“The session got off to a fantastic start with an early morning visit to see Ivana and Donato milk the cows and prepare the cheeses for the day. Donato deftly wove a soft scamorza and used considerable muscle for the caciocavallo (cheeses). After a bit of tasting we bought more for our picnic.”

This passage comes from a newsletter circulated by Jenifer Landor, a supporter of the Monte San Martino Trust. She runs periodic Italian language holiday courses, off the beaten track in the small town of Agnone, in Molise, north-west of Campobasso, south Italy. Cooking lessons, and visits to the cheese maker such as the one described above, or to the workshop of a sculptor, are part and parcel of the courses, entitled Live and Learn Italian. Indeed, the accent is as much on Italian life as on the Italian language itself.

The three-hour daily lessons, with Italian teachers, take place in the medieval Palazzo della Citta` in the old town. The school belongs to a cousin of Jenifer, who is now planning sessions for 2015 and can be contacted at [email protected]. The website is www.liveandlearnitalian.com