Did you see this episode of Nightline last week? It’s questioning if the gluten-free diet is really good for people that DO NOT have celiac disease. It brings up the fact that many of the gluten-free foods that are available often lack nutrients and that the gluten-free diet may be harmful to people without celiac disease.

Over and over again, these reports keep surfacing and spreading misinformation about the gluten-free diet. I’ve written about it numerous times and I’ll continue to write about it. If you’re a non-celiac and you’re buying gluten-free desserts and packaged food because you think they are a healthier option, then you are definitely wrong. But, if you are trying to eat a well-balanced diet with naturally gluten-free food, then you will benefit greatly. All of the hype (in terms of it being healthy), all of the celebrities, and all of the non-stop talk about the gluten-free diet in the blogosphere isn’t talking about getting healthy by eating gluten-free donuts, it’s talking about eating a diet rich in naturally gluten-free foods. A diet with meats, vegetables, some fruit and devoid of gluten will not hurt anyone and my bets are on that it will make them feel better. Packaged gluten-free food is there simply to replace “gluten-filled” packaged food. For a person with celiac disease, that means being able to enjoy the same guilty pleasures as everyone else. For a non-celiac following a gluten-free diet, that gluten-free donut is also just a guilty pleasure while they’re attempting to follow the lifestyle.

The fact is that most food that is considered good for you is naturally gluten-free. We don’t need wheat, rye, barley or oats in our diet to be healthy. There are plenty of other sources of fiber (and the many other nutrients that skeptics say we are missing) in naturally gluten-free foods.

If you are thinking of trying the gluten-free diet for the dozens of health benefits that you’ve been hearing about, do yourself a favor and do some research on the subject and then decide for yourself whether or not it is right for you. Better yet, give the diet a try and see how you feel. Also, remember that all of the gluten-free items that you’re bombarded with at your local supermarket are not necessarily healthy — in fact most of them are not.

I’d love to hear from some non-celiacs who have adopted the gluten-free diet as well as those who have not had success with it. I have a feeling that this is going to be a hot topic for some time to come.

Frozen chicken products are another convenience food that parents of celiac children (and many adults) often miss. It’s one of those quick meals that millions of American parents prepare for their children or even get at restaurants (when is the last time you saw a kids menu at a restaurant that didn’t include either chicken nuggets or chicken tenders?).

There are a number of gluten-free chicken products on the market, but the Bell & Evans gluten-free products are outstanding and actually have a breading that tastes like the real thing, light, flaky and a slight crunch. In fact, my three children (none of them are diagnosed celiacs — I’m the only diagnosed celiac in the family) all prefer the gluten-free version over the gluten-full version — it’s quite entertaining to see them devour it and ask for seconds whenever we serve any of the Bell & Evans products. Some of the things we’ve made in the last year have been, simple chicken nuggets with a dipping sauce, chicken parmesan and chicken sandwiches. All of these were outstanding and never a disappointment. I’d love to hear more about how you have used any of the Bell & Evans gluten-free products.

It would be easy for restaurants with kids menus to add a product like this to their menu as a gluten-free option. The fact that they are baked and not fried would make the prevention of cross-contamination less of a risk.*

According to the Bell & Evans Website, their gluten-free products are not produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility, below is an excerpt from the Bell & Evans Website on how they go about assuring their products remain gluten-free:

The facility that produces our Gluten Free (“Black Box”) nuggets and tenders also produces our world famous “Blue Box” items that contain gluten.  However, great care is given to protect against gluten containing products from coming in contact with Gluten Free products.

The process begins with training.  All new hires are trained in the handling of allergenic materials used in that facility – Milk, Eggs, Soy Beans, Wheat and Gluten.

Whenever ingredients are delivered, all allergen containing ingredients are identified, tagged and segregated from other ingredients and packaging materials.  If a spill were to occur, only specifically identified cleaning materials may be used to clean up the allergen.

