Pamela Sheldon Johns is an American cookbook author. Johnny Johns is an artist. Over forty years ago they restored a 400-year-old stone farmhouse among 15 acres of organic olive groves near Montepulciano and opened it as an agriturismo. As Pamela once said: “I’m not Catholic… but the farmhouse is.”
Pamela Sheldon Johns
Pamela is the author of 17 cookbooks specializing in traditional and regional Italian cuisine, including Cucina Povera: Tuscan Peasant Cooking, Parmigiano!, Italian Food Artisans, and Gelato!. Her first book was a James Beard Award nominee. Italian Food Artisans was ranked in the top three Italian cookbooks in the world by the International Cookbook Revue.
The Cooking Class
Small groups spend the morning picking produce from the organic garden, then cook a full Tuscan meal with Pamela — from handrolled pici to olive oil cake, from her grape-fermented sourdough bread to seasonal gelato. Sessions run from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, and always include tasting the estate’s award-winning organic olive oil, Pace da Poggio Etrusco, and local wines.
The Farm
Over 800 olive trees, certified organic since 2003. You can pick fresh produce from the kitchen garden — tomatoes, figs, herbs — and fruit trees include plum, fig, apricot, peach, and cherry. Three neighbouring farms provide organic fruit, wine, and Pecorino di Pienza cheese.