Williams-Sonoma Copley, at 100 Huntington Place in Boston, will host a special book signing and cooking demonstration with Maria Speck this coming Saturday, July 9, beginning at 2 pm.  Maria will be signing copies of her cookbook Ancient Grains for Modern Meals.  This is a unique opportunity to meet a leading chef and author.  No reservations required, and the event is free.  Maria will also appear at Porter Square Books, 25 White Street, Cambridge, on Tuesday, July 19 at 7. Food writer Maria Speck’s passion for propelling Old World staples such as farro, barley, polenta, and wheat berries to the forefront of new American cooking is beautifully presented in Ancient Grains for Modern Meals. In this inspired and highly personal book, Speck draws on food traditions from across the Mediterranean and northern Europe to reveal how versatile, satisfying, flavorful, and sophisticated whole grains can be.

Speck grew up in Greece and Germany before moving to the US as a young adult. She is a writer and journalist, and has contributed to Gourmet, Saveur, and Gastronomica, as well as Marie Claire and Elle. Her popular cooking classes in Cambridge focus on the flavors and cooking styles of the Mediterranean.