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Reader Report: Austin, Texas

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Every Reader Report that comes into my mailbox is a welcome find, but Susan Mack’s report on gluten-free Austin is extraordinary. While I knew that the capital city of Texas was a paradise for music-lovers (Asleep at the Wheel, one of my favorite bands, is based there), I had no idea it was a mecca for gluten-intolerant people, too. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to use the information in Susan’s report when I visit Texas on my book tour in October. (I’ll be discussing and signing my debut mystery novel, The Damage Done, at Houston’s Murder by the Book on Saturday, October 30th at 5pm; I’m hoping to add an Austin event to my schedule soon.) A huge round of applause for Susan’s incredibly helpful report, and a heartfelt thank-you to her for taking the time to share so much information!

Susan’s Report on Austin, Texas: Gluten-Free Mecca

I’ve lived in Austin for seven years, and have had to go gluten-free in the past six months. In talking to friends from other cities, I have to say that if you have to be gluten-free, Austin seems to be the place to do it.

If you’re looking for a vacation spot – Austin is famous for our Austin City Limits music festival in October (where you will find carnival food stands with GF options) and our SXSW music, film and interactive festival in the spring. But any weeknight of the year, you will find at least 75 live music events, several local theatre production, some UT sporting event, or a great organized athletic group. Plus, in the spring, we have wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country.

We have a plethora of good, locally owned restaurants in a wide variety of price ranges. Almost every one of them is sensitive to gluten intolerance.  There is no reason to go to a restaurant that doesn’t have a gluten-free menu. If your waiter doesn’t understand your needs – walk out.  You can find a perfectly good option within a couple blocks. And although I’ve picked out several places that I think are particularly good or sensitive – I’ve even gone to food trailers that had gluten-free lists. Almost any restaurant is going to have safe options.

We have a strong locavore culture. We’re the headquarters of Whole Foods. And until recently, the local Whole Foods was dwarfed by another store: the HEB chain flagship – Central Market. In addition, we’ve recently gotten Sprouts, the Natural Grocer, and Sunflower Farmer’s Market – all of which join the local People’s Pharmacy in delivering gluten-free options.

So, without much ado, here are some gems that you can find in Austin.

Entirely Gluten-Free Restaurants:

  • Wild Wood Art Café — 3663 Bee Caves Road, #4A Austin, Texas 78746. Wild Wood is an entirely gluten-free bakery and café. Imagine walking into a restaurant and ordering a sandwich or lasagna! But really, it is their tamales, salads and desserts that shine. Their gluten-free ding dongs are to die for — even if you didn’t want to eat ding dongs in your gluten-eating days.
  • TalkHouse — 1221 W. Sixth Ave, Austin, TX 78703.  This small café connected to a beauty salon serves food that tastes so good, you might not even notice that it’s good for you!  A raw food restaurant that is entirely gluten-free, TalkHouse is shocking. Their ‘pizza’ and chile rellenos are so good that my gluten-eating, meat-eating husband wants to eat there more often!  No gluten comes through the door.
  • MyFitFoods — Various locations. This place serves single serving meals that you can reheat in the microwave. They specialize in supporting a 21 day cleanse — but they have many quick meals that are worth saving for a hotel-room breakfast or lunch on the go. No gluten or soy enters their facilities.

Diner-ish Restaurants With Good Gluten-Free Selections

  • Galaxy Café — Various locations — A local chain run by an owner sensitive to gluten intolerance. You can get breakfast wraps in gluten-free rice tortillas and a wide variety of menu options. They can’t utterly promise to avoid cross-contamination, so they don’t claim their flourless chocolate cake is gluten-free. But if you can risk a few grains in your food it is to die for.
  • Kerby Lane Café — Various locations — One of the more extensive GF menus in town. Open 24 hours. They are sort of like a Denny’s that offers enchiladas and local produce selections. Salads are incredible, as are their enchiladas.
  • 24 Diner — 6th and Lamar — A new ‘locavore’ restaurant. They don’t have a GF menu, but can tell you what is safe. They make their own sausage in house and can tell you which farm the produce came from.
  • Counter Café — 626 N. Lamar Blvd — “Counter culture” reigns here. A small diner that serves local produce while you sit at the counter. Their eggs are absolutely to die for – as is their quail salad on the lunch menu. The hipster staff is completely aware of food intolerance issues and will very carefully cook your food separately to take care of you.

