Italian Food Lovers

A quick post to remind all Italian food lovers, as anticipated three weeks ago, that Italian celebrity Chef, cookbook writer and Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis will be in California this week to promote her newly released Italian cuisine cookbook, Giada’s Kitchen.

After touring the entire United States with a number of book signing events at several book stores and gourmet stores across the country, Giada De Laurentiis will be available this week in California to sign copies of her new cookbook at two Williams-Sonoma stores in Costa Mesa and San Francisco - save the dates and locations if you live in California!

October 15 - 1pm-3pm
Williams Sonoma - Costa Mesa, CA
South Coast Plaza
, 3333 South Bristol Street

Costa Mesa, CA 92626 

(714) 751-1166

October 20 12pm-2pm
Williams Sonoma - San Francisco, CA
Union Square, 340 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 362-9450

While signing her new cookbook at the California William Sonoma shops, Giada De Laurentiis will also be promoting her new Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla Italian gourmet product line.

Giada’s Italian food specialties are also all available at the Academia Barilla online shop: just follow the next links to purchase the products: Giada’s Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Giada’s 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Giada’s Tuscan Herb Mix, and Giada’s Natural Sea Salt with Lemon Zest.

This post is for all Italian food lovers who are also fans of Italian celebrity Chef, cookbook writer and Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis.

Our favorite Italian Chef will be doing a book signing tour through the United States next month, touching base at Williams-Sonoma locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Nevada and California.

The book signing tour promotes the recent release of Giada De Laurentiis’s new Italian cookbook, Giada’s Kitchen. Don’t miss your chance to get an autographed copy for yourself; you might even want to ask her a culinary tip or two.

Here below are the Williams-Sonoma store locations where you can catch-up with Giada De Laurentiis, get your cookbook signed, and also check out the new gourmet products from the Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla Italian gourmet product line.

For your convenience, we have listed below the Williams-Sonora locations, complete with location addresses and contact info:

October 1 - 1pm-3pm
Williams Sonoma - King of Prussia, PA
160 North Gulph Road

King of Prussia, PA 19406

(610) 265-5970

October 2 - 1pm-3pm
Williams Sonoma - Short Hills, NJ
1200 Morris Turnpike

Short Hills, NJ 07078 

(973) 467-3641

October 5 - 4pm-6pm
Williams Sonoma - Plano, TX
1900 Preston Road

Plano, TX 75093

(972) 964-5838

October 15 - 1pm-3pm
Williams Sonoma - Costa Mesa, CA
South Coast Plaza
, 3333 South Bristol Street

Costa Mesa, CA 92626 

(714) 751-1166

October 17 - 1pm-3pm
Williams Sonoma - Las Vegas, NV
1001 South Rampart Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89145

(702) 938-9480

October 20 12pm-2pm
Williams Sonoma - San Francisco, CA
Union Square, 340 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 362-9450

Giada De Laurentiis will also be doing book signings to promote her latest “Giada’s kitchen” cookbook for the entire month of October. You will be able to find Giada De Laurentiis at selected Sur La Table, Barnes and Nobles, Borders and Crate&Barrel locations across the US - check out Giada’s constantly updated online calendar of appearances for more info on her book signing tour.

As announced a couple of weeks ago in a press release and a blog posting here on Italian Food Lovers, Academia Barilla just launched a new series of Italian gourmet specialty foods that enrich the Academia Barilla gourmet product line, which is available at the best gourmet and specialty food stores across the United States and worldwide, and of course at the Academia Barilla online shop.

Today we want to focus on some products that will bring the flavors of Italy, the new Academia Barilla Italian Cheese Spreads, Pasta Toppings and Pesto Genovese, right to your table.

The new Academia Barilla Cherry Tomato Pasta Toppings come in two flavors: a mild and sweet variety and a spicy and sweet variety.

Both Sicilian recipes are authentic and offer a delicious succulent blend of naturally sun dried Pachino cherry tomatoes and include fresh basil; the spicy variety also contains hot chili peppers. Academia Barilla’s pasta toppings are very versatile as a base ingredient, and can also be used as bruschetta and pizza toppings, as well as for appetizers, focaccia, couscous, roasted fish and meat.

Academia Barilla’s Pesto Alla Genovese is a unique non-pasteurized fresh pesto direct from the Italian seaside town of San Remo in Liguria.

The freshest basil of the Riviera, top quality extra virgin olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano and whole pine nuts make this recipe tangy and sweet, perfect for a variety of dishes. This product is available exclusively at the Sur La Table online store.

The Academia Barilla range of spreadable Italian cheeses is the result of premium quality Italian cheeses of time honored tradition and culinary innovation to create authentic, unique combinations.

