A Taste of Italy

September 18-30, 2013

Learn secrets of the Italian art of eating well!  

Italian HarvestItaly is known for the regional variety, naturalness, and delicious flavors of its cuisine.

The trip we are planning for fall 2013 will visit three different areas of Italy from north to south to sample the specialties of each area and to learn how the history, geography, and climate have influenced the cuisine. And in each city we visit, program participants will have the opportunity to don a chef’s hat for a cooking class!

For More Information

Destinations

Italian Coast

  • Our first destination isTurin in northwest Italy at the foot of the Alps. This elegant city was Italy’s first capital and in recent years is home to the “slow food” movement. Wines from the area near Turin include the elegant Barolo and bubbly Asti Spumante.   
  • Our second site will be Florence in beautiful Tuscany. Visits to the city’s important monuments and the surrounding countryside will be on our itinerary.
  • From Florence, we will continue south to spectacular Sorrento overlooking the Mediterranean. Our cooking school on a farm on the outskirts of the city will give us the chance to harvest some of the products we prepare.

For additional information, watch for updates to this website or contact:  Andria Chiodo at (937) 435-2025 / andriachiodo@gmail.com or Patricia Dolan at (937) 436-0532 / dolanpae@fuse.net.

Program Hosts

The hosts of A Taste of Italy are faculty from the Department of Languages and the Department of Health and Sport Science. Their personal and academic experiences contribute greatly to an understanding and appreciation of Italian culture and cuisine.

Andria ChiodoProfessor Emerita  Andria  Chiodo  taught Italian language, literature, and culture at the University of Dayton  from 1968 to her retirement in May 2011.  In addition to teaching Italian, she taught English as a Second Language both in Dayton and in Italy, directed the University of Dayton’s Interdepartmental Summer Study Abroad Program, served two terms as chairperson of the Department of Languages and for three years as an Assistant Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences. Most recently she taught a course for the UD Osher Life Long Learning Institute.

Andria has traveled to Italy numerous times, first as a student and later as a teacher, translator, and program leader both for student groups and groups of older adults.  Always eager to return, she is drawn by Italy’s boundless artistic and cultural treasures.


Patricia DolanPatricia Dolan recently retired from UD as a professor of nutrition and dietetics. During her 12 years as a faculty member in the Department of Health and Sport Science she led a program focusing on the Mediterranean Diet, taking students to Italy to experience hands-on cooking classes in Mediterranean food preparation. She is a registered dietitian, and prior to coming to UD she worked for Kettering Hospital as a Clinical Dietitian. 

In retirement Pat hopes to continue to use her nutrition knowledge and experience to help people learn how satisfying good food can be.