A Taste of the World

Summer reading becomes a little lighter this week with events to please the palate, starting with a new food discussion group at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble.

Hosted by Barnes & Noble employees Michelle Kantor and Julia Chang, the first meeting of the “Food Lovers Book Group” will center on the foods of Northern Italy.

“I think Italian food is hard to mess up and seems to lend itself to all levels of skills,” Kantor said. “Most everybody loves it, and that was a good reason to start with Italian.”

“Eating in Italy: A Traveler’s Guide to the Hidden Gastronomic Pleasures of Northern Italy” by Faith Heller Willinger will be used to launch the group. Kantor described the book as an almanac of great places, markets and restaurants to seek out while traveling.

Other books to be explored include “Italy for the Gourmet Traveler” by Fred Plotkin and “A Passion for Piedmont” by Matt Kramer.

Kantor said the informal group will be geared to anybody who is passionate about food, cooking or traveling. Both Kantor and Chang have traveled to Italy, and Chang, who has a background as a nutritionist, plans to visit again later this year.

The direction of future meetings will be decided at the initial session. Meanwhile, Kantor plans to display gourmet food magazines at subsequent sessions to stimulate discussions.

There might even be a recipe exchange in the future.

“There will be no samples, but I’m sure it’s going to make everybody’s mouth water by the time we’re done,” Kantor said.

For more information, call 446-2820.

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Here is good news for ice cream lovers. Samples are included when children’s author Lee Wardlaw appears at 2 p.m. Saturday at Adventures for Kids in Ventura to sign and talk about her book “We All Scream for Ice Cream! The Scoop on America’s Favorite Dessert,” (Harper Trophy $4.95). Illustrated by Sandra Forrest, the book is geared for all ages.

To research the book, Wardlaw toured two ice-cream factories and gained x6 pounds tasting the sweet treat. Converted to purist ranks, Wardlaw now makes her own ice cream, she said.

“People have memories of their childhood, either making ice cream or eating ice cream--it’s a very positive memory-evoking subject, and delicious,” Wardlaw said.

Her favorite flavor is McConnell’s Chocolate Raspberry Truffle--she described it as having incredibly decadent chunks of chocolate truffles, which she manages to dig out, leaving the rest looking like Swiss cheese.

During her presentation, you will hear information about this popular dessert.

For example, you might be enlightened to learn that the ice cream cone was invented in 1896 by an Italian immigrant named Italo Marchiony, who sold ice cream from a cart on the streets of New York.

In 1921, the commissioner of Ellis Island issued the decree that all immigrants arriving in this country would get a free scoop of ice cream with their first American meal.

Wardlaw’s earlier book about bubble gum was also well-researched. She made gum balls in her kitchen, toured a bubble gum factory and judged a bubble blowing contest while writing “Bubblemania: The Chewy History of Bubble Gum.”

All in all, she has published 23 children’s books, from picture books to young adult novels.

She wrote her first novel, “Corey’s Fire,” based on her family’s experiences in Santa Barbara when their house burned down.’ Published in 1990, it was a selection of the Weekly Reader Book Club.

Still, the greatest thrill of her writing career is coming up this fall when her novel, “101 Ways to Bug Your Parents,” will be made into a movie for the Disney Channel to air later this year.

Wardlaw lives in Santa Barbara with her winemaker husband, their son and two cats--Riesling and Beaujolais. Check out her Web site at https://www.leewardlaw.com.

HAPPENINGS

* Today: 11 a.m. Cassidy Sanderson will discuss and sign “Be the One” at Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 374-0084.

* Monday: 7 p.m. Discussion Group on “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” by Michael Gelb. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. The Short Stories Discussion Group will focus on “The Girl With a Pimply Face” by William Carlos Williams. Borders, 497-8179.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. The Partners in Crime Discussion Group will discuss “The Talented Mr. Ripley” by Patricia Highsmith. Borders, 497-8159.

* Tuesday: 8 p.m. The Science Fiction Reading Group will focus on “Expiration Date” by Tim Powers. Borders, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. Storytime. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., 339-9170.

* Wednesday: 11 a.m. The Food Lovers Book Group will focus on “Eating in Italy” by Faith Heller Willinger. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., 446-2820.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Gloria Tracy and Susan Levin will hold a book signing, workshop and discussion on “Crochet Your Way.” Borders, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. A writers’ workshop welcomes writers of all genres. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

* Thursday: 7 p.m. The American Girls Club meeting focuses on Addy. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Thursday: 7 p.m. Storytime will feature Spot, Angus & Wishbone. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

* Saturday: 1 p.m. Kirk Mitchell will discuss and sign “Spirit Sickness.” Mysteries to Die For, 374-0084.

* Saturday: 2-3:30 p.m. Lee Wardlaw will sign “We All Scream for Ice Cream! The Scoop on America’s Favorite Dessert” and offer a presentation on taste-testing ice cream. Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura, 650-9688.

Information about book signings, writers groups and publishing events can be e-mailed to anns40@aol.com or faxed to 647-5649.