreamy Salento’s palace.

Here is the place where our jams, dried and fermented produces come from: citrus fruits, aromatic herbs, seasonal fruit. season fruit. Everything that comes in, freshly picked at close range, is lovingly transformed into goodness to be brought to your table by Betty’s mastery.

In the centre of the room a large table welcomes home-made pasta lessons: an unmissable experience in this place.
Here you can pick tomatoes ripe to the right point, the basil, season with our own extra virgin olive oil and further flavour the sauce with our own olives, capers, garlic, onion and oregano!
But you can also simply come in and ask Betty to prepare a fresh extract from the fruit and vegetable you just picked up and she will be happy to satisfy your palate with a fantastic one extracted by our respectful of vitamins and minerals processor!

The ‘Mirador’, on the other hand, is a space left free to adapt to the needs of the moment: an additional art room during art workshops, with its breathtaking view over the gardens and a certain source of inspiration… or a place to gather to sing kirtan sitting in a circle, feeling surrounded by the energy of the kitchen garden on one side and the aromatic garden on the other, or a place to meditate with closed eyes caressed by the constant breeze typical of Salento, which we let flow happily here, keeping the glass walls open.
A beautiful antique stove will make it a convivial place for winter evenings where it will be nice to do meditation exercises or tell zen stories, or simply admiring the stars up in the sky.

Are you already dreaming of staying here with me?

I hope so! 😉