Harry & David Supports the Launch of The Skinnytaste Cookbook With Book Signing Events in New York and New Jersey and an Exclusive Online Interview

MEDFORD, OR--(Marketwired - Nov 10, 2014) - Harry & David who is currently celebrating 80 years of delivering expertly crafted delight, announced in September a co-marketing program with popular New York-based food blog Skinnytaste.com that brings the iconic American brand together with The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor, Gina Homolka's highly-anticipated cookbook that recently became a New York Times best seller.

As a part of the Harry & David blogger program, which supports some of the most talented up-and-coming and established food bloggers across the country, the brand began working with Gina at Skinnytaste in 2013, and the relationship has grown ever since.

Gina will be at two Harry & David locations in the Northeast during the month of November for exclusive signings of The Skinnytaste Cookbook. On Saturday, November 15, Gina will be at the Promenade at Sagemore in Marlton (500 Route 73 South, Marlton, NJ 08053) from 1-3PM. She will also be stopping by the Tanger Outlets in Riverhead (501 Tanger Mall Dr, Riverhead, NY 11901) on November 22 from 1-3PM. Fans and cooking enthusiasts are encouraged to attend and take advantage of the opportunity to meet Gina and hear about the inspiration behind her new book. The Skinnytaste Cookbook will be available for purchase in stores.

"We're thrilled to partner with an amazing and talented individual who has a deep appreciation for our products," said John Bancroft, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Harry & David. "Gina at Skinnytaste has been a loyal supporter of Harry & David since she visited our orchards last fall. Her ability to incorporate our products into her healthy, delicious recipes showcases the versatility of Harry & David as well as Gina's undeniable skill and creativity. We're so excited to spread the word about The Skinnytaste Cookbook, and we look forward to its success."

The Skinnytaste Cookbook, published by Random House subsidiary Clarkson Potter, features 150 healthy recipes including 125 all-new dishes and 25 must-have favorites, and just recently became a New York Times best-seller. With 100 stunning photographs and detailed nutritional information for every recipe, The Skinnytaste Cookbook is an incredible resource for fulfilling, joy-inducing meals that every home cook will love.

Additionally, Harry & David is featuring exclusive recipes, created by Gina at Skinnytaste, throughout the upcoming holiday season. Boxes of Royal Riviera® Pears from Harry & David are already arriving, complete with a recipe booklet, featuring two healthy recipes that customers can create with their pears. The recipes from the booklet are published on the Harry & David blog, Field Notes, serving as a sneak peek of The Skinnytaste Cookbook. Customers can also visit the Skinnytaste page on the Harry & David website for additional Skinnytaste recipes leading up to the holidays.

In addition to the cookbook giveaway, Harry & David will host a Twitter chat with Gina on November 12, 2014. Using the hashtags #AskGina and #TheSkinnytasteCookbook, she will take questions about delightful meals that anyone can make for the holidays and will provide valuable tips on entertaining during the holiday season. For up-to-the-minute details about the event, follow Harry & David on Twitter @HarryandDavid (https://twitter.com/HarryandDavid) and like Harry & David on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/harryanddavid).

About Harry & David
At Harry & David, we strive to be the authority for all gifting and entertaining occasions. Since 1934, our focus has been delivering expertly crafted products backed by an extraordinary experience and unparalleled service.

Our company has been rooted in innovation since our founders, brothers Harry and David, first tended their Royal Riviera® Pears in the Bear Creek Orchards. Their exquisite pears were soon in high demand, and they became the inspiration for an array of innovative gift ideas. Today, we create nearly everything that goes into our gourmet gifts, baskets, and towers, including signature chocolate truffles made in our candy kitchen and fine baked goods from our bakery. Each expertly crafted gift is shipped to arrive on time, in perfect condition.

Harry & David and Wolferman's are Doing Business As (DBA) Harry and David, LLC, Medford, Oregon. HarryandDavid.com. Harry & David is a wholly owned subsidiary of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.

About Skinnytaste
Gina Homolka is America's most trusted home cook when it comes to easy, flavorful recipes that are miraculously low-calorie and made from all-natural, easy-to-find ingredients. Her blog, Skinnytaste, is the number one go-to site for slimmed down recipes that you'd swear are anything but. With meals like cheesy, creamy Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli containing only 420 calories per serving, breakfast dishes like Make-Ahead Western Omelet "Muffins" that truly fill you up until lunchtime, and sweets such as Double Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies that are low in sugar and butter-free but still totally indulgent, it only takes one look to see why people go crazy for Gina's food.

The Skinnytaste Cookbook features 150 amazing recipes: 125 all-new dishes and 25 must-have favorites. As a busy mother of two, Gina started Skinnytaste when she wanted to lose a few pounds herself. She started "skinny-fying" her favorite meals so that she could eat happily while losing weight.

About Clarkson Potter
Clarkson Potter is an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a Penguin Random House Company.