Taste of Italy

Author: Jeremy Parzen

  • A Taste of Italy Success Story: Acetaia Guerzoni at Food Related.

    A Taste of Italy Success Story: Acetaia Guerzoni at Food Related.

    In 2016, Acetaia Guerzoni, led by Lorenzo Guerzoni, above, Italy’s only biodynamic certified producer of traditional balsamic vinegar, attended its first Taste of Italy in Houston.

    Right out of the gate, the Guerzoni family made a connection: the Ciorciari brothers, owners of the San Antonio-based food importer Food Related, fell in love with their high-end products.

    Today, the Ciorciari family has been importing their products for more than 7 years and they are available throughout Texas, including Austin, Houston, Dallas, and, of course, San Antonio.

    One thing that a lot of people don’t realize about Taste of Italy, which is now held in two major markets in Texas, Houston and Dallas, is also attended by buyers from across the large state of Texas.

    Congratulations to the Guerzoni and Ciorciari families for your fruitful partnership!

  • Taste of Italy Houston™ and Vancouver dates announced!

    Taste of Italy Houston™ and Vancouver dates announced!

    The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada West are thrilled to announce that Taste of Italy, the largest trade fair in the U.S. devoted exclusively to Italian food and wine, will be presenting the first-ever Taste of Italy Vancouver on March 2-3, 2023.

    It will be followed by Taste of Italy Houston on March 5-6.

    On the heels of the success of Taste of Italy Houston™ (now in its 9th year) and Taste of Italy Dallas (which took place for the first time earlier this year), the IACC has decided to expand the event to include the largest city in British Columbia and the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada.

    To receive more details, including exhibitor info, please contact:

    Do you want to attend the event as a buyer? click HERE to register.

    Taste of italy Houston™ will take place at the OMNI Hotel Houston (4 Riverway, Houston, TX 77056). Click HERE to reserve your room at the dicounted rate!

  • A Taste of Italy Success Story: Cantine Silvestri at HEB supermarket.

    A Taste of Italy Success Story: Cantine Silvestri at HEB supermarket.

    For the team at the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce, there is perhaps no greater reward than knowing that our work for our members and clients has helped them expand their sales network.

    One such case is that of Cantine Silvestri, a legacy grape grower and winemaker in the Castelli Romani hills outside the Italian capital.

    It all started at Vinitaly 2022… Fast forward to fall 2022: Not only is Cantine Silvestri now available in the state of Texas; it’s being featured at HEB supermarkets in Texas.

    In wine trade parlance, having your labels displayed like that is called being “stacked.” It’s a sort of badge of honor for wineries and distributors. And it means that they will be “moving a lot of boxes,” as they say in the industry.

    Congratulations to Cantine Silvestri for their remarkable accomplishment! And thank you to the owners for believing in what we do here at the IACC South Central: Building community for our clients and members.

    The wine is currently being imported by Beviamo International, a Houston-based importer and longtime member. The winery is represented in the U.S. by Vero Italian Traditional Food, an Italian-based company and also a chamber member.

  • Wine tastings Nov. 29-30 in Houston: Taste Sicily, Abruzzo, and Calabria with wine writer Jeremy Parzen.

    Wine tastings Nov. 29-30 in Houston: Taste Sicily, Abruzzo, and Calabria with wine writer Jeremy Parzen.

    On Tuesday and Wednesday, November 29-30 in Houston, the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central is proud to present two wine tastings featuring three top Italian producers: Cantine Bruni (Calabria), Isula di Pantelleria, and Tenuta San Giaime (Sicily), and Citra (Abruzzo).

    The seminars will take place at Vinology on Tuesday, November 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; and Caracol on Wednesday, November 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

    Both seminars will be led by Houston-based wine writer and educator Jeremy Parzen, a leading Italian wine expert.

    The events are open to qualified trade and food and wine-focused media members. Seating is limited and is available on a first-come-first-served basis.

    Click here to sign up for the Tuesday, November 29 event at Vinology.

    Click here to sign up for the Wednesday, November 30 event at Caracol.

  • Taste Calabrian olive oil featuring Tenuta Pantano, October 27 at Eataly Dallas.

    Taste Calabrian olive oil featuring Tenuta Pantano, October 27 at Eataly Dallas.

    On Thursday, October 27, as part of the first-ever Taste of Italy Dallas, Italian food expert Jeremy Parzen will lead a seminar on the olive oils of Calabria featuring the oils of Tenuta Pantano (Badolato, Catanzaro).

    As guests sample a flight of extra-virgin olive oils, they will also enjoy light bites created especially to pair with the oils.

    SEMINAR
    CALABRIAN OLIVE OIL
    with Italian food expert
    Jeremy Parzen

    Thursday, October 27
    12:00 p.m.
    Eataly Dallas

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

    The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central is pleased to present a Calabrian extra-virgin olive oil tasting featuring the oils of Tenuta Pantano. The guided tasting and seminar will be led by Italian food and wine expert Jeremy Parzen.

    As Italian gastronomy took the world by storm in the 1990s and early 2000s, the interest in artisanally produced Italian extra-virgin olive oil grew swiftly. At the time, Tuscan and Sicilian olive oils were the focus of most food lovers in the U.S. No surprise there. But over time, Americans have expanded their interest in the category as they discovered Sardinian olis, Ligurian, and even Veneto olive oils produced along the banks of Lake Garda.

    Despite this robust interest in top olive oils from Italy, Calabrian olive oils — some of Italy’s most coveted — have remained under the radar. That’s because Calabria is still Italy’s greatest “undiscovered country,” a land teeming with culinary treasures and delights that Americans have yet to experience. We are confident that tasters at the October 27 event will be excited to learn about Calabria’s unique soils and terroirs, including the maritime influence of the Mediterranean sea, which gives the oils their signature freshness.

