Culinary Adventures with Camilla

This weekend, R said, "Remind me why you don't call these 'biscotti', again, Mom." Well, while 'biscotti' literally means twice cooked, it just refers to any cookie or biscuit. What Americans call biscotti are actually cantucci. "So, can we make some cantucci?" he asked. I walked right into that one. So, we headed to the store. R picked up some dried figs and slivered almonds. It's funny, I mentioned cranberries and walnuts or apricots and pecans. And he walked back to the cart with dried figs and almonds. "How about this mixture, Mom?" That'll work. I actually love the way that the figs looked sliced in there. I don't know why I've never used them before. Also, since these included slivered almonds, I decided to swap out the ground almonds I usually use for some Pinole Azul , a ground hierloom blue corn from Mexico that's mixed with a little bit of piloncillo  and ground cinnamon. Ingredients 2 C...

Panforte Nero has been on my to-do list for years. As in almost two decades on my to-do list. Ever since I lived in Italy and fell in love with it. There's Panforte Margherita , but I prefer the dark one! Call me a culinary-masochist, but during the busiest time of the year I embrace culinary adventure and attempt a treat that has daunted me or made me swoon in delight. That's not  totally  accurate since I am adventuring and challenging my kitchen skills all year long, but the holidays seem to bring out my strong need to make sweets. Thankfully - for me, my family, and my friends -  I am blessed with the ability to satiate my craving to bake just by baking; I don't actually have to eat my creations. So, I bake, I breathe in a whiff, and my friends get to eat it all. Thank goodness...or I would weigh 300 pounds! I toyed with the idea of making  Laurie Colwin's Black Cake from  Home Cooking . Read her description: "Its closest relatives are plum...