Mama, Mia,
Now That’s a Cookie!

Athens, Pennsylvania has many allures: the Athens Wildcats, the How A-Mazing Corn Maze, the 16th century Teaoga Indian village and, most recently, Mama Chisari’s Biscotti, a scrumptious Italian cookie that she markets at festivals, B & B’s, and online.

Sixteen years ago, New Jersey native Vivian Chisari knew horses, not biscotti. But she loved to cook. After a two-year study of gourmet cuisine, her Sicilian husband, Bob Chisari, a 1st assistant to operating room surgeons, raved about Vivian’s cooking. A physician’s wedding, a discussion, and a double dare from her daughter were what Vivian needed to create her version of the tantalizing Italian dunkers. Mama Chisari’s Biscotti and Celebrations Catering were born. Even on her lunch hours as an Ithaca nurse, Vivian began delivering her specialty desserts, fancy pastries, tarts, and biscotti at the espresso bars in town.

"I’ve been a nurse all my life, about forty years actually" says Vivian, her auburn mane and youthful appearance an obvious contradiction of her true age. "But I never intended to be a caterer. I’ve always been a really good cook and I love t cook and I should have done this thirty-five years ago."

As an amaretto aroma wafts from Vivian’s prized possession – a large convection oven she received on her birthday eleven years ago – she slices the white chocolate macadamia nut biscotti in her dining room turned bakery. Vivian chuckles after being asked if she is Italian, and answers instead with her own question. "Did you know," she asks, "that in Italian, biscotti means twice-baked? Either cookie or cracker? It’s designed to be dunked in coffee, tea, or wine."

Vivian bakes her biscotti in logs, and then cuts the logs in long slices to be baked again, reducing their moisture content. For this reason, biscotti were ideal for Atlantic-crossing sailors, and may have been carried by such notables as Columbus and Marco Polo.

But what is amazing about Mama Chisari’s Biscotti?

"Mine are handmade," says Vivian as she picks up and squeezes an orange used for its zest. "It’s important to use only the freshest fruit and finest ingredients."

"You could break a tooth on some of the commercial biscotti out there," she says, "they don’t put butter in theirs. I do. I use butter, shortening, or oils. Mine have a delicious flavor and I’m not the only one who says that." One of her customers, a Sayre physician who has tasted biscotti all over Europe, says Mama Chisari’s are the best.

Of the six biscotti varieties, Mama Chisari’s newest creation, Orange Cranberry, was devised for people with nut allergies. Other flavors include Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate Chip Espresso, Almond Lemon, and Biscotti al Anise.

At Mama Chisari’s website (vivianbiscotti.com), where her full catered menus are also found, you can order her mouthwatering biscotti in 8 oz. boxes or by the pound.

Mama Chisari’s Biscotti, Celebrations Catering & Bake shop can be found at 166 Erin Rd., Athens, PA 18810 (570) 888-7461. Look for her at the Dickens Festival in Wellsboro on December 2, where she will be selling her delicious wares.