Final post on the new series of Italian gourmet Season Gift Sets from Academia Barilla, the new line Italy-in-a-box.

A true taste of Italian gastronomic culture, an experience that will evoke all your Italian food lover senses, Italy-in-a-Box is also a journey across the findings of
 Academia Barilla’s continue research into the gastronomic and cultural identities of the different regions of Italy.

Get this limited edition of gastronomic gems as a treat to yourself or as a gift to others, and get a selection of the best Italian regional products, simple and original tips for bringing the Italian flavor to your kitchen and your table, all with limited edition confections that can be personalized according to your taste.

Today we close our presentation of the gift set collection introducing other four Italy-in-a-Box gift sets: The Connoisseur’s Collection, Simply Tuscan, Artisanal Compote Trio, and Salt and Salt.

CONNOISSEUR’S COLLECTION

The Connoisseur’s Collection Gift Set is the perfect opportunity to explore first-class products and it is also perfect for food lovers on a quest to find new, exclusive products and flavors, and for those who love recipes that invigorate the senses. Ideal gift for a complete tasting of the best of Italian gastronomy.

The Connoisseur’s Collection Gift Set contains: • 1 Professional black apron in cotton • 1 Parmigiano Reggiano cheese knife • 1 Bottle of Balsamic Must • 1 Bottle of Extra virgin olive oil Riviera Ligure D.O.P. • 1 Shape of 2,2 lb in vacuum bag of Parmigiano Reggiano aged 18 months minimum • 1 Jar of Fresh pears with balsamic vinegar of Modena • 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh orange zest • 1 Jar of Sapori Italiani, mix of capers, olives and oregano • 1 Mini-Recipe

Academia Barilla Connoisseur’s Collection Gift Set will be available at the Academia Barilla online store soon.

TUSCANY-IN-A-BOX

The Simply Tuscan Gift Set is a tribute to those who are genuine and authentic like the oldest and well-renowned recipe for traditional Tuscan soup.

Simply Tuscan Gift Set contains: • 1 Bottle of Unfiltered extra virgin olive oil
 • 1 Tuscan soup, mix of precooked lentils, wheat and spelt with Italian Soffritto and Tuscan herbs 
• 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh olives 
• 1 Mini-Recipe

Academia Barilla Simply Tuscan Box Set is now available at the Academia Barilla online store.

ARTISANAL COMPOTE TRIO

Three traditional compotes are perfect compliments to a variety of different cheeses, meats, and desserts. The Artisanal Compote Trio Set is a perfect combination of tradition, innovation, and elegance.

The Artisanal Compote Trio Gift Set 
contains: 
• 1 Jar of Fresh pears with balsamic vinegar of Modena 
• 1 Jar of Spicy fig compote 
• 1 Jar of Chianti jelly 
• 1 Mini-Recipe

Academia Barilla Artisanal Compote Trio Gift Set will be available at the Academia Barilla online store soon.

SALT AND SALT

Salt and Salt Gift Set is a small but wonderful combination of the best natural sea salt blended with either fresh Sicilian blood orange zest or pieces of Sicilian black olives. These unique combination of flavors add exciting new twists to any dish, to celebrate the wonderful aromas from Sicily’s citrus orchards and olive groves.

Salt and Salt Gift Set contains: • 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh orange zest
 • 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh black olives 
• 1 Steel teaspoon
 • 1 Glass cup
 • 1 Mini-Recipe

Academia Barilla Salt and Salt Gift Set will be available at the Academia Barilla online store soon.

The Italy-in-a-Box collection is available at the Academia Barilla online store, just a click and two shipping days away from you!

Today we introduce four new Italy-in-a-Box Italian gourmet gift boxes: Food Lovers’ Classic, Cheese Lover’s Knife Set, The Ultimate Bruschetta Party and Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla.

All these luxury gift sets are included in the latest Academia Barilla collection of luxury Italian gastronomy gift boxes, a limited edition gift set series, and contain authentic Italian food specialties from the Academia Barilla gourmet food collection.

FOOD LOVERS’ CLASSIC

Food Lovers’ Classic is a refined gift set includes an exclusive assortment of classic products from different regions of Italy and serves as a wonderful, compact alternative to any conventional gift basket. An exclusive gift set to savor authentic Italian delicacies in countless ways.

Food Lover’s Classic Gift Box contains: • 1 Bottle of Extra virgin olive oil 100% Italiano
 • 1 Jar of Sicilian cherry tomato topping
 • 1 Jar of Spicy Sicilian cherry tomato topping 
• 1 Jar of Sapori Italiani, mix of capers, olives and oregano 
• 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh orange zest 
• 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh olives 
• 1 Jar of Pesto alla Genovese 
• 1 Bottle of “Aged” Balsamic vinegar of Modena 
• 1 Mini-Recipe

Academia Barilla Food Lover’s Classic gift set will be available at the Academia Barilla online store soon.

CHEESE LOVER’S KNIFE SET

The Cheese Lover’s Knife Set is a refined set composed of 3 knives designed specifically for cheeses, with different consistencies. Japanese steel, hand
forged blade with mirrored finishing, hand-sharpened. A perfect gift idea for cheese lovers!

