Gluten-Free Chocolate-Almond Thumbprint Cookies #BittenWordCookies #FoodandWine

Ho, ho, ooooh no...Santa's got a gluten problem.

`tis the season, and I am TRYING to get in the festive holiday spirit, so when Zach & Clay over at the Bitten Word announced that this year's cover-to-cover would be Christmas cookies, I signed up immediately.  As I waited for my assignment, there were visions of sugar plums and silver balls in my head. (you know those tiny silver balls that cracked teeth back in the day? Those were the days when  a Christmas Cookie was part sugar rush, and part fear of an emergency trip to the dentist).  When my assignment arrived, it was a healthy, and au courant - Food & Wine Magazine's Gluten-Free Chocolate-Almond Thumbprint Cookies.

I was apprehensive.  What is Christmas without SUGAR? Well, there is plenty of honey in these cookies to compensate for the lack of good old bleached and refined sugar. To add to the uniqueness of the recipe, this is a Christmas cookie without FLOUR- the cookies are made with not in your average grocery store almond flour (thank you Trader Joe's, you are always there when I need you).

This challenge was  my first gluten free baking experience, I made my first caramel with honey and coconut milk and coconut oil.   And you know what? They aren't too bad.  I'll admit I had more fun styling the cell phone photo and drinking the port (Santa LOVES Graham's Six Grape Port)

Well, Zach & Clay, I did it.  I'm still not quite in the holiday spirit, but I am getting there.

A slideshow of the process:

Quinta do Noval Black Port $20.00 (not TJ's) ***

Being included in a Sunday night family dinner is a great thing.  It was a quiet rainy weekend; just me, the dog and the cat.  Rain was bucketing down, so I stayed in, got a lot of writing done and some Christmas presents finished. I even made progress on some of my reading backlog - pretty much a perfect weekend (which included many cups of tea).  By Sunday night, I was ready for welcoming the Holiday Season.  The rain had let up a bit and as I drove, I saw that Christmas lights have appeared to brighten up the early nights on these short almost-winter days.

While the finishing touches were put on dinner, we started with white wine and a tin of wasabi peanuts.  Then we moved on to prosecco with our pasta with pesto, Caesar Salad, grilled skirt steak and fresh crusty bread.  Prosecco is a festive, welcome addition to any table (well, any table that I am at).  As soon as we finished eating, K announced that we'd have dessert and port in the living room by the fire. I smiled and was glad that I had my blackberry, because in my world, drinks + an open fire = a blog post.

Quinta do Noval Black Port from the Duro Valley of Northern Portugal is what I always imagined port to be:  a rich drink that a man would sip while sitting by the fire smoking a cigar. I think that I stereotype way too much, but a sleek modern bottle of this pedigreed libation (drink newly bottled, but the property that produced this port has been around since 1715) would not be out of place in a mahogany library in a stately home, or even in the farmhouse kitchen of my daydreams.  Although I am partial to Tawny Port, a sweeter, golden version of port, this Ruby Port was like a rich, smooth red wine. It is fruity, fresh but thick/substantial, and not too sweet.  It is 19.5 ETOH though, so don't let the smoothness seduce you.  It'll pack a punch. The pastries from Leonetti's were terrific (even of I was dusted/covered by chocolate powder upon biting into a tiramisu square), and the dark chocolate dipped cannoli went really well with the rich plum fruitiness and chocolate undertones of this port.  I say skip the imaginary cigars and nibble a piece really good dark chocolate while sipping this port, it is delicious.

As we sat, chatted and sipped, MEH and I played chess.  The conversation around us went from driving time to Philadelphia to baking Christmas cookies.  Results:  I may have volunteered to make Springerle Christmas Cookies; JPH now holds the (legal) land speed record from Philly to Long Island (his father contested - but S. corroborated and the torch was begrudgingly passed); I hold the land speed record from Boston to Maine (no one contests and it has been verified numerous times by the Maine State Police - oops); and MEH won the chess match (with some coaching from her father).  It was a great night and I am firmly now a fan of Ruby Port, it is a great way to end an evening.

W. & J. Graham's 10 Year Tawny Port $32.99 ( Not TJ's) ****

I am a pyromaniac -  in the sense that I derive intense pleasure in seeing and smelling a properly placed wood fire (or a nice candle for that matter).  It is fall, the leaves are off the trees and we're so close to winter that the sky threatens snow every day.  Dinner was over, the dishes were finally done (after JPH declared that S. and I were not worthy because we left three pans to "soak" - geeesh.... But then again, he did build a fire in the fireplace....) and MEH brought out Bethump'd With Words: Discovery Edition. As she was setting out the game and assigning our colors, S said the magic word "Port?".  I dashed to the cabinet and opened this bottle.

Tawny Port is a beautiful thing.  Thick, sweet and perfect as a relaxing glass (or two or three) to sip. There are layers of flavor that are simply comforting.  A bit of orange peel, a lot of caramel, a hint of spice, and a wicked kick of 20% ETOH - seriously, you should ONLY sip this from a small glass and make sure that you hydrate yourself before going to bed. Port is shelf stable, so there is no need to finish a bottle in one sitting (unless you have a big crowd). Savor it, because at $32.00 a bottle, it needs to last for at least a few evenings. Port is a luxury, all wine is a luxury, but sometimes it just adds the perfect touch. If you haven't tried Port, and you live in a cold climate, try it, you might like it!

As for our game?  It was fun. I came in second to S. the champion. We spent over an hour playing by the fire, refilled our glasses a few times and then the evening was over. It was a great way to finish a Saturday night.

I'll end with one of the Christmas decorations that are slowly making their way out of boxes and populating the house (A Playmobil Santa set up on the chessboard):

Grant Burge Tawny Port 10yo (not TJ's) $29.99 ****

There is something about finishing a meal and having a nice glass of Port. This is from the Barossa Valley in Australia, and it was a great find.  (I have to credit JPH) As we sipped and talked about the bottle, we were surprised that it was so good, so inexpensive (for Port) and well, from Australia.  What a surprise, and lest you think that the dinner table is highbrow, we started speaking in bad Australian accents and kept it up through the dessert Torte.

Grant Burge Wines knows what they are doing. It is smooth, rich, fruity and just lovely.  I will be sipping from this bottle for a while, and then maybe I'll splurge and try the 20YO. This is a blend of grenache, mataro and shiraz, but to me, it is less wine like and a slightly sweet, golden raisin flavor. It was a hit at the table, and glasses were refilled a couple of times. This is a great Port, and an excellent buy at $29.99.  This is a bottle to be opened and enjoyed over a few weeks.  We had it on a Thursday night after dinner but it could also be an aperitif for a formal Sunday dinner as well, it does stimulate the appetite.  It is just good drinking.  But I think I prefer it as an after dinner drink. Later this week, I am going to try it with cookies!