Sacramento, Lemons & Cookies

Sacramento (California) here I come..Italian culture and food ..well what is one without the other..I am on my way to the Italian Cultural Center  to do a book signing this weekend. I’ll have a few postings about the sights and flavors when I return..but check out their website for some interesting bits of info on Italian culture at www.italiancenter.net..
While visiting their site enjoy these freshly made lemon biscotti. I have always believed that family recipes are like a painting, a painting of your family’s memories and history..just like DaVinci’s Mona Lisa is a memory of La Giocanda..your family recipe can help to recreate a memory of a special time or place or event.. These are one of my comfort foods, cookies flavored with fresh lemon peel..my grandmother used to make these for Holidays and they could  made any day a special one…I can still remember the smell of fresh lemons coming out of the kitchen ..the lemon perfume wafting through the house..that filled the air and   follow me everywhere until I took that first luscious bite
And by the way these cookies are made in the shape of an ‘S’
Lemon Cookies (biscotti al limone)

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
peel of 1 lemon grated
4 tbsps fresh lemon juice
1 egg beaten
2  cups  flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon milk
Cover a cookie sheet with baking paper. Place butter, sugar and lemon peel in a  bowl and mix till well blended.Add in beaten egg and lemon juice, and milk, a little at a time, mixing  after each addition. Place flour and baking powder in a sifter and sift into the dough a little at a time mixing after each addition and until a soft dough is formed. Place some flour on a wooden board, and place dough in center. Divide dough into 50 equal parts. Roll each one onto a little sausage and then form each sausage into an’S’. Place cookies onto baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Get your copy of the award winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition
 See you October 3rd at at Italian Cultural Center in Sacramento, California, For more info :info@marialiberati..com