Passover begins at sundown on April 8, 2009, and ends at sundown on April 16. The faithful observe Passover by eating special foods during that time. Most (but not all) of these foods are gluten free. I am not Jewish, so I won’t get too specific in this article, but I know that Passover gives me an opportunity to try new and different foods.

The terms "Kosher" and "Kosher for Passover" do not mean the same thing. We are interested in products labeled "Kosher for Passover" that are also labeled "non-gebrotks". "Non-grebaks" is an alternative spelling.

These two articles available that wil give you the information you need to enjoy this experience: "Passover Paradise" and "Why Passover is a Gluten Free Goldmine".

Published 04/03/09

Since nuts are naturally gluten free, we are all concerned about the current recall of pistachios. I wrote about this yesterday but so much has happened in the meantime that I am doing it again. Several companies are voluntarily removing pistacho products and advising us not to consume whatever we may have on hand. The Food and Drug Administration operates a wonderful website which is constantly being updated.Since things change so rapidly in these recall situations, I think it is better for me to send you to directly to the best source of up-to-the-moment information. This link will take you directly to the page that lists information about pistachios.

Published 04/01/09

Pistachios, a naturally gluten free food, are the latest item to be recalled. Here is the exact wording of the announcement from The Food and Drug Administration: "the company is voluntarily recalling the following retail product: Setton Farms brand roasted salted shelled pistachios in 9 oz. film bags, UPC Code: 034325020252 with a "Best Before" date between 01/06/10 and 01/19/10. This product was distributed in the following states: SC, GA, FL, NC, VA, TN, KY. Consumers should not consume this product and should return what they may have to the place of purchase for a full refund. Setton has established a toll free number, (888) 228-3717, for consumers to call for further information."

SPECIAL NOTE: A great deal has happened in the 24 hours after I posted this article. I have written a separate article since this will make more people aware of the pistachio situation and the the latest information about it. Click here to move to that article.

I’ll keep you posted about how this situation plays out. In the meantime, I recommend that you monitor the Food and Drug Administration website. The web address is www.fda.gov/pistachios (or whatever product concerns you).

Published 03/31/09

The Gluten Intolerance Group presents its thirty fifth annual education conference in Seattle on June 5 and 6. Click here to download the brochure for the event. The theme of the conference is "Learning to Celebrate Life", which — of course — is a mega-step beyond "Learning to Cope With Celiac Disease". There will be special programs for teenagers as well as for persons new to the gluten free diet.

Early registration must be received by May 6.

Here’s information about the Celiac Disease Foundation’s (CDF) annual miniconference and food faire which takes place at the convention center in Pasadena, California on May 2:

"Don’t miss this great opportunity to hear outstanding professionals speak on the latest issues regarding Celiac Disease and the gluten-free lifestyle – - all in one day!  Speakers include:   Joseph Murray, MD from Mayo Clinic, Steve Plogstead, PharmD from Children’s Hospital in Columbus OH, Francisco Leon, MD from Alba Therapeutics, Stefano Guandalini, MD from University of Chicago, Celiac Disease Center, introducing The Missing Ingredient with Frank Baldassare www.codyboyentertainment.com and Special Feature “Ask the Restaurant” – explore eating gluten-free with restaurant owners in the Los Angeles area.

 "A continental gluten free breakfast and lunch will be provided.  There will be extensive vendor displays with gluten-free samples including fresh, hot gluten-free pizza and gluten-free beer!  A large shopping-goodie bag with information and gluten-free food samples will accompany every registration.  Find out who will receive the 2009 Champion of Celiac Disease Awareness Award during the conference.

 ’Lunchtime mini sessions will include “One on One” sessions with Dr. Guandalini and Dr. Murray, discussion groups for newly diagnosed celiacs and parents of celiac children, meet and greet with our Connections and Chapters support group leaders, as well as Q&A with registered dieticians.

 "The focus of the CDF 2009 Annual Conference is to develop a greater awareness of Celiac Disease, associated conditions, dietary compliance and how family members are affected.  This year we are encouraging you to bring a family member or friend with you to the annual conference.

 "CDF is very aware of the current economic climate and is offering discounted fees to CDF Members when registering with multiple attendees (Adults 14 years and above) and paid at the same time. 

 "Register before April 10th with a family member or friend at the discounted rate of only $75 each.  (This is a $15 discount per CDF member registration fee of $90).  Individual CDF member registration is $90, Youth (under 14 years) is $45 and the registration for Non-CDF members is $115. Note – If you become a CDF member for the annual fee of $35 per family, you will save $25 on a single conference registration, even more if you bring a family member or friend!   All registrations after April 10th are $130.  Don’t wait! Register now!  Free parking at the Pasadena Convention Center included with validation.

