L'ora Del Caffè: Coffee Break!

The frothy charm of this Italian cappuccino put a major smile on my face, and a sudsy moustache on my upper lip! It was the inspiration for my blog's new color scheme too!

But tourists beware - drinking cappuccino for any meal other than breakfast will make Italians cringe in disgust and shake their head in wonderment. Instead, I favor caffè espresso. In fact, I am happy to report that Starbucks has no longer been robbing me of $5 a day with their tempting iced delights and "grande Chai tea, no water, no foam" lattes.

My new weapon of choice is this little guy, a gift and fond memory of Marina, my Italian host mother in Ciriè. Coupled with some powerful Calabrian coffee, also a gift from my extended host family, this little caffettiera brews an aromatic jolt of goodness in less than 7 minutes. Just listen for the bubbles and you'll have a perfect tazzina every time.

Shopping for Caffettiere: and Caffè:

Williams-Sonoma
Price: 34.95

Bialetti

Guglielmo Coffee
$4.50 - Espresso Classico 250g Ground