A Gluten Free Guide

Happy Mother’s Day

My mom is not a foodie, but during my call to wish her a happy Mother’s day, for once she started talking about food:

“I’m throwing away a green lemon, not because it’s not ripe, because it’s moldy. We’ve got to get the science experiments out of the fridge. One shelf at a time…the yogurt said December 21st, I figure it is time to get rid of it.”

I asked her permission to share that on my blog and she said “Of course, you can use it as an example of how far you’ve come and that liking to cook is not genetic.”

The fact that food is of so little importance to my Mom means we find other topics of conversation. But what’s really remarkable is the effort she puts forth to make sure I am comfortable and can eat completely gluten-free whenever I go home. They even stop eating gluten for the most part when I am there. I told them as long as flour isn’t flying in the air, we could keep the gluten from contaminating me, but she and Victor don’t want me to feel deprived when I am visiting. I am able to cook as easily in their kitchen as I do in my own.

I am lucky to have such an incredible Mom and wish I could be there with her today. All of my love and thoughts are with her on this special day. I hope you are able to celebrate Mother’s Day with your loved ones.

A Gluten-Free Guide Visits Chicago

Cupcakes make people happy. A simple mantra, but absolutely true. One of the items I really struggled to recreate after going gluten-free was the gluten-free cupcake. Luckily after many attempts, I finally reached a solution – hence my call to celebrate love with a gluten-free cupcake. While it’s not always feasible to make your own cupcakes, fortunate people in Chicago can get many types of gluten-free cupcakes with a visit to Swirlz. While Swirlz is not an exclusively gluten-free bakery, the owner herself actually has Celiac so extra care and attention is given to keeping the gluten-free cupcakes truly free of cross-contamination.

Swirlz is just one of the many gluten-free options I was able to sample during a trip to Chicago. After an unremarkable diner at the W hotel, I ate well the rest of my time there. Lou Malnati’s pizzeria has developed a completely gluten-free pizza. Rather than use a crust of gluten-free flours, they use Sausage as the base. Which works out well for anyone on a low-carb diet as well. The staff at Lou Malnati’s is trained on how to prevent cross-contamination, using separate pans and even using separate tongs when removing the gluten-free pizzas from their ovens.

My favorite meal of the trip however was a dinner with LeaAnn at Naha, a fusion restaurant with California influences. I discovered it when looking for chef’s in Chicago who were James Beard Award recipients.

We started with a salad featuring Spanish ham, garroxta cheese and white anchovies.

The scallops scented with vanilla bean, citrus and spices were a surprising delight.

My favorite small plate was a coddled egg chorizo salad. Such an incredible combination of textures and flavors.

For a main we split a monkfish loin with Maryland crab and caramelized fennel. The sauce and spices were subtle and close to perfection for my palate.

LeaAnn and I struggled to decide between a cheese plate and a sorbet and ice cream sampler so we elected to get both. We always get the Robiola during our trips to Ecco, so that was just one of 8 cheeses we enjoyed at Naha (with some passionfruit curd I requested as an additional pairing.)

The Coconut sorbet and Macadamia Nut and Hazlenut ice creams were served atop balsamic cherries. We did not regret our decision to indulge in cheese and dessert.

So if the latest season of Top Chef has you itching for a trip to Chicago, rest assured that the city will welcome you with open arms and numerous gluten-free options.

For those of you already in Chicago, Bistro 110 launched an allergy-friendly dinner series this year. The Sans-Gluten Dinner is on May 12, 2008 and will include dough-less quiche lorraine and gluten-free tagliatelle pasta with a ragout of mussel, clam, shrimp and tarragon. The first int he series was a nut-free dinner and after the gluten-free dinner it will continue with dairy-free and shellfish-free options. The Chef’s children have allergies so your needs will be well attended-to.

I’m sure there are other fantastic gluten-free finds I didn’t have a chance to visit. Where are the other hidden gluten-free gems in Chicago?

Bistro 110
110 E Pearson St
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312-266-3110

Lou Malnati’s – multiple locations

Naha
500 North Clark street
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: 312-321-6242

Swirlz
705 W. Belden Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 877-794-7594

Two Gluten-Free Restaurant Extremes - The Café at Country and Back 40

Two recent dates led me to two new restaurants. While the food was great at both and everything was gluten-free, they exhibited opposite extremes of service and ambiance available in the NY dining scene.

Dinner at Back 40, the more casual East Village sister to Savoy Restaurant in Soho, was such a refreshing gluten-free dining experience. I presented my Triumph dining card, the server consulted with the chef and we were able to enjoy a perfect meal, including a shaved fennel salad, two types of grilled fish, one with a cilantro salsa verde and a second garnished with fresh grilled ramps. Sides included sauteed rapini with garlic, mushrooms with thyme and shallots, and a third side of cheesy potato goodness. Three different servers assisted us, all with grace and ease. At the end of the meal, one of the servers even thanked me for bringing in the dining card because it was so helpful to the chef in creating a ’safe’ and delicious meal.