All Bell & Evans Gluten Free products are produced at the beginning of a shift and only after all processing equipment has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.  In addition to our sanitation and segregation protocols, we begin each new shift of Gluten Free production with Fresh, Non-Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil.

* All restaurants wanting to adopt a gluten-free menu should go through an organization like the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program. Along with offering a gluten-free menu comes the responsibility to understand the risks that people with celiac disease face when eating at a restaurant. Their can be great rewards for restaurants that do it right as well as dire consequences for restaurants who fail to take it seriously.

A traditional fish taco should be gluten-free from the start, but there are so many restaurant variations — some with fried fish, some with flour tortillas, and a whole host of other ingredients that can render them inedible to a celiac.

Here’s your chance to show Border Grill Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger what you know about making an awesome Fish Taco and better yet doing something that is gluten-free. It’s the 1st Ever Wild Alaska Fish Taco Recipe Contest. Their rules are simple: taste, creativity, and ease.

The Grand Prize is a 3-day/2-night trip to sunny Santa Monica, California with hotel accommodations and the luxurious Oceanfront Loews Hotel. You’ll then get to ride along and serve the winning taco recipe from the Border Grill Taco Truck with Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. There’s even more to the grand prize as well as a first prize of an Apple iPad. Check out the rest here.

Enter the contest »

]]> http://celiachandbook.com/news-events/enter-the-1st-ever-wild-alaska-fish-taco-recipe-contest-deadline-is-jan-31-2011/feed/ 0 http://celiachandbook.com/news-events/udis-sandwich/ http://celiachandbook.com/news-events/udis-sandwich/#comments Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:29:10 +0000 Chris James http://celiachandbook.com/?p=1206 Gluten-free favorite Udi’s has a new contest titled, We’re Bringing Sandwich Back. Just share your favorite sandwich featuring Udi’s gluten-free bread and you could win Udi’s bread for a year. How simple could it be?]]>

Gluten-free favorite Udi’s has a new contest titled, We’re Bringing Sandwich Back. Just share your favorite sandwich featuring Udi’s gluten-free bread and you could win Udi’s bread for a year. How simple could it be?

Since being diagnosed with celiac disease, I have for the most part tried to eliminate most grains (even those considered to be gluten-free) from my day-to-day routine. There are a few items, like pizza, baguette, and tortillas that I find myself having to have occasionally. I just can’t deny the urge for a slice or two of pizza with the kids on a Friday night, a crusty baguette dipped in a good olive oil or a big tortilla (sorry, corn tortillas are just too small and I just happen to not like corn that much) to use as a crunchy tostada, a simple wrap (in place of a sandwich), or if I’m really feeling hungry, a burrito.

Thankfully, there are a few good tortillas available and one of my favorites is the Food for Life Brown Rice Tortilla. In terms of trying to fold a burrito, it’s not perfect, but the flavor is outstanding — a slight nutty flavor) and the texture is decent. I found that it does really well cooking it in the oven to make a crispy flat tostada and it is great for rolling up (at room temperature) any sort of lunch condiment as a replacement for sandwiches. If you are heating them up from frozen, be very careful as they don’t need much time to thaw out and if overcooked, you can forget about trying to roll it around anything as it will just break. I usually heat if for just about 2 minutes in a hot oven and that will usually do the trick.

All in all, it’s a versatile snack item that is a great solution for snacks, quick lunches and even eating by itself. The fact that it’s made from brown rice just makes it that much better of an option than the masses of gluten-free items based on white rice and corn.

Ingredients: Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Filtered Water, Tapioca Flour, Safflower Oil, Rice Bran, Vegetable Gum (xanthan, cellulouse), Sea Salt.

I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1999 after a few years of a hellish experience — I watched my body waste away with a whole host of problems due to malnutrition. With all of this happening, I had no clue as to what was wrong with me and let my imagination run wild as to what could be wrong. Thankfully, after a visit to a great gastroenterologist and a few tests, celiac disease was the diagnosis. I was grateful to hear what the treatment for celiac disease was and that it didn’t involve any hideous daily regimens of medication and that I could possibly start feeling better again.

