Italian Coffee

I didn’t start drinking coffee until I was in my late 20s. Growing up I remember my mother always made strong black coffee in an old-fashioned percolator. She has since moved on to the electric drip like everyone else in America.

When I first discovered I had acquired the taste for coffee I found a small percolator that made 2 cups at a time. It was fantastic and made coffee so much hotter than any electric maker could. I also found that I like my coffee the same way as my mother. She adds just enough sugar to take any bitterness away and not be sweet. And she drinks it black, no milk.

Since the latte/cappuccino/frappe/mocha explosion in America, I’ve grown to really appreciate a simple cup of coffee.

Here are some of my current favorites:

Illy Coffee
Wonderful flavor, convenient packaging, but very pricey.

Segafredo Zanetti
Smooth flavor, best decaf I’ve ever tried, half the price of Illy.

What is your favorite coffee?

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My Favorite Saturday Breakfast

On Saturdays I love to make a traditional American breakfast. During the week I usually just have coffee or a latte which fills me until lunch. But on the weekends I like to sleep late and then cook this simple meatless breakfast.

Slow-Cooked Scrambled Eggs
* 4 large eggs
* a splash of milk
* salt and pepper to taste

Sometimes, I add a dash of a dried herb blend like Penzey’s Sunny Paris or an Italian blend. Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Put a pad of butter into a small saucepan and heat until melted. Pour in the egg mixture and cook slowly over the lowest setting on your stove. Stir once in a while so the eggs don’t stick to the bottom and make sure they are cooked all the way through. Divide this between two people.

Bread
Serve with two slices of toast with a tiny bit of butter. Or substitute an English muffin. If you have a sweet tooth, try orange marmalade.

Coffee
Lately, I’ve been buying Illy in the blue-striped can (medium roast) and the green-striped can (decaf). I mix mostly caf with one scoop of decaf. I don’t take milk in my coffee but I like one packet of Sugar in the Raw turbinado sugar.

Juice
A small glass of orange juice on the side completes the meal.

What do you like for breakfast?

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