CelKids group, gift baskets, and travel blog

There are three items to talk about this week:

1. The Raleigh CelKids group meeting at Earthfare.
   
2. The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center gift basket.
3. Introduction to my new blog, Travel With Allergies.

1. Saturday afternoon was the quarterly meeting of the Raleigh Celkids support group. We met at Earth Fare organic food supermarket at Brier Creek and took a tour of the store which featured gluten-free products. (Look for the brown wooden shelves scattered throughout the store. Everything on them is gluten-free!) Also, a representative from Rosie's Plate in Raleigh was there to give us information and samples of gluten-free goodies. There is preliminary talk of holding a kids cooking class at Rosie's, so if this interests you, let them know.

There was a good mix of boys and girls at the meeting, with an age range from toddlers to seventh graders. The kids and adults got a chance to socialize and share drinks, snacks, and tips about thriving with celiac. This was our first time joining the group and it was a relief to meet so many local families dealing with the same issues. Everyone was friendly and I was surprised to meet some real live readers of Gluten Free Cary! All in all, the Celkids Network is a great resource for Triangle families; we are already looking forward to the next event. Check out the Celkids website here.

2. If you or a family member has been diagnosed with celiac disease in the last three months, call the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center to participate in their free, one-of-a-kind care package program. My daughter's care package arrived this week and included scores of gluten-free product samples, magazines, books, and coupons. See the pic above for some of the goodies we received. The letter accompanying the package says, "We hope this gluten-free care package reduces the overwhelming feeling that often accompanies the diagnosis," and includes a testimonial by a U.S. Armed Forces member serving in Iraq.

3. My final bit of news is that I've started a new blog called Travel with Allergies.

We love to travel and don't believe that having celiac disease, food allergies or sensitivities should stop anyone from traveling with ease and comfort. There are many, many resources on the web for people with celiac and food allergies, but they all seem to lack something. Even the sites that review gluten-free restaurants in major cities in Europe lack useful tips or resources for travel even slightly off the beaten track.

My attempt with Travel with Allergies is not to be comprehensive, but to aggregate links to as much useful information as possible. My introductory post can be found here. I am actively seeking contributions of tips, useful information, and links. If you have information to contribute, submit it via the comment box or contact me and you can become a guest blogger. The site will be a work in progress for some time.

Have a great week!

Restaurant Review: Chatham Street Cafe

Somehow I never noticed Chatham Street Cafe, a storefront restaurant just steps from the Cary clock in the heart of downtown. A recent News and Observer review mentioned that Chatham Street offers gluten-free options, so it was time to investigate. We went there for brunch and felt at home in the casual and unassuming cafe, decorated with local artwork. A softly crooning singer in the front room added to the mellow aura.

Owner and Head Chef Gayla Bonke, who has a dietetics degree and catering background, told us she could make virtually anything on the menu gluten-free. Like so many business owners who cater to the gluten-free community, Bonke has friends who are gluten intolerant and loves the challenge of cooking without it. I didn't get a chance to see the kitchen but was told that the gluten-free foods are prepared separately.

Between us, we sampled the Gluten-Free French Toast, the House Omelet, and the Grilled Steak Salad. Although all three items are listed on the menu as gluten-free, the Steak Salad comes topped with crumbled gorgonzola. Gorgonzola cheese is one of those sometimes safe, sometimes unsafe foods for celiacs, and I didn't have enough information to make a judgment. We were offered the option to substitute another cheese, and went with Asiago. The peas and sauteed mushrooms added a nice flavor to the salad. The French Toast was indistinguishable from "regular" French Toast, although possibly not quite as heavy. The omelet was tasty accompanied by hashbrowns.

Even packing up half our meal to take home, we had no room for dessert. The Almond Cake, described on the menu as "A dense, buttery cake dusted with powdered sugar served in a pool of sweet raspberry coulis. And yes, it's Gluten Free," sounds scrumptious. I look forward to trying it in the very near future when we return to Chatham Street Cafe.

