After interrupting my Chicago write-ups to relate the magical tale of my El Bulli experience, we return to our Midwest eating adventure with the main course – Alinea. Currently ranked the top restaurant in the United States by Restaurant Magazine, Alinea had some high expectations to live up to. Did it? Yes and No.

In ‘preparation’ for our trip to Chicago, I read “Life, on the Line” by Alinea’s Chef Grant Achatz and his business partner Nick Kokonas. A recommended read that grabs your interest, maintains it throughout and concomitantly creates great expectations about eating at Alinea.

With this history, I entered Alinea, ready to be awed. Well, the food and creativity of the dishes matched the hype, unfortunately the service and ambiance crashed and burned. It was a sweltering hot summer day and the room where we were seated was quite warm even though air conditioning is generally available in Chicago. Because men are required to wear a suit jacket, my friend was sweating throughout the entire meal. His jacket served as a portable sauna in Alinea.

You might ask – well, why didn’t he just take it off? He would have loved to, but when he inquired about removing it, he was told that Alinea preferred he leave it on. They like hot customers apparently.  A couple of the servers were actively condescending, leaving one with the feeling that we were a nuisance to them. Only one Alinea employee possessed the enthusiasm for food and attentive service we so enjoyed at Grant Achatz’s Next Restaurant and The Aviary Cocktail Bar.

On a more positive note, there was the food. Good photos eluded me owing to the interior lighting, so I will paint a word picture of the visually delectable English Peas trifecta. A three level serving plate launched with a warm preparation of peas, transitioning to a room temperature meringue with a cold sorbet and apples as the finale. The variance in texture, flavor and temperature garnered it the award for most memorable dish and the one I continue to yearn for.

The artistic creativity of the food lingers in one’s mind as a continuing reminder of the artist’s touch. My first experience with scissors as a utensil, and cutting the greens for my own garden salad was novel, fun and exciting.

Later in the meal we used pasta (or rice paper) flags to create our own short rib ravioli.

One dish made our eyes and mouth dance a jig of joy as its richness and decadence generated visual and sensory fireworks. “Hot Potato, Cold Potato” was its name – just imagine pure deliciousness served with black truffle and butter.

The first iteration of Next Restaurant focused on Paris, 1906. While we didn’t get to experience that menu, they served a course from the cookbook that inspired the menu at Next. A small piece of lamb with asparagus, potato (and a piece of gluten-free toast for me), certainly made early 20th century cuisine appealing.

We were transported to the turn of the century and it wasn’t even midnight, though we were hardly dressed for the occasion. (Apologies to fans of Midnight in Paris)

The black truffle explosion, one of the most famous and long standing courses on the constantly changing menu, truly was a bite of remarkable flavor.

Wild mushrooms with pine, sumac and ramps – yes, please. But I was even more impressed with this course a week after eating it when I started processing the photos. Look at how similar it looks to our chocolate dessert course.

Our palate cleanser was a “Yuzu Snow Cone.” We were warned to only use our spoon, as a brush against our tongue could result in something reminiscent of A Christmas Story. (though of course we had to try it…)

Our sweet courses started with a strawberry, jasmine, basil, balsamic, burrata, and almond marshmallow dessert. That was just for starters!

The second sweet course was the fanciest and most scrumptious jello ever to cross my lips. Lemongrass, dragonfruit, cilantro and cucumber were all suspended in a test tube like container adding to the sense of experiment .

The final course was the chocolate plate which included pickled blueberry, honey, peanuts and crème brulee! Ahh, sweet memories.

Chicago proved to be a city of culinary wonder and it certainly is on our list for future explorations.

Touted as the world’s best restaurant, El Bulli, located in Roses, Spain, shuttered its doors on Sunday. It was indisputably, the toughest reservation to obtain at any restaurant, with over a million requests for tables each year. International renown surrounding El Bulli is such that even the media coverage on it is getting media coverage – see the mocking and derision from the NYTimes, The UK Guardian, and from Salon.com.

Well, I’m afraid I am going to add to the plethora of blog coverage and write ups.

Why write about a shuttered restaurant? It’s about recollections of a dining experience so extraordinary as to be dreamlike in character. Yet, it was real and this is my personal journal entry about one of the most magical dining experience of my life.

My fellow food adventurer, Gareth and I decided to plan a trip to Spain last year – this meant targeting restaurants as a central planning component. We talked (err, IM’d) about El Bulli, though neither of us entertained serious expectations of actually dining there. But we are dreamers, so we entered the reservation lottery (for the third year in a row), but our trip planning proceeded.  Traveling during American Thanksgiving we made reservations to visit wineries and restaurants in Penedes, south of Barcelona, and up in Girona, north of Barcelona.

