new find: Martin’s Biscotti

Photos by Lori Bandi

1 The Tuscan-style biscotti with saffron and almond are the biggest seller for EMa Baking co.

2 for an extra kick, try the mole biscotti The hot, peppery flavor lingers in the back of your throat.

3 The biscotti are baked twice on large sheets to create the crunchy texture.

Martin’s Biscotti froM EMa Baking co.

emabaking.com

PricE rangE: $12.95 for a 6-oz Box

WhErE To Buy iT: WhiTE rock LocaL MarkET, arTizonE.coM

TiP: BiscoTTi has a shELf LifE of ThrEE To four MonThs.

Martin Vandiver of Preston Hollow has helped run a bakery before, tasked with all the grunt work, such as draining the doughnut vat. “That left me scarred for sure. I had no interest in food service after that. I know how much work it takes to make a buck.” These days, though, the self-described foodie is able to turn a longtime hobby into a viable business on the side while he’s not working full time as a commercial photographer. When Vandiver had his first taste of authentic Italian biscotti, he started experimenting with his own recipes. “Most people have only tasted what they serve at Starbucks,” he says. Among Vandiver’s creative flavor combinations are coconut and curry with apricot, chocolate hazelnut with black currant and cocoa nib, cherry and pistachio, Tuscan-style saffron with almond, and mole with Peruvian raisins. His EMA Baking Co., composed of Vandiver, his wife, Ann, and daughter, Elizabeth, sells the products at local markets. “It’s quite literally a mom-and-pop operation,” Vandiver says. They also operate online without the stress of a storefront. The business idea came after the passage of the Cottage Food Law that allowed people to sell dried baked goods from their home. Demand grew after a few months, so the Vandivers obtained their FDA license to sell outside the home. Biscotti in Latin means “twice-baked.” The batter is baked, cooled, carefully sliced and then baked again. “It’s not like baking a batch of cookies and putting them in a box.” When someone purchases a box of Martin’s Biscotti, the Vandivers often hand out free recipes that make use of the biscotti, such as “pazzo,” which means “crazy” in Italian. It combines fresh strawberries, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, sea salt, crumbled biscotti and mascarpone cheese. —Emily Toman

what gives?

Small ways that you can make a big difference for nonprofits

Go shopping

Doing any home improvement projects? Swing by ReStore at Forest and Marsh, a store run by the Dallas-area Habitat for Humanity. It offers 50-75 percent discounts and donates 100 percent of sales to the Dallas Habitat Mission. You can shop for flooring, lighting, cabinetry, furnishings and other products for the home. ReStore is at 3546 Forest and is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit dallasareahabitat.org.

Celebrate Mardi Gras in July

Get dressed up, and head to a Mardi Gras/Broadway-themed “festival of merriment.” Mardi GrAutism IV is July 21 at Westin Park Central, 12720 Merit Drive. The event benefits Autism Speaks, an organization that provides resources and increases awareness of Autism. Costumed performances will pay tribute to Broadway productions such as “The Wiz,” “Les Miserables,” and “Phantom of the Opera” as well as one New Orleans act. The event also includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and dancing. Tickets are $50 for general admission. VIP tickets are $125 and include a pre-function social hour and your pick of seats for the entertainment. For more information, visit autismspeaks.org.

Brighten a sick child’s day

The local Starlight Children’s Foundation has teamed up with Build-a-Bear for the Brighten up Bear program, which provides bears for hospitalized children. Just donate $25 to the program online or pledge to sponsor one or two bears each month. Starlight is a national foundation with local chapters that help children diagnosed with serious illnesses continue to experience the joy of childhood. For more information, visit starlight.org/texas/bear.

KNOW OF WAYS that neighbors can spend time, attend an event, or purchase or donate something to benefit a neighborhood nonprofit? Email your suggestion to launch@advocatemag.com.

We would like to welcome you to our Walnut Hill OB/Gyn family. Please call our office or go online to schedule an appointment.

Walnut Hill Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates

8305 Walnut Hill Ln. Ste. 100 Dallas, TX 75231 214-363-7801 www.walnuthillobgyn.com