A Gluten Free Guide

Gluten-Free Ice Cream – An Easy Recipe to Beat the Heat

I had a conversation recently about the merits of ice cream versus cheese. While I stood by cheese for its diversity and its ability to serve as main course, garnish or dessert, he felt that ice cream was superior for its ability to make a person happy.

As the summer progresses, his argument is starting to resonate.

Many mainstream ice cream offerings are gluten-free. After avoiding the obvious gluten-y flavors like cookie dough and cheesecake, the options abound. Simple ingredients such as cream, sugar, vanilla or chocolate are naturally gluten-free.

Since completing my gluten-free soft-serve round up last summer, Pinkberry has added coffee to their flavor offerings and Grom gelato, that I first tasted in Florence, has added a West Village outpost – all gluten-free flavors are marked right on their menu.

If you are ambitious enough to make your own ice cream, the options are even more plentiful. Something simple like David’s Easy Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe looks sublime. But if you are going to the effort to make your own, perhaps try a more unusual flavor like Deb’s Fennel Ice Cream Recipe, David’s Candied Bacon Ice Cream (yes, that says Bacon) or this Honey Lavender Ricotta Ice Cream Recipe from Cooking Light. I first discovered ricotta gelato during a summer in Sicily and still dream of those cones full of sweet and creamy gelato topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon. Even with those dreams dancing in my head, my all time favorite ice cream has to be the Toasted Almond flavor from Fosselman’s in Alhambra, CA. Thank goodness I have a ticket to visit my family this summer in California; I won’t have to wait too long before indulging.

What are your favorite ice cream flavors?

Gluten-Free Sandwiches in NYC at Friedman’s Deli

Convenience comes back to those eating gluten-free in New York with the arrival of a gluten-free menu at Friedman’s Deli, a restaurant in Chelsea Market.

You can now order your fill of gluten-free sandwiches, sides, salads and deli meat in Manhattan. Friedman’s Deli offers all of the sandwiches on its menu on gluten-free mock-rye bread from the Grainless Baker. While the reviews of the Grainless Baker’s bread are unanimously positive, this was the first opportunity I had had to actually sample their wares. I was shocked at how light and fresh it was, with a texture rivaling any ‘glutenous’ bread.

I chose to have my bread toasted and selected the egg salad for my gluten-free sandwich. It was such a luxury to know that I was eating a true NY deli sandwich that was completely gluten-free. Friedman’s toasts the gluten-free bread in the oven on a separate pan and designates a color-coded knife for cutting the gluten-free sandwiches.

The naturally gluten-free sides are served with an ice-cream scoop to prevent cross-contamination. I am not usually a fan of traditional deli sides, but the coleslaw and potato salad are crave-worthy. If the demand is there, they will next be adding fried sides to the gluten-free menu. Then you can balance the heaviness of your meal by ordering a salad….hmm, with three different types of meat, the salad isn’t light, but sure is tasty.

A big thanks is owed to the manager of Friedman’s and Vanessa Tayler Phillips for implementing the gluten-free menu. Vanessa runs the company Food Matters and is also responsible for developing the delicious gluten-free offerings at the restaurants PizzaBolla and Lilli and Loo.

Read about Kelly’s gluten-free lunch at Friedman’s on the CeliacChicks. I know I can’t get enough!

Friedman’s Deli
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Ave
New York, NY 10011
(212) 929-7100

Gluten-Free Restaurant Decadence in New York City – My Lunch at Per Se

I never thought I would eat at Per Se. It just seemed like one of those extravagant and unattainable activities that was not in my realm of possibilities. I worked for four years in the same building as the restaurant, but it was worlds away. It is the best restaurant in New York, one of the best restaurants in the world, it is impossible to get a reservation and it is totally out of my budget constraints. I did dream though.

When my plans for a big trip to celebrate my 30th birthday were sidelined due to my new job, I had to figure out an alternate plan. Per Se entered my mind because the cost of the meal was less than the cost of a plane ticket (I realize how ridiculous of a comparison that is).