Our travel plans incorporated two free days to insure the ability to give us some flexibility in our final itinerary.  Before departure, our respective email inboxes registered with emails from El Bulli confirming that we were in the majority of those who would NOT be granted mythical dining experience. To soften the rejection, the El Bulli email informed us that we could check back in the event of any cancellations they might get, closer to the date. As the month approached, we both sent requests for reservations in the event of cancellations and “Senor No” (as the reservationist is called)  informed us in the nicest possible way that we were not to be among the lucky few.  I even asked my father, who speaks Spanish fluently, to send an email on our behalf requesting a reservation, thinking that perhaps a letter from a Spanish speaking father in California on behalf of a food-loving daughter in New York, planning a trip to Spain would be the trick. Nope, that ploy didn’t work either. Though it was a very nice email, thanks for trying, Dad.

Disappointed that El Bulli was not part of our itinerary, we maintained much excitement about the variety of plans we did have for our trip to Spain that week in November, and the amount of Spanish jamon we planned on eating.  Our general enthusiasm hit a little snag when we checked into our less than desirable hotel in Penedes. We usually look for deals on hotels to conserve money for food, but this was bad even for us – our room over looked a trash heap and there were stains on our sheets and towels ewww.  We decided to leave after only one night and head to Girona a day early.

The wineries offered very appealing tours and general excitement and appreciative manner resulted in the owner of one of the wineries giving us a private tour. This was totally cool, fascinating and unexpectedly fortuitous!

Our new best friend was chatting with us about various restaurants when we shared our “losing attempts” to snare a seat at El Bulli. A devilish smile alighted on our friend’s face as he suggested that he would share with us an email of his friend who is well-connected at El Bulli. Incredulous, we scooped up the email. The next day, our new contact not only got us a seating at El Bulli, but he even apologized that he could only get us into lunch! To add to this amazing turn of events, he asked if we had any allergies, which was music to my gluten-free ears.

At the appointed hour, we arrived at the restaurant and Gareth forced me to take a photo in front of the El Bulli sign, which I initially resisted, but now I thank Gareth for his foresight. We were not alone, and soon a line began to form behind us of people ready for their own photo op. As we crossed the threshold into this oft-dreamed-of food heaven, the maitre d’ greeted us and immediately sent us on a tour of the most impressive kitchen I have ever seen.

Then we were afforded the ultimate photo op as the maitre d’ introduced us to Chef Ferran Adria himself. Life can be wonderful.

We were then seated at our table, giggling with awe that we were actually there. We quickly regained our composure as the server approached and immediately showered us with a level of service and attentiveness that escapes my ability to describe in words. Sometimes hype is just that – hype, and reality can never match the unrealistic expectations generated by the hype.

At El Bulli, Gareth and I both found the atmosphere and exquisite experience of this culinary palace unmatchable. So what about the food? What did we actually eat?

They started service with three cocktails. A frozen strawberry bellini:

Then a warm capi-mojito:

Followed by an almond-fizz with amarena-LYO:

The cocktails were followed by an individual grapefruit and seaweed “ravioli”

It was then we were served the dish I most wish I could experience again. A frozen gorgonzola cheese dome, topped with fresh nutmeg. The way the dome quickly transformed from cold and solid to warm and melting in our hands and on our tongues with layers of flavor coating our mouths, I would fly back to Spain just for that.

This was followed with a completely different texture, in the form of an olive oil crisp:

And a sweeter bite of hazelnut raspberries:

Back to olive oil with a “bread stick” (made without a speck of flour):

Then a coconut sponge:

I was given beetroot and yogurt “profiteroles” (a type of meringue):

While Gareth was served a gluten-ous shrimp tortilla:

We both received the ham and ginger canapes:

And one of Gareth’s favorites, soy matches with yuzu and miso (the flavor in the matches so concentrated in such a small delivery device)

The only bite that fell flat for us, boiled shrimp, really that’s all it was, a boiled shrimp:

Quails with carrot escabeche (we considered this our Thanksgiving “turkey”):

And pumpkin “sea urchin” to round out the Thanksgiving offerings:

The texture and flavor of the soy tiramisu inspires a sense memory so vivid, I can almost experience the mouthfeel when I think about it today:

Then came a dish of caviar cream and hazelnut caviar – sweet, savory, smooth and briny:

The cheese blini that accompanied Gareth’s “truffle drap” were one of two times during the evening, I was thoroughly envious of his ability to conquer gluten:

