I have found a really great series of books on Amazon which are all guidebooks to places all over the world, but instead of just describing to you the best places to go when you get there, it also describes cultural differences as well as etiquette for a particular place. If you are inspired as I am to go to Greece someday, you should check out this book!

I would be curious to hear from Mel of Mel’s Diner or any other ex-pats living in Greece or any Greek ex-pats living in the US on cultural differences between the United States and Greece. That would be an interesting topic of discussion!

Now, in case you felt like learning Italian faster than the words and phrases I provide you with here each week, you may want to invest in learning materials. I have tried several different kinds – written, oral, audio, etc. To me I like a combination. The most important thing about learning a language is to learn it organically. When you were a child, you didn’t know how to conjugate verbs, did you? But you could speak and communicate and refine your word choices along the way. So when you are learning a new foreign language I believe that you should learn with these same principles. So this week, I am featuring as the product of the week and encourage all of you who have ever wanted to learn to speak Italian, really speak Italian, to take the plunge!

Buona Fortuna!

As everyone knows I love Anthony Bourdain. Sure he can sometimes be a little gruff and opinionated, but who isn’t? I respect him for the way he travels about the world with an open mind, sense of adventure and appetite for anything that hits a plate. To me, that is the be all – end all, the height of achievement, something I look to be doing in the future. Perhaps not on National TV as he does, but just for myself. Tony is not only an accomplished chef, the star of a travel TV show and a cookbook author; he is also a fiction writer as well! What can this man not do?

Often when watching his shows or sometimes just sitting on a beach wishing it could be that way forever, I dream of “going bamboo”. Just going off to some beautiful island somewhere, changing my name and falling off the grid. So I was not surprised that one of Tony’s fiction pieces is thus named .

So for all of us who dream about getting away and living the good life somewhere un-noticed, this book is for you…or is it?? You know with Tony at the helm, things are never what they seem!

Order your beans today!

This week, to keep the Mediterranean Food theme going, I am featuring
as the Product of the week. This cookbook features the fabulous foods of Morocco. Tasty bits like Tagine. Tagine dishes are slow cooked at low temperatures, resulting in tender, falling-off-the-bone meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce. Tagine is also the name of the pottery vessel in which this traditional Moroccan dish is cooked. The cookbook also teaches you how to make CousCous the right way, and how to make delicious salads with the fruits of Morocco, like dates, almonds and oranges. Each recipe also has a full sized picture of what the recipe should look like – something that in my opinion is invaluable when publishing a cookbook, and often times something too many forget. The simple way in which the cookbook is written means that is perfect for novice and chef alike! Start drooling!

Who out there has ever dreamt about having a house perched on a cliff looking out to the sea?
I know I have, it is actually something I dream about often. Something I have put out there as a carrot in front of me to keep working hard in all my endeavors. So when I found this book, I was in awe. Some of the most beautiful houses by the sea are featured in this book, called, well… .
If you have ever dreamt about having a dream house on the sea, you have got to check this book out, so you can pick out your next home!
I promise, you will enjoy it immensely!

Music really sets the mood and ambience of any situation. Sometimes all it takes is the perfect piece of music to transport us to another time or place far away. If you are looking to journey to an Italian Café but can’t quite afford the airfare, I suggest purchasing this CD instead . Whip up a nice espresso drink, or go get one at your local coffee house, put the CD in, sit back, relax and get ready to be transported to an Italian Café!

In honor of Rachael Ray and her easy way of cooking, it is only natural that this week’s Product Of The Week is her very first cookbook,
the cookbook she started while teaching people how to cook in grocery stores all around upstate New York. Check it out, then you can make your own opinions!

I am addicted to my new caffettiera, an Italian made stovetop espresso machine.
The is a really great one!
It is just as easy to use as a coffee pot, even more simple. Just fill the lower compartment with water and the filter with coffee grinds, stick it on the stove, and let the heat do the magic.

I learned from Lisabeeen that regular coffee pots never get to the boiling point, and therefore do not extract as much of the coffee as other methods. I am too low-maintenance for those huge espresso machines, so I decided in the spirit of all things Italian, to go for this little gem. I love it! I foam up a little milk, with this , mix it all together, add a little cinnamon on top and I am good to go! One word of warning, do not drink the entire pot all at once! A three cup machine translates to 3 servings! If you have leftovers, save it in the fridge for iced coffee tomorrow! It is bellisimo!