The service at Back 40 was in stark contrast to a recent dinner I had a Michelin-starred restaurant. I had to work with multiple servers to explain what I needed and my Triumph dining card was lost, with no offer to make up for their error. When my date suggested The Café at Country, a fine dining establishment in the more sterile Midtown East neighborhood I was excited to experience another Michelin-starred dinner. The food was fantastic, but the service did not live up to their reputation or their prices ($18-20 for one glass of wine??) Sizzling shrimp scampi with lemon brulee, a subtle fresh seared fish preparation and rich potato puree were all gluten-free. I savored every last bite, clearing my plate (also ignoring the antiquated advice I was given as a girl about how to behave on a date). I wouldn’t go back on a busy weekend night but on a slower weekday, the food and numerous gluten-free options make it worth revisiting.

Back 40

190 Avenue B, At 12th St, NY, NY 10009

Phone: 212-388-1990

The Cafe at Country

90 Madison Ave, at 29th St, NY, NY 10016

Phone:  212-889-7100

Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese in NYC

A few weeks ago I received an email from Sarita, the owner of S’mac, a restaurant in Manhattan’s East Village. She wanted to let me know that they were now offering a gluten-free version of all of the Macaroni and Cheese on their menu. It’s always exciting to hear about a new gluten-free menu/restaurant option, but I tempered my hopes until I could confirm a few things. I looked at the gluten-free info on their Web site and then asked Sarita how they were preventing cross-contamination. I also wanted to make sure that the cornflake crumbs they were using were indeed gluten-free.

Sarita alleviated my concerns: “We have limited the possibilities of cross-contamination as much as possible right now — the only products that we now serve in the restaurant that contain gluten are the “regular” elbow macaroni and whole-grain elbow macaroni, as well as cookies and brownies. The two pastas are cooked in separate pots than the gluten-free pasta.

As far as the cornflake crumbs go, it did take some work to find genuine GF cornflake crumbs (in bulk quantities) but here is the brand we are using.”

Sarita is even working with the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program to become a participating restaurant. I followed the positive reviews on the NY Gluten-Free Meetup Board and The CeliacChicks coverage of S’mac and finally made a trip to try their gluten-free wares yesterday afternoon.

I ordered a gluten-free Cheeseburger S’mac and a gluten-free Parisienne S’mac. While I love a good cheeseburger, I really enjoyed the flavors of the Parisienne – a great combination of sweet and savory – rosemary, brie, roasted mushrooms and figs. It absolutely lives up to their promise of addiction.

The gluten-free versions are so good, it was difficult for me to believe that they hadn’t made a mistake with my order. I even double-checked my receipt to make sure they both were designated as “gluten-free.” I wish I lived close enough to get S’mac delivered to my apt though I’m sure my waistline appreciates the fact that I don’t….

S’mac – Sarita’s Macaroni & Cheese
Address: 345 East 12th Street, NY, NY 10003
Phone: 212-358-7912

More Mainstream Gluten-Free News

Gluten-free was an unfamiliar term for most people when I was diagnosed three and a half years ago. Now more and more restaurants and mainstream gluten-free products are addressing the huge market for gluten-free foods. Even big recipe sites are setting up special gluten-free content areas and tagging recipes that are gluten-free. Let’s keep supporting those addressing our needs. So even if you can’t afford to buy all of the gluten-free products out there – you can support the web sites just by clicking through, exploring their recipes and letting them know what other types of recipes you would like them to develop. If you have a blog, link to the sites and let your readers know about it.

Check out these pieces on “Going Gluten-Free” at MyRecipes.com and “Living without Gluten” on Epicurious.com

Sure there are lots of great gluten-free recipes on the plethora of gluten-free blogs, some even better than the complicated recipes on Epicurious (8 types of flours???), but the more mainstream coverage we get, the more mainstream products and options we will have!

Where else have you seen surprising mainstream gluten-free options?

Gluten-Free Steak at Porterhouse

Three years ago, when explaining to my brother what Celiac disease was. He immediately asked “Can you still have steak?” when I answered in the affirmative he breathed a sigh of relief and said “Oh, well then it’s not THAT bad.” My Mom on the other hand, who lives on baked goods might struggle more with the diet. Clearly my brother would just use it as an excuse to enjoy expensive cuts of meet more often.

I am taking a wine class right now. All of the discussion of what to drink with what you eat has me frequently longing for a nice steak to go with the full bodied reds like the Brunello di Montalcino or Vino Nobile di Moltepulciano we had last night. While we don’t get to eat during class, luckily in New York there are plenty of options for satisfying my steak house cravings.