While the truffles were delicious, the tomato carpaccio that came with mine, didn’t exactly seem on par with blini oozing with melting cheese:

Luckily I was distracted by the parmesan porra – a spongey, cheese-flavored dish that looked like a meringue but tasted far from it. The expression on Gareth’s face will tell you more than I could possibly explain with words:

Cold sea anemone with bernacles (I ate them and am still unsure what they are):

The sea anemones were then heated for a scallop with anemone risotto:

Oysters Gillardeau with black sand and bone marrow – this may be the closest to “food porn” we’ll get here…

My envy was green once again, when Gareth was served a Oaxaca taco with a side of flavors including cilantro:

And I received roses artichoke – I mean I love artichokes, but the simple artichoke petals didn’t shine compared to Gareth’s taco…

But I quickly forgot my envy as we witnessed the presentation of endive en papillote with walnuts and ’slow motion caviar’ (our waiter, coined that term, did I mention how much we loved him?)

Then a gazpacho and ajo blanco – I could eat 4 of those in a sitting if given another opportunity….

Next we received a satchel of cardamom to accompany our turtledove with blackberry risotto:

Hare bolognese with ‘blood’

(don’t worry, it wasn’t actually a glass of blood, just a sauce that bore a striking resemblance)

The hare continued with a wild strawberry and hare soup:

And with that the savory course came to a close. A final mimetic chestnut to begin our transition to a sweeter spectrum:

A sweet cube topped with a sauce of black tea and lime:

And a final palate cleanser – a frozen “pond” with brown sugar and mint

The sweets began in earnest with mini donuts, which were actually ice cream ensconced in chocolate:

Another texture shift with Catalan pine nut candies:

And finally, floating profiteroles with gin-soup, frozen raspberries and the return of the cardamom satchel:

There wasn’t a set wine pairing option at El Bulli, as the seemingly unlimited dishes defy a simple pairing. But at El Bulli, the superb wine takes a back seat to the celestial food. El Bulli’s sommelier proffered periodic recommendations for particular wines over the course of the evening. To start, Gareth selected the cava, the classic Spanish sparking wine while I sampled sherry, having already reached my cava threshold after 5 days in Spain. The sommelier assisted our selections of a bottle of white, followed by a bottle of red and two glasses of dessert wine.

At the close of the meal, an exceptionally large box of exquisite chocolates and confections was presented to us, adding yet another chapter to this incredible real-life fairy tale. Four hours of dining, yes, the experience consumed that much time, resulted in a sense of camaraderie with our server and our sommelier, who, pointing to the box of chocolates, informed us that the only time they had ever seen anyone finish the entire box was a table of SIX German men.

Gareth doesn’t speak German but he knows how to eat and I was his wingman on this chocolate trip, though he deserves the real credit for this final feat of chocolate consumption. The box of chocolates was empty when we left! Six German men were tied by Gareth and one New York girl.

I had to write about my lunch because the memory will stay with me as a reminder of the rich tapestry of life and what the world has to offer when you go for it and get a little lucky.

Here is a video from Chef Rene Redzepi, showing Chef Adria serving the last dish of the last service, bringing the era of El Bulli to an end: http://www.twitvid.com/WQMZS

Brunch is not a meal that I like to spend $$$ on or rack up calories at, but in order to make the most of our short time in Chicago last week, I made a reservation for brunch at The Publican. Famous for its beer and pork, my focus was on the food leaving to others to opine on the brew.

We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and the place was humming. While that sort of chaos at a restaurant might give me pause, our waiter put me immediately at ease. He knew the menu well and helped me navigate the gluten-free options. I had to avoid the breakfast sausage, but the hanger steak and omelette were both A-OK. (Note: the mortadella sandwich is not gluten-free, but it was such a good photo of one of my friend’s meal that I had to share it). I started with the bottomless Intelligentsia coffee as we examined the menu; it was one of the best cups of coffee I have had in recent memory.

Before the ‘real food’ arrived, our table shared two orders of the maple-glazed bacon. Yes, I am a tad obsessed with bacon, and this lived up to my high standards.

I ordered the hanger steak with cippolini onions and a cucumber salad. It was cooked perfectly and the sides were refreshing on that hot summer day.

Not content to sample just one or two items on the menu, we decided to share the creme fraiche omelette topped with caviar. This is one of those dishes I will remember for months and years to come. So decadent and delicious, it may have been enough to sway me towards future brunch outings.

The Publican
Address: 837 West Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: 312-733-9555

It’s just a few blocks away from Grant Achatz’s Next Restaurant and The Aviary cocktail lounge.

