Ants in my biscotti.

That sounds like a bad idea for both a children's game and a name for a band.

In a "bursting with holiday spirit" spirit on Friday I made a bunch of cookies for friends and coworkers. One thing I tried was a biscotti recipe. Last night my Oregonian friend asked me if there were "ants" in the biscotti. "Huh?" I asked. "Ants. Did you put ants in the biscotti?" Once again, "huh? ANTS? as in, the insect??" I asked, thinking back to all the times I have eaten biscotti and wondering how many ants I may have consumed in the process. After a few more inquiries it was clear that he was talking not about the annoying little creatures, but about anise - and apparently in the alternate universe in Oregon where he lived, they pronounce anise "ants."

Not coincidentally, or perhaps entirely coincidentally, when I got home from the party last night I noticed a couple of ants wandering around in my bathroom. Hmm... Biscotti anyone?