In the mid 1980’s, long before the release of the blockbuster film Sideways, GreatEveryDayItalianWines.com’s founder and wine expert Gary Grunner was part of a small group of wine representatives and educators traveling all over New York State by car, train, bus and plane — selling, doing staff seminars, hosting wine dinners, fund raisers, teaching classes and talking wine all along the way.

It all started in 1982 when Gary fell in love with Italy while on a college exchange student program. As he recalls “It truly was a life changing experience. Not only did I develop a love for Italian wines, food and soccer from the contagious passion of my professors, but I also met a young Italian girl who later became my wife“.

Twenty-six years later Gary has homes both in New York and Italy and spends 10 hours a day immersed in the food and wine scene. He loves to share his passion of food and wine with people and he’s the first to talk about a new wine find, a new wine gadget, a chefs new restaurant and a great wine vacation.

Gary’s websites GreatEveryDayItalianWines.com and GreatEveryDayWines.com reach out and engage people on both sides of the wine world: the eager buyer and the enthusiastic seller.
Both websites provide innovative wine cards and other exciting tools to learn about wines, while Gary’s wine articles appear in a local New York restaurant magazine or on dishdujourmagazine.com. Gary is also in the midst of completing two books on wine and one on food that should be in print in 2009. We all look forward to it!

In the meanwhile, we invite you to explore GreatEveryDayItalianWines.com, where you can also find a wide range of information not only on Italian wines, but also on wineries, wine shops and restaurants, wine books, and more.

A special section of the website is dedicated to “Turismo del Vino in Italy” (Wine Tourism in Italy) and this month features Academia Barilla’s Culinary School as a must-do for those how plan to travel to Italy to learn about Italian food, engage in culinary and gastronomy classes and, of course, to learn also about Italian wines and wine and food pairing!

A full list of culinary and gastronomy courses, complete with cooking classes and gourmet tours of the Italian Food Valley, are listed at the Academia Barilla page on GreatEverydayItalianWines, and we will be soon blogging more in details about it.

For more information about the Academia Barilla Culinary School and this year’s calendar of culinary tours, cooking classes and culinary learning vacations, please contact Academia Barilla by phone in the US at +1 866 772.2233, in Italy at +39 0521 264060, or by email at academiabarillaculinary@barilla-usa.com.

Celebrate Father’s Day behind the grill. Invite your friends, your neighbors and, most of all, your father for a Mediterranean BBQ that will surely make your dad happier than getting him another tie or pair of socks!

This BBQ recipe has been published this week on the Academia Barilla newsletter, a great news channel that delivers once a month Italian culinary news, recipes and Italian gastronomy culture to thousands of email subscribers - all Italian food lovers should subscribe to it, so here is the direct link to sign up to receive it.

We always have plenty of gourmet content for our blog, so we rarely republish here articles and news already broadcasted by our newsletter. But this month the Mediterranean BBQ recipe is too catchy, and we strongly believe that there isn’t anything better than a BBQ for a family reunion, specially during this nice season.

The Chef Team of the Academia Barilla Culinary School shared with us a barbequing recipe for grilled assorted meats and skewers with a brand new seasoning, Academia Barilla’s Sapori Italiani Herb Mix, the key element that gives the touch of Italian taste to this recipe adding a special Mediterranean flair to your BBQs and every day cooking.

Sapori Italiani Herb Mix is available at the Academia Barilla online store.

MEDITERRANEAN MIXED GRILL HERB BBQ
(serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

- 1 lb. spareribs
- 1/2 lb. sausage
- 5 oz. turkey breast
- 4 chicken breasts
- 5 oz. fresh bacon
- 1 red pepper
- 1 onion
- 10 oz. lamb cutlets / rib chop
- 2.5 oz. Academia Barilla Sicilian Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 oz. Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani Herb Mix
- 1.7 oz. Academia Barilla Balsamic Vinegar of Modena aged 3 years
- lemon juice from 1 fresh lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 branch rosemary
- salt to taste

PREPARATION

Mix 1 oz of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of Academia Barilla’s Sapori Italiani Herb mix in a large bowl.