Fate continued to smile on us after our dinner at Next Restaurant, as Gareth and I went to The Aviary, the new cocktail bar from Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas. Visiting Chicago just to experience their creative cocktails would not be a bad idea. Where else might you find an “ice chef?” Peychaud’s bitters ice cubes are soft and crunchy in the Rhubarb, made with lemon balm, tonic, cocchi and gin.

A beautiful view of the kitchen at work unfolded before us in our first few minutes. They brought us two watermelon shooters as an amuse. My only prior experience with this delight was in photos so I was super excited to experience it in the flesh. Though it was a bit of a tease as there was a dash of soy sauce in the ingredients which put it off limits for me.

Gareth was there to rescue mine and insure that it was enjoyed by one immune to gluten. We spent time pouring over the menu unsure how we would make the seemingly impossible decision of actually deciding what to order. Then our server surprised us with a new shooter that they made especially for me without the soy sauce. The service that evening, at Next and The Aviary, was nonpareil. All our servers seemed as excited to be there as we were, which is especially amazing since we were on vacation and they were at work.

After the amuse, they found a space for us in the comfy lounge area. We were then finally forced to choose from the many options on the menu. We both opted for the “Tasting Menu” consisting of three different drinks – Gareth selected the Sorrell – made with raspberry and champagne, the Dark & Stormy – made with black seal rum and house-made ginger beer and served in a brown paper bag, and a Root Beer – made with vanilla, sassafrass and kirsch.  (aside: they also offer a much more extensive Chef’s Tasting Menu if you reserve in advance)

I chose the Rhubarb (after seeing the beautiful ice on a neighboring table), the Bitter – made with amaro, bonal, apple brandy and cognac, served from a smoky glass, and the Cold Chocolate – made with Ecuadorian chocolate, fernet, bourbon and ice cream ice cubes – remember, they have an “ice chef!”

Making the most of our short time in Chicago, we then directed our attention to the a la carte menu. After witnessing the creative heating of a cocktail nearby, we had to order the Rooibos, which was made with lavender, almond, vanilla and gin. Our eyes always prowling other table’s selections (a common happening at the Aviary according to Chef Craig Schoettler), we spotted the 2 in 1 – a carbonated negroni combined with a white lady and made with gin.

When we were invited down to The Office, the smaller bar downstairs, we couldn’t believe our luck. When I read about the invitation-only speakeasy before vacation, it never even crossed my mind that I could be so fortunate. The drinks are all stirred or shaken, rather than some of the more wild presentations upstairs, with cocktail and food choices that are all unique from The Aviary’s menu.

The magic of the evening continued with another incredible experience at the hands of Grant Achatz’s team. Undeterred by our earlier consumption at Next, duty compelled us to explore the food offerings while we were at The Office. Carpe diem.

Three cocktails, six oysters, an ice cream sundae for two, foie gras with black truffles and creamed morels. Carpe diem indeed.

Only the 2 a.m. closing could get us out of there. The best description of the Office I’ve seen is on Time Out Chicago’s site: “In every part of the experience – the exclusivity, the perfection, the nostalgia – lies the genius of the Office, where to spend lavish amounts of money on fleeting pleasures feels not like a sacrifice but rather a distinct privilege.”

I hope to have the opportunity to return one day soon.

Address: The Aviary, N Morgan St & W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607

Sometimes the fates conspire to create a perfect evening. Sometimes you are the beneficiary of the fates. This is the story of the fates smiling on me. Planning a trip to Chicago a few months ago, the highlight seemed to be a dinner scheduled at Alinea – only the top restaurant in the U.S.! Of course, I also got tickets to a comedy show at Second City, made some other restaurant reservations and had plans to take a couple of architecture tours, but the salivary glands were insisting that Alinea would be the star. A mere three-day trip, with plans to fit as much deliciousness into the extended weekend as our time, stomachs and budgets would allow.

Alinea’s noted Chef, Grant Achatz, recently opened a second restaurant, called “Next.” Next revises its menu and theme every three months. The first theme was Paris, 1906-Escoffier at the Ritz. The tickets sold out quickly and they couldn’t accommodate gluten-free diners, so I didn’t give it much thought after first reading about it. Though I did enjoy living vicariously through the pictures various friends and web sites posted of the menu. What I didn’t realize though was that the new Thai menu/theme for Next was gluten-free friendly and would launch the week of our Chicago trip. Ahh, the fates.

