Advantages of living near the office.

Today; another day at the office. These are local (!) ranuncula from New Jersey.

Eric and I have a bad habit of eating copious amounts of ice cream. [Eric can eat an entire pint of B&J in one sitting...I'm just saying.] It usually happens like this...noontime will roll around and one of us will say something like;

"You know I left my laptop at home...so I'm going to run and get it."
-or-
"I forgot to feed Ms. Poops (cat with overactive digestive tract) this morning...so I'm going to run home real quick"
-or-
"Did I leaf the coffee pot on this morning?"
-or, like this afternoon_
"Why don't I go fix some sandwiches for us?"

[It occurs to me that I should note I did not take this photo, because that would qualify me as an ice cream hoarder, which I guarantee you - I am not.]

Which was true...and also the perfect excuse to run home for an episode of Arrested Development and a few spoonfuls of Dulce De Leche paired with an orange biscotti. Easily the best dessert pairing I've had in a while. Throw some late harvest Muscadet (mousey, help me out here?) in the mix and it would be a triumph. I mean, not that I would ever drink during the day. At least not while operating a glue gun.

Orange Biscotti
(adapted from Gormet)

3/4 cups roasted cashews (about 7 ounces)
1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of orange extract
1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 300°F. and butter a large baking sheet.

Coarsely chop almonds in food processor. Leave them in there...

Into a bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together 1.5 eggs, zest, and vanilla and orange oil.Stir in flour mixture in briefly, then dump all into the processor on top of nuts. Buzz it all together using brief pulses until dough forms.

In a small bowl beat together water and remaining .5 egg to make an egg wash. On baking sheet with floured hands form dough into a 12-inch-long logs and flatten slightly. Brush logs with some egg wash. Bake logs in middle of oven until golden, about 35 minutes. Cool logs on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes.

On a cutting board with a serrated knife diagonally cut logs into roughly 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange biscotti, a cut side down, on baking sheet and bake in middle of oven until crisp, about 15 minutes. Cool biscotti on rack. Biscotti keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 2 weeks.

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[You all have been really nice to say nice things on the blog. I love the encouragement, kind words and comments...it makes me so happy to see them come in.]
[Carolyn -- you asked about the candles -- more info will be up on the website really soon. Until then I will say that the Wisteria/Lilac is very a light, sweet floral and the Cedarmoss smells like camphor and the richest dirt you've ever smelled. I'm obsessed with it - but beware, its heady.]