These spreadable cheeses are the ideal solution for quick and easy dishes. Offering a Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P. variety and a Pecorino Sardo with Truffles and Porcini Mushrooms, these spreadable cheeses are a perfect addition to crackers, meats, pasta dishes, sandwiches, sauces and vegetables, and a new way to experience Parmigiano Reggiano and Sardinian Pecorino.

A product approved by the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium in Emilia Romagna, Italy, the Academia Barilla Parmigiano-Reggiano D.O.P. Cheese Spread brings to the Italian food lovers’ tables delicate notes of fresh milk, yogurt and honey, and a taste with intense sensation of Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

Academia Barilla also just launched a Pecorino Sardo, Truffles and Porcini Mushrooms Cheese Spread: this recipe brings food lovers the prestigious Bianchetto white Truffles and Porcini Mushrooms from Tuscany to celebrate Italian gourmet flavors.

Produced in Sardinia, Italy, the new Spreadable Cheese with Pecorino Sardo with Truffles and Porcini Mushrooms brings an aroma with delicate notes of fresh milk and cream, and the intense undertones of Truffles and Porcini Mushrooms. Its milky and sweet tones and the very well balanced aroma define a full round flavor for this new gourmet spreadable cheese, making it an ideal sauce to prepare Italian Rice and Pasta dishes. Also perfect spread on crackers and sandwiches, or melted on vegetables and grilled meats.

We will soon publish new gourmet recipes created by the Academia Barilla Chef Team with these new exciting Italian gourmet products, so stay tuned!

Here is a link to the new Academia Barilla press release announcing the new exciting initiative for the promotion of Italian food culture and the Art of Italian Gastronomy in the United States: the partnership with US top culinary center Sur La Table we blogged about yesterday.

The partnership develops within a Sur La Table initiative called A Taste of Italia, with a full calendar dedicated to Italian cuisine, and several initiatives in partnership with Academia Barilla that include food tasting and Italian regional cooking classes in the US, and an Easter 2009 Culinary Tour of Parma, Italy.

We republish the press release here below for all those Italian food lovers who are interested in getting all the details of the Academia Barilla - Sur La Table gourmet series of events.

Academia Barilla partners Sur La Table to celebrate Italian Food Culture in the United States, with a calendar rich of food tasting, Italian regional cooking classes in the US, and an Easter 2009 Tour of Parma, Italy.

Top Italian Culinary Center Academia Barilla partners Sur La Table, the place for Chefs to shop, for a series of initiatives celebrating the Taste of Italia, that include food tasting of Academia Barilla Italian gastronomy specialties across 63 Sur La Table stores in the US, Italian regional cooking classes at 25 Sur La Table locations across the United States, and a 6-days gastronomic and culinary Easter 2009 Tour of Parma, Italy.

PRWEB, September 18, 2008 - Academia Barilla, the world’s premier Italian culinary center dedicated to the art of Italian gastronomy and one of the top 5 luxury cooking school according to Gourmet Magazine, partners Sur La Table, the place for Chef to shop and top US culinary network, for a series of initiatives celebrating the Taste of Italia.

The gourmet initiatives designed by Academia Barilla in partnership with Sur La Table include:
• Food tasting of Academia Barilla Italian gastronomy specialties across 63 Sur La Table stores across the United States
• Italian regional cooking classes at 25 Sur La Table locations across the United States
• 6-days gastronomic and Culinary Tour of Parma, Italy, scheduled for next Easter 2009 (April 5-10).

In-Store Gourmet Product Sampling

For the entire month of September 2009 Sur la Table, who showcases the entire lines of Academia Barilla and Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla gourmet product lines, will organize free gourmet food tasting of Academia Barilla products at 63 Sur La Table stores across the United States.

Sur La Table customers will have the opportunity to learn how to professionally taste the products, what kind of quality to look for, how they can use the products at home, and more gourmet, gastronomy and culinary tips.

Authentic Regional Italian Cuisine – Sur La Table In-Store Gourmet Cooking Classes

Academia Barilla partnered with Sur La Table to introduce four Italian culinary classes celebrating the best of regional Italian cooking, exploring delicious local recipes from four of Italy’s richest culinary regions: Emilia-Romagna, Sicilia, Liguria and Toscana.

Participants to the Academia Barilla cooking classes will use classic recipes and the best artisan Italian ingredients to prepare signature dishes steeped in the traditions of this food-loving nation.

The in-Store cooking classes will be held at 25 Sur La Table locations across Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

For more information, full class schedule and booking please visit the Sur La Table website, and the Google Map created by Academia Barilla for the Italian Food Lovers blog.

A Taste of Italia – Sur La Table Culinary Easter Tour of Parma, Italy

Academia Barilla and Sur La Table are proud to introduce the ultimate Italian culinary experience, a 6-days culinary and gastronomy tour of Parma, Italy. Scheduled for Easter week (April 5-10, 2009), this culinary tour designed by Academia Barilla exclusively for Sur La Table is a must for those who love the food culture and cuisine of Italy, who will spend 6 days in Italy’s Food Lovers Mecca.