Three days before departure to Chicago, I read that tickets were going on sale for the new Tour of Thailand at Next Restaurant. (aside: tickets you ask? Yes. Check out this brilliant move by Grant Achatz and his business partner Nick Kokonas – they sell “seats” for dinner that includes tax and gratuity upfront, it eliminates a lot of the economic risks associated with running a restaurant – they have cash in hand, three months before some diners arrive) I was lucky enough to get tickets for a table for four on our first night in Chicago. My foodie travel friend, Gareth, and I would dine with my Mom and my Stepdad, Victor. I was on cloud nine, the food gods were smiling down upon us.

Now, on to the food the fates favored us with! (There was only one small item they couldn’t make gluten-free and only one substitution.) There I was, eating at Next, and enjoying the same meal as the rest of the table, a rare treat! The fates were gluten-free that night!

The meal commenced with a tray of traditional Thai “street food,” served on top of  a Thai newspaper and paired with a guava, mango, papaya juice. (aside: Next’s Tour of Thailand iteration offers fruit juice pairings that are as creative and interesting as the food and truly highlight the cuisine)

My personal favorite was the roasted banana with fried garlic, pickled shallot and cilantro blooms:

Though the sheer joy of eating of a gluten-free steamed bun with beech mushroom and green curry can’t be discounted.

Rounding out the first bites were: fermented sausage with peanut, galangal, grilled scallion; sweet shrimp with raw garlic, mint and bird chilis; and a prawn cake (the only thing I couldn’t eat) with white pepper, coriander and lime zest.

After the street food, our table was transformed for the restaurant-style Thai experience.

The next course was a hot and sour broth with pork belly, tomato and kaffir lime, paired with a chrysanthemum, lemongrass and lychee juice. The juice brought out the spiciness of the soup. And pork belly? ‘nuff said.

Not a single drop of the soup escaped our palates and then we were served rice and a set of traditional Thai “condiments” that we will use for the rest of the meal. Salted duck egg relish with green mango and white radish, a sauce made with chili, shallots and garlic, and a mixture of pickled fruits and vegetables with basil.

They left us alone to experience these flavors on their own before bringing the next course. While they are traditionally used as condiments, we savored them with just rice. Our servers brought two sets of these treats and replenished them throughout the rest of the meal.

Our first main course was wild catfish braised in caramel sauce with celery and coriander root. This was the dish I was least excited about when I saw it on the menu before dinner because I didn’t think I liked catfish and I couldn’t get my mind around caramel sauce on fish. Well, I soon discovered that catfish is delicious, at least in the hands of chefs Achatz and Beran. The caramel sauce wasn’t at all cloying and was even more delightful with the carrot, ginger and orange juice pairing. At our table, we finished every piece and were clashing spoons in an effort to grab the last drops of the sauce.

Braised beef cheek with a curry of peanut, nutmeg, coconut and lemongrass, made my Mom nervous. She is decidedly uninterested in food, an unadventurous eater, and doesn’t really understand my obsession. However, even she loved the rich final savory course. In fact, the meal overall might have converted her, though at a minimum she is more sympathetic to my food appreciation.

The hibiscus, mangosteen and thai pepper juice that accompanied the beef cheek made Gareth almost regret opting for the alcohol pairings. We all had a shooter of watermelon and lemongrass before moving to dessert.

Then a plate of coconuts arrived at our table. Huh?

It turned out to be a playful, creative and in the end functional presentation of a complex dessert. A magical mixture of coconut, corn, egg noodles, licorice and tapioca were in the bottom half of the shell. Then a serving of coconut sorbet was spooned into the top half of the shell. Our last juice pairing was a corn and pineapple juice.

The simple dessert that followed was half of a dragon fruit adorned with only a simple sweet rose water and served with an actual rose for us to sniff to enhance the flavor.

To close the meal, we were given a rooibos iced tea “to-go.” The bag and straw facilitates easy consumption in Thailand where people need a way to drink their tea while riding scooters and motor bikes.

After dinner, we were given a fascinating tour of the kitchen. We were standing next to the expediter, the person in charge of making sure every table gets each course without waiting for too long.  We were able to see our table’s ticket that documented when we received each course and noted when any of us got up from the table!  This sort of precision and attention to detail appealed especially to my math-teacher Mom.

Every person we interacted with at Next was an absolute delight. We so thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience, even my Mom asked if she could join us for another food adventure in the future!

