I was happy to see that there is another gluten free food pantry initiative getting started in the United States. In addition to the Greater New Haven Celiac Group’s local initiative, there is another program gaining momentum in the state of Colorado. Dee Valdez has started a GF food pantry initiative at Loveland’s House of Neighborly Service in Loveland, Colorado.
You can read the full article, Gluten-Free Food Banks – Please Help , and you can contact Dee Valdez directly if you are a manufacturer and you would like to get involved.
The ideal way to contact Dee is through her blog www.GlutenFreeDee.com. Next best is with a call or text message (970-308-1062) letting her know you sent an email (GlutenFreeDee@Gmail.com). She also likes Twitter direct messages for all you peeps that send tweets! Her username on Twitter is GlutenFreeDee.
If you have not been to Bertucci’s since you became gluten-free, you are not alone. I too have not eaten in Bertucci’s in quite a while. There’s good news though! Bertucci’s now has a gluten-free menu and they have collaborated with the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America to train staff and develop this special menu.
I have yet to visit Bertucci’s, but I would love to hear from readers if you have already given the menu a try. I know that our experience dining out is about more than just the menu. It’s about feeling that the waitstaff is well informed and that your food has been prepared in a designated area that is not in contact with the glutinous items in the kitchen. So, when you provide feedback here, please tell us about the overall experience. For example, Pizzeria Uno has a protocol where the manager always serves the gluten-free items to customers. The manager comes back to check on the customer to make sure everything is in order. I hope they still follow this protocol, and I hope that Bertucci’s also has a similar process for serving gluten-free diners.
Italians are now moving to the rhythm of Celiac Rock thanks to Alessandro Palazzo, an Italian from the city of Modena, Italy. Palazzo, a celiac himself, has composed a song in Italian to create more awareness about celiac disease in Italy.
I happen to stumble upon Celiac Rock as I perused a celiac group discussion board on Facebook. I was so impressed and moved by Alessandro’s music and enthusiasm, that I contacted him and asked if I could publish the lyrics of his song on my blog.
Music has long been a vehicle to educate the public and create awareness about issues that impact our society. Palazzo has utilized his musical skill to get the word out about celiac disease in a country where there is no shortage of glutinous dishes being served.
As a North American who recently just returned from Italy, my impression was that Italy is much further ahead of the United States with regards to celiac disease awareness and education. I joked with my Italian friends that Italy seemed to be like a paradise compared to the United States. I am certain that celiacs living Italy wouldn’t agree with me, but I am sure they would be surprised at the lack of awareness that exists in this country compared to their own. I hope the United States can catch up with Italy someday. We have significant work ahead of us.
Of course, being ahead of the rest of the countries doesn’t mean that Italy should rest on its laurels. Italy should continue with their campaign to educate the public and set an example for other countries that need to advocate for celiac disease research and awareness.
I congratulate Alessandro for his effort and creativity. May Celiac Rock travel throughout Italy building a stronger celiac community and heightening awareness about this disease.
Below is a translation of a few lines from the song:
“I am affected by a food intolerance,
but I already have on my boxing gloves for the struggle,
against: orzo, wheat, rye, oats
I don’t tolerate them anymore.
But how many friends I have,
and if I don’t have your love,
I will sing Celiac Rock!
But how many friends I have,
and if I don’t have your love,
I will sing Celiac Rock!
…because this song
won’t be a solution
but it will have its importance
to beat ignorance, in the end gluten,
it’s not that it’s something of substance,
it’s enough to know what it is and that’s enough.”
Greetings from Italy! In case you were wondering where I have been recently, I am on vacation in Calabria. Curinga to be exact. If you follow my other blog, Carmelo Orlando, you know that I am doing geneology research on my grandfather’s side of the family.
With this post, I would like to report that it has been very easy to eat gluten-free in Italy. It was also very easy to eat on the plane! I don’t know what other airlines are like, but Alitalia had a gluten-free meal option. I didn’t know about it until I heard the steward speaking to a passenger behind me. He was confirming that the passenger would be eating “senza glutine”. When I heard him say “senza glutine”, I flagged him down and asked if I could also have a gluten-free dinner. No problem what so ever!
