What You Bring to the Table

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery.

I say... not necessarily.
I say it all depends on the context.
I say it's best to first examine the reason behind the urge to imitate before you go ahead and Just Do It.

Is it (are you) driven by the desire for acceptance?  After all, like attracts like...
Is it (are you) driven by the desire to succeed?  After all, tried and true methods are...tried and true.
Is it (are you) driven by a sometime latent, sometime claustrophobically strong sense of being a Black Sheep Ugly Duckling?
Or, worst, of all, is it just out of habit, this urge to imitate, to fit into a mold, to recreate what's already been done?  A habit encouraged by ... (you fill in the blank).

The first few months in this new place, I was a shell of myself.  Well, not even a shell, because a shell still has some semblance of the original being, an indication of what might be inside.  I stowed away most of me and went into a weird protective mode where my thoughts and actions were designed to blend in, to be as imperceptible as possible.  I guess I wanted to get a feel for my surroundings first, see what was what, see how I'd fit into this new and challenging mix of things I had gotten myself into.

See how I'd fit in, eh?  That's a stupid idea.  Always has been.  I had finally learned that the only way I fit in anywhere is to just be...and I finally got comfortable with that when I was living in Arizona.  It's a weird feeling to be comfortable just being.  And it was new enough that its fragility dictated that it did not weather the storm of this move very well.

Or so I thought.  Turns out, I just misplaced my feather for awhile.  And, it turns out, my feather looks a lot like a pair of cowboy boots and some turquoise jewelry. You don't see too much of that 'round these parts.  And that is the point.

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This blog exists because I firmly believe and want others to believe that gluten free foods are good not in spite of being gluten free, but precisely because of it.  They are tasty in and of their own right.  They are interesting because they are a little bit different from what you might be used to.  They don't taste like gluten-full foods, though they can be made very, very similar.  They have different flavors, different textures, different affects on the palate and tummy.

Here I strive not to make gluten-free goods that are as close to their wheat-y counterparts as possible.  That would, in a sense, lessen the value of these ingredients on their own.  They are not wheat, they don't taste like wheat, they don't feel like wheat.  They never will.  And that's okay.  Actually, that is the point.

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Chocolate Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies - based on a recipe from Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free by Karen Morgan

Ingredients
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder UNSWEETENED
1 1/4 cups sorghum flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon guar gum
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Instructions
Combine all dry ingredients including the sugar and blend using a whisk, a mixer on low, or your fingers until well blended.
Add the butter and, using a hand mixer, mix on low until evenly distributed.  Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix on medium until creamy, light, and fluffy.  Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly mixed in, then follow with the coconut.
COVER AND REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS OR UP TO TWO DAYS BEFORE USING.
This batter also freezes well.

Once your batter is chilled and set:
Preheat the oven to 325.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Use an ice cream scoop or two spoons to put dollops of dough on your prepared sheets.  Flatten them slightly if you like traditional-looking cookies.  Leave them in mounds if you like the dropped-dough look/feel better.
Cookies will take 13-18 minutes.
Rotate the pans after about 7 minutes, then begin checking after 13 minutes.  If you like softer cookies, take them out sooner.  If you like them a little more solid, leave 'em in.  The bottoms should at least have a slight golden-brown tinge to them.

Once they're done to your liking, enjoy!

Caveat:  these cookies will never get completely crispy no matter how long you leave them in.  They just get too hard to eat.  If you like a really crispy cookie....well, I'm workin' on it!

-S