Burnt Ends...  my absolute favorite biscotti memory is crunching on hard, biscotti ends, perfect for dipping into black coffee. There was a fantastic biscotti bakery in upstate NY. The wonderful owners prepared a variety of biscotti, shipping to all parts of the country... and I loved the ends!
My children worked there a few days weekly so it was always fun to pick them up at the end of the shift & pick up some biscotti.

Biscotti

Biscotti are delicious, crunchy cookies, great to dunk in a cup espresso. The cookies are very hard as they are 'twice baked'.

Personally I love anise flavored biscotti (like the Stella Dora cookies I grew up eating) but especially the biscotti with nuts inside. For some reason my Aunt Flora was the biscotti baker while my mother focused on other cookies.


Probably the most interesting biscotti experiences I've enjoyed were in Florence, Italy and Barcelona, Spain. In Florence I enjoyed cantucci (small almond biscotti) with Vin Santo wine... a classic pairing!  Chef Joseba Encabo took me to a small bar in  Barcelona, directly across from a church, that served a variety of fortified wines from spigots in the wall with Spanish biscotti. Two young woman bought the bar -after church dozens of people would stop in for wine and biscotti; at night it was a popular, crowded tapas style bar with loud music.


Cornmeal Biscotti

Prep Time: 30 min

Cooking Time: 40 min

Yield: 12 portions

Ingredients                                            

2 Cups       AP Flour, sifted 

8 Tb.          Cornmeal

1 Cup         Sugar           

1/2 tsp.     Kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp   Baking powder

1 Tb           Vanilla extract 

4 ea           Eggs, whisked  

2 Tb          Butter, melted  


Toasted Walnut Biscotti     

Yield: 12 portions

Ingredients                                           

2 Cups          AP Flour, sifted 

3/4 Cup        Sugar     

1/4 Cup        Honey     

1/4 tsp.         Kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp      Baking powder

1 tsp            Vanilla extract 

3 ea              Eggs, whisked 

3 Tb            Butter, melted 

4 Tb.          Walnuts, toasted & peeled (place in a clean towel and rub after toasting to get the peels off)

1 Tb           Cinnamon


Almond Paste Biscotti

Yield: 12 portions

Ingredients                                            

2 Cup         AP Flour, sifted 

1/2 Cup     Sugar           

1/2 tsp.     Kosher salt

1 tsp.         Baking powder

7 oz           Almond Paste

1 Tb           Vanilla extract 

4 ea           Eggs, whisked  

8 Tbsp     Butter, cold                         



for this recipe, mix the almond paste, butter, flour, sugar, aking powder and salt together in a bowl and blend with a whisk so that the butter and almond paste are very small (pea size) similar to a pie crust. Add the remaining ingredients and blend-continue steps 2-4 below. This dough is softer and spreads but delicious!


How to Prepare Biscotti


Step 1  Making the dough

Combine all of the dry ingredients & place into a bowl.

Slowly whisk the vanilla & eggs (honey if applicable) into the dry ingredients, then add the melted butter and whisk to form a dough. Do not overmix.








Fold in a garnish if you choose, such as toasted nuts, citrus zest, dried fruits etc...



Step 2  Forming 

Form the dough into a ball, then separate into 2 parts, let the dough rest for 20 minutes, then form into 2 logs.







Roll/ form the logs into loaves. Place the loaves onto a lightly oiled sheet tray.

These are two cornmeal biscotti loaves.



Step 3 Baking

Bake the loaves on the sheet tray in a preheated oven at 350ºF. Bake until golden brown and firm. (about 20 minutes).

Place the sheet pan of baked biscotti onto a cooling rack and let set until cool (or overnight).

This is a cornmeal biscotti log (left) and toasted walnut log (right).




Using a thin, sharp knife, cut into 1/4 inch slices.

I use the thinnest, sharpest knife I have to avoid breaking the biscotti. Ceramic knives work great.



Place the sliced biscotti back on to the sheet pan and bake at 250ºF a second time until golden brown and dry/hard.  (about 20 minutes).


Step 4 Storing/ eating

Store in a covered container, you can freeze the biscotti if you like. I always save the hard, crunchy ends for myself-amazing dunked into black coffee!

