Skorpa and Ghee

I have a new favorite snack. It is so good it is probably "sinful". Actually it is a new combination of some old treats that Betty showed me. Put altogether they are quite tasty. I highly recommend them.

Skorpa is the Swedish version of biscotti ie. "twice baked" whole wheat crusts that are quite crisp and crunchy. I was introduced to them in my youth by my mother. She showed me how to dunk them in the coffee she gave me. They were hard to find until Ikea imported them with and without cardamom. Betty and I would stock up and buy a dozen bags at a time, especially the ones with the extra spice. I'm sure it is "good for what ails you". The supermarkets now have the plain ones...not quite as good but imported.

Brett, awhile back, showed us how to make ghee, yes, Indian Ghee. It is really clarified butter. Betty makes 8 or 9 small jars at a time from cooking down about as many cubes of unsweetened butter. She waits for a sale. She probably does it every other month. It solidifies to a nice consistancy and is very spreadable. We use it on bread, veggies, just about everything. It is especially good on skorpas...late at night...or early in the morning. It is probably better for you than regular butter or margarine etc. It tastes great too.

Now the latest, inventive addition is the powdered cardamon on the plain ones. She puts it right on the skorpa before spreading the ghee...just an eighth teaspoon or less. She then sprinkles on a little sugar or you could use honey on top of the ghee..."Deeelicious!" as Soren recently said.

As you can see/taste this is a combination of cultures as well as textures and tastes. It brings together our shared heritage and India's ayurvedic tastes. I wouldn't eat more than one at a sitting and I certainly wouldn't try to dunk it in any coffee or milk. Try it! You'll like it! Bob