Foodie News: Cooking Channel March 2012 Highlights

**COOKING CHANNEL MARCH 2012 HIGHLIGHTS**

COOKING CHANNEL COASTS TO ITALY IN NEW SERIES ‘DAVID ROCCO’S AMALFI GETAWAY’

Plus: Four Primetime Specials and Countless Premiere Episodes



NEW YORK – February 17, 2012 – Cooking Channel goes global with new series, David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway, premiering Sunday, March 11th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT as David Rocco returns to Italy getting authentic secrets straight from the home cooks and restaurateurs that know the cuisine best. Beating the Sunday night blues is easy as Cooking Channel premieres a special every Sunday night in March at 8pm including Eat This, Drink That where beer sommeliers, Hallie Beaune and Christina Perozzi take viewers on a journey to find delicious, yet eccentric food and drink pairings on Sunday, March 4th at 8pmET/5pmPT and Pop Up Gourmet which takes dining-out to a new level on Sunday, March 11th at 8pmET/5pmPT. The new programming continues with countless premiere episodes of Cooking Channel daytime and primetime favorites including Kelsey’s Essentials, Symon’s Suppers and Not My Mama’s Meals. Join the Cooking Channel conversation on Twitter and Facebook.



SERIES PREMIERES



David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway: Premiering Sunday, March 11th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT

David Rocco returns to Italy – this time to the Amalfi coast. His journey takes viewers into the home kitchens, restaurants and farms of Amalfi to cook with the mammas, nonnas and chefs who make simple, honest, rustic Italian dishes – most in the ‘cucina povera’ tradition. These are the dishes that have defined the region for centuries and are sure to inspire cooks today. Viewers can also get the authentic Italian recipes and amazing behind-the-scenes pictures from David’s Amalfi trip at www.CookingChannelTV.com.

· Premiering Sunday, March 11th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT – “Limone”

David travels the stunning Amalfi coast to discover what makes the Amalfi lemon famous. Sweeter and juicier than lemons grown in other parts of the world, the people of Amalfi have cultivated this extraordinary sunny fruit for centuries. Here, locals use every part of the "limone" in the kitchen – even the leaves. David cooks inspired savory dishes using lemon leaves, shares a tasty lemon granita, and learns how to make the coast's signature liqueur – Limoncello.

· Premiering Sunday, March 18th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT – “Pesce”

Amalfi's rugged coastline facing the open sea has always made it easier to fish than to farm. Because of this, the Amalfitani make some of the most delicious seafood dishes in the world. David kicks off his pursuit of local seafood at one of the tastiest beachside restaurants in Amalfi, where head cook Catarina prepares her signature anchovy and mussel dishes. David later travels out to sea with local fishermen, catching fresh shrimp and octopus for a dinner cooked right on the boat.

· Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 1:30pmET/10:30amPT – “Mozzarella di Bufala”

David dives into the world of an Italian culinary treasure - buffalo milk cheeses, starting with a visit to a creamery in the town of Paestum where he meets the majestic buffalos face to face. David gets a taste of the luscious mozzarella di bufala - mozzarella made with buffalo milk. David learns how to use buffalo mozzarella in several traditional seafood dishes and, with the help of his friend Carla, makes a scrumptious cheese dessert for a beach picnic in the beautiful town of Positano.


PRIMETIME SPECIALS


Eat This, Drink That: Premiering Sunday, March 4th at 8pmET/5pmPT

Beer sommeliers, Hallie Beaune and Christina Perozzi, also known as "The Beer Chicks," know more about craft brews than most seasoned bartenders and their love for drink hardly ends there. These authors love wine, mixed drinks, spirits, cocktails and everything food related, and in this special they take to the road and introduce viewers to the folks who are creating brand new rules for pairing food with drink. Hallie and Christina find inspiration for shrimp and grits with absinthe on a shrimp boat in the Gulf of Mexico, and in Los Angeles, they marry sweet corn ice cream with beer for a float showdown.



Pop Up Gourmet: Premiering Sunday, March 11th at 8pmET/5pmPT

Pop Up Gourmet takes dining-out to a new level. With locally grown or harvested ingredients, great wine and decadent decor, Cory, Anton and Brad create one-night only pop-up restaurant experiences. The trio comes to aid a Monterey, Calif. restaurant that dreams of building a monument to honor those lost at sea. The team's pop-up restaurant will not only raise awareness about the monument but also showcase a five-star dinner menu celebrating sustainable seafood, artichokes and local Monterey wines. With four days and lots of ideas, the team works around the clock to get the job done.



Planet Food: Italy: Premiering Sunday, March 18th at 8pmET/5pmPT

Tyler Florence tastes the fruits of Italy at the annual olive harvest, shops at the markets of Bologna, and samples the glorious wines of Banfi Estates before getting authentic Italian cooking lessons.