The miracle of the evening though didn’t end at Next. Gareth and I continued on to The Aviary, the new cocktail bar from Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas. More to come…

Address: Next Restaurant, 953 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

I first heard about Taim Falafel when interviewing the lovely Tully about her (about to be launched at the time) gluten-free bakery. As much research as I do on gluten-free foods and eating, I hadn’t realized that such a gluten-free haven existed. Taim offers three types of gluten-free falafel daily and perhaps the most delicious gluten-free hummus that will ever cross your lips. (Taim is the Hebrew word for delicious)

Now add to the joy of the gluten-free falafel discovery, the excitement of hearing about a Taim mobile truck. Now even the gluten-free can participate in the food truck mania! Lucky for me, Taim mobile is near my office at lunch at least 2 times per week. Now if only the lines weren’t so long…..

Taim
Address: 222 Waverly Place, NY, NY 10014
Phone: 212-691-6101

Taim Mobile: http://www.taimmobile.com/ but confirm location on twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/TaimMobile

Traveling somewhere exotic for Thanksgiving may be my new obsession. Ok, so maybe it can’t be an obsession if it only happens once a year. But I had the chance to go to London for Thanksgiving this year and it was incredible. I know, you may be thinking, “but Catherine, you’ve done so much work getting your gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes just right. You can’t always leave – what about your family?” Well, I do love a traditional Thanksgiving but it sometimes seems silly to go all the way back to CA for one big meal when I am going to head there again in December. Though I must admit, I didn’t abandon the Holiday entirely since my friend Christos, who lives in London as an ex-pat, hosted an American-style Thanksgiving dinner to give his British friends a taste our most gluttonous day.

The UK in general is a gluten-free dream. During a trip to Scotland and now two trips to London since going gluten-free, I found everyone to be so well-educated about the gluten-free diet it made eating out simple. I had incredible meals this year at The Fat Duck and St. John but we also got gluten-free take out from Imli Indian and satisfied my curry craving again at Masala Zone.

If you are looking for a classic English High Tea – you can book a gluten-free tea service at The Ritz or The Savoy. Small tea sandwiches service on gluten-free toast and gluten-free pastries tasty enough to make your gluten-eating companions look longing at your plate.

During my first gluten-free trip to London in 2006, I went to Wagamama noodle shop. They have a gluten-free menu. Not a huge number of options, but since I wouldn’t normally expect to be able to eat at a noodle shop I wasn’t terribly disappointed.

The list of restaurants in London with gluten-free menus is constantly expanding. Though I would feel comfortable eating in many places without specific gluten-free menus because they are so much better educated about Celiac disease.  And if you are cooking for yourself, almost every grocery store, even small urban markets, has a dedicated gluten-free section with a plethora of products.

The “Genius” gluten-free bread, launched at Tesco, is getting lots of hype over there. I must say, it was as good of a pre-packaged gluten-free bread as I’ve ever tasted. Soft and chewy right out of the package – no toasting necessary. The stay-at-home mom who came up with the recipe when baking for her gluten-intolerant son is now a self-made millionaire.

I planned my trip to London as a food adventure and was not disappointed. Though, I think the raclette at Borough Market alone was enough of a reason to book a ticket.

[side note: Yes I realize it’s May and Thanksgiving is far from everyone’s mind, but it took me a little while to get this post done - I've had a new addition to the family and his name is Luca : ) ]

Starting this week, Keste Pizza & Vino will be serving gluten-free pizza every Monday and Tuesday.  The gluten-free pizzas are prepared with a special gluten-free flour mix and cooked in a separate electric oven dedicated to the gluten-free pies. Gluten-free diners will have the option of three different pies – margherita, marinara or lardo-topped mastincola.

A fellow gluten-free food and pizza aficionado went to check out their offerings yesterday and  the praise is high.  He proclaimed it to be “the best gluten-free pizza in NYC, followed by 2. Mozzarelli’s and 3. Pala.”  And this is from someone who had made it his mission to sample all of the gluten-free pizza options including Risotteria, Uno’s and Opus.

Keste Pizza & Vino

Address: 271 Bleecker St., nr. Morton St.;

Telephone: 212-243-1500

 UPDATE: Tully’s has been rebranded as Tulu’s Gluten-Free Bakery

I first heard rumors of Tully’s new line of gluten-free baked goods on twitter back in October.  I found their cute web site, with drool-worthy photos, but at the time it didn’t have much info.  Then I got an email – they wanted me to sample their wares.  They didn’t yet have distribution, but it didn’t take long for the buyers at my local health food store and even Zabar’s to get on the Tully’s bandwagon.  Then, just yesterday I got an email from a friend alerting me to the arrival of Tully’s Gluten-Free Bakery in the East Village.  Oh joy!  Finally, Manhattanites avoiding gluten can enjoy a cupcake from a charming little bakery like the rest of the sweets-obsessed New Yorkers.