Cut the turkey breast, sausage, bacon, red pepper and the onion into 1 inch chunks, add them to the mixture and toss to coat evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, allowing to marinate for 8 hours before grilling.

While the ingredients for the skewers are marinating, brush the chicken breasts with 1.5 oz of extra virgin olive oil, some lemon juice and season with Sapori Italiani herb mix. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, allowing the chicken breasts to marinate for 8 hours before grilling.

Layer the lamb cutlet between plastic wrap and flatten them gently with a rolling pin or mallet. Place the ribs in a large dish so that they all fit in a single layer. Pour over the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and sprinkle with 1 clove minced garlic and 1/2 a bunch of chopped rosemary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, allowing to marinate for 8 hours before grilling.

Using the remaining 1 clove minced garlic and remaining half of the rosemary, season the spareribs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours.

When the marinating time is over, remove all items from the refrigerator. Make sure to spear the skewer ingredients (turkey breast, sausage, bacon, red pepper and the onion in 1 inch chunks) onto wooden or metal skewers, alternating the ingredients for taste and color.

About 30 minutes before beginning to barbecue, preheat the charcoal grill to 350 degrees. Prepare the charcoals according to the directions on the grill for barbecuing.

Cook the assorted meats until they are perfectly grilled to your liking.

Remember to salt the meat only at the end.
Buon appetito!

How about making this Father’s Day BBQ perfect, by adding to the present Chef gift ideas such as a traditional Chef’s jacket, that you can order also in a customized version with your dad’s name, or a traditional Chef’s hat would perfectly match the jacket.

Other gift ideas for a gourmet dad? Have you seen the latest gift ideas such as the Pinzimonio set (fits perfectly a BBQ), a set of Cheese Lover’s knives, or even just a gift certificate from the Academia Barilla online gourmet store?

Happy Father’s Day from Academia Barilla and Italian Food Lovers!

The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce SouthEast started a series of Italian culinary events that will keep the Italian food love high this summer in Miami and Southern Florida.

The Italian Cooking Show, now at its second edition, opened its doors to all Italian food lovers in Coral Gables, FL, last Thursday May 22 for a journey through Italian regional culinary traditions.

Don’t worry if you missed the opening the Italian Cooking Show, as the culinary event has been already scheduled on other dates throughout summertime: June 19, July 17 and August 21, always on Thursday.

We really like the event description on the show brochure by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce SouthEast, so we report it here below:

The Italian culture is rich in history, art, classic architecture and popular tradition, making it an influential part of the history of Western civilization. As a result of continuous historical, geographical, social and cultural changes taken place for centuries, our culinary heritage inevitably acquires an inestimable value.

In the last 50 years, the Italian culinary tradition has become a universal and distinctive trademark of the Italian country and culture. The wander through Italy’s countless marvels can begin with one of its most revealing treasures: cuisine.

The wholesomeness and genuineness of the Italian products sharply contrast with the qualities of the numerous products of a lesser quality currently circulating in the US market and often misleadingly promoted as Italian.

The Italian Cooking Show is hosted at the stylish MiaCucina Showroom (105 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134, Google Maps below for driving directions) in Coral Gables, with top Chefs from renowned Italian restaurants demonstrating the different regional cooking methods used in preparing traditional dishes (pairing wines will be served too).

Each of the 4 Italian Cooking Shows starts at 6:30 PM with cooking demonstrations from top Chefs, who will engage in Italian regional cuisine preparations until 8:30 PM. Cooking demonstrations are followed by an open reception and free tasting session, until 9:30 PM. and each of the 4 Italian Cooking Shows will be dedicated to the culinary traditions of specific selected Italian regions, according to the following schedule:

Thursday May 22 has been dedicated to the cuisine of Northern Italy: Piedmont, Lombardia, Veneto, Trentino.
Thursday June 19 will be dedicated to the traditional regional cuisine of Central Italy: Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Marche.
On Thursday July 17 all the secrets of traditional regional cuisine from Southern Italy will be revealed, with an exploration of the cuisine of Campania, Abruzzo, Puglia and Calabria.
Last but not least, Thursday August 21 the Italian Cooking Show will focus on the culinary traditions of the Italian Islands: Sicily and Sardinia.

