Written by Ellie Wilson, MS, RDN Senior Nutritionist   Great home cooks and chefs alike know that exceptional meals begin with exceptional ingredients, and we have a wonderful assortment of authentic Italian products featured this month. Powering up your pantry with these simple and savory items can help you make a quick meal into a delicious event. Quick is key with Bella Terra Rapido No Boil Pasta – combine that with Botticelli or Rao’s Pasta Sauces for a fast, fun and flavorful meal. You can also get everything you need to make your own pasta sauce (slow cooker power!) – Mutti, Cento and Botticelli tomato products can be mixed and matched in your family recipes. Deepen the flavor of those sauces with Urbani Truffle Sauces, Amore garlic paste, and Racconto Sundried Tomatoes or Pesto. Price Chopper Sicilian and Toscano olive oils bring the Mediterranean to your table with their regional flavor notes – great to use for cooking or salads. Bella Italia Regional Pasta and Sauces transport you virtually to the towns, villages and families that have perfected their flavors and focus into unique items. Fabulous Italian cheeses, so special they earn an internationally recognized seal of authenticity, can start or finish your meal. Grana Padano, Parmigiana and Gorgonzola can elevate your cheese display or recipes beautifully. Think Parmigiano is just for pasta? Check out the potato recipe below, which will complement almost any meal. Finish with a Perla pastry, or a Divino Gelato Novelty, both special endings for special meals. Delizioso!   Parmigiano Reggiano Potato Wedges potato-wedges Preheat oven to 392 degrees F. Slice potatoes into wedges and toss in oil. Mix together rosemary, Parmigiano Reggiano, a good pinch of black pepper and add to the potatoes, mixing to give a good coating. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. Serve sprinkled with more Parmigiano Reggiano and rosemary.   Written by Sarah Palmer The bold, rich flavors of authentic Italian food are back! Join us as we celebrate this exciting event with in-store product sampling, weekly special savings, delicious recipes, plus a customer sweepstakes!   italian.png Our weekly flyer highlights over 50 products imported directly from Italy. Assemble an Italian cheeseboard after you visit our specialty cheese department. We’re proud to offer fresh-cut Parmigiano Reggiano, Locatelli Romano and new Robiola! Fresh Perla pastries are available in our bakery department, light sweet & delizioso! Our grocery department is beaming with the finest Italy has to offer. From authentic olive oils and balsamic vinegars, to unique cuts of pasta and canned sauce, you’ll find it all at a great value now thru October 22nd. Simply look for the special Authentic Italian shelf tags in-store!   Plus, be sure to enter our customer sweepstakes! Have you always wanted to visit Italy? Click here to enter and vote for the historic Italian landmark you would most like to visit. It’s that simple!   We look forward to seeing you in-store for this exciting event! untitled.pngWritten by: Ellie Wilson, MS, RDN  Senior Nutritionist Bring your appetite and sense of adventure to our Italian Fest! Italian cuisine is popular around the world -the dishes are simple, elegant and have few ingredients, but those ingredients have superior quality and intense flavor. There are twenty different regions in Italy, and each has unique agriculture, traditions and recipes. Enjoy some wonderful treasures and bring these flavorful Italian foods to your own table. Start your journey with pasta – Italy is the world leader in the craft of pasta making, with a heritage that is over 500 years old. Explore the regional pasta varieties like DeCecco gnocchi and pasta, Rummo and Bella Italia Regionali pasta, and the fresh Rana pasta in the deli case.  Cucina Amore has taken creamy risotto, polenta and nutty ancient grains, and applied innovation to ensure time-pressed cooks can bring these traditional flavors to their kitchen table. What a wonderful way to explore culture and authentic ingredients you can share with family and friends. Dress all of those pastas and grains up with exciting sauces and flavors – Urbani fresh canned pesto or cherry tomatoes with summer truffles, regional extra virgin olive oils, peppery and bright, and Bella Italia Regionali or Rienzi prepared sauces. Explore Mutti, Ceccato and Price Chopper certified authentic Italian tomato products – make your own sauce with these and you will know why Italian dishes have traveled the world.  Alessi vinegars, with flavors like white balsamic, pinot grigio and cabernet sauvignon add depth, complexity and brightness to your dressings and sauté’s. The artisan cheeses will transport you – there are over 600 varieties of cheese made in Italy, and we can offer you a delicious tour in most of our stores. Taleggio, a soft Alpine cheese aged in caves pairs well with fruit and honey. Locatelli Romano, from the region near Rome (hence the name), is one of the world’s oldest cheeses. Montasio, made from the milk of three different breeds of cow, was first made by 13th century monks. Gran Cacio Estrusco is a semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese, cave-aged for four months, wonderful over silky gnocchi with lemon, peas and a touch of Prosciutto di Parma. What a great dish to herald spring! Round out your meal with fruit-infused San Pellegrino sparkling water, and the fresh, bright flavor of Italian kiwifruit. Imported from the South Pacific by adventurous Italian farmers 30 years ago, Italy is now the largest producer of kiwifruit. If you would like recipes that are authentic as these amazing ingredients, check out our Extraordinary Italian Taste Pinterest board. Join us on a delicious journey around Italy, and embrace the Italian treasures that bring the Mediterranean diet to life, right in your own kitchen. Buon Appetito!Extraordinary Italian Taste Logo.jpg