|
|
If you are allergic to corn or avoid corn products in your diet, Chopin Vodka is a great gluten-free, corn-free alcohol, to use as a base for mixed cocktails or serve on the rocks. Many liquor or alcohol products contain wheat, barely, rye or corn and I discovered this the hard way, when I started getting allergic reactions after having drinks with vodka. Traditionally, vodka is made from potatoes, and more often than not, wheat or corn are used instead. Chopin, however, is a luxury vodka, distilled from seven pounds of pure potatoes from Poland. So you get a refined, smooth flavor and corn and gluten-free drink! Cheers!
Beretta has been one of my favorite San Francisco spots, even before I developed my food allergies. Great location in the Mission, good food, unique drinks, reasonable prices and a friendly staff. Now that my restaurant dining options are a much more limited, Beretta has quickly gone to the top of my lists of best gluten-free restaurants.
I contacted the staff before my visit and they assured me that they cook with olive oil, canola oil and rice oil. The risotto dishes are all gluten-free, in addition to several appetizers. I have tried the saffron risotto and the mushroom risotto; both delicious.
We’ve visited during brunch hours and the were very accommodating to our 2-year old (crayons were a nice touch) and though it’s much louder and boisterous during the dinner/cocktail hours, service has still been stellar. I mentioned to the manager that they should mark their menu with gluten-free notations; I would think there are many other GF friends out there that have no idea Beretta is so gluten-free friendly!
p. 415 695 1199
f. 415 695 1190
info [a] berettasf.com
beretta is located at:
1199 valencia st
san francisco, ca 94110
I still find myself longingly browsing the Whole Foods bakery tables for fresh (not frozen) Gluten-Free desserts. There are usually often vegan desserts on the tables, but not any Gluten-Free offerings (must go to the frozen section for that, or of course order from my favorite local gluten-free bakery).
But today, to my great surprise I found not one, but two Gluten-Free cakes, by Pamela’s Products. As I type there are crumbs strewed across the desk and keyboard… the coffee cake is moist, (must be all the butter and cream) and has such a “normal” cake texture that I still had to read the ingredient list a few times. Only downside, the icing does have powdered sugar (which contains a small percentage of corn starch) so I had to cut off the nice crumb top to avoid the icing. Otherwise, yum, what a treat!
This flick exploits the mass manufacturing of food leaving you with a loss of appetite. I’ve been particularly conscious about avoiding corn, and found manufacturers have invented ways to use it in just about everything, so it was no surprise that someone finally shared this with the rest of the world. With the help of its Oprah feature, hopefully this flick with make it to a wider audience.
In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won’t go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.
Here are other movies that might change the way you eat.
 organic, gluten-free, and dairy free foods Our family has been a fan of Amy’s Organics foods for many years because of my husband’s lactose intolerance and my recent gluten-free diet.
Some family favorites include the Gluten-Free Rice Crust Dairy Free pizza. To be able to accommodate all of our food restrictions in one meal and keep a 2-year happy is an impressive task!
Oprah also featured this great video about the company’s founders and their commitment to creating healthy frozen foods.
I was in the mood for a warm, hearty winter meal. I put together these gluten free Swedish meatballs, served over gluten free pasta (brown rice spaghetti is my favorite). Instead of using dried herbs, try pre-packaged dip mixes (mine was an all natural mango-curry mix) that blend many different seasonings for you.
Meatballs:
1 lb ground beef or ground pork, or combination
1 Tsp diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup almond meal
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp fresh herbs, such as parsley or thyme, chopped
Sauce:
Vegetable or Chicken Broth (1 can)
2-3 Tbsp Rice Flour or Tapioca Starch to thicken
1/8 cup white wine
1/8 cup milk or rice milk
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
salt & pepper to taste
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and place aluminum foil over a cookie sheet. Combine ground meat, onion, garlic, almond meal, egg and herbs. Form into 1-inch balls and place evenly on cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until juices run clear and meatballs are lightly browned.
Prepare sauce:
Mix 1/8 cup warmed broth with rice flour or tapioca starch to form a paste. Warm remaining broth over medium heat, mixing in thickened paste. Continue to stir, adding remaining rice flour until desired thickness. Melt in butter, stir in milk and white wine. Keep stirring and lower heat until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Dining out can be especially nerve-wracking when faced with food intolerance or food allergies. Here are some tips to finding great restaurants that can accommodate your dietary needs/restrictions:
1) Always contact the restaurant ahead of time, whether via email, telephone, or stopping in. I’ve found email to be especially handy, since you can specifically list what you can and cannot eat and the Chef or staff can take time to research which dishes may be right for you.
2) Conduct online research, especially if traveling to a specific area. I’ve googled “Gluten Free Bay Area or Gluten Free NYC” to see what others recommend in those areas. Yelp is also a wonderful tool for specific keywords. I’ve started a Gluten Free restaurants list on Yelp.
3) Consult your favorite food blogs, as they provide wonderful resources to restaurants around the county and the world. Another great tool is Gluten Free Maps.
4) Mobile apps, such as iEatOut can provide can provide guidance to typical ingredients, based on cuisine. Of course, always confirm with Chef or kitchen when dining.
5) Be explicit with your server throughout the meal, from ordering to final delivery of your dish. Always confirm, “This is the gluten free dish, right?” or “There is no butter in this dish, correct?” It is always better to be on the safe side, rather than risk eating something that you shouldn’t.
Looking for a gluten free dining option in the East Bay? Look no further than Va di Vi, located in Walnut Creek’s downtown area.
I needed to find a “nice” restaurant that could accommodate a group of us from the office and of course I wanted a place that I would be able to also enjoy!
First, I emailed the restaurant to inquire about the availability of gluten free dishes. Not only did the staff promptly reply that they have gluten free dishes available, but the hostess also left a voice mail on the day of my reservation to assure there was a gluten free menu waiting for me at the restaurant (and indeed there was!)
The server was especially attentive to my gluten free, corn free restrictions and continued to check on us throughout the meal. We ordered a delicious ahi tuna tartare (sans soy sauce), tasty braised beef over saffron risotto, coq au vin, smooth machego cheese plate, crispy french fries, and best of all (and worth the 20-minute prep time) the decadent gluten free chocolate souffle!
Excellent wine list as well, will be returning often!
Va di Vi
1511 Mt. Diablo Blvd
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
 Miglet's Gluten Free Bakery Cupcakes, cookies, cakes, and pies… all Gluten-Free and made right here in my hometown! Thank you to owner Katie Alin for bringing her Gluten-Free sweetness to the Bay Area!
I discovered her delicious cupcakes at the Draeger’s Meet-up last fall. I even passed them off as a gift to Gluten-eating friends and they had no idea that they were Gluten-Free; that is how great they taste (consistency and texture are so similar to gluten-counterparts). I just placed my order for Gluten Free pumpkin pie and a pear tart for Thanksgiving. What a way to make my first Gluten-Free Thanksgiving a spectacular one!
Check out her latest Thanksgiving offering. Did I mention she does special orders (our Thanksgiving desserts will be made specifically corn-free as well as lactose-free) AND she delivers locally?! Thank you Katie!
 Trader Joe's and Gluten Free Products I don’t know what I would do without Trader Joe’s! Their Brown Rice Tortillas are perfect for quesadillas and tacos. TJ’s Gluten-Free Brownie mix rocks and they also sell frozen Gluten-Free pancakes.
But that’s not all. Here’s a comprehensive list (updated 11/5/2009) of their Gluten-Free foods.
|
|
