My Coffee's [New] Delight

Sometimes it is the simple things that you long for from home.  The things you know you have to give up while living overseas.  Of course the #1 thing and most obvious is family and friends.  The list that follows mostly contains food items, at least for me.  We have learned to adapt and live without many comforts from home.  I used to cart back tons of American products in our luggage or request them to be shipped from the States that I thought I could not live without.  However, over the past several years I have learned that I can make most things from scratch and in the end, they turn out way better and are much healthier. For example, peanut butter.  I enjoy the hunt and learning how to make "X" from scratch.  I always have this huge sense of accomplishment too in doing so.

This week, my sister-in-law emailed me a link on how to make homemade coffee creamer.  I was delighted to read that most of the ingredients can be found here in Italy. (The syrup I had to make from scratch with my American maple extract.)  This afternoon I made "Cinnamon Strudel Creamer" and now my coffee has a new best friend.  Not to mention it is void of all preservatives and bad for you ingredients!  It's the little things, you know?  Thanks a million, Michelle, for adding to my list of expat homemade comforts!

Go here for the creamer recipes.

P.S.  While on the subject of food.  Today my grocery store finds of the day were: flax seed and cilantro seed.  Having fresh cilantro will only bring me that much closer to making my most savory Mexican dishes.  Hoping a fall crop will be successful.  Dad, you did say I can grow it year round, right?!