While crafting the plan in my mind, I tried to think of people who might be willing to join me in this extravagant culinary adventure. First to enter my thoughts were my friend Jim, who accompanies me on incredible gluten-free meals in Atlanta and New York, and Gareth who first experienced culinary tourism during my gluten-free trip to Italy last year. My birthday is in July, so that means I had to make the reservation in May. I watched the calendar and set my alarm to be sure I didn’t miss the deadline. My plans were set and I had daydreams of the interesting plates that would eventually expand my palate.

When Gareth’s trip to NYC was shifted to Memorial Day rather than July, he asked if we might be able to get on Per Se’s waiting list in case there was a cancellation. I called a couple times but didn’t hold much hope. The day that Gareth arrived in NYC, I called again and to my surprise they told me there was a table for two available for lunch on Friday. Could it be? I had to give them my credit card to reserve my spot. Since Gareth was still on the plane, I didn’t have time to consult and was forced to make the executive decision that we were going to eat lunch at Per Se on Friday. Because lunch offers a slightly less expensive option than dinner (5 courses in addition to the regular 9), I figured I could still pay my rent this month. I told them that we were celebrating my birthday and that I would need to eat gluten-free.

When we arrived at the Time Warner Center, we were five minutes late for our 12:15 reservation. The hostess who greeted us told us that someone had just checked in under my name. What? After all of this anticipation and excitement could it really be taken away? Were our dreams to be shattered by an identity thief? Gareth, sensing the grave danger, advised the hostess that we had legitimate identification and thus the rightful claim to that table. We were ready for war if need be. Our tension evaporated as the hostess simply guided us to our seats overlooking a beautiful view of Central Park. We were in!

From the moment we were seated the service and attention to detail were impeccable. Everyone was gracious and kind without the slightest bit of pretension. Our menus even had “Happy Birthday Catherine” printed at the top of each page.
Gareth could not help but notice how the 9 course menu stole my attention away from the more budget-friendly 5 course option. To my delight and to his credit, Gareth offered to cover the difference as a birthday gift. Thank you Gareth! Now, to the good stuff.

Gareth’s meal started with two gruyere cheese puffs and mine with a white asparagus soup. Next was Thomas Keller’s famous salmon amuse bouche – Gareth’s served in an ice cream cone and mine in a spoon. I never had to clarify my dietary needs or ask for any modifications. They took care of everything without my giving it a thought.

The first course was “Oysters and Pearls” – a Sabayon of pearl tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Sterling White Sturgeon Caviar. It was rich, creamy and buttery without being overwhelming – in the perfect portion size to satisfy your palate without feeling too heavy.

The second course was a duck foie gras. Gareth’s was served with a pistachio genoise base, traffle-madeira gelee, white wine poached brooks cherries, picked ramps and young celery with toasted brioche. Before he even had a chance to taste the brioche they replaced it with a freshly warmed slice.


My preparation was a foie gras torchon with picked radish, kumquat and radish syrup, served with THREE different types of gluten-free rolls (olive, fines herbs and potato).

Our next course was a sautéed fillet of atlantic halibut with a garbanzo bean croquette and cipollini onion shoots with tarragon-scented Kendall Farms crème fraiche. Gareth commented: “This chickpea thing is crazy – it tastes like a really good falafel. The wine is almost a side note or distraction this time because the food is so flavorful.”

My fourth course was a butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster tail with arugula, chanterelle mushrooms and turnips. Gareth’s included roasted heart of romaine with sweet garlic melba and bottarga emulsion. Yet another example of where they could have simply excluded the gluten ingredients (the melba toast) but the chef was not content to let me have an incomplete dish. Instead, mine was prepared with alternate accompaniments to ensure my plate was just as spectacular as Gareth’s. It was flawless.

Our fifth course was a sirloin of rabbit with caramelized fennel bulb and nicoise olive tapenade. It was ineffable — practically an out-of-body experience.