Mexican

  • Maudie’s — Various locations — Ask for the gluten-free corn chips and they will help you out. A wide variety of gluten-free options and utterly conscientious.
  • Torchy’s Tacos — Various locations — This place will make you rethink your definition of taco. They raise tacos to a gourmet form of art. And they have a list at the register of which items are and are not GF. You might have to skip the fried avocado taco, but the grilled fish, barbacoa, or green chile pork are all safe when you eat them on one of the best corn tortillas you will find.
  • Zocolo — 1110 West Lynn Ave, 78703 — Fresh Mexican? Really? This place offers goodies like vegetable stew, jicama salad and an amazing black bean soup in addition to fresh tacos and amazing enchiladas. As long as your corn tortillas stay out of their deep fryer, you have a lot of great GF options — and they are aware of cross contamination issues.

Burgers, Pizza and More

  • Terra Burger — 10611 Research Blvd. — Organic burgers. Gluten-free buns. Organic shakes made from real gluten-free ice cream. Unbreaded fries made from real potatoes. And a playscape. And a water park. Need I say more?
  • Austin’s Pizza — Various locations — Gluten-free pizza delivered. And the toppings are amazing.
  • Brick Oven on 35th — 1608 W. 35th St — This Italian restaurant advertises and offers a wide variety of gluten-free pastas and pizzas. If you want to go out, sit down and eat — this is a great option!

Four- to Five-Star Dining

  • La Condesa — 2nd and Guadalupe — If the menu is not gluten-free, they will make it so. This is one of the best restaurants in Austin and a huge part of the local food movement. They do a Mexico-City inspired Mexican Fusion cuisine that is not to be missed. And their pastry chef can put together gluten-free treats if you are interested.
  • Olivia — 2043 S. Lamar — Rated one of the best new restaurants of 2009 by Bon Appetit, this place is worth a splurge. Home-made ice cream, home-made charcuterie and just good food. They will prepare something special if you challenge them with GF.

Grocery Shopping

  • Whole Foods Corporate Headquarters — Lamar between 5th and 6th — If Whole Foods married Costco, you might get the impression of the sheer floor space of this place. With an entire grocery store aisle and an entire frozen food aisle dedicated to GF products, you can find most of what you want from cookies, to breads to beers. If a flour isn’t in the GF aisle, it might be in the standard cooking aisle. And you can find pure buckwheat soba, and GF cooking sauces in the Asian aisle. If it can be done GF, you can probably find it here.
  • Central Market — 35th and Lamar — The major competition for Whole Foods and possibly the inspiration for their floorspace. There is a full aisle and frozen section with GF goodies. They frequently host GF cooking classes for the uninitiated.
  • Fresh Plus — 12th and West Lynn — If you don’t have time for a big store, and just want to pick up some staples, this neighborhood market is very impressive. With high end cheeses, goats milk ice cream, kambucha tea and a gluten-free aisle — you will be pleasantly surprised. It looks from the front like a convenience store, but the selection is incredible. And you can get in and out in five minutes!
  • Sprouts — 2 locations — New to Austin, Sprouts Natural Foods is giving the big guys a run for their money. They recently ran a 25% off all gluten-free products special, and most of the store had GF signs all over it. Several bargains to be had from this natural foods competitor.
  • Wheatsville Co-op — In Austin for more than 30 years, this small co-op ‘gets it’ about GF. In addition to the standard products, they do ‘Wheat-free Wednesday’  where their bakery goes GF and they sell home-made goodies.

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Reader Report: Machiavelli in Montreal

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

When I read this Reader Report, I realized that it’s been more than six years since I visited Montreal. I’m long overdue for another trip to one of Canada’s most beautiful — and historic — cities. When I do, the first place I will have to check out is Machiavelli, which Alice writes about below. Thanks for sending this in, Alice!

Alice’s Report on Machiavelli in Montreal, Quebec

Machiavelli Restaurant is a wonderful restaurant that serves delicious fusion cuisine dishes. Machiavelli’s talented chef Raymond is very knowledgeable about dietary restrictions and prepares all his soups and gravies from scratch (no pre-packaged bases). They are able to offer delicious gluten-free meals as well as cater to other allergy restrictions.

Machiavelli offers a varied dinner menu with choices of beef steaks, pork, chicken dishes, fish and pasta.  Unfortunately, they do not keep gluten free pasta in stock. Machiavelli offers a different menu every day, with their special offerings listed on a black board. Their daily menu consists of a choice of soup, escargot, Caesar or garden salad.   For a main course there is always a choice of different meats, fish and a pasta dish. The chef uses local produce and fresh herbs from the nearby Atwater Market. The dishes are presented very attractively and with flair. Their prices are very reasonable and include both courses, as well as all local taxes. In other words, the price you see marked on the menu is the price you will pay, plus the customary tip to the waiter, of course.