    “Calabrian oils are among the best I’ve tasted in recent years,” says Parzen, who launched his food writing career at La Cucina Italiana more than two decades ago. “Thanks to the work of the chamber, I’ve had the opportunity to taste a number of Calabrian products that are not yet available in the U.S. And I’ve been blown away by the quality and depth, especially when it comes to the oils and the wines.”

    The Calabrian extra-virgin olive oil event is the featured seminar at this year’s Taste of Italy Dallas, the IACC’s first trade fair in that city.

  • Register now: Sicilian Wines Master Class 10/17 Houston, 10/20 Dallas.

    Register now: Sicilian Wines Master Class 10/17 Houston, 10/20 Dallas.

    Register now: Sicilian Wines Master Class in Houston 10/17 and Dallas 10/20.

    The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central is pleased to present a Sicilian Wines Master Class.

    The Houston event will be led by Jaime De Leon, advanced sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers and regional buyer and wine program manager for Kroger. The event will be held on Monday, October 17, 5:00 p.m. at Roma restaurant in Houston.

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

    The Dallas event will be presented on Thursday, October 20, 5:00 p.m., by Italian wine expert Aldo Bove, educator and manager for Above Wines. The event will take place at Eataly.

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

    Both events will feature wines by leading Sicilian wineries Cambria and Maduado.

    Among the labels to be tasted will be wines made from Sicily’s Nocera grape. This variety, once considered a second-tier grape, is now getting a lot of attention from grape growers and winemakers who prize its wonderful acidity, an element that helps it retain its freshness during the long hot summers of recent years.

    The events are open to qualified wine industry professionals and media.

  • SAVE THE DATE: Sicilian Wines Master Class Houston 10/17 and Dallas 10/20.

    SAVE THE DATE: Sicilian Wines Master Class Houston 10/17 and Dallas 10/20.

    SAVE THE DATE: Sicilian Wines Master Class in Houston 10/17 and Dallas 10/20.

    The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central is pleased to present a Sicilian Wines Master Class featuring the wines of Cambria (Messina) and Madaudo (Messina).

    The wines and appellations to be tasted during the seminar will include Etna, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, a sparkling Grillo, and international grape varieties as well.

    The events are open to qualified wine industry professionals and media.

    To register, please contact IACC Deputy Director Maurizio Gamberucci by clicking here.

  • Taste of Italy Dallas (Oct. 27): Buyer and media registration NOW OPEN!

    Taste of Italy Dallas (Oct. 27): Buyer and media registration NOW OPEN!

    Buyer and media registration for Taste of Italy Dallas at Eataly is NOW OPEN!

    Meet importers, distributors, restaurateurs, chefs, sommeliers, buyers, and specialized media. If you are a buyer, trade specialist, or food-focused writer, blogger, or influencer, click HERE to register! (NO DEADLINE for registration.)

    Click here for the list of exhibitors (updated daily). We look forward to seeing you in Dallas!

    Taste of Italy Dallas

    When: October 27, 2022, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
    Where: Eataly Dallas at North Park Center
    8687 N. Central Expressway, Suite 2172
    Dallas TX 75225

    The first-ever Taste of Italy Dallas, a food and wine trade show devoted exclusively to Italian products in the U.S.

    Eataly will select wines to be purchased and showcased during a special event scheduled for the following day, “All You Can Eataly,” October 28, 2022.

    For more info, please contact us at [email protected].

  • Taste of Italy DALLAS October 27. Register by August 30.

    Taste of Italy DALLAS October 27. Register by August 30.

    The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central is pleased to announce the first-ever Taste of Italy Dallas!

    Taste of Italy Houston, now in its ninth year, is the largest trade show devoted exclusively to Italian food and wine in the U.S. We are thrilled to be taking the show on the road to Dallas.

    Taste of Italy Dallas

    When: October 27, 2022, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
    Where: Eataly Dallas at North Park Center
    8687 N. Central Expressway, Suite 2172
    Dallas TX 75225

    RESERVE YOUR DESK THROUGH AUGUST 30, 2022.

    The first-ever Taste of Italy Dallas, a food and wine trade show devoted exclusively to Italian products in the U.S.

    Meet importers, distributors, restaurateurs, chefs, sommeliers, buyers, and specialized media. If you are a Buyer, click HERE to register! (NO DEADLINE for registration.)

    Eataly will select wines to be purchased and showcased during a special event scheduled for the following day, “All You Can Eataly,” October 28, 2022.

    For more info, please contact us at [email protected].

  • IACC at the Amon Carter Museum in Ft. Worth: American painters in Venice and Prosecco.

    IACC at the Amon Carter Museum in Ft. Worth: American painters in Venice and Prosecco.

    On Thursday, July 14, the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central was at the wonderful Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Ft. Worth.

    The occasion was the “Second Thursday” of the month event where more than 200 art lovers gathered to view the touring exhibition “Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano.”

    Guests were also there to hear a lecture by Alex Mann, who originally curated the show for the Smithsonian, and to taste some Prosecco with the chamber’s in-house wine expert, food and wine historian Jeremy Parzen.

    As the guests enjoyed two types of Prosecco — a zero-sugar added Prosecco and Prosecco Rosé by the Peninsola winery in Italy — they also sampled authentic Prosciutto di Parma.

    The event was made possible thanks to support from the Italian consulate and the Consul General Federico Ciattaglia.

    We highly recommend that you visit the exhibition, running through September. And we would like to share our heartfelt thanks with the museum for making us part of this spectacular event.

    The IACC’s participation has been sponsored by the Italian government’s ongoing Extraordinary Italian Taste campaign, which promotes authentic Italian wines, foods, and foodways.