Check out this recent article on Upper Crust Biscotti from our local San Luis Obispo paper, The Tribune:
Local Flavors, Katy Budge
Wednesday, October 30, 2002
Sometimes tiny ideas turn into something big. In Upper Crust Biscotti's case, it was a Tyni idea.
In 1989, Teréz and Ron Tyni opened Upper Crust Pizza on Foothill Boulevard (now Upper Crust Trattoria in Laguna Lake). A couple years later, Teréz Tyni got the idea to make some biscotti for the restaurant.
At first, they were prepared in the restaurant's kitchen. But increasing demand proved that Upper Crust Biscotti had grown too big to share digs with the Upper Crust restaurant.
Tyni moved production of the biscotti to its own facility, now on High Street in San Luis Obispo. At one point, the company boasted a whopping 21 flavors of biscotti, "but that was really too much," Tyni said. Now the biscotti are available in about 10 basic flavors, with variations depending on whether they're dipped in white or dark chocolate.
Varieties range from Almond Florentine to Venetian Chocolate to Mocha Milano, and seasonal flavors include Ginger Spice and Peppermint.
Upper Crust Biscotti also produces delectable goodies such as the savory crostini in Bleu Cheese Walnut, Sesame-Pepper, and Sun-Dried Tomato Parmesan flavors; and the Itti-Bittie Cookies, which are shortbread-like bites of lemon, peanut butter, mocha, and cinnamon (think of the Snickerdoodles your mom used to make).
As president of the company, Tyni remains the driving creative force behind Upper Crust Biscotti and helps develop flavor ideas and packaging designs. Developing a new biscotti takes about two weeks, said production supervisor Raquel Vladovinos, and involves not only getting the flavor right but also developing the right techniques for texture and overall quality.
Tyni said her biscotti can be used in very unconventional cooking situations, such as crusts of pies or savory quiches. "The Maui Macadamia or the Almond flavors are great in the crust of a key lime pie," she said, "and the Blue Cheese Walnut Crostini is perfect for a quiche. I've even used the Sun-Dried Tomato for a fish batter."
With the opening of the Upper Crust Outlet Center in the High Street facility, you can get bags of end pieces of the most popular varieties, a size that lends itself to crushing up for crusts. All of the Upper Crust line is available at the outlet, select local stores and via the Internet. Gift baskets are also on hand, or you can make up your own.
If you go...
Upper Crust Biscotti is located at 161 High Street in San Luis Obispo. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 543-1295 or visit the website at www.uppercrustbiscotti.com.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine biscotti crumbs and melted butter into a 10-inch pie plate and mix well. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool slightly, fill with coffee ice cream, and chill until set. Before serving, top with your favorite fudge sauce and a layer of the biscotti chunks.