Machiavelli is a “bring your own wine” restaurant, so do not forget to bring your own wine or beer. Machiavelli has a charming décor & in the summer offers outside garden dining, weather permitting. The restaurant has three small dining rooms so it makes it an ideal place to host a small party. Machiavelli Restaurant is situated at 2601 Centre Street (corner Charlevoix), Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3K 1K2.  Their telephone: 514-315-9981; fax: 514-315-9979; machiavelli.mtl@gmail.com. Machiavelli can be easily reached by subway from any downtown hotel, as it is situated right across the street from the Charlevoix subway station.  On the South East corner there is a liquor store where you can purchase a good selection of wines, but unfortunately the liquor store is open late in the evening only on Thursday & Friday evenings, weekdays it closes at 6 PM and Saturdays at 5 PM. Machiavelli Restaurant is open every day for dinner, except on Mondays.

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Reader Report: São Paulo, Brazil

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

I love getting Reader Reports for a variety of reasons. It’s always wonderful to have people share what they’ve found on a trip, or in their hometown. Reader Reports also reinforce my belief that gluten-intolerant people can travel anywhere and eat well. And they give me previews about places that I’m dying to visit. This report, by Fernando de Barros Pereira, is a perfect example. São Paulo, Brazil, is the largest city in South America, and one of the most dynamic cities in the world. Friends who have visited all come back raving about it. I’m not sure when I’ll get there — especially because the next few months are going to involve a lot of travel in the US and Canada for my book tour — but I know I will soon. In the meantime, a heartfelt thank you to Fernando for this wonderful report!

Gluten Free in São Paulo, Brazil

Since 2003 there is a national law that obligates the food companies to declare whether their products contain gluten or not. It is written on the label: Contém Glúten (this product contains gluten) or Não Contém Glúten (does not contain gluten). This law is extremely helpful, making it easier to buy food in any supermarket in Brazil.

In São Paulo, there are a lot of places you can buy gluten-free products like pasta, bread, cookies, snacks or cereal. The best one is called Mundo Verde. It has many locations and their website is www.mundoverde.com.br. In www.specialgourmets.com there is a wider selection of stores that sell gluten-free stuff.

Although there aren’t many restaurants with gluten-free menus in São Paulo, our cuisine isn’t really based in wheat/gluten. The following list is based on my own experience, since I eat in restaurants frequently:

  • Eau French Grill (Av. Nações Unidas, 13.301 – www.eau.com.br): Definitely one of the best restaurants in São Paulo. It is located inside the Gran Hyatt Hotel. The staff is extremely well trained and familiarized with the gluten-free diet. Although it can be a little expensive, dining there is a memorable experience for sure.
  • Wraps (Several locations – www.wraps.com.br): They are one of the few restaurants that have a gluten-free menu. A very nice place with reasonable prices.
  • Steak Houses: The Traditional Brazilian Barbecue is served in the Rodizio Style. It’s similar to the all-you-can-eat system: you pay a price and can enjoy the salad bar and the different types of meats that the waiters offer you. Our barbecue only has salt as seasoning, so it is definitely a safe place to eat. There is a “Rodizio” Steak House on every corner, but I can say that Fogo de Chao (www.fogodechao.com.br) is one of the best.
  • Japanese Places: In São Paulo there are a lot of sushi restaurants, that could be a safe option for a nice lunch or dinner. Just talk to the waiter and stick to the traditional choices like sashimi, sushi and temaki. The majority of our soy sauce brands use corn instead of wheat, making it safe for celiacs, but it is prudent to ask the waiter/manager about it. Some places I can recommend: Aoyama (www.aoyama.com.br) and Gendai (www.gendai.com.br), a franchise that is available in many shopping centers and in São Paulo’s two airports.
  • Baked Potato (www.bakedpotato.com.br): Fast food place that serves baked potatoes with different stuffings. The only stuffing that I know for a fact that is gluten-free is the Requeijão (it is like a cream cheese, but a lot more flavourful).
  • Galeto’s (www.galetos.com.br): Great chicken, has a great salad bar too with 95% of the foods there being gluten free. The chicken has a “secret” seasoning and it is gluten-free (I talked to the manager and he showed me the ingredients, mostly herbs and olive oil).

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Reader Report: Gluten-Free Melbourne, Australia

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

Australia is one place I’ve dreamed about visiting for years. Whenever I do finally make it there, Stuart Holding’s advice about Melbourne will come in very handy. Thanks so much to Stuart for writing this wonderful report!

Stuart’s Report on Melbourne

Travelling to Melbourne? Perhaps you live here and crave for that perfect pizza?