The sixth course was a Snake River Farm’s “Calotte de Boeuf Grillee” with crispy bone marrow, potato puree, hen-of-the-woods mushrooms and asparagus with sauce bordelaise. As we started to dig into this dish, Gareth paused after a small taste and said “I think this is about to beat the duck we had in Tuscany. That may have been my favorite thing I have ever eaten, and this is about to kick its ass.” My response was “I don’t want to eat it, because I want it to last forever. This is the best meat I have ever eaten in my entire life.” The hyperbolic declarations of love towards the dish continued until we had devoured every last morsel.

While Gareth had recently had a meal filled with unusual molecular preparations at The Fat Duck outside of London (where he lives). He found this meal more interesting because it was familiar flavors but 10 times better than anything he’d ever tasted.

The sixth course was a soup and sandwich for Gareth and a cheese plate with balsamic syrup and slow baked beets as the gluten-free offering. Considering my love of cheese, I probably would have selected the cheese course over Gareth’s plate even with no dietary restrictions. It didn’t hurt that mine was served with a glass of vintage port and two new types of gluten-free bread.

My seventh course was a mango sorbet with fresh mangoes and a meringue while Gareth received a strawberry sorbet with petite beurre crumble and strawberry jam.

The eighth course was the only time I felt a slight twinge of disappointment when compared to Gareth’s plate. He had ‘coffee and donuts’ – which was actually a pastry and cappuccino semifreddo while I had a Crème Fraiche sorbet with cucumber granite and sesame meringue.

While the cucumber was light and refreshing – it couldn’t really hold a candle to his. Thankfully, he let me have a few bites of the semifreddo once we confirmed it was gluten-free.

My final dessert was the ‘Chocolate Declination’ – a flourless chocolate cake with cocoa nibs and chocolate sorbet. Gareth enjoyed his Caraibe dessert with meringue mouse, caramel cremeux, devil’s food cake, golden pineapple and cashew ice cream.

Our last ‘palate cleanser’ made up for the coffee and donut disparity, as I was served a decadent little crème brulee and Gareth received a yogurt of some sort.

And just when we thought we couldn’t possibly eat another bite, they brought out a plate of truffles, caramels, chocolates and chocolate covered hazelnuts.


While the meal took about four hours, that we ate it all is still quite remarkable. After our lunch was finally complete, the adorable Alexandra gave us a tour of the kitchen and the rest of the restaurant. She even helped me find spots to take extra photos. (Gareth had quite the crush on her by the end of the afternoon. We haven’t quite found a smooth way to tell people that we aren’t a couple – perhaps next time we can mention loudly that we are cousins or siblings so I can go from hindrance to wing-man.)

I was presented with our personalized menus and a list of the wines in a folder to take home with me. Gareth received a package of biscotti and I received a package of caramels and candies. Flawless beauty falls short of describing this dining experience which left us in awe.

(Of course we finished the evening with a natural complement to dining at the best restaurant in NYC – a few rounds at Bowlmor Lanes in Union Square. We may be the only people to follow a four hour lunch at Per Se with bowling. Such Renaissance souls!)

Thank you to Gareth and everyone at Per Se for helping me to celebrate my 30th birthday a few weeks early in such an unforgettable way.

A Gluten-Free Grill – Chicken with Strawberry Salsa Recipe

Grilling season is upon us. Memorial Day weekend is the perfect opportunity to fire up your grill and refresh your outdoor cooking skills. Last summer, my favorite recipe was this Cilantro Lime Butter smothered on corn on cob. I won’t be grilling this weekend, but wanted to share this light, summer recipe with you. Even if you don’t have access to an outdoor barbeque, an indoor grill pan could be used as a substitute.

Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Salsa Recipe (adapted from EatFood)

Ingredients:

Salsa
2 cups diced fresh strawberries
2 Tablespoons finely minced red onion
2 Tablespoons chopped green onion, using only the green part of the onion
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Pinch of kosher salt

Chicken
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil

In a large bowl, combine diced strawberries, onions, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Gently mix ingredients evenly, being careful not to mash the strawberries. Season with pepper and pinch of salt. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brush grill pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high. When hot, add chicken and grill for about 3-4 minutes. Turn chicken over and grill on the other side until chicken is fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes total depending on width of the chicken breast.

Serve with cooled strawberry salsa.