When eating at a steak house, ask the waiter to prepare your dish on a clean portion of the grill with no contaminated sauces. Because the sides are usually prepared individually and shared as a group ideally your dining companions will split some of the gluten-free options with you – or you can always employ my tactic and use it as an excuse to keep all of the asparagus to yourself.

Allergic Girl Sloane and CeliacChick Kelly and I had a great gluten-free lunch at Porterhouse Steak House in the Time Warner Center. Sloane made arrangements in advance with Chef Michael Lomonaco who assured her they understand how important a subject special dietary needs are, especially where the health and well-being of diners are concerned. When we arrived, we found the staff to be well educated on gluten-free and allergy concerns. With three different sets of dietary restrictions, we were all able to enjoy full and delicious meals.

While the dinner and a la carte prices will never qualify for ‘Cheap Eats’ designation, the prix fixe lunch is a steal in Manhattan at less than $30 for three courses. I selected the roasted beet and Humboldt fog salad to start, followed by a hangar steak with a green peppercorn sauce and a side of steamed spinach. My dessert was a full dish of fresh berries. With such top quality ingredients, I would struggle to make this for a similar cost at home!

While the sorbet Kelly ordered was initially served with a cookie, they apologized profusely and immediately brought out a new, uncontaminated dish. (This happened during our gluten-free dinner with Mario Batali as well.) Even with a careful and aware server, you as the gluten-free diner need to be vigilant in checking to make sure they understand the full extent of your gluten-free needs.

I need to revisit Porterhouse to put my new wine knowledge to good use. For those of you not lucky enough to live in NYC, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse has a reputation for having allergy aware staff and many gluten-free options.

Porter House New York
Address: 10 Columbus Circle, 4th fl, New York 10019
At 60th St
Phone: 212-823-9500

Where have you had a great gluten-free steak lunch or dinner?

Gluten-Free Blue Cheese and Pear Salad Recipe

I found one of the most difficult things when I was first diagnosed with Celiac disease was sorting through the various sources of information to determine the veracity of each. I quickly discovered that the resources I was initially given were out of date, questioning the status of items that are indeed gluten-free. While it has long been established that distillation removes gluten from most vinegars and alcohols, there remains some debate about the presence of gluten in blue cheese. Some blue cheeses are started on a bread mold, but most are not. While the question remains open about whether or not any gluten remains from the bread mold, there are plenty of options available to satisfy your gluten-free blue cheese cravings.

After my gluten-free trip to Paris, I put my obsession with cheese and all things French to work in the kitchen with this gluten-free blue cheese and pear salad. If you have never made your own dressing for a salad, I highly recommend giving it a try. It’s surprisingly simple, and the results are far superior to any store bought salad dressings. I used pecans in this recipe because my dinner guest preferred them over walnuts, but either work beautifully. Just toast them in the oven for 8 minutes at 325 degrees to heighten their flavor – it’s worth the extra effort.

I served this salad as a starter for a dinner with my Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin and Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

Gluten-Free Blue Cheese and Pear Salad Recipe (adapted from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten)

4-6 heads of endive
1 1/2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 ripe pears, halved, cored, and sliced (I used Bosc but Bartlett would work well also)
1/4 pound good gluten-free blue cheese
1/2 cup toasted pecan halves

Trim off the core end of each head of endive and slice it in half lengthwise. Cut out the cores, separate the leaves, and place 1 1/2 to 2 heads of endive on each plate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, egg yolk, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Toss the pears with half of the vinaigrette and place on the endive. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the endive leaves to moisten them. Crumble the gluten-free blue cheese onto the endive. Sprinkle with toasted pecans and serve.

To read more:
Cassandra at Delightfully Gluten-Free debunks some of the long-standing gluten-free myths.
Allison at Surefoods Living did a great analysis of gluten-free blue cheese options.

If you are gluten-free, what has your experience been with blue cheese?

Gluten-Free Rice Chex!

When I was growing up, Rice Chex was the cereal of choice at our house. I can remember lying on the couch, reading a book and snacking on big handfuls of the cereal instead of chips. When I was first diagnosed with Celiac disease, I was shocked to find out how many products that seemed like they should be gluten-free had one pesky ingredient that kept them off the safe list. RICE Chex and RICE Krispy Cereals were prime examples. Well pretty soon, Rice Chex will be safe to eat. I haven’t been able to find it at a store yet but the new formulation is gluten-free. General Mills even has “GLUTEN-FREE” written in big bold letters on the front of the box. So now rather than going to a special health food store or Whole Foods for my gluten-free cereal, I am going to be able to buy regular Rice Chex at the corner market. It’s some of the most exciting gluten-free news I have heard in a long time.

