Back from Eastern Europe

Pictured above - My home city of Kosice, Slovakia

Hi Readers,

I'm officially back in town as of yesterday - a special thanks to Guest Foodista Vicky for holding down the fort so well. I hope that you've enjoyed her excellent content.

I had a great time visiting my home country, Slovakia, where I was seeing family and dear friends. While the weather wasn't ideal, I made the best of my experience and have tons of delicious tid-bits to share with you. From delicate ice cream to homemade Hungarian cherry soup and even an Eastern European spin on the classic burger, I'll cover my many food adventures from abroad. But, I'll also make sure to keep you abreast of the latest and greatest Astorian developments, as I had a chance to explore several restaurants this weekend. It'll be a rich week so I hope that you read up.

Yours,
The Foodista

Free Celebrity Cookbook -- Really...it's Free!

Image by www.barillaus.com

Chris Daughtry, Debra Messing, Natalie Portman, Stanley Tucci, Marisa Tomei, Mario Batali and...David Tutera

What do these five celebrities, an esteemed chef and a renowned entertainment expert have in common?

...The Celebrity Italian Table Cookbook

Sponsored by Barilla, these seven amazing people have joined forces to create a cookbook for a great cause--America's Second Harvest, benefiting hunger relief. Barilla will donate $1 to America's Second Harvest for every person who downloads this cookbook here.

Today's the last day so move on it. Help others and get some great dining tips while you're at it.

In addition to recipes, the cookbook gives fun suggestions for decorating and setting the mood for a special occasion. Here's a tasting:

* Romantic Night - Chris Daughtry

* Celebratory Feast - Debra Messing

* Girlfriend' Gathering - Natalie Portman

* Family Dinner - Stanley Tucci

* Dinner Party - Marisa Tomei

* Babbo - Mario Batali

All dishes are courtesy of Mario Batali and decor advice comes from David Tutera.

Download your FREE copy here!