I still remember my first trip to the store after my diagnosis and realizing that what seemed to be every single thing that I was used to buying was off-limits now. I don’t know what drew me to it, but while in the dairy section, I spotted the Kozy Shack Tapioca pudding. I looked at the ingredients and it seemed to be OK (this is long before they started labeling their packaging “gluten-free”. I didn’t initially buy it, but I went home and immediately looked for Kozy Shack online and then sent them a message inquiring about their ingredients and the risk of cross-contamination. They got back to me very quickly and assured me that it was indeed gluten-free. After buying the pudding the next time at the market, I eagerly tried it. I can’t even begin to tell you how good I thought it was — so good, I ate the entire tub. Unfortunately, that is a whole lot of sugar and calories :( After going several years where food always nauseated me and left me feeling lethargic, eating became fun again, a little too fun. I found myself eating Kozy Shack’s Tapioca (and sometimes the rice pudding) a few times a week and continually eating the entire tub. The tapioca pudding soothed my stomach and made me look forward to eating. Now it was time to learn self-control again as I wasn’t used to this new found sensation of enjoyable eating.

Thankfully, 11 years later, I’m conscious of my caloric intake and I don’t indulge in the desserts nearly as often. But, every once in a while I remember back to my post CD diagnosis days and sneak in some Kozy Shack Tapioca pudding — I just now split the tub with my kids.

What was your favorite food that nursed you back to health both physically and emotionally?

One of the most common types of questions that I get from people newly diagnosed with celiac disease is about what types of gluten-free pasta are my favorites. Between the dozens of companies offering gluten-free pasta in its varying shapes and sizes and then the range of ingredients that are available, white rice, brown rice, corn, and even quinoa — there are so many options (depending on the store you’re shopping in), it can make your head spin.

For now, let’s focus on spaghetti as it’s arguably the most cooked pasta in the world. While I believe I’ve tried the vast majority of the gluten-free pasta products on the market, both here in the U.S. and in Europe, my favorite by far has to be the Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta. It’s texture is perfect and the taste is nearly indistinguishable from its durum wheat or semolina cousins. The only noticeable difference would be its slight difference in color — it’s a little more on the brown side than the yellowish color of traditional pasta.

I’ve used it in a traditional spaghetti and meatballs dinner, I’ve used it with a thai inspired peanut sauce and we’ve even gone as far as using it in one of my daughter’s favorite dishes, Spaghetti and Cheese (she’s always liked spaghetti more than elbow macaroni — it has something to do with the ability to slurp it up :) It always turns out perfect and it is even loved by our non-GF guests. It’s also great for people with food allergies as it is corn, egg, dairy, casein, meat, soy, and nut free.

Tinkyada is a Canadian company based in Scarborough, Ontario, but their products are widely available throughout the U.S. and Canada. I’ve even found it at my local Ralph’s market (Kroeger). If you can’t find it in your local market, you will definitely find it at supermarkets like Whole Foods.

So all of this being said, my advice is to buy it, try it, and be happy knowing that you’ve found a gluten-free product that is as good (or better) than the real thing and a heck of a lot better for you.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with Tinkyada and how you’ve used it in new and interesting ways.

I get recommendations for restaurants that have either a gluten-free menu or are celiac friendly nearly every hour of every day. As much as I would like to, I can’t try every one of them myself. I have had the opportunity to try quite a few of them up and down the west coast as well as some in London. I will also be traveling to Boston in a few weeks and will inevitably be trying some recommended restaurants there — and of course writing something about them.

For my latest “Gluten-Free Pick of the Week”, I’m doing something that I normally don’t do — I’m showcasing a restaurant that I’ve never actually been to, Posana Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina. The reason for this is quite simple — I’ve had more recommendations for this restaurant in the past year than any other restaurant. The astonishing thing about this is that it’s an independent restaurant in a relatively small town.