Information:

Chatham Street Cafe
140 E. Chatham Street
Cary, NC 27511
919-380-1193

Website: http://www.chathamstreetcafe.com
Menu: http://www.chathamstreetcafe.com/menus

Valentine's Day

I watched V this afternoon. She was sitting at the kitchen table, happily making cards and packing chocolate kisses into plastic baggies to give to her classmates for the Valentine's Day exchange. Her blond hair, which barely grew for the last three years, has shot past her shoulders in the few short weeks she's been off gluten. Her skin glows.

The nutrients her body could not absorb are finally feeding her. I don't want to speak too soon, but the symptoms which stole countless hours in hospital clinic waiting room have all but disappeared!

The transition from "regular kid" to a person with an immune disease who must eliminate gluten for the rest of her life, has not been easy. It is not about finding replacement foods. We are lucky to have so many gluten free options.

Even as I write this, my temptation is to downplay the difficulty. Oh there are so many options... Grocery stores carry gluten-free products...Starbucks has a new line of GF products piled so high you can barely see the counter. It's not [insert terrible disease name here] so buck up.

Well, I am, most of the time. And she is my hero, for the way she is handling it. But it is hard for her. As I watched her I thought about the challenges of celiac from a few angles. To a certain extent, they apply to sufferers of all severe food allergies:

1. Food. There are foods you love that you can't have. Period.
2. Time and Focus. Unless you stay cloistered in the house and eat the same thing day after day, you have to check the ingredients in everything you eat. If something is ambiguous (modified food starch, anyone? Natural flavor?), you must either not eat it, or verify the ingredients from the producer.
   
3. Makes it kind of hard to "Oh it's no big deal" it when you're socializing. It's not impossible to be smooth, but let's face it, no matter what age you are, needing to know the exact contents of everything you consume is not going to draw people to you like a magnet.
4. 1,2 and 3 make you different. Which in school is still called weird.

Which brings me back to the chocolate kisses.

I'm not much of a Valentine's Day person, still less having it be an obligatory holiday observed in elementary school. In past years, V made cards for her classmates, but I never sent in candy for the kids. Because nothing says I Love You more than crap that makes your teeth fall out, right? Oh that gaping black hole is so sexy. I couldn't justify it. But this year, I don't want my baby left out. She won't be able to eat the other kids' candy if it's unlabeled, so I gladly showered her with chocolate kisses to bring to school. It is the least I can do.

Whatever you're eating or not eating, Happy Valentine's Day.

The orange walnut biscotti test

My homemade Gluten-Free biscotti:



If you've ever wanted to travel back in time to Ancient Rome, try dunking a piece of biscotti in wine. (Well, it works for me). I don't know if there is sound archaeological evidence of the ancients dipping cookies in wine -- if you've got proof please tell me. The ancient origins of the word biscotti, however, are free for the taking. From the Latin -bis meaning twice and coctum meaning cooked.

Now if only some Roman baker imagined me, two thousand years later in my middle class 21st- century American kitchen (actually it's still a 20th-century kitchen, alas), twice-baking my own biscotti GLUTEN-FREE. That would be a mind-blower. The original, crunchy, golden brown cookie made without wheat? How could it be? And by the way, Tiberius, we still use aqueducts. And when you see steam rising from Vesuvius, you might want to evacuate.

So, I really enjoy biscotti with my coffee and it isn't an indulgence I want to give up now that we've gone gluten-free. As I mentioned in the carrot cake post, Rebecca Reilly's Gluten-Free Baking includes six GF biscotti recipes, with variations given for each recipe. For my first attempt, I chose the Walnut Orange biscotti. People with other sensitivities should note that this recipe is gluten-free, but contains DAIRY, NUTS, EGGS and SUGAR.

The first few steps are familiar to anyone who's baked: combine the dry ingredients; whip the butter, sugar and wet ingredients; combine the wet and dry ingredients. Voila--dough. I'll focus here on the twice-baked part which is crucial to biscotti.

After the prepared dough is chilled, roll it into logs:




Bake the logs.

This is what they looked like after the first baking:




Next, slice the baked logs:




As you can see, the result was extra crumbly.
Spread the baked slices on a cookie sheet and rebake.
Here they are just out of the oven:



Seriously, can you tell these are gluten-free? Yum!