Well, I’ve been living as a diagnosed coeliac (celiac) for around 5 or 6 years now and have noticed a marked increase in both awareness and understanding in recent years around Melbourne. I’m no expert on the topic, but I’ve spoken at length with Australia’s leading dietician, researcher and cookbook author on the subject in Sue Shepherd from Shepherd Works. The first thing I can recommend is to get a hold of her cookbooks. They have wonderfully simple recipes and have taken me back to the tastes of some of my old favourite dishes that were once forgotten (post diagnosis).

Most wait staff in restaurants in Melbourne will understand exactly what you mean when you tell them you have coeliacs disease and require a gluten-free meal, and more and more are indicating on their menus which dishes are gluten-free. However, some places I’ve come across show some dishes as gluten-free yet omit some that are naturally gluten-free, so don’t necessarily just order what they say is gluten-free.

Some of my favourite restaurants around Melbourne are below, but I’ve had to keep the list quite brief. If you’re visiting Melbourne as a tourist you’ll likely find a great place to eat in one of Melbourne’s famous laneways that will happily cater for your needs. Just be sure to remind the waiter and don’t assume they know!

Quite simply the best pizza in Melbourne (and that includes all of the famous Lygon Street Italian eateries) is Pizza Farro in Thornbury about 20 minutes on the #86 tram to the north. Vince and Evette are the proprietors and specialize in spelt (non GF) and gluten-free pizzas. They are traditional Italian pizzas in a quaint family-run restaurant setting. Tell them I sent you — they mightn’t give you any discount, but they’ll look after you.

A recently opened “forward thinking answer to the emerging popularity and awareness of authentic Mexican food and beverage” in Melbourne Central Business District (CBD) is Mamasita’s. It’s a Mexican restaurant that serves more traditional tacos, quesadillas, tostitas, etc. Everything on the menu is gluten-free! And the sangria isn’t half bad either.

One of the things I miss most since eating gluten-free is a good “Parma and Pot.” An Australian pub meal at its best! Mrs Parma’s in Melbourne’s CBD specialize in “Parmas” (chicken, veal or vegetarian parmigianas) and offer their entire menu in a gluten-free option. They also stock locally brewed beer O’Briens Pale Ale or O’Briens Lager to help wash down the meal. It’s a must-try, but it’s not the cheapest Parma you’ll find at around $20-$25.

A favourite breakfast treat is located in North Melbourne called Fraus. It’s a creperie and hot chocolate café and all of their gallettes are gluten-free and make for a great substitute to traditional bacon and eggs on toast.

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Reader Report: Orlando’s Disney World

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

The Gluten-Free Guidebook’s Reader Report Contest didn’t get very many entries (there ended up being six in total), but every one was a terrific read and will add lots of valuable information for travelers. I will be publishing them all on the site, starting with the very first entry that came in. Many thanks to Deb for this terrific report!

Deb’s Report on Disney World

Last spring my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease less than a month away from our trip to Florida, including two days at Disney World.  I learned the folks at Disney are fantastic at accommodating guests with celiac, gluten/wheat sensitivity, or any other food allergies.  We returned to Disney again this March and had a second wonderful experience.

Contact SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com at least two weeks before your trip to Disney.  We were sent a guest allergy form to fill out and return.   Then we received a confirmation email verifying that the pertinent allergy information was included on our dining reservations.

Here are reviews for the restaurants we dined at.  To make a reservation at any of the sit down restaurants at Disney World, call 407-WDW-DINE.

Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom)

Crystal Palace provides an upscale buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner.   We’ve had lunch at Crystal Palace two years running.  The chef walks the line with you, showing you which foods are safe.  During our visit, gluten-free foods available on the cold line included several fruit salads, a black bean and corn salad and a spring greens and tomato salad (dressing and croutons were further down the line, so the salad was safe). On the hot line there was flank steak, salmon, and a rice dish — all delicious.

The chef also prepared gluten-free chicken fingers and fries for my daughter.  The gluten-free chicken fingers were rated ‘amazing.’ For dessert there is ice cream, or if you can’t have dairy, Rice Dream.

The culinary team at Crystal Palace was very welcoming. We will continue to dine there on future trips.

Coral Reef (Epcot)

Coral Reef diners order from a menu, so the chef comes out and discusses options with you. Grilled Mahi Mahi and a grilled chicken breast were two of my daughter’s choices. While we waited for our entrees, our server brought out warm gluten-free rolls as an alternative to the bread basket.

The grilled chicken breast served with a side of fries was rated ‘great’ by my daughter.  Fresh fruit, Rice Dream or a gluten-free brownie were offered for dessert. If you do not have an issue with dairy, regular ice cream would also be an option.

