I don’t normally pimp products and services, although perhaps I should. I, like most of the staff and many of our readers, am a dedicated consumer of local, hand-made, craft and independent everything and tend to avoid mass production/corporate retailers and goods when possible.

Not long ago I reconnected, thanks to the magic of social media, with an old college friend, Wheeler Wood. Turns out he now runs a small biscotti business. Well, I loves me some biscotti, and he kindly offered to send me a sample or two to see what I thought.

Holy hell, this stuff is good. The toffee pecan was wonderful. The orange cranberry was fantastic. The chocolate cherry was like crack. And the vanilla almond .. oh my. It’s not just me, either – check the review from the Specialty Food Association. Some highlights:

• It begins with people raving that “[t]his is the best biscotti I’ve ever tasted”;
• hand-made using all natural, artisan ingredients;
• no “GMOs or hydrogenated palm kernel oil” ever;
• “hand-dipping the twice-baked cookies in Belgian chocolate”;
• “Biscotti Goddess outsources order fulfillment to Hermitage Enterprises in Richmond, VA whose mission is to employ adults with intellectual disabilities with the goal of teaching them job skills and enhancing their level of independence”;
• eight traditional flavors and eight gluten-free flavors, plus seasonal flavors; and,
• certified kosher.

So here it is – an unsolicited product recommendation for anything and everything Biscotti Goddess makes. (And yes, turns out my old buddy is a pretty progressive guy, too, and I know many of you reading this care about that when it comes time to spend your money.)

My father and grandfather passed on years ago, but if they were still around they’d be getting an assortment basket for Fathers Day.

Props to Wheeler for a fantastic product. It’s gratifying to see old friends doing it well and doing it right.