A little background information on Posana Cafe:

Posana Cafe is owned and operated by Peter and Martha Pollay. Peter is the Executive Chef and a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. He’s worked under such great chefs and restauranteurs as Wolfgang Puck, Lary Levy, Waldy Malouf and David Burke.

After Martha was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2005, Peter set out to create an entirely gluten-free restaurant that would appeal to everyone — not just those following a gluten-free diet. In fact, the vast majority of their customers do not suffer from celiac disease, food allergies, or intolerances.

They have an in-house pastry department that prepares all of their plated desserts, pastries, breads and mixes on a daily basis. This makes a huge difference in quality, consistency and the level of creativity that is in their menu.

To think that there is a restaurant out there that I can not only enjoy a great gluten-free menu, but every last thing on that menu is gluten-free — what a huge treat. I know there are actually quite a few great restaurants out there that are entirely gluten-free, but Posana Cafe exemplifies the spirit that I love to see, they don’t want to make it a “great gluten-free restaurant”, they want to simply make it a “great restaurant for all to enjoy” — gluten-free or not. Afterall, gluten-free can be (and often times is) more tasty than their gluten-filled counterparts. I know it has been the topic of a lot of debate in the press recently, but I very much believe that a gluten-free diet is better for everyone — nobody needs gluten in their diet.

The very first opportunity to get to Asheville that I get, you know Posana Cafe will be one of my first stops. Asheville has been a destination that I’ve wanted to visit for a long time, now I have one more reason to make that happen.

Thank you to both Peter and Martha Pollay for what I am almost certain is a great restaurant — I can’t wait to try it.

I recently had the opportunity to try the new gluten-free burritos from Amy’s Kitchen. While I love to cook and be experimental in the kitchen and I try to make as much as I can from scratch, like most working adults, there are times that I need something quick and easy to get me through the afternoon or a simple and healthy snack that my kids can enjoy after school. Amy’s Gluten-Free Burritos fit that bill perfectly.

I tried both the Bean & Cheddar Cheese and the Bean & Rice — cooked one in the oven and the other in the microwave and both were very tasty, had a great texture and consistency, and were very filling. For obvious reasons, the one cooked in the oven turned out better with a crunchier tortilla, but the longer cooking time made it much less convenient than the microwave version.

Amy’s has been offering gluten-free packaged food for quite some time now, everything from pizza to mac & cheese to enchilada’s (and so much more). They do have a disclaimer on their package that states the following:

Individuals with Food Allergies: This product is manufactured in a facility that processes foods containing wheat, milk, soy, tree nuts and seeds. Amy’s Kitchen does not use any peanuts, fish, shellfish or eggs.

While a statement like this would usually bother me and make me avoid a product all together, I’ve had good luck with Amy’s and have never had an adverse reaction. I contacted Amy’s and asked a lot of questions about their manufacturing process and kindly received this response.

Through the Celiac Handbook Facebook page and other online forums, I’ve heard some people bashing Amy’s (as well as many other gluten-free food retailers). One mistake that I see made so often with the gluten-free diet is that they automatically assume that the ill feelings they have after eating are always associated with consuming gluten. Truth is, people with celiac disease tend to develop allergies to things like dairy, soy, corn and just about every other known allergen which can cause some adverse reactions as well as discomfort — they will then immediately attribute this to gluten contamination and then go on the rampage against a particular product.

My mantra has always been that if something works for you, use it — if not, don’t use it. You can use this philosophy in just about every part of your life and expect a great deal of success because of it.

I’d love to hear your feedback and see what you’re experiences with Amy’s Kitchen gluten-free products have been like. Additionally, if you’d like a FREE PRODUCT COUPON from Amy’s, be the first, third, and fifth comment on this post (one comment per person please and please no frivolous comments like, “first” — please comment with something meaningful :) and Amy’s will send you the coupon directly. If you’d like a FREE AMY’S TOTE BAG, be the 10th comment on this blog post and Amy’s will be sure to get one out to you.