Beginners recipe: Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
I recently volunteered to prepare vegetable paella for a church Bible group potluck. I was very excited to develop a delicious, new paella recipe and spent time preparing fresh vegetable stock with flavors of the Mediterranean. I always prepare vegetable and fish stocks fresh, as I intend to use them. I’m not a fan of bases or frozen stocks but I sometimes add a small amount of quality base to my stocks.  A vegetable stock with mirepoix, cabbage, mushrooms makes sense in certain applications, for certain recipes—but why would we use a mushroom or cabbage-forward stock in a paella? It doesn’t make culinary sense. Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain as a humble meal cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed wonderful paella meals in Valencia prepared with water-not stock, prepared with rabbit, snails and local beans. While traveling through Spain this spring I researched and sampled many styles of paella… no mushrooms, no carrots, no celery and no cabbage.

Beginners recipe: Breakfast Burritos

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.

Beginners recipe: Stuffed Peppers

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
Chefs often share a bond that transcends politics, religion, and borders. While working in Saudi Arabia with a diverse group of chefs, I experienced this firsthand on my final day. To mark the occasion, they prepared special dishes representing their home countries—a generous feast rooted in tradition and pride. At the center of the table was a beautiful tray of stuffed peppers, zucchini, cabbages, squash, and other vegetables, each prepared with care and respect. As we shared the meal, the chefs beamed with pride, and the room filled with a sense of genuine camaraderie. It was a powerful reminder that food remains one of the most universal languages we have.

Beginners recipe: Cutting Zuchini

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
I remember a chef teaching me to carefully slice the center seeds from a zucchini and then prepare beautiful dices for a ratatouilli. The seeds and center area get soft and mushy before the outer 'meaty' section of the squash cooks.

Macaroni and Cheese

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
Lobster macaroni and cheese is my all time favorite version of Mac and Cheese... I make it by preparing a classic lobster sauce, (flambé and all) and blending it with Béchamel sauce, macaroni and sweet, tender chunks of freshly poached lobster. Macaroni and cheese with pancetta

Culinary Basics; The Art of Stocks-Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 13, 2026
Culinary Basics: The Art of preparing Stocks

Paella

By Tom Griffiths • January 13, 2026
Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain. It is a humble meal, originally cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed many wonderful paella meals in Spain. In Valencia I had a local paella with rabbit, snails and local beans. Short-grained rice is always used to prepare Paella, there are several great Spanish varieties like Bomba and Calasparra , prized for absorbing the delicious, flavorful stock and flavors of the ingredients without getting mushy. This is important for creating the dish's signature, crusty bottom layer called the socarrat. Paella is all about the rice!

Copy of Beginners Recipe: Breakfast Burrito

By Tom Griffiths • January 7, 2026
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable. 

Tenderloin Steak

By Tom Griffiths • January 6, 2026
Beef Wellington is a restaurant classic! Chefs prepare whole tenderloins, wrapped in pastry as well as individually portioned Wellingtons. Culinary historians widely agree that Beef Wellington evolved from French preparations such as filet de bœuf en croûte, which paired beef tenderloin with mushrooms and pastry—techniques well established in French haute cuisine.

Zesting and cutting Orange Supremes

By Tom Griffiths • January 4, 2026
Oranges are fantastic in Baking & Pastry. I developed a delicious dessert for the CMC exam (Healthy Cooking) challenge featuring Orange Creamsicle Sorbet with Roasted, Candied Pineapple and Fruit Strudel... with plenty of guidance from the amazing CIA Pastry Instructors! Types of Oranges: There are several distinct varieties of oranges, each with unique characteristics and flavors. The most common type is the Navel orange , recognized for its seedless, sweet flesh and thick, easy-to-peel skin. Valencia oranges are another popular variety, primarily known for their juiciness and are often used for making orange juice. Other notable types include Blood oranges , which have a deep red interior and a distinct berry-like flavor, and Cara Cara oranges , characterized by their pinkish-red flesh and sweet taste. Additionally, Seville oranges , known for their bitterness, are mainly used in making marmalade and flavoring liqueurs.