Elly, over at Elly Says Opa! has interviewed me about food! This was really fun and I went with my instincts when answering, because if I think too long about food related questions my mind just starts going in too many directions! So here it is! I guess the deal is, if you want me to interview you, leave me a comment below and ask me to interview you! Thanks Elly!

Read the rest of this entry »

Voting closes tomorrow night (July 6 10 PM EST) for the Royal Foodie Joust! So please don’t forget to vote for the amazing entries that we have this month!
Click here to vote!

Roberto and I had a date at home this past week. We didn’t feel like going out, but it was date night, so we planned a nice dinner at home. You can create a wonderful atmosphere at home, especially during the summer when you can dine al fresco! When dining al fresco you usually want to eat something fresh as well!

I have really been craving summer tomato sauce. Not that wonderful hearty, deep slow-cooked for 3 days and it still takes a few days in the fridge until it is at its peak kind sauce, but a quick, light summer tomato sauce that is fresh rather than complex. This is what we prepared together for our romantic at home date. This is a marinara recipe that you will keep forever as it is simple and so easy to make; you barely even have to be in the kitchen with it until the very end. This is the ultimate Summer Marinara and it is also my entry for Ruth’s
Presto Pasta Nights over at Once Upon a Feast.
Read the rest of this entry »

Now doesn’t that look heavenly? That beautiful cloud of frothed milk sitting on top of luscious, deep dark espresso. I mean who doesn’t love espresso coffee drinks?!?! Well then check this out – I made this at home, this morning and I have one every single morning just like this – unless I am having a Greek style coffee frappe, which is a whole other adoring post of its own! I have this great little stovetop espresso machine and it makes better espresso drinks than Starbucks and I can have one whenever I want for FREE.

I really do adore my caffettiera! I have always loved espresso drinks, whether they are lattes, cappuccinos, café au lait, café con leche, Cuban coffee, Turkish coffee, Greek coffee or just plain ‘ol espresso. I always wished I could make them at home, as I don’t have a disposable coffee spending account. So a few months ago Roberto bought me this little beauty, a Bialetti Moka Express, 6 Cup and my life has never been the same! Now I can make my own espresso drinks at home without the expense of a huge espresso machine that is too complicated for my brain in the morning, BEFORE I have had my coffee (seems counter-intuitive to me – give complicated machines to people to make coffee, that they NEED coffee to understand how to work the darn thing!)

This little wonder is so easy to use, that you won’t believe making espresso is so easy and inexpensive! These things are on the stovetops of nearly every person living in Italy as people in Italy are as addicted to coffee as I am and Italy IS the coffee capitol of the world! So if you are like me, and love espresso drinks but don’t have the money to go get one everyday or buy a big expensive machine, all you need is a little stovetop espresso maker and a good milk frother you are GOOD to go, in minutes without complicated pre-coffee technology!

Now for the frothy goodness. My mom bought each of us a Shin Bistro Milk Frother By Bodum and I use it every morning to top my espresso for the perfect Cafe con Latte. For all you health concious people, you will be happy to know that skim milk (I like using organic milk) froths the best in this particular frother. Again, simple technology, the pump, full of little holes, pushes air into the milk frothing it up to triple its original mass. I just throw it in the microwave for 30 seconds and pour it on top of my espresso and voila! Pure Coffee Perfection!

If you are into entertaining, your guests or even your family and friends will love being treated to a wonderful espresso drink. It really lends an air of sophistication to your parties and will certainly be appreciated! There will never be any doubt after that as to whether or not you are a foodie!

As for the coffee, I usually order it from Lisabeeen. She ships it right after she has roasted it and by the time it gets to your house, your beans are perfect and ready to be ground up and put in your new caffettiera!