Gluten- Free Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Technically it’s spring out, but this weekend was cold and blustery. Winter is still in full effect in Manhattan. So before welcoming all of the delights of spring produce, I want to share an easy recipe for those last sweet potatoes you may have in your fridge.

I didn’t grow up in a sweet potato family – it was always regular mashed potatoes for us. Since moving to NY, I have enjoyed sweet and savory preparations. I recently made a birthday dinner featuring this pork tenderloin recipe, and wanted to highlight the flavors of the spice rub with a mashed sweet potato. I looked at The Barefoot Contessa’s recipe – but it seemed like too much work for an already labor intensive meal (lots of other dishes - the tenderloin is really quite easy).

So instead, I adapted a technique suggested by America’s Test Kitchen. The key to letting the sweet potatoes maintain their rich flavor is to braise rather than boil them. It was so easy – yet surprisingly the favorite dish of the night!

Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe

3 pounds sweet potatoes (3-4 depending on size)
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Peel the sweet potatoes, quarter and slice into pieces 1/3 of an inch thick, keeping the pieces as uniform in size as possible.

Combine the sweet potatoes, butter, and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Cover and stir occasionally. After 20 minutes add the sugar, nutmeg and a dash of salt and pepper. Keep cooking and stirring occasionally until the potatoes start to fall apart. Remove the pan from the heat, mash with a fork or a potato masher. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

I used a trio of sweet potatoes to add more color and texture, but work with whatever you have available. These will be replacing regular mashed potatoes for me, though the question remains as to whether or not I will be able to convince my family.

If you are looking for a more savory preparation - try these baked Cilantro Sweet Potato Fries.

A Gluten-Free Celebration Dinner at Mas (farmhouse)

It’s a time of transition for me – a new site design, a new job, and I make my TV debut this week! While these aren’t as life changing as Shauna’s big announcement (congrats!), it provides a great opportunity to reminisce, to appreciate family and friends and to make plans for the future. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate. I asked a fellow food lover, Vanessa of Food Matters, if she would recommend any particular restaurants. I wanted a place with a great ambiance, spectacular food, and no worries about gluten. She suggested a few different places. I kept changing my mind and my plans – Gramercy Tavern, no - JoJo’s, no – let’s try Shorty’s .32, etc. My celebratory partner, David, joked that he couldn’t follow nor anticipate my mercurial gustatory desires.

At the last minute a reservation opened up at Mas (farmhouse). Now I was truly thrilled as both Vanessa and Sloane raved about their experiences at this cozy West Village restaurant. I didn’t take my camera or my notebook - no blogging about this meal - it was just meant to be an evening of pure celebration. The superb service and fabulous food forced me to alter my plans. From the moment we were seated everything was effortless. There was no need for detailed explanations of gluten or wheat; our server offered us bountiful options for the entire menu. Any necessary adjustments were gladly made. We opted for the four course tasting menu, making only a couple substitutions. We each chose different items for the courses, and since he was eating gluten-free as well, I was able to try EIGHT different courses. Now that is what I call a tasting menu! I started with a Chestnut Soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and amaranth; his starter was a Yellofin Tuna l’Occidental (minus the soy sauce) flashed with beurre noisette and crispy shallots. The soup was warm and hearty without being too heavy. The simple appearance of the tuna dish only hid a wealth of flavors unleashed with each successive bite.

The fish course was David’s highlight. Roasted Atlantic Cod with sweet onion marmalade, corn, potato and bacon “chowder” and Wild Striped Bass with Leek Fondue, celery root puree, stew of baby turnips and greens.

The fish was enjoyable but the next course plunged us into the delightful decadence that make such nights memorable. I had the Duck Breast with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts and Duck Confit with medjool date and lemon compote. They had to leave out the farro that usually accompanies the dish in order to make it gluten-free, but this slight change did not detract from the constellation of flavors the dish offered. David was not quite as giddy about the duck as I was but this should not be viewed as a complaint by him rather it reflects more the height of my personal delight. His next course was a Roasted Bison Tenderloin with squash, glazed salsify and baby beets. On this one we both agreed as to the superb combination of flavors and textures.

For dessert there were only a few gluten-free options – a white chocolate mousse, a flourless chocolate cake (minus the cookie) with a gf hazelnut tuile, assorted sorbets, or a cheese plate. Dessert wasn’t why we went to Mas (farmhouse) though the cheese and the hazelnut tuile sent us off with most pleasant sensations.

Sometimes in a restaurant of such elegance and quality you might experience pretension — not so here — the entire night was pure pleasure and enjoyment. Kings and Queens can only hope to match our experience. To savor a delicious meal while wrapped in such a warm ambiance without any worries about gluten is truly a life pleasure. I highly recommend a visit to Mas (farmhouse) for your next celebration.

Mas (farmhouse)
Address: 39 Downing St, NY, NY 10014
At Bedford St
Phone: 212-255-1790