“Mary, did you have the cuccidati yet? I made them just for you. My mother taught me how. Her mother taught her. They have sprinkles… you like da sprinkles???”

He reached across the table and pulled a cookie tray closer to us. “Mangia,” he said.

“The figs and oranges come from Sicily.” He took one off the tray, looked at me - winked- and dunked it in his drink (which was scotch) and took a big bite.

In my family, these cookies are the biggest Christmas (and wedding!) hit. It’s not the holy days without them. My mama and my aunties always made by the MULTIPLE dozens (literally our basement freezer was always stuffed with them because, you know, there was no room in the OTHER two freezers they had).

My mother, who turns NINETY this year, is finally slowing down on the biscotti making this season, so I’m going to have to up my game! My mama usually flavors these with almond and anise — but wouldn’t you know that NOWHERE I looked in my area of Portland, OR had anise flavoring? WHAT? And I had no time to make my own. So instead of anise, I did an almond version, a rosewater pistachio version as well as orange, orange blossom, and orange zest version.

They’re easy to make and delicious