Restaurant Review: Pei Wei Asian Diner

P.F. Changs' unfussy younger brother, Pei Wei Asian Bistro, has 150 locations throughout the U.S., including one on Walnut Street in Cary, adjacent to Cary Towne Center. The big draw here is price and convenience; the chain boasts every item on the pan-Asian menu costs less than $10. This isn't relaxed dining, it's order-at-the-counter fast-casual, and it gets the job done without the frills.

Since Pei Wei is owned by P.F. Changs, a popular choice among gluten-free diners, we thought we'd check out the offerings at Pei Wei. But whereas Changs has a whopping 17 gluten-free choices, Pei Wei has a menu of just five items they call "Recommended for Gluten Intolerant diets." Three of those items are incarnations of chicken salad: Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls (order without the Thai peanut sauce), Asian Chopped Chicken Salad (substitute lime vinaigrette dressing and no wonton strips), and Pei Wei Spicy Chicken Salad (shrimp can be substituted). The other two recommended items are Pei Wei Spicy and Pei Wei Sweet and Sour, with a choice of chicken or shrimp in either dish.

Note the disclaimer at the bottom of the menu which reads, "Products containing gluten are prepared in our kitchen." In other words, BEWARE if cross-contamination is a concern. The good news is: the kitchen is open and visible from the dining area, so vigilant diners can keep a close eye on food preparation.

Ordering at the counter, it was evident that the staff had received training on Pei Wei's gluten free options. The woman we spoke with was able to answer specific gluten questions about each dish. When the computerized order went through, we could hear shouts of "Gluten-Free!" coming from the kitchen, as the information passed among the food preparers.

Even though my daughter is the one who MUST eat gluten-free, all three of us ordered off the gluten-free menu, in order to get a true idea of options. When I ordered, I asked that the non-gluten-free Thai peanut sauce be served on the side of my Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls. When our server brought the food to the table, he warned me that the side of sauce wasn't gluten-free, and asked if I wanted him to bring it back to the kitchen -- another sign of good staff training. The Chicken Salad rolls were tasty, if funny looking, and I skipped the peanut sauce altogether: chicken, fresh lettuce, mint, vermicelli thin rice noodles, and lime vinaigrette packaged in chewy rice paper. The rolls seemed a lighter option than the syrupy, sauce-laden dishes, all too prevalent at Amer-Asian restaurants.

My daughter chose the Pei Wei Sweet and Sour Chicken without the sauce (see above. Although rest easy, the GF sweet and sour sauce is gluten-free). The chicken arrived at the table breaded, despite the menu description as "non-battered chicken." When I inquired about the batter, I was quickly reassured that the GF chicken is breaded with potato starch, and is gluten-free. It was a comfort that all three of the staff members I interacted with were fully informed about the requirements of a gluten-free diet.

Here is a summary of the pros and cons of Pei Wei Asian Diner in Cary, as we experienced it:

PROS

* Quick, cheap and convenient dining option.
* Staff well trained in gluten-free dietary requirements.
* Kitchen visible from dining area.

CONS

* Risk of cross-contamination due to mixed kitchen.
* Limited gluten-free menu selection.


All in all, we plan to return to Pei Wei in the future, but with caution.

Challenge 1: Baking a Gluten-Free Cake

Gluten, a composite of gliadin and glutenin, is the protein in wheat grain, the elastic that binds together ingredients in dough. To bake without gluten is like trying to get two pieces of paper to stick to each other without glue. You can use tape; you can use paperclips or staples, but the end result is going to be different. Yesterday, I set out to use paperclips but make them act like glue.

V requested we bake a carrot cake and that seemed like an easier apprenticeship into gluten-free baking than, say, chocolate croissants.

I chose a carrot cake recipe from Rebecca Reilly's GLUTEN-FREE BAKING. Reilly is a graduate of LeNotre and Cordon Bleu cooking schools in Paris, so she knows how to bake, but here's the real sell for me: her book contains recipes for six different kinds of gluten-free biscotti. I have a *thing* for biscotti, so I'm looking forward to sampling homemade GF biscotti with my coffee.