Gluten-free loaf bread (followed closely by gluten-free pizza) seems to be the gold standard on which a dedicated GF bakery is judged. It’s one of the first gluten-free products most newly diagnosed celiacs will purchase and surely is one of the first gluten-free products that most newly diagnosed celiacs will turn their nose up at and then wallow in self-pity about how they will never enjoy food again. No more convenience, no more soft Wonder bread, just a life of eating a dry, crumbly, and flavorless piece of styrofoam. This by itself could answer the question about depression being associated with celiac disease (I wish it were that easy).

When I was diagnosed in 1999, there were only one or two brands of gluten-free rice bread available — and that was only at a health food store. They tasted like a loaf of sand and had absolutely zero flavor. Trying to make a sandwich with it was a test in patience as it would all immediately crumble into hundreds of little pieces when trying to pick it up — leaving you with a handful of whatever was on the inside of the sandwich. Guess what? I gave up on sandwiches.

A few years later, I was craving bread again and started looking online to see what was available. I came across several GF bakeries offering everything from gluten-free loaf bread to gluten-free baguettes to gluten-free ding dongs — my eyes opened up and my jaw dropped. Until just a year ago (or two), I had completely given up on store bought gluten-free bread — until I came across Udi’s. I had heard mention of it over and over again on various blogs and on Facebook, but hadn’t seen it at any of my local stores. Finally, when I found it at my local Whole Foods Market, I grabbed it and rushed home to finally make a sandwich again. I started simple and just made an almond butter sandwich — I was almost in tears knowing that I had found something (available at my local store) that tasted as good as the sandwich bread I had given up years before. I’ve since tried many of Udi’s products and have been very pleased with it all.

The cult like following: All of this being said, I have since found a few different store bought brands that I like and occasionally buy. Every time I post something about some of the other brands, the comments come pouring in — things like, “I love Udi’s”, or “Udi’s is the best”, and even a simple “Udi’s!!!” They have a devoted and passionate following that love to spread the Udi’s word. It almost reminds me of Mac users — which as you may or may not know, is an incredibly loyal bunch. Udi’s, you should be proud that you have created a product that instills this kind of loyalty.

I guess with this post, I am now part of the Udi’s cult. There must be something in the water or the air in Colorado that makes them so good. I can think of a few gluten-free products and blogs coming out of Colorado that are what I consider, “Best in Class”.

While I usually focus my Product of the Week posts on an individual product, this time I wanted to devote it to a company, Crave, A San Francisco Bakery.

I’ve been a fan of Crave for at least the last four years and I have tried nearly every one of their products at some point. Whether it’s their soft and chewy gluten-free brownie, their amazing cheesecake, or even one of their delicious vanilla cupcakes, I’ve never EVER been disappointed. The biggest problem anyone would have would be to know when to stop. If I could live on desserts alone, this would be one that I could do it with.

To think that Crave’s products are not only gluten-free, but many are also vegan, soy-free, nut-free, egg-free, sugar-free and/or dairy-free is absolutely mind blowing. If you’re lucky enough to have Crave products in a store near you, do yourself a favor and give them a try — if not, check out their Website and order directly from them.

Cameo Edwards started Crave, a wholesale San Francisco bakery, in 2003. She was determined to create delicious alternative desserts that were Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free and Casein-Free (or Milk-Free) to satisfy her Cravings for foods she could no longer eat. Crave’s philosophy is based on choosing simple, high-quality and organic ingredients without trans fats or preservatives.

Crave Bakery also provides custom Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Wedding/Special Occasion cakes & cupcakes, catering to any food intolerance: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Egg-Free, Sugar-free and/or Dairy-Free. Crave’s Gluten-Free brownies, cookies, tarts, cupcakes and cakes can be purchased in high end markets such as Whole Foods Markets throughout the western US; check our website for a location near you.