The Cheese Lover’s Set contains: • Knife for grana cheeses • Knife for hard cheeses • Knife for soft cheeses

Academia Barilla Cheese Lover’s Knife gift set is now available at the Academia Barilla online store.

ITALIAN PARTY IN A BOX

The Ultimate Bruschetta Party Gift Box is a fresh and trendy gift idea! This fantastic set helps create delicious bruschetta, pasta, pizza party, and Italian aperitivo. This extraordinary assortment of products helps create appetizing plates that will surely add to the success of any party.

The Ultimate Bruschetta Party Gift Box contains: • 1 Bottle of extra virgin olive oil 100% Italiano 
• 1 Jar of Sicilian cherry tomato topping 
• 1 Jar of Spicy Sicilian cherry tomato topping 
• 1 Jar of Sapori Italiani, mix of capers, olives and oregano 
• 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh olives
 • 1 Mini-Recipe

Academia Barilla Ultimate Bruschetta Party gift set is now available at the Academia Barilla online store.

DINNER WITH GIADA

An accurate selection of the best Italian products signed by Celebrity Chef Giada de Laurentiis and included in the Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla gourmet product line. The Essentials of everyday Italian cuisine.

Dinner with Giada Gift Box contains: • 1 Bottle of Extra virgin olive oil 100% Italiano
 • 1 Bottle of Balsamic vinegar of Modena
 • 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh lemon zest 
• 1 Jar of Giada’s Tuscan herbs 
• 2 Glass cup 
• 1 Mini-Recipe

Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla gift set will be available at the Academia Barilla online store soon.

More Italy-in-a-Box soon! If you are too curious and can’t wait for the next post, we suggest you go have a look at the Academia Barilla online shop!

Antonio Allegri da Correggio is the foremost painter of the Parma school of the Italian Renaissance, responsible for some of the most vigorous and sensuous works of the 16th century. In his use of dynamic composition, illusionistic perspective and dramatic foreshortening, says the Wikipedia, Correggio prefigured the Rococo art of the 18th century.

Academia Barilla organizes luxury cultural tours in conjunction with the Correggio exhibition, offering a full package of 3 days and 2 nights (or 4 days and 3 nights, in the deluxe version), with tour already selling since the end of September, and until January 25, 2009. 

An amazing opportunity to visit Parma during the Correggio Exhibition that places Parma among the elite destinations of the international cultural panorama. Artistic treasures from the National Gallery and frescoes of the Cathedral, San Giovanni Evangelista Church, and Camera di San Paolo are only a few of the masterpieces that will take your breath away! The city will be at its best for this unique event…don’t miss it! Follow this link on Wikipedia to discover more of Correggio’s Reinassance work in Parma.

This is the program of the gourmet cultural Correggio travel package proposed by Academia Barilla -

Day 1 – “The Correggio Experience”

MORNING: Arrival in Parma on your own (private transfer on request). Check-in at your luxury (at least 4 stars) hotel accommodation in the city. Enjoy your first Parma-style lunch.

AFTERNOON: Guided tour of Parma city center to begin a first discovery of the works of Correggio. You won’t want to miss the Cathedral and the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista with their astonishing chapels, the unique Baptistery, and the astonishing Camera di San Paolo with its frescoes.
The day will end with a delightful dinner in a well-known restaurant in the city center. Night at the hotel.

Day 2 – “The Correggio Experience”

MORNING: Breakfast at the hotel. Your day will start with a guided tour of the Correggio Exhibition to discover masterpieces of the National Gallery such as “Madonna della Scodella” and “Madonna of San Gerolamo”, just to mention the most famous ones. Enjoy your lunch in a typical restaurant in the city center.

AFTERNOON: Transfer to the hillside of the Parma province to visit the permanent collection of Fondazione Magnani-Rocca, counting works by Gentile da Fabriano, Filippo Lippi, Albrecht Dürer, Tiziano, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, de Pisis, Morandi, Burri, Canova, Lorenzo Bartolini, and many others.
Your visit will conclude with a special dinner in a private Italian Villa, which will open its doors exclusively for our guests (upon availability). After dinner, return to Parma and night at the hotel.

Day 3 – “The Gourmet Experience”

MORNING: Departure for the discovery of the gastronomic treasures that this land produces.
Visit a Parmigiano Reggiano producer to observe the time honored production method that has remained unchanged for centuries. The tour concludes with a tasting session of samples of Parmigiano Reggiano at the various stages of its aging process.
To follow, visit a producer of Prosciutto di Parma, the most famous ham of the world!
Your experience of the different flavors of Parma will end in a charming winery that will offer a rich tasting of wines paired with typical products.

AFTERNOON: You can choose between a relaxing shopping excursion at one of the most exclusive Chic Outlets in Italy or return to Parma for an arrivederci on your own to the beauties of the city.