Here are the ingredients I used to bake the carrot cake:





As you can see, it takes many ingredients to approximate the power of wheat gluten. Reilly's carrot cake is also dairy-free, egg-free, and sugar-free so it is great for people who have multiple sensitivities.

The cream cheese icing, on the other hand, is mostly dairy and sugar. So skip the icing if you are lactose intolerant or diabetic.





This is what it my dry and wet ingredients looked like before combining:




The house smelled divine while the cake was baking--a great sign!







Just out of the oven, you can see that the cake hardly rose. This is a dense dessert.

Here, I whipped up the cream cheese icing:





I'm not the world's best cake icer, but I thought the finished product looked pretty good, except for being really short:





Okay, so how about taste?

V loves it; I had to stop her from having too much. I like it, but would prefer using egg instead of tofu, if I can figure out how to make the substitution. Embracing my inner Betty Draper just a bit, I do believe the carrot cake passed the ultimate test. My husband, who is not on a gluten-free (or any other) diet took a piece with him to work. While I was writing this entry, he sent me the following text:

The carrot cake is totally yummy. It got me through the morning. No small feat.

If only "mission accomplished" weren't relegated to the linguistic trash-bin....
I'll have to settle for "challenge met".

A New Life

My daughter--I'll call her V for now--was diagnosed with celiac disease on January 15, so she’s had just over a week to adjust to a total change in lifestyle. It’s been an emotional week for the entire family. Today we ran into Target and she said, "Mom, I just want a soft pretzel."

I'm going to use this space to occasionally chronicle what's going on with us, but also to pressure local businesses to provide gluten-free options. Luckily, we're coming into this at a time when gluten-free is HOT--celiacs have more grocery and dining options than ever before. So when a Cary business does a great job being gluten-free friendly, I want to commend that here in this blog. Later in this post, I am going to recognize Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano for doing just that.

Over at Gluten Free Raleigh, Zach mentions that it takes an average of 11 years for someone to be properly diagnosed with celiac. In our case it took seven years, and many visits to both UNC Children’s Gastroenterology and Duke Pediatric Gastroenterology clinics, unpleasant experiences at best. I give both hospitals an F. I could talk ad nauseum about UNC and Duke, but the bottom line is: no one at either clinic knew what was wrong with my daughter and she was never tested for celiac disease. I was not even aware of celiac until my mother was diagnosed with it.

In December, I finally found an independent pediatric gastroenterologist and requested the blood test. V tested positive for the celiac antibodies. The gastroenterologist then performed an endoscopic biopsy, a procedure in which a tiny camera is inserted through a tube which goes down the throat, through the esophagus, into the duodendum. Pictures and tissue samples were taken. Those samples were sent to a pathologist for analysis. The biopsy confirmed celiac disease.

The whole process of getting knocked out with general anesthesia before the endoscopy, the endoscopy itself, and waiting for the results frightened V, who is nine. Fortunately, our experience at WakeMed pediatric outpatient surgery was better than the UNC and Duke clinic visits. By the time we received confirmation of the celiac diagnosis on Friday morning, it was somewhat of a relief. If celiac is the sole cause of her problems, she will feel better very soon.

We wanted to do something at least a little fun Friday evening, so we ventured out for her first gluten-free meal. We went to Biaggi’s in Cary, which has a gluten free menu.

Biaggi’s was the perfect introduction to gluten-free restaurant dining. The atmosphere is relaxed but chic, with earth-toned décor, soft lighting, and plenty of space between tables.

A helpful server had the kitchen bake up a fresh batch of GF bread. They use their gluten-free pizza dough, which is salty and flavorful, and goes down easily drizzled with the olive oil at the table. I asked for the croutons to be left off my salad and that was no problem. V ordered the gluten-free pasta with pesto sauce, and she loved it. She said she couldn’t taste the difference between hers and regular wheat pasta, the ultimate compliment. When the Chef heard from our server that we were brand new to gluten free living, he sent over a paper copy of the GF menu and his business card with an offer to answer any future questions that we have. I plan to take him up on this, and we will definitely dine again at Biaggi’s.