We’ve eaten at Coral Reef twice and will return again.

Brown Derby (Hollywood Studios)

Like Coral Reef, the chef comes out and discusses options with you. Disney menus at the sit-down restaurants feature a fair number of grilled meat and fish dishes, which are easy to modify. Warm gluten-free rolls are provided here as well.  My daughter had a delicious flank steak, new potatoes with olive oil and herbs and steamed broccoli. Fruit, Rice Dream and gluten-free brownies were again available for dessert.  While service was a bit slow, we’d dine there again if we ever return to Hollywood Studios.

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Welcome to ThrillerFest

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

One of my favorite events of the year is about to begin: ThrillerFest, a conference that has been described as “summer camp for thriller readers, fans, writers and industry professionals.” It brings some of my favorite writers to the Grand Hyatt in Midtown Manhattan for four days, starting this Wednesday, July 7th. (The first two days are for CraftFest and AgentFest, targeted at writers who are working on thrillers; Friday and Saturday are for readers and writers alike). Featured authors include Linda Fairstein, Harlan Coben, Tess Gerritsen, Gayle Lynds, Joseph Finder, Sophie Littlefield, Rebecca Cantrell… well, you get the idea. It’s quite a line-up. This year, I’ll be on a panel, too: “How Do You Pack for a Thriller?” — about using international settings in your fiction — will take place on Friday, July 9th at 11am. (If you weren’t aware of ThrillerFest but want to attend, you can still register for Friday and Saturday.)

One writer who is attending ThrillerFest asked me — via Twitter — about where to dine gluten-free in New York. This seemed like a perfect time to mention some of my favorite Manhattan spots. If you’re visiting New York this summer, you won’t want to miss these:

Bistango: Almost every item on the menu of this Italian restaurant in Murray Hill can be prepared in a gluten-free version. There’s plenty of gluten-free pizza and pasta dishes, as well as meatier offerings like  rack of lamb. What really makes a meal at Bistango stand out is the graciousness of its staff. The owner, Anthony, goes back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen, talking to everyone and making sure that diners are comfortable. This is a gem. [web] www.bistangonyc.com

Rosa Mexicano: My favorite Mexican restaurant in Manhattan now has a separate gluten-free menu. (The gluten-free menus are available at all three of Rosa Mexicano’s Manhattan locations, though the one at the original First Avenue spot is a little different from the others.) There’s a long list of options, but my favorite main dish is the Budín de Pollo, a decadent tortilla pie filled with layers of chicken, peppers, and cheese. There are also amazing — and rather strong — pomegranate margaritas. [web] www.rosamexicano.com

Risotteria: The bad news is that Risotteria doesn’t do reservations. When the wait gets extremely long, sometimes the waitstaff comes outside with gluten-free breadsticks, guaranteeing that you’ll hang around. The food is stellar, and the many celiac-safe options run the gamut from Caesar salad to mushroom risotto, and from pizza to panini. All of the desserts are gluten-free, and they are divine. [web] www.risotteria.com

There are also two bakeries that I want to mention. Both of them deliver to addresses in the continental U.S., though not all of their products are available this way. If you can, check them out in person:

BabyCakes NYC: This Lower East Side bakery is famous for its organic, vegan, and gluten-free options, but keep in mind that the treats made with spelt are not safe for celiacs or the gluten-intolerant (though they’re a great option for wheat-allergic people). I’m wild about the cupcake tops, but other options include cookie sandwiches, crumb cakes, and banana bread. [web] www.babycakesnyc.com

Tu-Lu’s Gluten-Free Bakery: Formerly known as Tully’s, this East Village bakery is entirely gluten-free. I’m hopelessly addicted to their brownies, which are the best I’ve had in a long time. There are also cupcakes and a variety of cookies, including oatmeal, cranberry, and classic chocolate chip. [web] www.tu-lusbakery.com

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Roundup: Contest and More Tips From Readers

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

The Gluten-Free Guidebook is having its first-ever Reader Report Contest (check out this post to enter). I’ve received questions about it from some readers, and I wanted to answer them here, in case others are wondering the same thing. It’s perfectly fine to send a list of your favorite celiac-safe restaurants and shops, without actually “reviewing” each one. Some Reader Reports that are already on the site are actually lists like that, and they’re very helpful to people. The Reader Report can be about anywhere in the world, and it’s perfectly alright to write about a destination already featured on the site. There’s always new information to share. I look forward to reading your entries!

Contest aside, several readers have sent me tips about gluten-free restaurants and bakeries via e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook, and I want to pass these along. I’m always grateful when people take the time to share information, and I know that these tips will help many others.