While Babycakes offers a range of gluten-free treats, they don’t have a dedicated gluten-free facility so there is always a risk for cross-contamination.  Tully’s new shop though? It’s completely gluten-free!   Not since Happy Happy Happy, shuttered have we had a truly gluten-free bakery in Manhattan.

The shop is on 338 East 11th between 1st and 2nd Ave is opening in mid-January 2010. I can personally vouch to the deliciousness of their cookies, brownies and cupcakes. The oatmeal raisin cookies are so tasty, my gluten-glutton co-worker who considers himself an ‘oatmeal cookie connoisseur’ deemed them “spectacular.” The brownies are moist and chocolate-y and the memory of the frosting on the adorable mini-cupcakes is making my mouth water as I type. Those sweets plus an expanded menu of gluten-free goodness (including paninis!) will be available once the retail space opens.

Fear not you, non-NYers, you can order the brownies and cookies online for delivery across the country.

I asked Tully herself to give us all a little background on her and the gluten-free bakery.

Q&A with Chef Tully:

What inspired you to start a gluten-free bakery? When is it opening?

I had been cooking professionally for four years before I was diagnosed as gluten intolerant. I went for a while without any baked goods, which was pretty devastating, until I got back in my kitchen and began experimenting. I started with box mixes and gradually worked up the courage to try gluten-free flours. I came up with some really great recipes and wanted to share them with the rest of the GF community. It is still hard for us to find freshly baked, delicious treats, and I want to change that! I hope to open my retail location in mid-January.

Will you be expanding your menu beyond the items currently offered on your Web site?

Yes, we will be baking six different varieties of cupcakes daily in both mini and regular sizes. There will also be muffins, scones and cookies, along with a few vegan items. We will also have several different gluten-free paninis.

Is your kitchen a dedicated gluten-free facility?

Yes, we will be 100% gluten-free!

How long have you been following a gluten-free diet?

Almost a year and a half, I was diagnosed in July 2008.

What did you miss the most when you were first diagnosed?

Cupcakes and sandwiches. Thank goodness I can eat them now!

What was your first job in food?

My internship at Gramercy Tavern right after culinary school.

Gramercy Tavern is one of the top restaurants in NYC. What was your biggest takeaway?

Working at Gramercy Tavern actually made me become more excited about the idea of working in catering, where the menu changes everyday, and there is more time in advance to prepare each dish.

What was the biggest challenge when you started baking gluten-free? Biggest triumph when you finally figured it out?  

I really wanted every one of my products to taste exactly the same as gluten baked goods. Once I figured out how to make that happen, I was thrilled!

Are there any gluten-free baked goods you are still working on but haven’t been able to adapt to gluten-free yet?

I’m working on gluten-free donuts and would love to be able to make a great loaf of homemade bread. I am also testing out more vegan items to add to the menu.

How long have you lived in NYC? What are your favorite gluten-free restaurant finds in New York?

I’ve lived in New York for about four years now. The pizza at Pala in the Lower East Side is incredible. Caracas in the East Village has amazing arepas made entirely of masa (corn), and I love the falafel at Taim in the West Village.

What’s your favorite trick for eating gluten-free on the go?
I always bring a few slices of gluten-free bread when I travel or for sandwich orders at lunchtime. Mary’s Gone Crackers are a staple for cocktail parties.

What’s your favorite type of apple?

Organic Fuji

What’s your favorite cooking show?

The Barefoot Contessa and Top Chef

What’s one ingredient you can’t live without?

Cheese….any kind! And corn tortillas

What would you wish for your last meal?

An H&H onion bagel toasted with cream cheese. Oh how I miss those.

While NYers wait for the opening, you can find Tully’s gluten-free cookies and brownies at S’mac, Royale Bakery, Ground Support and more.

Tully has also generously offered a giveaway to one lucky reader – you will get the choice between a Tully’s sampler pack including brownies and both types of cookies to be shipped direct to you or a dozen mini-cupcakes if you live in the NY area and want to pick them at the bakery once it opens.

To enter, leave a comment telling us what you hope to see on Tully’s new menu by 6pm Eastern on Monday December 28th, you must live in the U.S. to be eligible. Blog or tweet about this giveaway and link to this post and you can comment twice (be sure to put @yumcat in the tweet) which will increase your chance of winning.

Happy Holidays!

I heart almonds. I heart cookies. I heart Paris. So the fact that I love the French version of macaroons should not be a surprise. I first tasted these delicate cookies when visiting my best friend in Paris more than 10 years ago. Now these are not the coconut confections that may first come to mind when hearing the word ‘macaroon’ but are sweets made with almonds that will almost melt in your mouth.