Participants will learn how to prepare traditional Italian Easter and regional menus, working hands-on with local artisanal ingredients and Academia Barilla chefs. The 6-days gastronomic and hands-on cooking tour is designed by Academia Barilla and Sur La Table to allow tour guest to explore the rich culinary and cultural heritage of this 2000-year-old city, linger over meals in courtyard gardens and participate to tour workshops with producers of local artisanal delicacies including Parmigiano Reggiano, Aceto Balsamico, Prosciutto di Parma and Culatello, while exploring castles, historic landmarks and Medieval villages in Italy’s richest culinary area, Emilia-Romagna.

Register soon for this amazing experience - space is limited and selling out fast; due to the popularity of this trip, only a few spots are left. For more info and online booking please visit the Sur La Table website. Also call the US toll free number 866-392-3302 or email academiabarilla@surlatable.com to learn more about the gastronomy trip.

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We took the boilerplate off the press release for this blog post as our Italian Food Lovers readership surely knows Academia Barilla - for those who still need Academia Barilla’s Press Office contacts, here they are:

In the USA: Stephanie Sette: Tel. +1 847-405-7564; ssette@barilla-usa.com
In Italy: Ilaria Rossi: Tel. +39 0521-2621; i.rossi@barilla.it
Barilla Press Office (Italy): Marco Magli; Tel. +39 0521-2621; m.magli@barilla.it

Today we want to announce a great initiative that we’ll announce soon also in official form: the partnership between Academia Barilla and US top culinary center Sur La Table for a series of culinary events in the United States and Italy. 

The partnership is part of a Sur La Table initiative called A Taste of Italia, a full calendar dedicated to Italian cuisine, and initiatives in partnership with Academia Barilla that include food tasting and Italian regional cooking classes in the United States, and an Easter 2009 Culinary Tour of Parma, Italy. 

Sur La Table, the place for Chefs to shop, has been working with the Academia Barilla US Team to design all the exclusive gourmet initiatives for A Taste of Italia, that include food tasting of Academia Barilla Italian gastronomy specialties across 63 Sur La Table stores across the United States, Italian regional cooking classes at 25 Sur La Table locations across the United States, and a 6-days gastronomic and Culinary Tour of Parma, Italy, scheduled for next Easter 2009 (April 5-10).

In-Store Gourmet Product Sampling

For the entire month of September 2009 Sur la Table, who showcases the entire lines of Academia Barilla and Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla gourmet product lines, offers free gourmet food tasting of Academia Barilla products at 63 Sur La Table stores across the United States.

Authentic Regional Italian Cuisine – In-Store Gourmet Cooking Classes

Sur La Table and Academia Barilla introduce four Italian culinary classes celebrating the best of regional Italian cooking, exploring local recipes from four of Italy’s richest culinary regions: Emilia-Romagna, Sicilia, Liguria and Toscana.

Participants to the cooking classes will use classic recipes and the best artisan Italian ingredients to prepare signature dishes steeped in the traditions of this food-loving nation.

The in-Store cooking classes will be held at 25 Sur La Table locations across Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

More information, full class schedule and booking are available at the Sur La Table website, awhile we created a Google Map with all the Sur La Table locations where you can sign in for the Authentic Regional Italian Cuisine classes.

To interact with a larger Google Map please follow this link

A Taste of Italia – Sur La Table Culinary Easter Tour of Parma, Italy

Academia Barilla and Sur La Table are proud to introduce the ultimate Italian culinary experience, a 6-days culinary and gastronomy tour of Parma, Italy.

Scheduled for Easter week (April 5-10, 2009), this culinary tour designed by Academia Barilla exclusively for Sur La Table is a must for those who love the food culture and cuisine of Italy, who will spend 6 days in Italy’s Food Lovers Mecca.

Participants will learn how to prepare traditional Italian Easter and regional menus, working hands-on with local artisanal ingredients and Academia Barilla chefs. The 6-days gastronomic and hands-on cooking tour is designed by Academia Barilla and Sur La Table to allow tour guest to explore the rich culinary and cultural heritage of this 2000-year-old city, linger over meals in courtyard gardens and participate to tour workshops with producers of local artisanal delicacies including Parmigiano Reggiano, Aceto Balsamico, Prosciutto di Parma and Culatello, while exploring castles, historic landmarks and Medieval villages in Italy’s richest culinary area, Emilia-Romagna.

Register soon for this unique ultimate Italian culinary experience - space is limited and selling out fast; due to the popularity of this trip, only a few spots are left.

For more info and online booking please visit the Sur La Table website. You can also call the US toll free number 866-392-3302 or email academiabarilla@surlatable.com to learn more about this amazing gastronomy trip to Italy.