Kathy, a reader in Montreal, visited New York a few weeks ago, and wrote to tell me about a restaurant she’d enjoyed: Emporio. She described it as having a “great GF menu, helpful staff and wonderful atmosphere.” I haven’t tried it yet but plan to. ([address] 231 Mott Street; [tel] 212-966-1234; [web] www.auroraristorante.com)

Chelsea, a reader in Toronto, wrote: “The Starving Artist cafe/waffle bar in Toronto (near Bloor/Lansdowne) has really awesome gluten-free (and vegan) waffles. You can substitute the GF waffles in any of their waffle meals/desserts.” That’s another place on my list of places to try. ([address] 584 Lansdowne Avenue; [tel] 647-342-5058; [web] www.starvingartistbar.com)

My friend Henny Groenendijk, also based in Toronto, told me about a new gluten-free bakery in Oakville, Ontario. It’s called Voila Gluten Free Bakeree ([address] 22 Lakeshore West, Unit 6; [tel] 289-837-0110; [web] www.voilaglutenfreebakeree.com).

Another friend, Margaret Littman, told me about Fifth Group Restaurants, a company in Atlanta, Georgia, that recently launched gluten-free menus at each of its five restaurants: El Taco, Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, and South City Kitchen (which has two locations). From the company’s official statement: “We are dedicated to giving our guests as many dining options as possible – and that includes options for those with dietary restrictions. It’s another step in striving to satisfy our current patrons and potential new diners, and with a rise in celiac disease diagnoses, I think it’s a big step that we absolutely must take.”

It’s always exciting to see more places offer gluten-free options. What have you found lately?

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Buenos Aires for Celiacs?

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

I’ve never been to Buenos Aires, but I very much want to visit. That’s largely because of the city’s architecture and art and music (those who know my darker, crime-fiction-writing side will also understand my interest in seeing Recoleta). My curiosity has been piqued in the past couple of years because it seemed that Argentina’s capital city is a great destination for the gluten-free. Silvia Basualdo Róvere has sent information about restaurants that serve gluten-free food (in this post and in this one). Also, the group Ley Celíaca (Celiac Law) has been very successful in passing legislation to increase awareness and accessibility for celiacs.

But Timo Rantalaiho, a reader who has lived in Buenos Aires for five months wrote to me with a very different — and quite negative — impression of the city. For his full text, visit the comments under this post. Here are some excerpts:

I’m sorry to break your illusion, but Buenos Aires is not a celiac paradise by any means. This has been the experience of our celiac family that has now lived in Buenos Aires for five months.

Almost any restaurant that has ever heard of the celiac disease or is asked whether they make food suitable for celiac people or if they have anything on the menu without flour will tick the box in Guia Oleo, but that doesn’t mean that you could actually get that kind of food in the place, at least not easily. Practically nobody knows anything about the celiac disease, gluten, or wheat. Weird stares ensue whenever we go to a restaurant and start the story. Often a waiter will happily bring us a (normal wheat) bread basket just after the five-minute discussion of what could we possibly eat, how we cannot eat even crumbs of wheat etc.

There are a couple of exceptions that are the places recommended by the local celiac associations: Te adoro Garcia, Comer en compania, Zona natural and perhaps one more. But these are actually just cafeterias / bars that are not even open in the evening and that serve a very limited selection of lunches, typically heated up in the microwave. And I am not kidding. The times we ate in Te adoro Garcia and Comer en compania the food was OK, but it’s definitely not the kind of restaurant experience that a healthy person can easily enjoy in Buenos Aires. The reality is that there is not a single restaurant in Buenos Aires where a celiac people can go out and dine as well and safely as in Helsinki, which is where we lived before.

One thing that limits the choice a lot in the normal restaurants (all except those three or four) is, that in this country, wheat is everywhere. Everybody is certain that normal cheeses and sausages contain wheat flour and definitely must not be eaten — there’s a couple of brands that are safe, and that are enlisted in the lists of the local celiac associations. It’s practically certain that any restaurant will not use these brands but something else. But what’s the most amazing thing that according to celiac people, doctors and associations in here, even normal spices contain gluten.

As you can imagine, in the end this leaves one with pretty little choice. The most ubiquitous safe bet is grilled meat and salad (you just have to make sure they don’t put pepper or other spices in the salad). Other than that, some peruvian restaurants, which there are a plenty, can prepare some of their dishes such as ceviche and parihuela without using any dried spices.

The celiac law is not enacted in Argentina yet which means that the packagings cannot be trusted. The gluten-free symbol or failure to mention wheat in the ingredients does not have any legal consequences before the law is in place, which I understand will take some time still.

