For all of the seafood lovers out there, chef Matteo has created a savory, citrus marinade for shrimp and squid using our Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani herb mix , Sea Salt with Blood Orange Zest and delicate Ligurian extra virgin olive oil, which is guaranteed to really get your mouths watering.

If chicken and turkey are more your cup of tea, try rubbing the meat with olive oil and Sapori Italiani herb mix and allowing it to marinate for at least 10 minutes in the fridge. The added herbs really work nicely on the grill, giving the meat an extra, unexpected kick.

And if you are planning to invite any Italians to your summertime festivities, consider serving grilled pork chops – a classic Italian summer dish that will make your guests feel at home. The garlic marinade described by chef Matteo can certainly stand up to the heat of the grill.

And our team of trusty cooks has even found a way to incorporate one of our favorite ingredients – Balsamic Vinegar Must – in a savory, yet sweet, marinade to be used on lamb. The acidity of the vinegar brings out the flavor of the meat and will be sure to be a crowd pleaser.

We hope that you enjoy these recipes as much as we do. Try them out at your next BBQ and let us know what you think.

Have a good summer and get cooking!

INGREDIENTS
GRILLED FISH, SERVES 4
2 lb shrimp
2 lb squid
Marinade for Shrimp and Squid
1 lb breadcrumbs
⅜ oz Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani mix
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 ½ oz Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure DOP Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil
Academia Barilla Natural Sea Salt with Blood Orange Zest to taste

GRILLED MEAT, SERVES 4
1 lb chicken breasts
1 lb turkey
2 lb pork chops
8 lamb chops
Marinade for Chicken and Turkey
¾ oz Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani mix
3 oz Academia Barilla Monti Iblei DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Marinade for Pork Chops
3 oz Academia Barilla IGP Toscano Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs thyme
Marinade for Lamb Chops
1 ¾ oz Academia Barilla Monti Iblei DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 ½ oz Academia Barilla Balsamic Must of Modena - aged 8 years

PREPARATION
1 hour preparation

GRILLED FISH, SERVES 4
Marinade and Cooking Instructions for Shrimp and Squid
Mix all of the ingredients needed for breading the shrimp and squid together in a large bowl: breadcrumbs, Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani herb mix, chopped garlic, Sea Salt with Blood Orange Zest and Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Once the shrimp are clean, skewer and bread the shrimp. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. To clean the squid, remove the tentacles and clean the inside of the body well. Put them on a skewer and gently cover them with the breadcrumb mixture. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Drizzle the shrimp and squid skewers with Academia Barilla Rviera Ligure DOP extra virgin olive oil, and cook the skewers on a hot grill, about 2 minutes per side. When done, sprinkle with a pinch of Academia Barilla Sea Salt with Blood Orange Zest and serve.

GRILLED MEAT, SERVES 4
Marinade and Cooking Instructions for Chicken and Turkey
Mix the Academia Barilla Monti Iblei DOP extra virgin olive oil with the Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani herb mix, and rub the mixture on the chicken and turkey. Marinate for at least 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Before grilling the meat, it is best to bring it to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking. The meat should be grilled for about 5 minutes, depending on its weight. At the end, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Marinade and Cooking Instructions for Pork Chops
Pick off thyme leaves and slice garlic. Rub the pork chops with Academia Barilla IGP Toscano extra virgin olive oil and thyme. 

Then place the fresh garlic slices on top. Allow it to marinate for at least 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator. To avoid burning the garlic and thyme during cooking, it is best to remove them from the meat before grilling. Also, the meat should be left at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before cooking. Grill the meat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Once cooked, slice the ribs and serve. 
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Marinade and Cooking Instructions for Lamb Chops
Marinate the lamb chops with Academia Barilla Balsamic Must and Monti Iblei DOP extra virgin olive oil for at least 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator. 
Before cooking the lamb, keep at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. 
Grill the meat for 5 to 6 minutes and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat, based in Chicago, IL, is America’s first producer of high-end chocolates and truffles based on the finest ingredients from around the world. Their indulgent products are a blend of exotic flavors, capable of transporting you far, far away. Thanks to Vosges and their team of skilled chocolate makers, you can experience the smells and flavors of different places like Latin America and even Italy in your own home.

And to guide you through your own private tasting session, Vosges chocolates come with informative tasting notes and information on suggested pairings.

Let’s take a look, shall we?
Have you been craving a little spice in your life? Vosges’ Aztec Collection may be exactly what you need. This collection of exquisite truffles is based on carefully selected ingredients like Mexican vanilla bean, Venezuelan dark chocolate, Argentinean dulce de leche, Costa Rican cashews and ancho chilies.