I am spending this weekend with one of my best friends – Gareth. You may recognize him from my trip to Italy and his trip to NY last year. We have planned quite a culinary adventure this year. My camera is poised and ready to capture it all so I can share it with you after the gluttony is over. Do you have any Memorial Day traditions? Is grilling on the agenda?

Remembering the Little Things

Sometimes I have a few weeks of great restaurant experiences and incredible meals at home and I start to forget how omni-present gluten can be. While many chefs are now creating great gluten-free options on their menus, very few friends have the ‘courage’ to cook for me. Since Eliana cooked for me in Italy, I have had only a couple offers for dinners made especially for me. Yesterday, I enjoyed an incredible homemade meal of roasted halibut with tomatoes and basil with a side of broccolini and garlic. Unfortunately, the wild rice was seasoned with a packet containing wheat. I should have remembered after this attempt to cook for me, to ask about seasoning packets with rice. So just as I was getting lulled into a sense of security I was reminded how important it is to check every ingredient – sigh.

But the rest of the meal was perfect – including a gluten-free dessert of fresh fruit and passion fruit sorbet. I even received a return invite; thank goodness the rice mistake was not overly discouraging!

You can read about the wine I selected at the Adventures in Wine Pairing blog I wrote for MyRecipes.com.

Healthy Fish Recipe – Gluten-Free and Easy

The latest episode of Top Chef made healthy cooking look like a chore. One of the contestants even said “I never use grains in my cooking. I don’t know what I am going to do.” As someone who regularly experiments with whole grain recipes featuring quinoa, amaranth, millet and recently teff, it was a little difficult for me to understand why this was such a substantial challenge. Luckily, the producers brought sexy back to the episode with Sam from season 2 serving as the guest judge. (He has type 1 diabetes, which for some reason made him the de facto expert on healthy cuisine. )

Healthy cooking does not have to be as much of a struggle as the contestants might lead you to believe. A focus on fresh produce, whole grains and lean proteins makes it easy and quite delicious. Try this healthy fish recipe I recently made in a cooking class using whole fish rather than the fillet. It makes for a great presentation at a dinner party, though for a weeknight meal I will stick with fish steaks and fillets.

Red Snapper with Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

Fish
1 medium whole fish, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds, cleaned and scaled (or one individual fish such as branzino for each person)
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt/sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Fresh thyme or favorite herbs to tast
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1/4 cup dry Italian white wine

Chimichurri Sauce
1 1/4 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper lfakes
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 garlic cloves
1 to 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit

In a large baking dish, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread around dish. Place fish in dish and coat with remaining tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Insert garlic, rosemary, thyme, other herbs, and lemon to cavity of fish. Pour white wine over and inside cavity of fish.

Bake until fish is opaque and skin is browned, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness of the fish.

While fish is baking, make sauce. Combine parsley, cilantro, vinegar, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor. Pulse on high seed until garlic is minced, about 4 to 5 seconds. Transfer herb-garlic mixture into a small bowl. Stir in oil and mix until thoroughly combined. Set sauce aside.

To serve fish, lift the top of the fillet off the fish with a cake server or knife and place on a serving plate. Grab the head, tail, and backbone; remove and discard. Discard the herbs and lemon. Transfer remaining fillet onto serving plate and drizzle sparingly with chimichurri sauce.

If making individual fish for each person, follow the same steps, and instead of removing bones, serve each person the whole fish on a plate.

And as long as we are talking about fit lifestyles, I promised my friend Doug I would let the world know about the talent regularly appearing at the 91st Street New York Sports Club. Any ladies (or gentlemen) looking to enjoy a fine view of some very good-looking men can make their way over to this hidden gem of a gym. Do you have any tips for making healthy living a little bit more enjoyable?

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.  Swirlz is not an exclusively gluten-free bakery, but the owner has Celiac so extra care and attention is given to keeping the gluten-free cupcakes 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 boast a completely gluten-free pizza. Rather than use a crust of gluten-free flours, they use Sausage as the base. This unique approach gives an added benefit to those on a low-carb diet. 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 chefs 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 in the 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 you can appreciate the legitimate concern in the kitchen for your needs.

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?