I’m always suspicious of sweeping statements, such as “the reality is that there is not a single restaurant in Buenos Aires where celiac people can go out and dine as well and safely as in Helsinki.” But Timo’s letter raises a number of interesting points: Do restaurants in Buenos Aires that identify themselves as celiac-friendly actually try to give gluten-free patrons rolls made from wheat? Do they not know what celiac disease is when you visit them? Is wheat so ubiquitous in Argentina that it’s in most cheeses and spices? Is it very difficult to get a good gluten-free meal there? Are celiacs limited to eating in cafeterias and luncheonettes?

When I visited Chile, I found a number of gluten-free products that had been made in Argentina on supermarket shelves. I tried many of them, and even brought some home with me because I was impressed by the quality. They certainly didn’t make me sick. Of course, the products I sampled represent only a tiny fraction of what would be available in Argentina now. Does the gluten-free symbol on a product’s packaging not truly indicate that it’s safe for celiacs?

I know that the Gluten-Free Guidebook has many readers in Buenos Aires, and I would love to get your opinions on this subject. Also, I’d love to hear from anyone who’s traveled to the city (and through other parts of Argentina). What was your experience of dining gluten-free in Buenos Aires?

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REMINDER: The Gluten-Free Guidebook’s Reader Report Contest deadline is June 7, 2010. Complete details are here.

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Posted in Reader Reports, Restaurants | 5 Comments »

On the Road With Crime Writer BV Lawson

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Book Cover
Thanks to the wonder that is modern technology (okay, it was Twitter), I discovered that crime writer BV Lawson is on a gluten-free diet. BV is a former classical musician turned radio announcer turned writer who also worked for the Discovery Channel for over a decade. Now a full-time freelancer based in Arlington, Virginia, she’s penned radio and television scripts, articles for various publications, and won awards for her more than two dozen published stories and poems. (Check out her delightful “Gun Love” in Plots With Guns.) Thanks to the influence of library genes handed down from her mother, she created the blog In Reference to Murder which contains over 3,000 links for mystery readers and writers. She’s currently working on a series of novels set in various locations in and around the mid-Atlantic; be sure to visit her author site.

How long have you been on a gluten-free diet? Unfortunately, I only discovered the problem relatively recently, was in denial for awhile, then finally settled in to the full gluten-free lifestyle about two years ago. It’s been quite an adjustment.

How often do you travel? As often as possible, which isn’t often enough! My husband is a private pilot, so we rent a little Cessna 172 and fly whenever we can.

Where have you traveled since going gluten-free? Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, the eastern shore on the Delmarva Peninsula, and other areas of Virginia. Would love to go back to Europe or the Caribbean someday soon.

What foods or snacks do you usually pack when traveling? When I was in Florida recently for a night shuttle launch, we had a little mini-kitchen, so I took gluten-free instant oatmeal, instant grits, individual applesauce containers, cereal, juice, nuts, fruit and some chocolate (natch!). Breakfasts are the hardest due to all those “free continental” things they have in hotels these days, which are basically gluten gluts.

What other things do you always bring with you? Laptop computer, books, a little writing pad that fits in my purse for story ideas, a heating pad (can’t live without that – it’s great for emergencies), and unfortunately compression socks, thanks to a couple of rounds with blood clots. That leads me off on a bit of a tangent, but I believe it’s gluten related:  because I lived with a gluten problem for so long and didn’t realize it (in hindsight, it was very easy to see), it led to a whole host of health “annoyances.” Gluten problems are often linked with autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (which I have), fibromyalgia (which I have); plus, an acquired autoimmune condition can also lead to blood clots. My unscientific (but valid, I think) hypothesis is that gluten caused all the immune problems, which in turn led to the clots. I wish we could develop a good reliable gluten test to give to young people to prevent things like this later on in life.

Any favorite restaurants you’ve discovered on the road? What about in your town? We ate at a wonderful little hole-in-the wall restaurant in Melbourne, Florida, called the Thai Thai. I love Thai cuisine because they don’t use wheat much at all, except soy sauce, and I ordered some gluten-free soy sauce travel packets off the Internet. I’m also a big sushi fan. We have a wonderful pizza joint in Arlington called the Lost Dog Cafe, which the hubster and I have loved for years. When I went gluten-free, I had to salivate while I watched him eat the pizza, trying to enjoy my salad. Recently, they added gluten-free crusts, and I am in heaven. Another popular area pizza restaurant, Z Pizza, also recently added GF crusts, and I’m looking forward to trying them.