Overall, I consider myself pretty easy to please — I’m not the type to complain about something unless it’s really bad, and I lead a fairly simple life. It’s the small things in life that truly make me happy — sight, sounds, smells — all of which for me are synonymous with good food, and in my case gluten-free food. These are just a few things for me that will put a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

1. Properly labeled gluten-free packaged food (and it’s really gluten-free)
   It’ so nice to walk into a store and find something labeled gluten-free and it actually is gluten-free. So many gluten-free products include too much fine print with lines like, made on shared equipment with…, made in a facility…, made with non-gluten ingredients…, etc. There are a few brands that have this fine print that I trust and do well with, but all in all, I’d much rather not have to deal with it. These days, every company wants to jump in on the gluten-free bandwagon — that’s all well and good as long as they are willing to do more then just say they are gluten-free. It’s a matter of people’s lives and health, and it should be treated that way.
2. Nutritious gluten-free packaged food
   I’ll be the first to admit that I love my gluten-free snack food and desserts — there are so many amazing gluten-free products available. But after a while, especially when it comes to sugar, enough is enough. While I love seeing recipes from the likes of Elana’s Pantry who really focus on using healthy ingredients (but still come up with some great recipes that can be considered treats), I still find myself needing the occasional packaged gluten-free food to get me through a meeting at work or even just as a quick and lazy snack. So when I find something that focuses on nutrition and isn’t loaded with sugar and unnecessary calories, I get excited.
3. Dedicated gluten-free menus with real choices
   With the gluten-free menu being such a hot trend, so many restaurants are offering them. When I walk into a restaurant and I get a dedicated gluten-free menu that is more than a piece of paper with a plain salad, a plain chicken breast, or plain veggies, I get discouraged. Yes, it’s nice that they are pointing these items out, but how wonderful to walk into a restaurant like Risotteria in NYC, Picazzo’s in Portland, OR and Arizona or even Hugo’s in L.A, who have well thought out detailed gluten-free menus with more choices than anyone could know what to do with. Talk to any of these restaurants about how many people ask for gluten-free menus and everyone of them will surely let you know that it has made good business sense for them to offer these menus — I really don’t understand why more restaurants don’t do it.
4. A grocery with more than a few shelves dedicated to gluten-free food
   My local grocery has about a 5’ section of an aisle with a handful of gluten-free products on three shelves — it’s simply not enough. When you walk into a Whole Foods, Wegmans, or New Seasons (and many others), you know that you are going to have choices. Some of them have entire aisles dedicated to gluten-free products and some even have it scattered throughout the store in every section and every aisle. I am like a kid in a candy store when I come across a store like this.
5. A family doctor who doesn’t discount celiac disease as a non-issue
   Too many times I’ve been to the doctor and just had them glaze over when I mention that I have celiac disease. I’ve even had doctors who didn’t know enough about it to understand that it involves much more than just cutting out wheat — they’ve been surprised when I tell them the long list of ingredients that I do have to avoid — and to think they are doctors :(   You would think that something like celiac disease that effects up to 1 in 100 people, would be known by every doctor on the face of the planet and welcomed as it is relatively easy to successfully treat.
6. Gluten-free school lunches
   My daughter is also on a gluten-free diet and it has been so hard getting the various schools that she’s attended to get on board with getting her a gluten-free meal that consisted of more than a salad and a carton of milk. We’ve almost always had to resort to her bringing her lunch (which at the end of the day is a healthier option). There are days when time runs out and having the option for the school lunch would be nice. People like Amy Leger of The Savvy Celiac blog have done a lot of work in this area — I just hope that gluten-free lunches will spread and be more available to us all. One really entertaining thing that I do see is how many kids want my daughter’s gluten-free cookies that she sometimes packs in her lunch box.
7. Media coverage that doesn’t refer to the gluten-free diet as the latest fad
   Too many times now, I’ve seen reports on mainstream news outlets about the latest fad, the gluten-free diet. I’d much rather it be reported as a public health crisis that effects 1 in 100 people and how it is so commonly misdiagnosed for so many different illnesses. Having the gluten-free diet in the spotlight is probably a good thing, but having it associated with every other fad diet runs the risk of decreased public awareness or worse yet, public apathy when people hear about a gluten-free diet.  I much prefer to hear about the dire side of celiac disease and how it almost killed somebody or it was misdiagnosed as something else — and then wrapping it up with the fact that a relatively simple change in their diet (not drugs) has changed their life in a positive way. This is the sort of coverage that will open people’s eyes to what the gluten-free diet is all about — improved health*. *It doesn’t mean you can go out and eat every gluten-free pastry, cookie or cereal loaded with sugar and expect to achieve good health because you’re following a gluten-free diet. A naturally gluten-free diet will improve your health. A gluten-free diet based in sugar, fat and processed food will still lead to poor health.
   