More later. In the meantime, please leave a comment if there is a local gluten-free friendly business you'd like me to visit.

Whole Foods - Gluten Free Tour

Sunday, January 24th

Gluten-Free Tour

4 p.m. free, pre-register

If you suffer from gluten sensitivity, Celiac Disease, or you just want to know about our gluten-free products, then this tour is for you! We will show you where to find our various gluten-free options, as well as direct you to other resources. Along the way we will stop in our different departments to sample some yummy and satisfying gluten-free nibbles. Everyone who takes the tour will be sent home with a goody bag of our gluten-free products. Space is limited so we ask that you pre-register at our customer service desk.

Whole Foods - Gluten Free Tour 12/13

From http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/cary/storecalendar.php

Sunday, December 13th
Gluten Free Tour
4 p.m. free, pre-registration required

If you suffer from gluten sensitivity, Celiac Disease, or you just want to know about our gluten-free products, then this tour is for you! We will show you where to find our various gluten-free options, as well as direct you to other resources. Along the way we will stop in our different departments to sample some yummy and satisfying gluten-free nibbles. Everyone who takes the tour will be sent home with a goody bag of our gluten-free products. Space is limited so we ask that you pre-register at our customer service desk.

Food Allergy Walk This Saturday

This Saturday, November 7th, 2009, there will be a walk to raise funds and awareness for Food Allergies held in Cary. The walk is sponsored by The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and NC FACES (North Carolina Food Allergic Children Excelling Safely) support group. This will be an excellent opportunity to shine the spotlight on food allergies and how they affect millions of Americans. If you have not seen my Food Allergen Restaurant Poster Petition, click here.

Walk Details
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2009
Time: Check-in begins at 9:00 a.m.; Walk begins at 10:00 a.m.
Location: Bond Park, 801 High House Road, Cary, NC 27513
Distance: 2 miles
Event Web site (visit this site to create or join a team or give
Email Contact: Christa Davidson
Restrictions: No pets, glass bottles, bikes, roller skates, or skate boards. Baby strollers and wagons are welcomed.
Target Fundraising Goal: $70,000 (currently have raised nearly $14,000)

About FAAN
FAAN is a national network offering support and education for people with food allergies. There is a ton a great information on their Web site. The group was established in 1991. FAAN’s membership now stands at close to 30,000 worldwide and includes families, dietitians, nurses, physicians, school staff, and representatives from government agencies and the food and pharmaceutical industries. FAAN serves as the communication link between the patient and others. FAAN focuses on awareness, education, advocacy, research and many other areas (a lot of the same goals for this blog). FAAN is (and has been conducting Food Allergy Walks all over the US for years now. Click here for the Walk Web site. There was also a race in Charlotte this past September which raised more than $25,000 and had over 300 participants.

About NC FACES
NC FACES was started by local parents in 2003 who had children with food allergies. The group began by getting together for play dates and has now grown to over 200 families. They focus on providing local social and emotional support for food allergic families. The group usually has quarterly meetings and other events like Easter egg hunts, Halloween fun and games at the Durham Bulls. They are also a big reason for the local FAAN Walk. Click here for the groups Web site or click here to email for more information. You can also check out the group on Facebook.

Jules Shepard Gluten Free Thanksgiving Cooking Class @ Earth Fare

I've written numerous times about Celiac expert and Gluten Free cooking guru Jules Shepard before on Gluten Free Raleigh. Jules currently resides in Baltimore but has North Carolina ties and stops in for a visit every few months. Each time she stops in we are very lucky! I have had the pleasure of organizing 2 previous cooking classes with Jules (February & July) and she stopped by for another one in August. I have great news to report, Jules will again be back in Raleigh, this time for a timely Gluten Free Thanksgiving themed cooking demonstration. Thanksgiving can be like navigating a Gluten minefield, this class will be the perfect way to have a great GF feast.

See below for more information. I encourage you to sign up soon as space is limited and Jules' classes are in very high demand. As always, portion of the proceeds will go toward Celiac Disease research.

