I love spreads, dips, and sauces! No, but I mean, REALLY LOVE. You can pretty much put them with anything and the deliciousness never seizes. Here in Florence, Italy I have come to understand that spreads, dips, and sauces are a staple anywhere you go and with whatever you choose to eat. In the Tuscan part of Italy the bread is not salted, so it is expected to add a little bit more flavor with cheese, olive oil and vinegar, jam, or pesto. And, let me tell you, there is A LOT of pesto. All of …

Nowadays most dining halls have a selection of internationally inspired foods to choose from, but it seems that the most popular cultural cuisine – both inside the dining hall and out – is Italian. As I am studying abroad in Florence this semester, I couldn’t wait to get here and start eating authentic Italian food. Fortunately, Italy’s culinary qualities are living up to my expectations – it’s so good. While I am not eating in a dining hall here in Italy, I can’t help think about how awesome it would be if the foods that are on every corner …

Earlier this year I had the amazing opportunity to spend my Spring semester studying in Florence, Italy. After spending my Sundays as a child visiting my Italian great grandparents and four+ years of studying the language, I anxiously waited for the day when I could visit the nation of my ancestors and put all my years of study to practice on the streets. Even more, I looked forward to the chance to live in the country whose cuisine I worshipped.

I knew before I even left the United States that concerns about the scale would be left at home. …

All of a sudden it is September and we are back in the grind of the fall routine. This means two things: new (and often first!) kitchens are slowly but surely coming together, and farmer’s markets are booming with the late summer bounty. First instincts might suggest that the former could make it difficult to enjoy the latter. Au contraire. Fresh farmer’s market fruits and veggies are perfect for yet-to-be-fully-equipped kitchens, because they often require minimal cooking to enjoy, falling into the “assemble and eat” category.

Enter: this five ingredient spin on corn and black bean salad. The ingredient …

No matter how much I long for the crispy cool days of Autumn, I go to school in New Orleans where the seasons are “Hot” and “Not Hot.” Right now the season is “Uncomfortably Hot” and Mother Nature shows no signs of simmering down. But as every savvy caffeine addict knows, just because it’s hot out doesn’t mean you have to forgo your morning coffee because it will only make you sweat more. Au contraire!

Iced coffee is the answer to all your problems. But, not just any iced coffee will do. A true coffee snob knows that simply …

Earlier last week I had one of those days. My heart felt broken, my eyes could not stay awake and no amount of caffeine could break me from my slump. As the day went on, the jingle of a popular blue box of macaroni and cheese came into my head. With the words, ” I’ve got the blues” playing in my head, I began craving a rich, indulgent cure for my heartache. Rather than succumbing to the blue box, I searched through my food blogs to find a recipe that would distract me long enough in the kitchen. Once …

My ‘To Make’ list is getting out of control. In my mind, it’s sort of separated into two distinct categories. One is for recipes I stumble upon on the internet or in a book that really and truly whet my appetite. These are usually recipes like Ginger Scallion Noodles or Moroccan Red Lentil Soup that are fairly straight-forward and would easily slide into my weekly dinner routine. This category, while useful, isn’t as satisfying as the other, more terrifying category— Things Everyone Must Make At Least Once.

Let’s call this the TEMMALO list. I’ve checked off fresh pasta and buttery …