When my father finally retired he began cooking. Although years and miles away from his childhood in New York, he returned to the Italian-American foods that had nourished him as a child. So, in our ...

Gift the cheese straws in a festive tin, the biscotti with a mug for tea or coffee, and the spiced nuts in a reusable jar.

Pistachio and olive oil biscotti made by Jacalyn Carfagno for holiday gifts at her home in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, December 14, 2021. Biscotti is a traditional Italian “cookie” that keeps well and ...