For my birthday this year, my best friend sent me a package of French macaroon cookies from a cute spot in NYC called Macaron Café. She had double checked with them that their versions of the cookies were gluten-free and had them deliver a special package to my apartment. (Yes I have wonderful friends, and I am constantly grateful for them)

This week I discovered another source for gluten-free French Macaroons a few blocks from my office at La Maison Du Chocolat. They have a little coffee shop in addition to their ‘take-home’ offerings. So yes, I can get chocolate, cappuccino and macaroons all in one place less than three minutes from my office. I can already tell this is going to be a dangerous temptation.

And since I know most of you don’t live in NYC, I also want to share a few recipes to make your own French Macaroon Cookies at home. They may not be as pretty as the ones you see here, but they are absolutely delicious with the crunchy exterior and chewy center you’ll find in the cookies at the bakeries.

Gluten-Free Macaroon Cookies Recipe FIVE ways (adapted from recipe on Delphi Forums Celiac Listerv)

Almond Macaroons

Each recipe makes about 2 dozen 2-inch cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups (12 ounces) blanched slivered almonds (measure without packing or shaking the cup)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon (3 large) egg whites
1 teaspoon gluten-free almond extract

Directions:

Set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle levels of oven and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, add the almonds and process 1 minute. Add sugar and process for 15 seconds. Add egg whites and almond extract and process until the paste wads around the blade. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl. Process again until stiff but cohesive, about 5 seconds longer. It should be similar in consistency to marzipan or pasta dough. If the mixture is crumbly or dry, turn machine back on and add water by drops through feeder tube until proper consistency is reached.

On the cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, spoon just under 2 tablespoons of paste for each macaroon, spacing the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake macaroons, switching cookie sheet positions midway through baking, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. (If overbaked, macaroons will dry out rather quickly when stored.) Remove from oven and leave on parchment paper until completely cooled or they may tear.

Can be stored in an airtight container for at least 4 days or frozen up to 1 month.

Fudge Almond Macaroons
Follow recipe for Almond Macaroons, decreasing almonds to 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) and adding 1 cup dutch-processed cocoa and 1/4 teaspoon salt along with the sugar. The macaroons will be done when they have cracked lightly across the top.

Pine Nut-Crusted Almond Macaroons
You will need 2 to 3 extra egg whites and 2 1/2 to 3 cups pine nuts. Follow recipe for Almond Macaroons, rolling paste into balls between your palms. Dip each ball into a beaten egg whites, then roll in pine nuts, lightly pressing with your fingertips. Transfer cookies to baking sheet and flatten slightly with fingers, making inch-wide buttons.

Lemon Almond Macaroons
Follow recipe for Almond Macaroons, making the paste without water. Add 2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest (approx 2 large lemons) and process 10 seconds longer.

Pistachio Macaroon Button Gluten-Free Cookies Recipe

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

The skinning of pistachios is a nuisance, but there is no point in bother with this recipe unless it is done. Make sure to get pistachios that are raw or only lightly toasted. The flavor of these macaroons becomes more intense the day after baking

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups (about 6 ounces) shelled pistachios
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons (1 large) egg white

Directions:

Boil pistachios hard in several quarts of water until skins begin to loosen, about 3 minutes. Drain nuts, then plunge into bowl of cold water. Let stand in water for a few minutes. Remove skins, tossing skinned nuts onto paper towel-lined tray.

Thoroughly dry skinned pistachios on baking sheet set in center position in 200 degree oven, approximately 45 minutes. Remove tray from oven before nuts begin to give off roasted aroma or take on any color. Increase heat to 325 degrees to preheat oven as you continue to prepare the cookies.

Set aside 48 pistachios. Turn remainder into bowl of food processor, fitted with the metal chopping blade, and grind fine. Add sugar, lemon zest, salt and process 1 minute longer. Add egg white and process until dough wads into moist clumps.

Roll dough into 1-teaspoon balls and arrange 1 inch apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make dimple in center of each ball with moistened finger tip and press a reserved pistachio into each crater.

Bake cookies until they look try and have just begun to color, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set baking sheet on cooling rack. Let macaroons cool completely before peeling them off parchment paper.

For those of you not cooking:

Macaron Café
Address: 161 West 36th Street (btw 7th Ave & Broadway)
New York, NY 10018
Phone: 646-573-5048

La Maison Du Chocolat
Address: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 49th Street between 5th and 6th Ave
New York, NY 10020
Phone: 212-265-9404