Biscotti (biscotto) in Italian means "biscuit or cookie", but their latin roots of bis (twice) and cotto (baked) describe how they are cooked. Baking twice gives the biscotti their unique shape and hard, crunchy texture. Biscotti started out as a long shelf life food in Roman times, used by travelers and soldiers. Later during the European Renaissance, it made a comeback in the Tuscan region of Italy, primarily made of almonds. Our present day biscotti has a large variety of flavors and can be dipped or studded with chips, nuts, and even fruit.