Coffee, Caffe, Java, Joe... whatever you call it, just give me some!

I have the coolest mom. Today in the mail came a package with a little memento from Sanibel Bean, my favorite coffee shop on the island. I won't make it down there this year so mom sent me a virtual cup "to warm the cockles of my heart". How sweet is that?! My love affair with coffee is intense and well documented. It started 22 years ago in the basement of a pensione in Rome where the Signora made a caffe latte to die for. It still remains the best I have ever had. It was so good that even on the weekends my roommate Mimi and I would set our alarms to make sure we didn't miss breakfast hour, trundle down for coffee and biscotti and then go back to bed.

If you haven't had coffee in Italy, you haven't lived. Espresso even converted my husband who didn't touch the stuff for the first 44 years of his life. Then on a trip to Northern Italy he gave it a try and now his morning drink of choice is a doppio espresso . Still makes me laugh when I think of this six foot guy sipping espresso from a tiny cup in a vineyard tasting room.

It's not just the flavor of the coffee but it's the whole experience. The pulse of a cafe in Italy is great - neighbors and friends gather for morning espresso and gossip. In the more elegant bars your coffee will come with little cookies or a chocolate. And the maestro behind the bar will put any Starbucks barista to shame. Usually dressed in a blazer or a vest, he manages the flurry of orders shouted at him with ease and expertise. There is no writing the details on a paper cup - this is a true professional.

Obviously I can't always get to Italy for my morning caffeine kick. So while I am stateside I will comfort myself with the fabulous coffee at places like Sanibel Bean and Ashlawn Coffee. And I will count the days until I get to Rome in March!