How cold was it the last time I visited Banff National Park? It was so cold that a sled-dog excursion I’d booked was cancelled because — and I quote — “It’s too cold for the dogs.” Did that stop me from hiking in Johnston Canyon and other gorgeous areas in Canada’s Rocky Mountains? No, it did not! (Hey, I’m adventuresome, not necessarily smart.) But I have no regrets about the visit, because I got to see some of the most beautiful wilderness I’ve ever encountered. Here, check it out for yourself…

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If you’ve been reading this newsletter for even a little while, you know I’m all about celiac-safe travel and dining out. But the past few days have been so cold that when my husband suggested going out to dinner, I actually said no. (Note: this is not normal for me.) The truth is, I enjoy cooking, and this polar vortex we’re caught up in right now makes me want to leave home as infrequently as possible. Also, we had a couple of family visits over Christmas and New Year’s that reminded me of how satisfying it is to cook for people you love, and to have them cook for you. 

With that in mind, I thought this would be a great time to share some of the cookbooks that are in rotation in my kitchen right now. Some are recent releases and some have been around for a while, but I’m finding inspiration in each one.

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Check out those adorable furry faces above. I visit the Boston area on a regular basis to see family, and those two adorable pups are part of the package. (Honestly, they’re the best welcome crew.) 

Unlike most of the trips I take, I don’t do much research before I head to the Boston area. That’s because several of my relatives there have celiac disease, and they are wonderful at sussing out local spots for me. It makes for an incredibly relaxing time whenever I visit, and I wanted to pass along a few reliable spots in case you find yourself in Boston or its historic surrounding towns.

Elephant Walk: This Cambodian-French restaurant — located in Boston’s South End neighborhood — is a local institution founded in 1991. While not dedicated gluten-free, the menu is full of GF options, plus many that are dairy-free and vegetarian (there are also vegan options). Many of the traditional Khmer dishes are naturally gluten-free and require no modification at all. (Try the Amok Royale, a curried coconut ‘custard’ with shrimp, catfish, scallop and minced crab steamed in a banana leaf cup.)

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I like to compile a round-up of gluten-free news every couple of months, but it’s actually been three months since the last one. That’s not because there’s been a lack of news! Quite the opposite, as you’ll see as you read on. Here’s the latest from around the world.

“‘How Can You Label That?’ Woman Asks a Question About Truffle Fries at a Restaurant. Then She Catches the Server in a Lie”: In December, I wrote a piece called “The Trouble With ‘Gluten-Friendly’.” Here, in a Daily Dot article by Jack Alban, is a perfect (and perfectly sad) example of that trend in action. Spoiler alert: the restaurant in question marked menu items as “GF” even though they were preparing them in the same fryer as wheat-based foods. This article does a great job explaining why cross-contamination is a serious issue for celiacs and other gluten-intolerant people. 

“Restaurant Review: Indus Chai: A Gluten-Free Retreat Steeped in Indian Tea Traditions”: Writing in the Taipei Times, reporter Hollie Younger notes that Taiwan’s capital city is a tough town for celiacs, making Indus Chai a welcome addition to the local dining scene. This café is 100% gluten-free, and its sabudana vada — Indian-style hash browns served with a mint-yogurt dip — sound like a crisp slice of heaven.

“Fighting for My Right to Receive Communion as a Catholic With Celiac Disease”:Writing in America the Jesuit Review, Rosie La Puma Lebel details her struggle to reconcile the requirements of her religious faith and her gluten-free diet. As she writes, “Church teaching holds that for bread to be valid matter for the Eucharist, it must ‘contain enough gluten to affect the confection of bread’ but there is no strict minimum amount.” While the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has approved the use of ultra-low-gluten hosts — which contain less than 20 parts per million, the US standard of what gluten-free means — that doesn’t mean every parish priest accepts them.

“‘I Can’t Tolerate Gluten in the US, but I Can in Europe’: Experts Unpack the Phenomenon”: If there’s one myth I wish would die, it’s this one. Writing in HuffPost, Erica Sweeney talks to experts about the claim (often heard on TikTok) that it’s okay to eat wheat in Europe even if you can’t in North America. Spoiler alert: IT’S NOT OKAY. The first clue should’ve been the fact that celiac disease is taken seriously in Europe — Italian celiacs, for example, are not eating wheat in Italy. But lots of people who don’t have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity experience bloating after eating a big plate of pasta — and that might not happen in Europe for a host of reasons (different pesticides, fewer preservatives in food, more exercise). 

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Happy New Year! If I have one wish for everyone reading this newsletter, it’s that 2025 will be a happy and healthy year for you and those you love. While I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions — I’d like to think that healthy habits can be picked up at any time of the year — I do think that the first days of the new year offer a great opportunity to take stock of where we’ve been and where we’re going.

I’m thrilled to say that 2024 was a terrific year for the Gluten-Free Guidebook. Hundreds of new readers joined this community, and I’m grateful to have you come aboard. On a personal note, I had the opportunity to travel a lot this year — always one of my favorite things. Here’s a video recap, which is probably going to make you veryhungry. It features the four cities where I spent the most time this year: London, New York, Toronto, and Paris. Eagle-eyed viewers will spot a few restaurants I haven’t written about yet:

The most popular story of the year was “What I Wish I’d Known When I Was Diagnosed with Celiac Disease.” While this story is normally only available to paid subscribers, I’m unlocking it for the next week so that anyone can read it.

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