Each truffle promises a sophisticated blend of flavors, delicately balanced to evoke curiosity and passion.

And for all of you Italian food lovers out there Vosges presents its seductive Collezione Italiana – a selection of chocolate truffles filled with regional Italian products like 12-year aged balsamic vinegar, Sicilian sea salt, wild Tuscan fennel pollen.

Each elegant truffle is a play on savory and sweet sensations. Take, for example, the Sale del Mare truffle: Sicilian sea salt is added to a soft burnt sugar caramel and covered with sweet milk chocolate.

“The salt of the caramel leads to a craving for the sweet ~ the milk chocolate.”

And get this…after careful examination and taste testing, Vosges has decided to pair with their Italian inspired chocolate collection with Academia Barilla Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We couldn’t be more pleased!

Inside the Vosges Olive Oil and Truffle Gift Box, you will find 9 chocolate truffles and a 750ml bottle of Academia Barilla Monti Iblei Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The fresh, green flavor and peppery finish of the oil make it an excellent palate cleanser.

And you don’t have to take our word for it:

“When I hold a cheese and chocolate pairing with the Collezione Italiana truffles at my house I always serve a crusty Italian farmer’s bread with olive oil to cleanse the palate between bites. My friend, Susan, suggested I offer the pair in a gift package ready to go, all you need to bring is the bread and cheese. Here you go!”

–Katrina Markoff, chocolatier and owner of Vosges

(Source: Vosges Website, http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/)

On the road again … with Academia Barilla. Join us as we travel to Venice, Parma, Rome and Sicily. 

It’s that time of year again. What time you ask? Time to start planning your next trip to Italy, of course.We all know that the Italian peninsula is home to an infinite number of things to see and do and taste. But why make it hard on yourself, when you can let Academia Barilla and their team of Italian food, wine and culture experts plan your trip for you. Join us for a behind the scenes tour of your favorite region in Italy, or allow us to introduce you to someplace new.

Speaking of new, we have designed two new tours for 2009: Venice, Parma, Rome: A Trio of Italian History and Sicily for Food Lovers. 

If you have never been Italy or just breezed through on your last whirlwind tour of Europe, we invite you to get to know three of Italy’s most spectacular cities – Venice, Rome, and Parma. You will begin your adventure in Venice, where a local guide will show you around the local markets and introduce you to some of the city’s incredible craftsmen. In Parma, you will have the chance to visit the prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano-Reggiano producers. You will also be treated to a hands-on cooking class with at the Academia Barillia culinary center. Then you will head off to the eternal city for a tour of the city’s monuments and hidden treasures. And to top it all off, we will arrange for you to stay in luxury hotels and eat in unforgettable restaurants and trattorias.

If, however, you have been waiting for your chance to explore Sicily, now is the time to do it.  We have organized a special insider’s tour that will take you around the island in seven days. You will have the chance to visit Palermo, Trapani, Erice, Marzano del Vallo, Agrigento, Ragusa, Marzamemi and Siracusa. And in these fascinating cities and towns, you will have the opportunity to taste and learn more about Sicilian specialties like marzipan, olive oil, sea salt, Marsala wine, cous-cous, cheese and swordfish. In addition, we will take you to visit some of the island’s breathtaking archeological sites.

We believe that food and culture go hand in hand. There is often no better way of getting to know a new place than by exploring its local culinary traditions and historical monuments. Let us do the navigating and you will be sure to leave satisfied.

For more information about our new tours, please visit the Academia Barilla website or you can call us from the US by dialing 0039 0521 264060.

A weekend packed with cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, and educational seminars, it will surely be an event not to miss. For cheese lovers, this is truly an experience unlike any other, with over 200 varieties of cheeses for guests to sample from local and international producers.

If you haven’t tried Academia Barilla’s velvety smooth and complex Pecorino Gran Cru table cheese, rare mountain-milk Parmigiano Reggiano table cheese, tasty Pecorino with porcini mushrooms and truffles cheese spread or the savory Spicy Fig Compote, make sure to stop by and see why Connie Rizzo, Deli and Cheese Buyer of DeLaurenti Specialty Food & Wine Seattle, says that Academia Barilla has a cheese that’s hot now in a recent article in Specialty Food Magazine.
Take a peak below to see some delicious notes on what we’ll be featuring at the event!

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

Aroma: Fresh milk, with hints of butter and honey.
Flavor: Sweet and mild, with hints of fresh milk, skimmed yogurt, straw and white flowers.
Texture: Soft and compact.

