Drumroll, please. Here’s a redux of this week’s happenings on our favorite food blogs.

Pen & Fork’s Gwen Walters is providing the best Italian travel writing since Frances Mayes. And, the most beautiful and vibrant of food blog photos. Gwen’s absolute favorite shop, Il Gelatauro, in Bologna is pictured (photo credit: Pen & Fork). Check out the other sublime Italian gelaterias she’s frequenting. “Yes, Italian gelato really is special. Maybe it’s because of the slightly lower fat content, a result of a higher ratio of whole milk to cream. Maybe it’s because of the melt-on-your-tongue texture, a result of a slower churning method, reducing the amount of air whipped into the gelato vs. American ice cream. Maybe it’s because Italian gelato is served a few degrees warmer than ice cream, which makes the flavors burst through easier. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the experience of being in Italy, swirling a spoonful of silky gelato on your tongue, soaking up la bella vita.” Now we’re off to Grateful Spoon. Thank you, Gwen!

EricEatsOut: He’s a DLT contributor now! See last week’s rant!

Orangette, just as adorable as ever, was making us smile (ear-to-ear) this week with a post all about toast. Yep. Plain, old breakfast toast. Orangette’s Molly Wizenberg says, “A couple of months ago, the granola jar was empty, and I had some bread on the counter. It was veering in the direction of stale, so I decided to toast it. Whoop de doo. No big deal. I didn’t put much thought to it. I made some coffee, set the toaster dial to medium, slid a slice of bread in, got out the butter and jam, smeared them on, and sat down to eat. And there it was, boom, as though I had never tasted it before: crisp at the edges, a faint chew at the middle, sweet in the way that browned things taste sweet, juicy with hot fat and cold fruit. I understood toast. I cut another slice.” How much do you want to toast a slice of cranberry-walnut bread now? Just as we thought. Miss Molly also includes a sensational-sounding Oatmeal Sandwich Bread recipe.

Noshtopia: Please come back from your “4-week coffee break.” It’s been a long 4 weeks – you have to be noshing somewhere.

Chow Bella: All 21 and over, read on. (All 21 and under, lust and cry). Imagine strolling through the some of Arizona’s most beautiful gardens, sampling craft beers from local breweries and rockin’ out to live tunes. Yes, the Desert Botanical Gardens is hosting its Beer Garden event on September 24! Save $5 on your $55 ticket if you purchase before September 10. A German-inspired dinner will be available for an additional $25. We are also salivating over the two most recent “servings” of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes: (#46) Sticky Toffee Pudding at St. Francis and (#47) Steak Frites at Metro Brasserie. And, best of all: College cupcake care-packages. How’s that for an alliteration? Honey Moon Sweets is helping Sun Devil parents with its new “We Love You” care packages. The company schedules four sweet deliveries to show up at your student’s dorm at the times they’re likely to need them most: move-in, midterms, the second-half-of-the-semester-slump and finals. Mama Bear and Popsicle, make note immediately. Photo credit: Chow Bella.

We recently discovered a fabulous “food journal,” entitled Skillet Doux. And, we’re almost more interested in the blogger, “wannabe” chef and (sometimes) voiceover-actor Dominic Armato than his most recent (wonderfully-written) posts. Armato started Skillet Doux on New Year’s Day of 2006, after he was encouraged to put his food journal online for family and friends. He fills it with anything food-related recipes, restaurant reviews, super-fly food photos and (often) hysterically analytical Top Chef episode break-downs. Check out these snip-its from Armato’s delightful bio (we love him already):

“The recipes he [Armato, speaking in third person] posts are his own. He would just feel kinda dirty posting somebody else’s work, even if properly rewritten and attributed.”

“He’s not anti-commercial, he just prefers to keep his blog ad free because he’s really, really anal about making it look pretty. Except for the Google ads when you search. But he really wanted that search bar. If it’s any consolation, not only does he loathe himself for it, but Google Adsense cuts a check every time you earn $100. At his current rate, Dom expects his first $100 check sometime around March of 2039. Of course, by then, he expects that Google will own him anyway and the payment will be moot.”

“He always likes it when actual readers write, even if he isn’t always so good about writing back promptly. See: toddler, packaging business, voiceover, above. He’s thrilled and a little shocked that you care enough to take the time, but he really, really appreciates it and will write back as soon as he carves out a chunk of time to do so. When he does, don’t worry… this bio is the only time he’ll refer to himself in the third person. He promises.”

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