Easter Unwrapped: Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 8pmET/5pmPT

Marc Summers is checking out marshmallow bunnies, the laying of malted eggs and finding out the secrets behind dying Easter eggs both by hand and by machine. Plus, he checks out the making of a chocolate bunny and meets an artist specializing in Peeps.



PREMIERE EPISODES



A Cook’s Tour

Premiering Sunday, March 4th at 8amET/5amPT – “Stuffed like a Pig: France Tour”

Premiering Sunday, March 11th at 8amET/5amPT – “Mexican Tamales and Iguana, Oaxacan Style”

Premiering Sunday, March 18th at 8amET/5amPT – “Desert Feast”

Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 8amET/5amPT – “Where the Good Cooks Are From”



Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Kitchen

Premiering Wednesday, March 21st at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Depression Desserts”



Drop 5 Lbs With Good Housekeeping

Premiering Saturday, March 17th at 11amET/8mPT – “Energize Your Life”

Premiering Saturday, March 24th at 11amET/8amPT – “Mom Around Town”



From the Kitchens of…

Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 10amET/7amPT – “Hidden Valley 2”



Hook, Line & Dinner

Premiering Thursday, March 1st at 8pmET/5pmPT – “Vancouver”

Premiering Thursday, March 8th at 8pmET/5pmPT – “Islamorada”

Premiering Thursday, March 22nd at 8pmET/5pmPT – “Chesapeake Bay”

Premiering Thursday, March 29th at 8pmET/5pmPT – “Brooklyn”



Hungry Girl

Premiering Saturday, March 3rd at 10:30amET/7:30amPT – “Mom’s Favorites”

Premiering Saturday, March 10th at 10:30amET/7:30amPT – “Crispy Crunchy”

Premiering Saturday, March 24th at 10:30amET/7:30amPT – “Girls’ Night In”

Premiering Saturday, March 31st at 10:30amET/7:30amPT – “Ginormous Foods”



Iron Chef America Countdown

Premiering Tuesday, March 6th at 10:30pmET/7:30pmPT – “I Can’t Believe I’m Eating This!”

Premiering Tuesday, March 13th at 10:30pmET/7:30pmPT – “I Can’t Believe They Said That!”

Premiering Tuesday, March 20th at 10:30pmET/7:30pmPT – “Kitchen Stadium Extravagance”

Premiering Tuesday, March 27th at 10:30pmET/7:30pmPT – “Heat & Meat”



Kelsey’s Essentials

Premiering Saturday, March 3rd at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “Burgers”

Premiering Saturday, March 10th at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “Take Out”

Premiering Saturday, March 17th at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “Cheese”

Premiering Saturday, March 24th at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “Urban Farming”

Premiering Saturday, March 31st at 2:30pmET/11:30amPT – “My Trip to France”



Not My Mama’s Meals

Premiering Wednesday, March 7th at 9pmET/6pmPT – “Manly Meals Made Light”

Premiering Wednesday, March 14th at 9pmET/6pmPT – “Restaurant Reunion”



Supersizers Go…

Premiering Saturday, March 3rd at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Restoration”

Premiering Saturday, March 10th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “The Fifties”

Premiering Saturday, March 17th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “The French Revolution”

Premiering Saturday, March 24th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “The Seventies”

Premiering Saturday, March 31st at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Regency”



Symon’s Suppers

Premiering Thursday, March 1st at 9:30pmET/6:30pmPT – “Grilling”

Premiering Thursday, March 15th at 9:30pmET/6:30pmPT – “Bar Snacks”



Unique Eats

Premiering Sunday, March 4th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Food by Fire”

Premiering Sunday, March 18th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Portland Weekend”

Premiering Sunday, March 25th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Pasta”



United Tastes of America

Premiering Tuesday, March 6th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Texas State Fair Food Fest”

Premiering Tuesday, March 13th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Sausage”

Premiering Tuesday, March 20th at 10pmET/7pmPT – “Po-boy Festival”



DIGITAL CONTENT



St. Patrick’s Day

Get into the Irish spirit with the best St. Patrick’s Day drink recipes (including an adults-only take version of McDonald’s shamrock shake), Gaelic-inspired dishes from soda bread to colcannon and desserts spiked with dark stout.



Comfort Food

Warm up this winter with macaroni and cheese, slow-cooker favorites, pastas, cozy soups and decadent desserts like chocolate cake and bread pudding.



Mardi Gras

Cooking Channel has the authentic gumbos, dirty rice and beans, beignets, muffulettas and gale-force hurricane cocktails from the chefs who know NOLA. If you can’t make it to New Orleans – get the Cooking Channel hook-up and throw a Cajun-style party at home with tips from the expert, Emeril.



Austin Food Guide

Gear up for SXSW in Austin, Texas, with Cooking Channel’s Ultimate Guide to Eating in Austin, featuring the best food carts featured on Eat St., the one-of-a-kind dishes discovered on Unique Eats and the international finds from Eden Eats.



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