Was the food good? Ehh… it was typical airplane food. The good part was that I got served before everyone else and I probably ate better than the rest.
My hats go off to Alitalia for making my flight over to Rome and very good one! Molto grazie a Alitalia!
The other day during my lunch break I was having a pity party. I knew I needed to do something to shift my negative energy, so I got in my car and I took a drive to my favorite artsy, eclectic store in the Hamden Plaza. As I strolled around the store, I came across a cookbook with a small sign that said, “Proceeds go to the Amy O’Neil Fund.” I looked a bit more closely at the sign, and I realized she had a disease I had never heard of before: Epidermolysis Bullosa. EB is a rare autoimmune disease where mild rubbing of the skin (both external and internal) causes blistering and infections. It is a disease that can require constant medical attention, depending on the severity of the case.
After I left the store that afternoon, I kept thinking about Amy and her condition. I felt ashamed for feeling sorry for myself because I know I have a relatively easy life. My digestive issues and food intolerances are nothing in comparison to what Amy lives with everyday. I also felt a bit helpless because I knew that purchasing a $15.00 cookbook wouldn’t change her life drastically, even if did help pay for some of her medical expenses.
On the way home from work that day, I stopped off at the Whitneyville Food Center to buy some groceries. As I stood in the butcher shop waiting for my meat to be packed, I saw the cookbook again. It was standing there on top of the display case with the same sign and picture of Amy.
It’s a day later and I am still thinking about why I saw that book two times in one day, especially on a day when I wasn’t in the best of moods. Tonight I decided to do some searching online for Amy and I discovered that we live in the same town. She has a website and a place where you can buy the cookbook and make a donation to help her with medical expenses. There is also a video you can watch to learn more about Amy and her condition in her own words.
I encourage you to visit this website to learn more about Amy and her condition, Epidermolysis Bullosa. There are a number of ways you can help Amy too. You can buy a cookbook, make a donation, or attend a fundraiser in late October here in Connecticut. You can even enter a contest to design the CD cover for a CD that is being produced for the Amy O’Neil Fund.
The Greater New Haven Celiac Group has officially launched its new website. You can now visit the site to learn about upcoming events, membership, the gluten-free diet, as well as diagnosis for celiac disease. There is also a Contact section, should you want to contact one of the members of the Greater New Haven Celiac Group.
Don’t forget to save the website address in your bookmarks so that you can return with ease to read about updates and gluten-free/celiac events taking place in the Greater New Haven area.
September 13th is National Celiac Awareness Day and Burton’s Grill is extending special invitation to gluten-free diners to celebrate the day at one of their five New England locations.
If you haven’t been to a Burton’s Grill yet, this may be the perfect day to check out their extensive gluten-free menu. Check out my previous review from back in December 2008 when I dined at Burton’s for the first time at their Hingham, MA location.
I must put in a good word for the fried calamari…They were absolutely outstanding!
And the South Windsor location has found a good solution for the burger bun: Kinnikinnick’s.
I love the weekend because it gives me the excuse to deviate from my typical weekday breakfast. This Sunday morning was no exception. I woke up late, I was sipping my café con leche with the sun beaming through my living room windows, and I felt my stomach telling me it was time for something good to eat.
I assessed the ingredients I had in the kitchen, and Dee’s Oatmeal Bread (Dee’s One Smart Cookie) was at the top of the list. I thought about how I could dress up this highly nutritious bread made with oats, sunflowers, and garfava flour. It occurred to me that it has been quite some time since I have prepared Spanish Tomato Bread, or as it’s known in Spanish, “Pan con Tomate.”
Pan con Tomate is normally prepared with a good, white crusty baguette or batard type bread. As we all know, it’s hard to come by a true gluten-free baguette. Many gluten-free breads tend to crumble in my hands. Dee’s Oatmeal Bread is a sturdy bread, however, and I suspected that it would be able to stand up to the preparation process for Pan con Tomate. So, putting aside the fact that I was not eating a typical Spanish, “barra de pan”, I decided to launch ahead and prepare a breakfast that I used to eat regularly when I lived in Granada, Spain back in the early 1990s.