8. Boutique, artisan bakeries creating exceptional gluten-free baked goods
   There are some great store-bought gluten-free baked goods out there (this is where I’ll get the flood of comments on Udi’s — yes, I agree they are great), but I am so in awe of the artistry of the many small, dedicated gluten-free bakeries across the country and around the world. Thanks to these, I’ve been able to enjoy gluten-free baguettes, croissants and some of the best birthday cake I’ve ever had (better than most traditionally baked cakes). Because of these wonderful bakeries, gluten-free isn’t as hard as I originally thought it would be. They may be more expensive, but you really are getting a unique, hand-crafted work of art by a person who cares about what they are selling.
9. Gluten-free events
   Whether it be a tasting event at a local grocery, a meetup event at a restaurant or even a happy hour, gluten-free events are a great way to meet like-minded people, enjoy great food, and learn more about the food you are eating. Gluten-free events spread awareness, help local businesses and as with every other small business — help the economy.
10. The awesome gluten-free community
    The sheer volume of information coming from the gluten-free / celiac community is overwhelming. RSS feeds, email alerts, Facebook notifications and every other imaginable message fill my inbox day after day informing me of all the latest happenings. Bloggers, chefs, dietitians and even home chefs all contribute so much and keep me amazed at how lucky we are to have this much support. Thank you to every last one of you.

Even before being diagnosed with celiac disease, I was never a beer drinker — I’ve never been able to acquire a taste for it. When I was younger and all of my friends were drinking beer, I always found myself looking for the wine, the champagne and of course, cider.

While it sometimes feels like I’ve tried every cider on the face of the planet, I still get excited when I come across something new. On our recent trip to London, I was able to try quite a few new European ciders — and I even found one that I would call great (I’ll save that for a later post).

While living in Portland, Oregon from 2005 to 2010, I discovered Fox Barrel Cider at my local New Seasons Market and immediately fell in love with it’s wonderfully light and fruity flavor and found myself wanting to drink it just a little too often. In 2008, I was shopping at our local Whole Foods and came across Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider and as I always do with any new cider, I bought a bottle (original flavor) to take home and try — it’s been a favorite ever since.

Crispin is constantly hosting events at local restaurants, beer festivals and pubs showcasing their award winning cider. They’ve even come up with a great selection of sample menus showing the diversity of cider and how it can be used in so many different ways.

So far, I haven’t been able to find Crispin Cider in Los Angeles, but I am still able to find Fox Barrel. Much to my joy this past year, Crispin acquired the Northern California based Fox Barrel, so I’m really hoping this is going to mean California distribution for Crispin.

If you find yourself a little upset not being able to drink beer after your celiac disease diagnosis, do yourself a favor and try this cider — I think you will have a new favorite drink. Don’t get me wrong, there are increasingly some really good gluten-free beer options out there, but cider really is a nice alternative. One taste of Crispin Cider and I think you’ll agree that it’s the more sophisticated brother of beer. It’s much more diverse and goes with just about anything.  If you’ve tried it, I would love to hear what you think about it. If Crispin is reading this, please tell me when it will be available in L.A. and where I’ll be able to find it.