Academia Barilla will be of course participating to the event, and Academia Barilla Italian Culinary Specialist Costantino Cicchelli will be on site, offering free tasting sessions and culinary tips for getting the best out of Academia Barilla’s range of Italian traditional regional gourmet products, all of them available also at the Academia Barilla online store, if you cannot make it to the Italian Cooking Show in Miami!

Academia Barilla Italian Culinary Specialist Costantino Cicchelli is back in Atlanta, Georgia, to share his extensive Italian gourmet knowledge with Academia Barilla partners Cook’s Warehouse in Decantur, GA for a gourmet class dedicated to “The Art of Italian Gastronomy“.

Live the life of Italian luxury through your sense of smell, sight and taste with a native Italian as your guide. Separate fact from myth as you learn how extra virgin olive oil is produced and what makes a great one. Experience the best of the best featuring extra virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegars, pecorino, Parmigiano Reggiano, Salame di Parma, and Prosciutto di Parma. Taste olive oil like the professionals by sampling 3 DOP extra virgin olive oils from different regions of Italy and learn which types of foods are complimented by each. Understand how balsamic vinegars are produced and aged, and taste the differences.

The discussion and tasting of cheeses focuses on sheep’s milk pecorino and cow’s milk Parmigiano Reggiano. Italian meats like salame and Prosciutto di Parma are cured in a natural way that enhances their flavors. When you taste these authentic products, you’ll be able to select and buy with confidence (which you can also do at our online store if you cannot make it to the Ducantur class).

Save the date (and the location): The Cook’s Warehouse and
Sherlock’s Wine Merchant in Decatur next Thursday, June 12, from 7 PM to 9 PM.
Admission is 55$. The address to the class location is 180 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030, a Google Map is provided here below for your driving convenience.

�
Five Chef assistants will be in the kitchen 45 minutes before class
to assist all participants with the preparation work, so try to get to the class a bit in advance.

Call
Simone Stevenson
at
The Cook’s Warehouse & Sherlock’s Wine Merchant
for more info at +1 (404) 377-4005 (Store)
or visit Cook’s Warehouse website for more info and a full schedule of culinary classes.

For those Italian food lovers who live in Los Angeles or Southern California area, today Friday June 6 there is an LA event you simply cannot miss, TASTE Italy.

Organized by Academia Barilla partners Learn About Wine, TASTE Italy just found new event locations where food culture merges with architecture and design, Los Angeles’ A+D Museum (Architecture and Design Museum) and LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

TASTE Italy is one of the few wine events in the US where the selection of Italian wine producers and wineries not only is excellent, but also very consistent, with more than 50 premium and super premium wines to explore and discover each particular wine region or style in Italian wine making. Here is a partial list of the wines you can taste this evening at TASTE Italy:

