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| Red wine coconut cookie/biscotti al vino |
Breakfast: Rolled oats with plums, sunflower seeds and flax seeds
Lunch: Pasta with potatoes and bean sprouts in tomato sauce
Dinner: Carrot soup with oat sourdough
About 2 weeks ago when I made red wine chocolate cake I thought combining red wine and chocolate in a cake was unique. I did a search on the internet and guess what, few others had already thought of this before me. Since I had leftover wine that needed to be used I thought why not make red wine cookies. I have never seen or heard of this before. But guess what, the Italians had already thought of this and created Biscotti al Vino. Those Italians quashed my dreams of being the first to create red wine cookies. I did do something different though and added coconut. I am sure the Italians already thought of adding other ingredients which they are familiar with such as tomatoes but they had not thought of coconut.
Red wine and coconut is a pairing that I have never come across. Red wine is not normally served with Thai red curry and other coconut based dishes. I wonder why? Will the tannins from the wine conflict with the nuttiness from the coconut? Will the sweetness from the wine conflict with the fattiness from the coconut? I guess we can discuss the merits of a red wine and coconut pairing until the cows come home but there is one thing I know for sure – red wine coconut cookies are delicious. You just have to take my word for it. The cookies are light and crispy, not very sweet and have a complex flavor. Its a pity they look a bit murky. The recipe is available here.
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| Pasta with potatoes and bean sprouts in tomato sauce |
Today's Favourite Photo
Yam Maki
Today’s Favourite Blog
In recent times a number of food items previously considered bad is now considered good. A prime example is coconut. And here’s the latest – potatoes. Potato has been considered fattening with high carb content. Recently researchers discovered that a couple of servings of potatoes daily reduces blood pressure almost as much as oatmeal does, and without causing weight gain.
Eighteen overweight/obese patients with high blood pressure ate 6-8 purple potatoes (each about the size of a golf ball) with skins twice daily for a month. Blood pressure for the patients dropped and none of them gained weight.
I know what you are thinking - two servings of French fries everyday. The potatoes used in the experiment were cooked without oil in a microwave. French fries and chips do not count since high temperature cooking destroys most of the healthy substances in a potato, leaving mainly starch, fat and minerals. So don't use this article as justification for increasing your consumption of French fries.
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So glad to hear that the much maligned potato is finally coming into its own. Yeah for the little potassium laden tubers!!
ReplyDeleteAlways a fan of red wine in sweet treats!
ReplyDeleteI think if I were to cheat with anything, it will be this. 3 of my favorite things, coconut, cookies, and wine!
ReplyDeleteKristen: exactly, its nice to have it back as a friend and not foe!
ReplyDeleteyummychunklet: I haven't tried that many yet but the experience so far has been great
Sarah: and I put all those the ingredients into one cookie!
That purple maki looks amazing! :o You don't see enough purple foods in life! :P
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, red wine cookies. Who cares about murkiness? I can imagine how good it is. A few spots of choc chips will distract anyone from that .. or one of your ingredients ... some dried coconut pieces for contrast. Howzat?
ReplyDeleteGlad to know potatoes are good today ... who knows what's it gonna be tomorrow, so I shall enjoy it without guilt til they decide otherwise.... again.
You are my kind of cook...including wine in sweets. Sorry you have not come up with the FIRST EVER yet but you are on your way.
ReplyDeleteWine with coconut. In cookies? Mr. TC, you are an original with this recipe! Btw, that yam maki is making me faint...I ADORE all things purple (esp food) and now I've just got to click on that website to find out how to make these!
ReplyDeleteI've made red wine risotto and red wine pears, but have never used red wine in baking! Fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI love your red wine cookies history. I sometimes also (rarely) think I have created a recipe or a pairing, and then discover that internet is full of those. However, coconut and wine are certainly the most original combination I have ever seen in a cookie! (Although not weird when I come to think of that). I will probably try your cookies one day!
ReplyDeleteFrom my childhood I know raw potatoes can give you high temperature and you can pretend you have a flu :-) (Of course the aim is to stay at home instead of going to school). However, if you exaggerate, you can end up in the hospital (raw potatoes are dangerous).
Lorraine: exactly, we rarely see purple foods but now humans are getting more creative!
ReplyDeleteping: actually I made extra dough and mixed cocoa in the remainder and froze it. You now you know what one of the future posts will be:) Dried coconut pieces sounds very creative too. I need to remember that one. Coconut is back, potato is coming back…exactly as you saw we don’t know whats next!
Cheap Ethnic Eatz: thank you for your confidence, I am trying:)
Foodiva: thank you! Unfortunately the site does not have a recipe but yam has replaced rice so you can make maki the same way I guess. It should work.
Hannah: I have never tried red wine risotto
Sissi: I never knew that eating raw potatoes can give high temperature. I really wish I knew this earlier. I tried so many different strategies and all this time there was raw potato sitting in the kitchen waiting to be eaten. I read that eating green potatoes can be toxic
I love the originality of those cookies! And how you are never afraid to combine crazy flavors together.
ReplyDeleteI like to add red wine in the baked goods. Would love to try those cookies.
ReplyDeleteRed wine cookies? What! You mean I can have my cookies and my wine at the same time! Genius! I love it and the featured blog/picture is stunning
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I could eat a whole plate of that sushi.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by.
Ramona
You're very inventive. :) You can try a red wine coconut cake next!
ReplyDeleteSo imaginative! What a wonderful idea to combine such an unusual combo like red wine and coconut, the maki pictures are fantastic too. I've never tried purple potatoes but I will someday soon! Jenny
ReplyDeleteAnother great recipe that I gotta try but anzac comes first! :) Love the colours in your fave pic!
ReplyDeleteLOL! Okay I won't increase the potato intakes but I'm glad to hear good things about potatoes because I like them so much. Your red wine coconut cookies are interesting. Very different and unique!
ReplyDeleteJoanne: thank you.
ReplyDeleteAngie: I am new to this, the experience has been great so far
Kitchen Belleicious: yes you can have your cookies and wine at the same time, plus with more wine on the side!
Ramona: it is
Lifeisfull: thank you
Jenny: thank you.
Sylvia: of course ANZAC comes first, I totally agree:)
Nami: thank you. And delicious too:)
gasp - I LOVE the idea of using yams instead of rice!!! yam-maki! i'm gonna try that! and the red wine cookies sound fabulous. how did they come out?
ReplyDeleteWow that yam maki have very vibrant colours!
ReplyDeleteJunia: the cookies turned out awesome, crispy with a nice flavour
ReplyDeleteRaymund: it does look unusual and attractive