Friday, March 19, 2010

The Best Biscotti Ever

I came home to a lovely surprise from Eda and Richard. It seems that my reminder to Eda that she promised to teach me how to make her best-ever biscotti prompted her to invite Richard to her kitchen to create a coming home surprise for me. I’m now munching daily on cranberry-almond biscotti that’s truly incredible.

Eda has gifted me with the recipe, but I wanted to learn the tricks of the trade from the master (or mistress, as the case may be.) Eda’s had ninety years of bisotti baking experience, assuming she was exposed to her mother or grandmother’s baking of biscotti as a baby. Now, however, I think I’ll just let Richard be the master baker, as baking is detail oriented, and I like to wing things.

Not only do I have a bounty of biscotti, I also have an orchid in bloom. This orchid plant was a gift from Rachel’s family four birthdays ago. I’ve never had an orchid re-bloom even once, and this one is on its fourth show. Maybe it’s the love they put into the gift that keeps it in copious colorful bloom.

There are some signs of spring in our front yard; the daffodils are beginning to bloom, and the hyacinths are never far behind them. I must make it to Jack’s soon, as I’ve heard from several sources that his banks are bursting with blooming daffodils. Jack’s yard in bloom must be the most photographed cabin-scape in Coker Creek.
Mamie and I had a nice visit with cup of spiced cider and her favorite snack of cheese and crackers. We saw each other again at the Coker Creek Heritage Group meeting and pot luck supper. I hadn’t seen Mamie in over a month, so it was nice to get two doses of her in a day.

I brought a chocolate-filled king cake to the supper, which had been in the freezer since my return from the Mardi Gras trip. Along with the cake, I brought Mardi Gras beads for everyone. This seemed appropriate, considering the fact that the evening’s speaker was the director of our county arts council. I also brought the incredible embroidery pieces from Africa and the quilted potholder from Tutwiler Quilters in the Mississippi Delta that I purchased at Womenspeak. I thought that the programs using the arts to build economic security that these represent could be replicated in Appalachia.

Betty overheard me talking about the joys of my travels and suggested that I don’t like Coker Creek. It was time to explain that I’m just not ready for the extreme quiet of this ice-bound heaven quite yet. And besides, like Betty, I have grandchildren down south.

We’re due for a second day straight of sunshine and springtime temperatures. It would be wise to spend some time soaking up the sun because rain is returning tomorrow. Richard spent the full afternoon and evening doing outside chores. He stayed in Coker Creek most of the winter, so he’s really into seizing the springtime.