HappyTummy              

Taormina sits high on a cliff in the eastern province of Messina on the Italian island of Sicily. It is a charming little town… exactly like what you’d picture a quaint European village to be. Dozens of cafés, bakeries, gelato shops and restaurants line the streets, as do small clothing boutiques and stores filled with [...]

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Why is the miniaturization of desserts and pastries so popular? I was visiting my sister in NYC this weekend, and mini cupcakes, mini cookies, mini anything, really, seem to be all the rage right now. We were walking in SoHo and passed by Baked by Melissa, a tiny storefront cupcake window selling baby cupcakes. We [...]

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What is it about ethnic food that so excites me? A lot of my spare time consists of thinking about what cuisines I haven’t tried yet… and lots of Googling ensues. Where is the nearest Ethiopian restaurant near our home? Is there a Turkish place close by? What is the best tapas restaurant in Chicago? [...]

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It’s true—banana Bundt cakes are classic. I agree with Dorie Greenspan on that one. Growing up, my mom would make a Hummingbird Cake (banana and crushed pineapple) in that classic Bundt pan. It was her go-to cake for every occasion… although as children, we longed only for a boxed cake mix cake, with frosting straight [...]

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I love Friday nights. I love that it’s the end of the work week, and that you have not only the whole night ahead of you but also the promise of two full days of freedom to come. I rarely make plans for Friday nights. Instead, I make my Friday nights “me” time—sometimes I’ll curl [...]

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