GF Thanksgiving With Jules Shepard
Earth Fare Raleigh
Sunday Nov. 15, 2-4:30pm

Jules Shepard returns to Earth Fare Raleigh to get us all ready for a delicious gluten-free Thanksgiving! Come experience firsthand how knowledgeable, entertaining and encouraging North Carolina native and gluten-free cooking expert Jules Shepard can be, at this in-person demonstration with the focus on Thanksgiving! Learn how simple it can be to prepare amazing gluten-free meals everyone in your family will enjoy this holiday season.

Dishes like gluten-free and dairy-free homemade casseroles, pie crusts, pumpkin pie, dinner rolls and stuffing! Sample a wide variety of goodies, ask questions and have Jules sign one of her two books at this limited-space class. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis.

As a special bonus, registrants in this Thanksgiving class will each get Jules' brand new 34 page Thanksgiving E-book full of recipes and tips for a great holiday (a $12.95 value)! See you there!

Class Fee is $40 (a portion of this registration fee will be donated to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research)

To register, visit JulesGlutenFree.com or call (433-1390)/visit Earth Fare.

Cary, NC Bloggers Needed

Live in Cary, NC?

Live the Gluten Free Lifestyle?

Interested in helping others in your city?

If you have any questions or interest writing about Cary, NC please email me.

Restaurant Review: The Loop Pizza Grill

Just in case you didn't already know. The Loop Pizza Grill in Cary has a gluten free menu. There are risks involved, in that their grill is used for a variety of items, and although they clean it, they can't guarantee against cross contamination.

When I read the disclaimer about the grill on the top of the menu I was a little disheartened, but talking with the manager eased my mind a bit. Although they cook many items on their grill, it is mainly used for meats, and he commits to cleaning the area your meat would be cooked on before preparing it. I also gained a little confidence when he mentioned he had brought an outside expert in to educate him on the problems of cross-contamination, and the gluten free diet. He paid someone to come in to his kitchen, educate him and help him with their menu and gluten free options. To me that is pretty impressive.

Information
The Loop Pizza Grill
Web site: http://www.looppizzagrill.com/

2 Cary Locations
Kildaire Plaza Shopping Center - 1207 Kildaire Farm Road - Cary, NC
Phone: 919-657-0330

West Park Place - 2734 NC Hwy 55 - Cary, NC
Phone: 919-387-8002

Restaurant Review: Lucky 32

A few weeks ago I was gifted a meal at Lucky 32 with 19 of my friends. I know, CRAZY! That doesn't really happen does it? Well it did. And usually meals like this bring out all sorts of stress, and anxiety about my meal, and how I might feel the next couple of days. But, it was lunch with friends, and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity. And I am glad I didn't.

I arrived to find they were prepared for me. They already had printed out their gluten free menu and had them on the table ready to go. The rest of my crew of course opted for the regular menu, but I was pleasantly surprised by the options listed. There were several!

Since the meal was free, and well, I could get whatever I wanted, I made it a multiple course meal. I started with salad, and was a bit disappointed when my salad came with an unwrapped cracker on top. I stressed the harmful affects of that cracker resting with my salad, and they quickly whisked it away, and several minutes later came back with a new one apologizing profusely. I then had some incredible tomato soup, that was again, gluten free, and without any crackers. When my main dish arrived, I was full, but had to try a few bites and I can say, the Jambalya was out of this world! It was even better reheated the next day. I should mention that the cornbread they serve on the table, was also gluten free, and was, well, heavenly. It has been a long time since I enjoyed bread with my friends before the meal arrived. I felt almost normal!

The only downfall, which is common, was that there wasn't a dessert option. Well, that and the cracker incident, but hey, they did have a table for 20, and well, I know it isn't an excuse, but they had 3 servers working with us. The poor guy didn't stand a chance. And they fixed the problem without complaint.

I have eaten at Lucky 32 since then, a few times, without incident during the meal or in the days following. I highly recommend it if you want something that isn't a chain and is a little different.

Check out a previous post with their GF menu.

Information
Lucky 32
Web site: http://www.lucky32.com/
7307 Tryon Road, Cary, NC
Between US 1/64 and Kildaire Farm
Hours:
Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Monday 11:15 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 11:15 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 11:15 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Phone: 919-233-1632

Restaurant Review: Maggiano's Little Italy

I know I know, Maggiano's is NOT in Cary, but it is so close, and well, I figured the Cary readers needed to know about this one.

