“Do one thing every day that scares you.” —Eleanore Roosevelt
My traveling shoes had taken me to Washington State; I was on my way to my hometown of Aberdeen for a class reunion. While waiting in the train station in Lacey, I had purchased a cup of coffee and a package of almond biscotti cookies.
Now there is absolutely nothing that is more satisfying to me than dunking a biscotti cookie in my cup of hot coffee, even when it comes from a package, and if the biscotti is a chocolate one, well dipping that cookie in a glass of wine in the evening, rates equally as good.
That morning in the Lacey station, however, stands out to be one of the most interesting I had experienced in a long while, perhaps since.
I had purchased a newspaper along with my coffee and biscotti and was getting ready to sit down at a table outside. A perfectly ordinary-looking gentleman wearing a business-looking suit and carrying a briefcase sat down across from me. But what he did next wasn’t ordinary.
The gentleman suddenly leaned forward, picked up my package of biscotti cookies, tore it open and took one out. He then proceeded to “dunk it” into his cup of coffee and ate it.
Now I, having been raised by nuns who taught we girls to never react emotionally, violently or otherwise, stared down at my unopened newspaper in disbelief; when once again this gentleman reached for and ate another of my cookies.
Totally taken aback and unable to react to this unusual behavior, I simply leaned forward, reached for a biscotti, dunked it into my coffee and slowly ate it. This strange occurrence continued until all of the biscotti were eaten, one by me and the rest by my silent table companion.
The train whistle sounded. My table companion stood up and, giving me a long and meaningful look beneath his knitted eyebrows, gathered his briefcase and walked toward his train. I remained behind, speechless.
A few minutes later the loudspeaker announced my train’s arrival. I tossed back the last of my coffee, stood up and picked up my newspaper. And there, lying on the table where my newspaper had been, was “my” unopened packet of biscotti cookies.
The thing I like best about this happening is that somewhere in the U.S. is a perfectly ordinary-looking gentleman, wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase, telling my exact-same story; but unlike mine, his has no ending to the story.
Note: Thanks to the dear nuns who taught us to be demure, never to react violently or otherwise.
Biscotti cookies are made for dunking, pure and simple. Whether made with almonds, pine nuts, dried fruit of all kinds and ends dipped in melted chocolate. Nothing can make me happier on a cold and wintery evening.
These rock-hard cookies were made in the Roman times as a long-shelf-life food for Italian travelers, fishermen and Italy’s soldiers. Today they are served with cappuccino or Vin Santo, a sweet Tuscan wine.
The following base-recipe can be made with dried cherries, cranberries, mini-chocolate chips and pistachio or almond nuts. Use your imagination.
Biscotti with Almonds
(makes 15-16 1-in wide cookies)
Preheat oven to 350deg.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 4 Tbsp. soft butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Beat together until soft and fluffy
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. almond extract
Add to butter mixture and mix well.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
Sift together and add butter/egg mixture.
Add 1 cup chopped or sliced almonds
On lined baking pan, shape dough into a log 4 inches wide by 12 inches long and 3/4 inch thick. I use an oiled knife to help shape the log as it is sticky.
Bake for 25 minutes or until log is almost firm. Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 minutes. Use a sharp knife and cut straight down into 15-16 1-inch-thick slices. Stand slices straight-up.
Place back onto cookie sheet and rebake 14-16 minutes until dry. The cookies will be slightly soft, but will crisp when dry. Biscotti freezes well.
For chocolate biscotti, add 1/2 cup of Cocoa powder to the flour mixture.
Other additional choices in place of almonds: pistachios, mini chocolate chips, dried cranberries or apricots.
Colly Gruczelak, a Ben Lomond resident, loves people and loves to cook. Contact her at [email protected].
