Cin Cin!

Italians clink glasses and happily cheer, “cin cin!” On birthdays, they offer their “auguri” and the hope for “Cent’Anni!”

Today, the day after my birthday, I’d like to offer you, my readers, a “cin cin” and a “grazie” for returning weekly to read about Italian and Italian-American food, language and culture.

I’d also like to share a list, in no particular order, of foods that I love. Emphasis on the word “love.”

What are your favorite foods?

Linguine with clams 

Spicy popcorn shrimp

Homemade bread

Dolcezza’s mint ice cream (Washington, D.C.)

Crunchy, spicy tuna sushi 

My husband’s homemade tortilla chips

Nutella

Popeye’s Fried Chicken 

Sweetwater Café’s ginger fizz (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

Pesto made with basil from my mother’s garden

Blue Moon Café Margarita’s (Bronxville, New York)

Biscuits and gravy
Reese’s Pieces

Mighty Good coffee (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

My father’s fettuccine alfredo

Tuscan pecorino cheese (not hard, not soft)

BGR Joint Burgers (Washington, D.C.) 

Ginger Chews 

Sorrento’s fried calamari (Elizabeth, New Jersey)

Chinese steamed pork dumplings

Two Amy’s rice balls (Washington, D.C.) 

Bagel Chateau bagels (Westfield, New Jersey)

Chocolate truffles

Fresh mozzarella

La Pietra Olive Oil (Florence, Italy)

My friend Lisa’s deviled eggs (Florence, Italy)

Aunt Dora’s double-chocolate chip cookies

Crostini Fiorentini

Triscuits, with salt, of course

Shorts Beer (Michigan) 

Double cream brie

Fresh figs (Sala Consilina, Italy)

Casa di Trevi’s ravioli (Roselle Park, New Jersey) 

Garlic bagel chips

Zeppole 

Gala apples

Smoked scamorza cheese

Fish in Greece

Garlic mashed potatoes

Zingerman’s chocolate bread (Ann Arbor, Michigan) 

Ouzo on our honeymoon (Starting in Athens)

Sandpiper’s Black Raspberry Ice Cream (Greenport, Long Island)

Fresh avocado with olive oil, salt and pepper

Large soft pretzels

Caper leaves on Greek islands

Lentil salad with goat cheese

Palak paneer

Almost anything in New Orleans

Limoncello 

Amish market donuts (South Jersey)

Orzo cooked in broth and left to swell overnight

Lardo

Mrs. Field’s recipe for banana bread

My mom’s fried and stuffed zucchini flowers 

Salted matzo with butter

New York City white pizza

Trader Joe’s jalapeno crunchies

Spinach

My grandmother’s egg salad on a bagel

Swing’s coffee (Washington, D.C.) 

Linda's chocolate pudding pie

Pasta with shrimp and lots of garlic & olive oil

Onion rings