For the last two months of our sabbatical, we thought (okay, I thought) that it would be nice to be around family and friends in the Bay Area in California, since I moved away 15 years ago for college and never came back. My brother, after graduating from college, came back home. My sister lives in the city (oh yeah, in the bay area, we call San Francisco “the city” as if there are no other cities) only 25 minutes away from my parents. I am the one child who apparently doesn’t love my family enough to stay around. These two months are my attempt to try and make up for that.

Mother's Day: Wii Fit
Besides the fantastic Chinese food and temperate sunny weather, we have been enjoying life here with my parents. Adjectives people use when they meet my parents are: cute, funny, cool, hip. While we are here, they like it when we cook, drive them around because they can sit in the back and sleep, and do projects around the house. Birch and I have been challenging my mom to do her Wii Fit everyday. My dad decided that it was too hard for him after he tried to do the tree pose with yoga. He doesn’t need the Fit anyway; he has jogged every morning as long as I remember. The dude is almost 70.
A few years back, we took a family trip to the Great Wall of China in the middle of the summer, and my mom decided early on that she was not going to climb this packed-out hike, and went to shop in a nearby store. I continued on with the rest of the family for a while, but hot and uninterested, I too dropped out and decided to buy a popsicle instead and stand in the

my cute dad
shade. My brother ran ahead, and had to throw up on the side of the wall. Luckily, I was at the base when he walked down, and bought him a 7-up. My sister and my dad soldiered on to the top where a significant number of people had dropped out. My sister was red in the face, drenched with sweat, and panting. My dad looked like he just strolled through a mall.
He doesn’t need the Wii Fit. The tree pose does not have the last word on my dad.
Other than mastering the Hula Hoop on Wii Fit, I have been baking biscotti. Ever since Italy (where I was paying about $4 for 5 small biscotti), I have been craving biscotti and it’s actually quite easy to make. My first batch: orange almond biscotti, dipped in chocolate. I was pleased–they are more healthy because of the small amount of sugar and a little less butter. My second batch–meyer lemon pistachio. Also quite good. But the first one was better. 
They look so impressive and pack easily as gifts. And they keep, if you can control yourself.
Do yourself a favor and make some this weekend.
Orange-Almond Biscotti (about 2 dozen)
3/4 c. raw slivered almonds
1 stick softened butter (8 Tablespoons)
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 T. cognac, brandy, or Grand Marnier
Zest of one orange
2 c. plus 2 T. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chocolate chips (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350° and toast almonds on baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Let cool. Keep oven on at 350°.
2. Cream butter with sugar until fluffy, then add eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and cognac. Mix again. Combine flour, zest, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and mix thoroughly. Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Add the other half of the flour mixture and mix again. Add the almonds in and fold in until just incorporated.
3. Form 3 logs onto the baking sheet of about 1 1/2 inches wide and 12 inches long. Keep logs 2 inches apart and bake for about 30 minutes until it is slightly browned on top. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Move the logs carefully onto a cutting board, and cut into 3/4 inch slices at a slight slant. Lay flat on cookie sheet and bake again (it took me two batches) for 10 minutes.
5. While it is baking, put the chocolate chips in microwavable bowl and put in microwave for 30 seconds on high. Stir for about 10 seconds and if the chips are not mostly melted yet, put in microwave for another 15 seconds. Stir again. Do this until chocolate is smooth and melted. Be careful–chocolate easily burns so don’t get overzealous!
6. After the biscotti have cooled for 10 minutes on a cooling rack (or a plate), dip each biscotti in melted chocolate, shake off excess, then place on wax paper or greased parchment paper on a plate. After you have filled the plate, refrigerate for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate is set.
*I did only half my batch with chocolate and half without. You can also just put the chocolate chips in the biscotti instead. It’s up to you. Feel free to be creative with flavor combinations!