This week, Michelle Volansky is obsessed with…

{Cucina Pazzo is the shiny new Italian eatery from chef Justin Haifley, and I am obsessed. If you, too, are a raving lunatic for the house bread at Haifley’s other restaurant, The Tavern, just wait until you try the Rosemary Focaccia with Sicilian Butter at Cucina Pazzo. This warm, soft bread is loaded with olive oil and Italian seasonings, and the first complimentary serving will not be enough.}

{Some people practically need a coffee IV to kick-start their mornings, but I usually just require a warm mug of something tasty to tide me over until lunch. I like to mix it up with a savory cup of miso soup. It’s so easy; just add about 1 tablespoon miso paste to 1 cup hot water into a mug and stir.}

{Nothing gives me the warm fuzzies like shopping handmade for the holidays. St. Louis has a thriving indie craft scene with tons of choices for unique gifts. Right now I’m really into these hand-painted Botanical Custom Doodle Mugs from Villa Design. Each one is dishwasher- and microwave-safe and totally one of a kind!}

This article appears in Guide to the Holidays 2013.