A few weeks ago I was craving pasta, but not just any pasta. I was craving the pasta that comes from someone else's kitchen, that leaves you feeling so full you can't even find room for ice-cream kind of pasta. So, I tried out Maggiano's to see just how gluten free friendly they were.

And I was so incredibly impressed! I sat down, asked my waiter about the gluten free pasta. I started to quiz him and he stopped me mid-sentence. He then informed me, that in order to make sure all of my needs were met, they actually have the chef come out to talk to me. That way my waiter wouldn't mess it up.

About 5 minutes later, the waiter comes out with a special note-pad. It's yellow, says Gluten-Free meal on top in bold letters, and has space to write down what I want to eat. I was floored. The chef introduced himself, informed me that he personally would prepared my meal, and then asked what I wanted. And this is where I got the biggest surprise of my visit. Long ago I stopped looking at the menu when it was handed to me. I would go into a restaurant and glance at it, find something that sounded good and then hope I could modify it only to be sorely disappointed. I explained this to the chef, and he said, well then, lets create you a meal, what were you thinking of when you came in? Seriously folks, he made up my pasta dish. And it was DELISH, and gluten free!

And here is another kicker. They didn't charge me an exorbitant amount. I later found a dish that was similar to the one I had created, and the price was comparable.

So, it's not in Cary, but really, for some of us in Cary, Southpointe mall isn't too far away. It's worth a shot.

I have been in contact with Daniel's Italian restaurant. I hope to have some news on them soon.

Information
Maggiano's Little Italy
Web site: http://www.maggianos.com/
Durham location (only location in the Triangle)
8030 Renaissance Parkway,, Suite 890, Durham, NC, 27713
Hours:
Sun 12pm - 10pm
Mon - Thur 11am - 10pm
Fri - Sat 11am - 11pm
Phone: 919-572-0070

Whole Foods Gluten Free Tour - Aug 26

Wednesday, August 26th

Gluten Free Tour @ Whole Foods Cary
7 p.m. free, pre-register

If you suffer from gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease, or you just want to know about our gluten-free products, then this tour is for you! We will show you where to find our various gluten-free options, as well as direct you to other resources. Along the way we will stop in our different departments to sample some yummy and satisfying gluten-free nibbles. Everyone who takes the tour will be sent home with a goody bag of our gluten-free products. Space is limited so we ask that you pre-register at our customer service desk.

Thank you Betty!

A few weeks ago I recieved a text message, "brownies or cookies?"  I am a chocolate chip cookie lover so aptly replied, "if chocolate chip, cookies, if not, brownies...why?"  There wasn't a response, until the next day when she showed up at my door with a plate of cookies in hand.  I was floored.  She said she had found the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cookie mix and had to make me some.  After I quizzed her on her preparation techniques to ensure against cross-contamination, I took a bite and was taken back.  They were GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

This past week brought another similar experience.  A 

girlfriend had stumbled upon a box of Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Brownie mix, and couldn't resist buying it.  This evening I pulled out the box, hopeful that they would be at least decent.  And was I in for a surprise.  

They were AMAZING.  Seriously folks.  OUT. OF. THIS.  WORLD!  In fact, the friend who enjoyed them with me commented that they were some of the best brownies she had ever tasted...and she gets to eat gluten!

I have to say that I have tried several other baking products on the market, and I have found some good "substitutes," but they all have that gluten free flavor and taste to them.  None have really taken be back to the good ol' days...but Betty Crocker...she has out done herself!

And as if having brownies, cookies, devils food cake or yellow cake weren't enough, Betty Crocker has a load of recipes that can be made using of these products.  I am thinking that the ooey-gooey Rocky Road Bars and the Lemon Lover's cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting might be the first on my list to try.  Thank you Betty Crocker team, for re-instilling my faith in baking quality products that are gluten free.

***For those looking, both friends mentioned they found them at Harris Teeter in Cary.  I have searched a few other major chains but not seen them on the store shelves yet.