Yesterday, was on the train back home and D calls up to find out whether I would be late. She was out and was to be back late in the evening.

Now whats was the best thing that I could do when I am alone.......yes you are right....I decided to make some cookies. Npw, I have been planning to make some italian biscotti since ages....have scoured teh net for recipes, have bought an Italian cookbook etc etc....and inspite of the fact that I have hordes of biscotti recipes, I have never actually got myself to make any.I remember when we were in Venice, I bought a couple of packets and they were bloody expensive.

So finally, yesterday decided to bake some biscotti called Cantuccini.Its only after baking them did I realise that they are so simple to make and so yummy......

Cantuccini

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar (more if you wnat them sweeter)
1 tea spoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup blanched almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl combine the eggs and the essence and beat it. Pour the egg mixture in to the dry mixture and add the blanched almonds and mix it with a wooden spoon. Keep mixing till all the ingredients are combined.

Gather the mixture and put on a chapati board and keep kneading it to form a dough. It can be sticky, so use dry flour to get rid off the stickiness so that it forms a firm dough.

Divide it in to two portins and using your palms, make a log out of each portion.

Transfer it to a greased baking tray and using your palms flatten the logs a bit once you transfer it to the tray.

Put it in to the oven for 30 minutes. (after 15 mins a beautifuly vanilla fragrance will fill the house).Remove it out and leave it to cool for 5 minutes. Use a sharp knife cut the logs in to slices.Separate the slices and put them back in to the oven for 10 - 15 minutes.

Remove them out and leave them to cool on a wire rack. Store (whatever is left ) in to airtight containers.

The best method of having them is by dunking them in coffee.........

Bis=two
Cotti= cooked

Biscotti = twice cooked.....thats why these cookies are called Biscotti.

KT: These are real simple....so try them out...u wont regret it....just takes 30 mins or so to prepare.......

The last couple of days have been depressing....workwise. But yesterday was a great day.Jackie knew that I was depressed, so she, Kico and Volker decided to take me out for lunch to cheer me up. It was such a sweet gesture. By teh time we came back to office....I had a broad smile on my face.

The lunch conversation put me in to thought. We discussed how lucky we were to be working together, because there is so much of an understanding between us, that its amazing....each one knows when to speak, when to shut up, how to cheer up the other.....its brilliant.We just have maybe a couple of months left to work together....after that each one will go off in a different direction and the possibility of ever working together in the same team is 0. What amazes me is how people from totally different backgrounds, nationalities, colours, ideas can come together and build such a relationship which transcends the work relationship. Jackie- Caribbean, Kico- Italian, Volker- German, Myself - Indian .......

I have been really lucky in my work life...I have had the opportunity to work with so many nice people, who started as work colleagues, but ultimately ended as friends......
Gauri - Microland
Ashwin, Parag, Vimal, Sanket- Focus
KT, Pallavi, Rachna, Priti - CIT
Jackie, Kico, Volker,Medhat, Vaishali, Amresh, Sibashish, Kaushik - KPIT

So KT if u are reading this.......we have known each other for 7 years......believe that......cannot believe that 7 years just passed....

When I think about thes ethings I forget about all the stupid work problems that I otherwise keep worrying about. These relations are so important as compared to any work issues and it gives a warm feeling to think about these friends ...ofcourse everyone is all across the globe and we hardly meet, but the thought that these people will try to help u when u need them is a warm thought.....


so 3 Cheers to friendship.....