Any favorite hotels? It’s a little silly to choose a hotel due to its breakfast options, but Hampton Inns generally have a larger GF choice in their complimentary breakfast bar. We stayed at the Doubletree in Melbourne and loved it – all rooms are ocean view and we could open the sliding glass door to the patio and let the surf sounds waft through all night. Wonderfully soothing. My secret dream is to stay in one of those ritzy island getaways with your own private infinity-edge pool looking over the ocean.

Favorite city/destination that is not your hometown or current home base? From my childhood/teen years, I still have fond memories of the Bay of Fundy area and Prince Edward Island, as well as Florence, Italy. My husband is a diver, so we’ve enjoyed places like Bonaire together. We took an astronomy trip to Arizona in 2003 and fell in love with the desert southwest, including Tucson, Phoenix/Scottsdale and on up through Sedona to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. It’s a beautiful state, that Arizona. And for guilty pleasures that make you feel like a kid again – it’s Disney World.

What’s your dream destination? There are so many places on my list, it’s hard to narrow it to just one. Places in the Caribbean we haven’t been to, Hawaii, Alaska, Ireland, Iceland (yes, I know – volcanoes, but they have lovely views of the aurora borealis, too), Egypt, Australia, New Zealand. The world, basically. And hopefully be like my parents some day and be able to say that we’ve been to all 50 states.

Do you have any other advice for gluten-intolerant travelers? Try to avoid all packaged foods whenever possible (which is just about anything with over 5 ingredients). Definitely don’t be afraid to ask the waiter and/or manager about special food preparations, if you need them. If you have to, stick with chain brands with standardized food choices. Download as many GF restaurant menus as you can from their web sites online and take them with you (or transfer the info to your PDA/phone).

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Posted in Accommodations, Interviews, Restaurants | 1 Comment »

NYC’s Rosa Mexicano Goes Gluten-Free

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

I’ve mentioned Rosa Mexicano before: it’s one of my favorite restaurants in New York, and definitely a spot for a celebration. But on my latest visit, I wasn’t exactly celebrating. My husband took me there to cheer me up after I’d had some minor surgery for a possible skin cancer. When we had dinner, we were still waiting for the biopsy results.

I’ve never given much thought to melanoma, mostly because I am not a person who tans. Ever. I have pale Irish skin, and I wear sunscreen every day, even in winter. A few months ago, I noticed that I had a couple of new moles, and I went to a dermatologist to have them checked out. The doctor examined and measured them, and assured me that they weren’t a problem. Then she did a full-body mole check. She identified a couple of moles that were suspicious, and removed the larger of the two that day. It was biopsied and turned out to be fine. I only went back to have the second mole removed a month ago. Small as it was, it turned out to be filled with severely dysplastic cells, which the lab flagged as aggressive. The result was that I needed some minor, in-office surgery to remove the surrounding tissue over my left bicep. It wasn’t difficult or painful, but it required ten stitches to close.

My husband chose Rosa Mexicano for dinner because we’ve been there many times. He knew that there were a number of gluten-free items on the menu, even though they weren’t identified as such (forcing me to double-check on each visit that the dishes were still celiac-safe). On this most recent visit, I had a very pleasant surprise: Rosa Mexicano has introduced a separate gluten-free menu. Given how many options are on it, it’s a wonder that they didn’t do it sooner. (The gluten-free menus are available at all three of Rosa Mexicano’s Manhattan locations, though the one at the original First Avenue spot is a little different from the others.) I’m embarrassed to admit that, this time around, I stuck to my tried-and-true favorites, including the pomegranate margarita and the Budín de Pollo, a decadent tortilla pie filled with layers of chicken, peppers, and cheese.

The discovery made my evening. The next day, I found out that the biopsied tissue was given the all-clear. I’m still feeling very grateful about that. If you’ve never had your skin checked out by a dermatologist, please do.

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On March 31st, I was thrilled to learn that my crime story “Insatiable” is a finalist for a Spinetingler Award in the “Best Short Story” category. “Insatiable” originally ran in Beat to a Pulp in September 2009. Voting on the Spinetingler Awards is open to the public until April 30, 2010, and requires no registration. Links to all of the nominated stories are on the ballot. I hope that you’ll stop by, read the contenders, and vote.

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Speaking of crime, several writer friends decided to have a flash fiction challenge about how I really got that new scar over my bicep. I owe a huge thank you to everyone who took part: Eric Beetner, Chris F. Holm, A.J. Hayes, Naomi Johnson, Chris La Tray, Ellen Neuborne, Steve Weddle, and especially Dan O’Shea, who instigated the challenge in the first place (there was also one anonymous entry). I couldn’t have dreamed up a better get-well gift. Thank you all.

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Posted in Off Topic, Restaurants | 1 Comment »

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