for immediate release

Experience the Flavors of Italy at the Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend

Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19

Media Only:
Julie McCaffrey
(847) 835-8213, direct
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

GLENCOE, Ill. (April 16, 2009)—Barilla and local chefs will give cooking demonstrations using fresh Italian ingredients such as those found in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden during the Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend on Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19. Presented by Barilla, this event features plant and recipe giveaways, family activities, gourmet olive oil and balsamic vinegar presentations and three daily chef demonstrations with tastings of delicious Barilla pasta recipes, and more.

Visitors can learn about Italian herbs at an herb cart, featuring flat leaf parsley, basil and thyme. This year, the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden is featuring an Italian vegetable bed, including Listada de Gandia eggplant, Martino’s Roma and Italian Heirloom tomatoes, Genovese basil, Giant Italian parsley, Borettana onion, Marconi peppers and Calabrese broccoli. Kids can learn about "Eating a Rainbow" at the drop-in family program. A variety of Academia Barilla products will be for sale in The Wheelbarrow and The Garden Shop.

Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend is free. Parking is $20 per car; free for members. The Chicago Botanic Garden Trolley operates between the Garden and the Glencoe Metra station on weekends, June 6 through Sept. 7. Round-trip tickets are $2; Garden members and children 5 and under ride free.

For information about the Chicago Botanic Garden's programs and events, call (847) 835-5440, or visit www.chicagobotanic.org.

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Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden's newsroom is online at www.chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit www.chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden's Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.