Michelle Chiarlo, Barbera d’Asti, Piedmonte, Italy 2006
Pighin Estate, Pinto Grigio, Grave, Italy 2006
Nozzole, Chianti Classico Reserva, Tuscany, 2005
Guidalberto, Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia producer), Toscana, 2004
Tenute Silvio Nardi, Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2005�
Tor Calvano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Tuscany 2004
Saia, Feudo Macari, Silicy 2004
Livio Felluga, Pinot Grigio, Grave 2007
Castello di Monsanto, Chianti Classico Riserva, Toscana 2004
Capezzana “Carmignano” 2003
Il Poggiale Morello Toscano Rosso 2005
Lasorda Pinot Grigio del Veneto 2006
Abbazia Prosecco Spumante Gold 2007�
Santi Valpolicella Ripasso 2005
Ca’ Bianca Gavi 2006
Rapitala “Campo Reale” Nero D’Avola 2006
Nino Negri Sfursat Valtellina 2004
San Leonino Chianti Classico 2004
Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico 2005
Castello de Volpaia Borgianni 2006
San Felice, Tenuta Perolla Vermentino 2007
San Felice, Tenuta Perolla Rosso 2006
San Felice, “Il Grigio” Chianti Classico Riserva 2004
Villa Jolanda, Moscato Rose’ NVMaioli, Dolcetto di Ovada, Piedmonte 2003 (LearnAboutWine Cellar)
Antinori, Santa Cristina, Sangiovese, Toscana, 1999�
Vietti, Barbera D’Asti “La Crena”, Asti/Piedmonte 2001�
Santa Martina, Rosso, Toscana, 2005
Canalegrande, Daniela Rigamonti, Barbera & Bonarda, 2005
Gaia, Ca’Marcanda, Promis, Toscana, 2004
Il Poggione, Brunello di Montalcino, 2001
Serpico, Dei Feudi Di San Gregorio, 2003
Palazzo Della Torre, Veronese, Allegrini, 2004
Terredora Greco
Terredora Falanghina
Terredora Aglianico
Argiano non Confonditur (Tuscan blend)
Ceuso Scurati (Nero Avola)
Maso Poli P Grigio 2006
Cantele Negroamaro Rosato 2007
Castrelvero Cortese 2007
Colosi Rosso 2006
Cantele Primitivo 2005
Castelvero Barbera 2006
Taburno Falanghina, Taburno 2007�
Caggiano Tari Aglianico, Campania 2006�
Molletieri Aglianico Cinque Querce, Campania 2005�
Bisol Prosecco
Lasorda GM Chianti Classicoadd
Val di Suga - Brunello di Montalcino Spuntali 1999
Ermacora Tocai Friulano 2006�
Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico 2005�
Tenuta Garetto Barbera d’Asti Superiore”Fava” 2003
Vigne e Vini Schiaccianoci Negroamaro del Salento IGT 2005
Ca Berti Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro “Amabile” sweet

How can you taste all this great wines and not get drunk? Well, here is some great advice from the wine experts at Learn About Wine: you shouldn’t actually drink the wines you taste and, after visual, olfactive and mouth tasting, wines should be spit, as professional sommeliers and wine tasters do. Then, at the end of your tasting round, you can focus on the one or two wines that appealed most to your personal taste, and have a glass of them to fully enjoy the experience.

Other good advice is to actually get some food in between wines, and this is where Academia Barilla gets in at TASTE Italy. Italian Culinary Specialist Francesco Zimone will be at the event with a food tasting booth where you can explore Academia Barilla’s Italian regional food selection that matches the wine regions, with traditional gourmet specialties from Emilia Romagna, Liguria, Tuscany, Sardinia and Sicily - the best way to taste Italy (and balance the drinking)!

Other appetizers and desserts will be also provided by Angeli Caffè, one of LA’s best Italian restaurants, and Acadie Crepes, who will offering Mediterranean crepes both sweet and savory, another good way to match the different wine styles.

TASTE Italy opens today June 6 at 7:30 PM, and will close at 9:30 PM. The address to the A+D Museum is 5900 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90036 (right across from LACMA). Admission is 55$ advance purchase, 70$ at the door, with proceeds benefiting both A+D and LACMA Museums. For more info call Learn About Wine at +1 (310) 451-7600.

We provide here a Google Map for driving directions but allow us to suggest not to drive, so you can indulge (responsibly) in the wine tasting experience and don’t worry about going back home safely. Or, you can always have a designated driver who won’t be tasting wine, and still enjoying the event hanging out at the Academia Barilla booth for a great gourmet food tasting!

TASTE Italy is the first appointment of this new Friday Night Wine Tasting series at A+D, the next scheduled events will be TASTE Paso and BBQ on July 11th, TASTE Sonoma on August 1st, and TASTE ABC and Tango (Argentina, Brazil, Chile) on September 5th. Save the dates!

Final non-culinary suggestion? If you plan to attend the TASTE events at A+D, try to get there a few hours in advance, so you can also enjoy the great exhibitions at both the A+D Museum and LACMA.

The A+D Museum currently features “After the Flood“, an architecture exhibition presenting proposals for replacement housing and redevelopment in New Orleans Louisiana in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art features several parallel exhibitions and events, such Phantom Sightings, a selection Chicane video art, the photo exhibition of LA artist Philip-Lorca Dicorcia (through September), or the painting exhibition of artist Ernst Ludvig Kirchner.