In every family, there’s a recipe that stands out, one that’s passed down through the generations and brings with it a sense of comfort and tradition. One that stands out at Salt & Cedar is Grandma Emma Baker’s famous biscotti, or as she called them, “Spagartee.”
Born in 1902 in Zap, North Dakota, Grandma Baker may not have had formal schooling beyond the 3rd grade, but in the kitchen, she was a master. Her collection of recipes, written by hand in a small notebook, has become a family treasure. And right there, nestled between other classic dishes, is her beloved Spagartee recipe—a crunchy, twice-baked biscotti that we serve today.
Grandma Baker’s culinary talents didn’t stop at biscotti. She was also known for her handmade egg noodles, which she would carefully dry on a clean sheet laid out on her bed. It’s the little things like this that remind us how connected she was to her craft.
A trip to Grandma Baker’s house was a treat as she always made you feel welcomed and cared for as she served you her legendary recipes. Grandma Baker was skilled at foraging and we would often see huckleberries and other berries in her baking. She was known as the “Slipper Queen” because all of us had a pair of her hand-knitted slippers and any trip to Grandma Baker’s house included a pair of slippers, a tour of her pantry and homemade baked goods.
Today, we continue to make her biscotti, just as she did, though we’ve added a few modern touches—like experimenting with different flavors like tart currants and almonds or dipping them in chocolate for an extra treat. But the core of the recipe, that unmistakable taste and texture, is all Grandma Baker.
Every time we bake these biscotti, we’re not just making a dessert—we’re honoring a legacy, connecting with the past, and carrying Grandma Baker’s love for cooking into the future.
Do you have a family recipe that’s been passed down? Let’s celebrate these traditions and share the stories behind them!
Cooks Notes: We like to add different flavors to the base biscotti recipe, normally keeping it to 2 items such as dried currants and toasted almonds, or dried cherries and pistachios. Also, we have gone from making the smaller biscotti, as described above, into making 2 loaves as opposed to 4 then cutting them into 6 inch by .5 inch slices. If we want a chocolate topping, we slowly melt chocolate chips (microwave or double boiler) then either dip the biscotti partially into the chocolate, or drizzle chocolate over them.
