In my view, biscotti (plural for cookie) were created as a vehicle to enjoy coffee.  For example, my daily routing includes making a cup of coffee in the morning accompanied by a single biscotto (the hard cookie satisfies my initial hunger in the morning and provides a buffer against drinking coffee on an empty stomach).    So, while biscotti are […]

Baratza Preciso Conical Burr Coffee Grinder If I’ve learned anything about making good coffee is that technique and ingredients are paramount.  For example, if you buy your coffee pre-ground and in bulk your morning cup will most likely be mediocre.  Moreover, if you utilize a traditional drip machine or Keurig style brewer you’re making coffee with the incorrect water temperature […]

We have a love-hate relationship with super automatic espresso machines such as the Philips Saeco Syntia Automatic Espresso Machine (Type HD8833).  On the one hand, we love the idea of a big black box grinding, tamping, and brewing a true shot of espresso (something like a ristretto), yet in our heart of hearts we know there are no short cuts to […]

Hario Slim Mill, Clever Coffee Dripper, and Bodum Bistro Glass Mug: Three Ways to Improve Your Drip Style Coffee Having studied human cognition formally as a student and also worked as a human factors and usability expert some folks have claimed I have an understanding of what makes good product design.  My thinking on the aforementioned: I’m just a picky […]

How to Make Great Coffee at Home: 5 Tips Writing about Italian food we get plenty of questions on topics such as “my favorite Italian food or recipe” (answer: too many to choose just one) or my favorite Italian restaurant (answer: cook Italian food at home).   On occasion, we also recieve questions having to do with coffee, in general, and […]

One of the biggest fallacies in the Italian culinary world is centered on the idea that Italians do not eat dessert.  Italians do, in fact, enjoy dessert and the items consumed range from creamy gelato to luxurious cakes and icy granita to mind blowing cookies.  Here are some irresistible photos, including gelato, pastries, cookies, and granita – all scrumptious Italian desserts!

Growing up as an Italian American boy on the periphery of New York City, iced espresso or Caffe Shakerato was a rite of passage, at least for the Italian natives on our New Jersey block.  My mother, specifically, would prepare a large carafe of sugary espresso and place it in the freezer to develop a slushy consistency.  Thereafter, the fancy glasses would […]

(photo: Typical Italian breakfast, brioche with gelato.  Image courtesy of THE MUESLI LOVER) Italians Love Coffee and Sweets for Breakfast! News break: if you’re Italian, you can have cookies for breakfast.  Seriously, cake is a traditional breakfast food in Italy and so are other sweets including cookies, brioche, pastries, croissants,etc.  Coffee is consumed as well and it’s usually a quick espresso […]

  (photo: very good crema and taste profile, including notes of chocolate and hazelnut with very little bitterness)  When it comes to making great food at home you have two options in my view; namely, 1. try and replicate the same process that takes place in great restaurant kitchens irregardless of time, money, ingredients, and skill and 2. buy the best, and most available, ingredients […]

I’m a big fan of the AeroPress single cup coffee maker, but one minor drawback of their simple system is that there are quite a few parts to assemble and clean (the inexpensive AeroPress still, however, brews a great cup of coffee).  Recently, I was given a nifty single cup coffee maker (by way of Dr. K, a dedicated Scordo.com […]