PECORINO GRAN CRU

Aroma: Sweet and fresh, with hints of milk, cream and grass. Scents of nuts, fruit and hay.
Flavor: Milky, sweet and nutty. Fills the palate, well balanced, round, complex flavor.
Texture: Compact, velvety, moist.

SPICY FIG COMPOTE

Made with fresh green figs and spicy mustard essence, this traditional recipe is presented
with a modern flair.
Aroma: Spicy, distinct flavor of mustard has an intense, refined aroma.
Flavor: Softened by fresh figs, this compote embodies the perfect balance between sweet and spicy.

SPREADABLE CHEESE WITH PECORINO SARDO, TRUFFLES, AND PORCINI MUSHROOMS

Aroma: Delicate notes of fresh milk and cream with the intense undertones of Truffles and Porcini Mushrooms.
Flavor: Milky and sweety with a very well balanced aroma with round flavor.

If you can’t wait until the event or won’t be able to make it, try this tasty recipe below to experience a cheese lovers delight!

CHEESE FANTASIA
Ingredients for 4 servings:
5.2 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano
5.2 oz. Pecorino Toscano
5.2 oz. Pecorino Dolce
5.2 oz. Mozzarella
7 oz. Spicy Fig Compote
7 oz. Fresh Pears with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
7 oz. Gourmet Chianti Wine Jelly
7 oz. Monti Iblei D.O.P. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sicilian Sea Salt with Black Olives, To Taste
2 Fresh Figs
1 Fresh Pear

Cut the figs into one-fourth pieces, the pears into eighth and the grapes into half. Cut the Parmigiano into flakes, the Pecorino into slices and the Mozzarella into cubes. Place all the ingredients on a platter with the Parmigiano near the Fresh Pears with Balsamic Vinegar and a piece of fresh Pear. Place the Pecorino Toscano near the Gourmet Chianti Wine Jelly and the fresh Grapes, then the Pecorino Dolce near the Spicy Fig Compote and the fresh Figs. Sprinkle the Mozzarella with the Monti Iblei D.O.P. Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a pinch of Sicilian Sea Salt with Black Olives.

As a matter of fact, the Valrhona meeting, entitled Il Gelato sotto i riflettori or “Gelato Highlight,” was held at the Academia Barilla headquarters in Parma, Italy. Here, Valrhona shared with their clients their new selection of summer recipes: from gelato cakes to desserts served in a glass. Obviously, all of the recipes were based on chocolate!

Alain Chartier, Master Pastry Chef honored with the titles of best pâtissier in France and World Gelato Champion, demonstrated how to prepare the Valrhona treats in front of a full house.

But start at the beginning. The day began at 1 pm, when guests were welcomed into the Academia Barilla Training Room where, for the special occasion, Master Pastry Chef Gianluca Fusto arranged an appetizing buffet of macaroons, small soft coconut tarts filled with chocolate and fabulous little chocolates.

Selections of macaroons, coconut tarts and chocolates

Academia Barilla training room

After this sweet prelude, the meeting moved to the fantastic Academia Barilla Auditorium, where Alain took over the show, in front of numerous guests and Academia Barilla’s video cameras.
The demonstration lasted 3 hours, during which Alain made various chocolate preparations – all of which were truly fantastic.

A moment during the demonstration

For his first recipe, Alain presented a dessert called Mojito. Based on an original recipe, the treat is combination of lime sorbet and vanilla with a light white rum mousse with a chocolate gelato. The recipe took 40 minutes to prepare, but we can assure you that it was worth it! Alain demonstrated, with expertise and professionalism, all of the steps necessary for making a perfect Mojito. And here is the final result.

A hard shell of shiny chocolate containing lime and vanilla sorbet that surrounds a white rum mousse with a heart of soft and creamy chocolate. Beautiful presentation and sublime flavor!

Another recipe that Alain presented was Sante, a glass of sorbet composed of an orange-carrot mousse, carefully placed on a soft layer of Coeur di Guanaja, a delicious chocolate produced by Valrhona.

The dessert was presented in a glass glazed with Coeur di Guanaja with a small transparent strip so that you could see the contents. The finishing touches were very fine strips of dried carrot. Excellent work Alain!

To prepare the desserts for all of the guests, Alain was joined by Chef Marco Canevari and Chef Fabrizio Pantani, who also assisted him during the demonstration.

From the left: Master Pastry Chef Gianluca Fusto, Chef Marco Canevari, Chef Fabrizio Pantani and Master Pastry Chef Alain Chartier.

The meeting ended with a tasting session of all of Alain’s fantastic preparations and a toast to a job well done! Congratulations to everyone! Academia Barilla is very happy to have had you as our guests!