Pan con Tomate is one of the easiest dishes to prepare. As long as you have two slices of good sturdy bread, a toaster, a clove of garlic, a juicy ripe tomato, olive oil and salt, you have got yourself the ingredients for Pan con Tomate.
Preparation
Toast the bread.
Peel the garlic and rub it over the toasted bread.
Cut the tomato in half and rub that over the bread making sure to squeeze out all the juices.
Drizzle with a generous dose of olive oil.
Sprinkle with a generous dose of kosher salt.
Enjoy!
Eating Pan con Tomate has opened up a box of memories for me this morning. I used to enjoy eating this breakfast on the Calle San Jéronimo in Granada right before I would go to teach my English classes. I tried to google the exact cafeteria I used to frequent, but I couldn’t find it. Nonetheless, I did dig up a few resources you might want to explore to get a sense of this beautiful city where I was so blessed to live for one year of my life.
One of a few videos I found on the city of Granada. The colors in the video just don’t do the city justice. You have to go there to see it for yourself!
In case you were wondering about the words on the ceramics in the picture above, they translate as:
“Give to the beggar, lady (wife), there is nothing more painful than being blind in the city of Granada.”
This coming Monday, August 31st at 8:30pm ET, Shelley Case, author of The Gluten-Free Diet, will deliver a ninety-minute teleseminar (a discussion conducted by telephone) sponsored by Riceworks and GlutenFreeSnacksForMe. This free event will give participants the opportunity to consult with one of the leading authorities in North America on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.
Shelley Case is soliciting questions from participants before this event. To register and submit your question for the event, click here.
This event will be moderated by Tricia Brown of Riceworks.
Blueberry Martinis with Cold River Blueberry Vodka
Blueberries took center stage at Max’s Tavern’s first gluten-free dinner event held on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009. This favorite summertime fruit found its way into both the featured martinis as well as the decadent dessert that topped off the evening’s superb five-course meal.
During the cocktail hour, attendees indulged in gluten-free martinis made with Cold River Blueberry Vodka from the state of Maine. Cold River Vodka, a 100% Maine potato vodka rated 1# in the world by The Wine Enthusiast, is produced at Maine Distilleries, LLC, in Freeport. Described by The Spirit Journal and WineEnthusiast Magazine as having an “enticing bouquet”, this vodka has a slight sweetness and a smoother finish than other grain-based vodkas. Shaken up with ice and some blueberry juice, the martinis at this event gave off a wonderful aroma that filled the room throughout the evening.
We adorned our martinis with fresh blueberries from Randall’s Farm & Greenhouse located in Ludlow, Massachusetts. In addition to their fresh produce selection, Randall’s boasts an impressive gluten-free section in their grocery store. I spoke at length to owner, Karen Randall, about the gluten-free offerings in her family-owned business, and I was thrilled to learn that she holds periodic celiac support events at the farm. Randall’s Farm & Greenhouse has become a great resource for the Greater Springfield celiac community because they are well stocked, well informed, and they care about their customers.
Beltane’s Farm Peach Cobbler with Cold River Vodka Blueberry Sauce and Pear Semifreddo
And what can I say about the five course meal that was carefully planned and prepared by Executive Chef Puka? The Chef cleverly combined fresh local ingredients with some less known additions like black garlic, King Trumpet mushrooms, and Skate Wing. Favorites for me at the event included the Asparagus “fettuccini”, Pan Seared Skate Wing with Asian Pear Risotto, and Beltane’s Farm Peach Cobbler prepared with Cold River Vodka Blueberry Sauce and Pear Semifreddo.
Max’s first gluten-free dining event was a great success not only because of the outstanding food and drink that was served, but also because it brought together celiac families and friends for a special evening out on the town. We all felt very grateful that such a beautiful event with artistically prepared food was inclusive of our dietary needs.
Thank you to Max’s Tavern for taking the lead with gluten-free dining in Western Massachusetts. We hope there will be more events like this one in the near future!
