* What: Gourmet homemade biscotti
* Company: Buon Cibo (Italian for Good Food)
* Address: 4403 Alabama Ave.
* Web site: www.etsy.com/shop/ashleeglen
* Telephone: 521-5189
* Owners: Ashlee Glen
* What’s special: Glen said her biscotti recipe is more healthful than most since it uses fresh flour made from soft red wheat she grinds herself, real chocolate and butter and no hydrogenated oils. “You can feel better about eating a dessert that’s a little bit better for you,” she said.
* The origin story: Glen began experimenting with different biscotti recipes when she made food for a friend’s daughter’s wedding.
* How long does it take to make: After grinding the grain and mixing and hand shaking the dough, the biscotti is baked for 20 minutes, cut once and then baked again for another 20 minutes (biscotti means twice-baked cookie). Including adding toppings, the process takes about two hours.
* Where sold: Through her profile on Etsy, a social commerce website
* How long have they been making them: Glen began developing her recipes five years ago.
* Plans: Glen will soon open a manufacturer’s kitchen at the St. Elmo Firehall in October. She applied for and was approved for a business license earlier this month and hopes eventually to expand her sales via delivery and stores.
* Lessons of the trade: Glen said she has learned that, by giving customers more than they ordered, she can build strong relationships and encourage them to buy more in the future. “Also, attention to detail is very important to me,” she said. “The aesthetic is very important; it’s the artistic part of the biscotti. I want it to be beautiful.”