As many of you know, my parents (and extended family) were all born in the southern Italian province of Calabria (specifically in a tiny hilltop village called Pellegrina).  The region of Calabria is comprised of mountains, multiple seas, farms, small and large towns, and even a few urban centers.  The history of Calabria is tumultuous and is part of why […]

(Photo: Espresso machine meets Battlestar Galactica) I was a big fan of the Sci-Fi series Battlestar Galactica.  Battlestar, as it was known to series insiders, was serious science fiction that was elegantly produced with big ideas, a great script, and blissful (almost film noir) type visuals.  The central plot of Battlestar centered on man made machines called Cylons that evolved […]

My mother can pretty much make a fabulous meal out of anything she has laying around the house (her culinary skill set constantly amazes me).  Here’s a classic example: uovo rotto al aqua con cipolla e prezzemolo, literally translated from the Calabrian dialect, “egg broken over water with onion and parsley” or poached eggs with parsley and onion. My mother’s […]

The Tradition You Come From Matters One of the critical life lessons I learned from my Italian family is how to value food and dispel the myth of equating poor eating habits with economic class or spending power.  Specifically, I was taught: How to cook and the closely associated idea of, Why food is important and should be taken seriously. My mother […]

(The unit comes in many colors and is perfectly sized.  The two simple buttons are large and easy to use.  The LCD screen is huge and there’s no guessing the amount when scrambling in your kitchen preparing a dinner party)  Update: Congrats to Ami for winning the contest.  The giveaway is now closed. For years, I’ve used a Salter metal […]

Negotiating With Contractors is in my blood and, like many first generation college grads, I come from a long line of blue collar workers (though I don’t like the “blue color” phrase as, in my experience, many old world “blue collar workers” are as capable and technical as the average college grad here in the US).  My father, for example, was […]

Wolf Duel Fuel Range Review Why a Fancy 36 Inch Six Burner Range for Home Use Quick Update from 2026 – our now 20 year old Wolf Stove is still in use and performing very well.  We’ve had two issues with the stove including replacing the pivoting oven control unit and replace the brackets and struts that operate the oven […]

Chemex Coffee Maker I was flipping through the latest issue of the New Yorker and an article by Malcom Gladwell caught my eye, as it usually does whenever I see his name in the table of contents.  Gladwell writes clearly and as deeply as a popularizer of big ideas can so I look forward to his articles (you’ll never get all the […]

(photo: Scordoni awaits grapefruit juice and a quick stir) I didn’t always like Campari; in fact, I thought the liquor was bitter, fowl, and just unappetizing.  I remember ordering a Negroni (made with gin, sweet/red vermouth, Campari, and bitters) at a fancy New York restaurant and thinking this drink is strong, but it’s really not doing much for me on […]

(photo: tarallini made with red pepper flake) I’m going to ask the inevitable question; how many bags of chips did you consume this weekend?  And did you include some dips like sour cream and chives or salsa to go with the multiple bowls of corn and potato chips?  Well, I’m not going to scold you because it was Super Bowl […]