Note: the 3 days/2 nights program here above may be subject to some modifications
Price per person (min. of 2 people): US$ 1,020.00 (VAT included)
Price per person in group (min. of 12 people): US$ 790.00 (VAT included)

In the deluxe version of “The Correggio Experience”, the package that will allow you to enjoy more of your Parma cultural and gourmet experience through a 4days/3nights stay and more initiatives, you will start Day 4 in a very intriguing way.

Day 4 – “The Cooking Experience”

MORNING: Breakfast at the hotel. Welcoming and tour of Academia Barilla, the world’s premier italian culinary facility.
Practical cooking class focused on the old recipes of the time and territory of the Correggio, taken from the prestigious books of the largest culinary library of the world inside Academia Barilla.
Lunch with the chef based on what you prepared during the course.

AFTERNOON: Free afternoon for individual visits and/or shopping through the charming streets of the center of Parma. Dinner in an elegant restaurant in the city centre. Night at the hotel.

Note: the 4 days/3 nights program here above may be subject to some modifications
Price per person (min. of 2 people): US$ 2,099.00 (VAT included)
Price per person in group (min. of 12 people): US$ 1,299.00 (VAT included)

For more info, details and booking for Academia Barilla’s cultural, culinary and gastronomic tours, including the Correggio Tour, please get in touch with Academia Barilla in Parma at +39 0521 264060 (toll-free number from Italy 800 376-116), or in the United States at the US toll-free number 1-866-772-2233.

Today we will talk about the Academia Barilla Italian Tomato Sauce, Academia Barilla Pesto alla Genovese and Academia Barilla Pitted Sicilian Green Olives.

ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE

Academia Barilla’s Italian Tomato Sauce is the result of a premium quality, exclusive Italian Scarpariello tomato grown in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, Italy’s Food Valley.

An incomparable fresh and sweet flavor enriched with extra virgin olive oil, this all natural tomato sauce is a traditional, delicious recipe with an intense red color great for a variety of Italian pasta courses.

Characteristics and serving suggestions:

- Aroma: Scent of sweet, vine ripened tomatoes.
- Flavor: Sweet and delicate with fresh tomato taste.
- Texture: Smooth texture is a perfect complement for a variety of pasta dishes.
- Serving suggestions: very versatile; its smooth texture is a perfect complement for a variety of pasta dishes.

PITTED SICILIAN GREEN OLIVES

Academia Barilla’s Pitted Sicilian Green Olives are personally selected from the centuries-old trees of the well-known Belice Valley of Sicily. Here, the red soil and warm climate offer the precious and renowned Nocellara del Belice D.O.P. olive variety.

Seasoned with hot pepper, local wild oregano and garlic, this traditional Sicilian recipe offers fresh and exceptional Mediterranean flavors.

Characteristics and serving suggestions:

- Aroma: Rich and intense aroma of olive pulp, enriched with Mediterranean spices.
- Flavor: An intense and fresh fruitiness with traditional Sicilian flavors.
- Texture: Firm olives with minced herbs and spices.
- Serving suggestions: perfect as an appetizers, a first course and as a snack.

PESTO ALLA GENOVESE

A unique non-pasteurized fresh pesto direct from the seaside town of Sanremo in Liguria, Italy. Made with the freshest basil of the Italian Riviera, top quality extra virgin olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano and whole pine nuts.

Characteristics and serving suggestions:

- Aroma: perfume of fresh sweet basil and aged Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Flavor: tangy, sweet, freshly picked basil.
- Texture: chunky, minced basil and whole pine nuts.
- Serving suggestions: perfect for lasagna, gnocchi and pasta al pesto.

Enjoy Academia Barilla’s Italian gourmet gastronomy! Remember you can buy them all at the Academia Barilla online shop! Academia Barilla Pesto alla Genovese is exclusively available at Sur la Table at this Sur La Table link.

Tomorrow we will publish a gourmet recipe using some of the new Academia Barilla products, stay tuned!

Please click this link to download and print the coupon, that will look like the image here above. If you don’t live close a Sur La Table store you can always shop online and use the discount code 110811 at check-out, as suggested also by Jack Schwefel, Sur La Table’s CEO in his letter to Sur La Table’s Friends and Family:

Dear Sur La Table Friends & Family, 

We are kicking off the holiday season at Sur La Table and are delighted to offer you our special Family & Friends 20% Off Coupon, just in time for the upcoming holidays. Use it in any of our 72 stores across the country or at www.surlatable.com.

This special event is 6 Days only, so don’t miss it: valid from Thursday, November 6 through Tuesday, November 11.

Please find here attached a coupon which you can use to forward to your friends and family. To find our nearest Sur La Table store, visit the store locator page at our website. We also realize that not everyone lives near one of our stores, so to use the Friends & Family Coupon online, use promo code 110811 at the checkout window.

Have fun shopping!

Jack Schwefel, CEO
Sur La Table

Thank you Jack and everybody at Sur La Table for this nice and surely well appreciated discount offer!

Remember that you can find the entire Academia Barilla Italian gourmet food product collection at Sur La Table, and you can use the 20% discount coupon on some of the most delicious artisan gastronomy food products from Italy, only up to November 11, so hurry up!