 ’Celiac Disease is a little known digestive disorder that results in damage to the small intestine by interfering with the absorption of nutrients.  Celiac Disease is unique in that a specific component, gluten, has been identified as the cause. Gluten can be found in any food products that contain wheat, rye or barley by-products. The good news is that once gluten is removed from the diet, a person can recover and stay healthy.  Once thought to be rare, studies now show that 1 out of 133 people have Celiac Disease.  Celiac Disease is now more common than ulcerative colitis, cystic fibrosis and Crohn’s Disease combined.  For every 1 person that is diagnosed, 89 go undiagnosed.  Celiac Disease is a multi-system/multi-symptom disorder and can manifest not only in the gastrointestinal tract, but also in the neurologic, endocrine, orthopedic, reproductive and hematologic systems.  Because the symptoms of Celiac Disease can be so varied, it can be a difficult diagnosis to make. It is important to see a physician for testing and proper diagnosis.

 "For more information on Celiac Disease, call the foundation at 818/990-2354 or visit the website at www.celiac.org."

Published 03/23/09

"Distilled alcoholic beverages…are gluten free….Research indicates that the gluten peptidee is too large to carry over in the distillation process. Beers, ales, and lagers…are made from gluten-containing grains and are not distilled, therefore they are not gluten free." This statement from the "Quick Start Guide" published by the Gluten Intolerance Group summarizes the situation very well.

Beer is normally prepared from barley. Actually, there are several brands of wheat free beer but few that are made from sorghum and/or rice and are therefore gluten free. Red Bridge Beer is produced by Anheuser Busch and available nation-wide. New Grist Beer is available at at least some Whole Foods Markets. The website does not mention specific locations.

As mentioned above, wines are gluten free unless gluten-toxic additives have been used. If you are concerned about this, I recommend this article from Wine Spectator magazine.

Published 1/17/09

Leftovers are part of every holiday feast,  leftover or otherwise. Here are four articles suggesting appetizing ways to deal with them. The articles themselves are not “gluten free”, but since you will be dealing with gluten friendly food this will probably not be an issue. As always, read defensively.

♦ from Teri’s Kitchen — many suggestions for dealing with specific foods.

♦  from Recipe Goldmine — these are suggestions rather than specific recipes.

♦  from Healthy-Eating-Made-Easy — recipes using leftover turkey.

♦ from Readers Digest.com —- the title here refers to Thanksgiving but I don’t think that is essential.

Published 12/25/08  Merry Christmas

I enjoyed this gluten free bread. It’s great both as toast and as bread. The slices hold together well enough to make great sandwiches. The few slices that contained air bubbles made excellent croutons for soup or salad. I’m looking forward to trying them in a recipe for celiac-friendly dressing for turkey. The flaxseeds give it an interesting taste and a source of fiber, but the flaxseed texture and flavor is not “overwhelming”.

The term “Grainless Bakery” may need clarification. The product is made from corn, rice, and flax — which certainly are grains. But the manufacturer made a delicious bread from ingredients that are acceptable for persons on the celiac disease diet.

The bread is available fresh or frozen (I tried the frozen version). It is available from The Gluten Free Mall.

Disclosure: The Gluten Free Mall compensates me for these reviews but encourages me to express my opinions in an honest straigt-forward manner.

Publish 12/13/08

Picazzos Gourmet Pizza and Salads is among the world’s greatest gluten free experiences. My last visit was even greater than previous ones because I washed down my pizza with a glass of what my waiter described as gluten free draft beer. The menu modestly stated that the beer was "served with  a cold frosty glass".

Here’s more good news: Uno Chicago Grill is offering gluten free pizza in most of its New England restaurants and will expand the program as soon as it is feasible to do so. Click here for their nutrition information. (Click on the button near the bottom of the second column). Before dining at Uno Chicago Grill, you will probably want to call to make sure that gluten free pizza is actually being offered at your prefered location.

Two years ago, I reported to you that it was impossible to find a gluten free pizza in my home city. Today there are dozens of opportunities. Gluten free beer was once extremely expensive, difficult to obtain, and drinkable only by people like myself who were trying to demonstrate that celiacs were capable of doing anything. Times have changed for the better.

Published 11/24/08

Chocolate is naturally gluten free but most chocolate products also include other items that complicate a shopper’s decisions:

The Wellness Grocer sells several different types of gluten free chocolate bars on-line.

A firm called "Endangered Species" sells gluten free chocolate bars on-line and contributes part of its profits to organizations that protect animals. Their products are also sold in local stores, including at least some New Seasons and Whole Foods Markets. Click here to read the ingredients list.

For other chocolate products available on-line, I recommend The Gluten Free Pantry. Study the items pictured below, click on an item that interests you, and move to their website to begin shopping. Keep in mind that the shipping charge per-item drops sharply when you order several items, so take care of other gluten free needs while you are visiting this on-line megastore.

Glutino – Breakfast Bars – Chocolate	Glutino – Organic Bars – Chocolate & Banana	Glutino – Organic Bars – Chocolate & Peanuts	Glutino – Chocolate Cake Mix
Glutino – Dreams – Chocolate	Glutino – Chocolate Wafers – Choc coated	Glutino – Chocolate Dream Bites	Gluten-Free Pantry – Chocolate Truffle Brownie Mix
Gluten-Free Pantry – Chocolate Truffle Brownie Mix – (5 lb)	Gluten-Free Pantry – Decadent Chocolate Cake Mix	Gluten-Free Pantry – Decadent Chocolate Cake – (5 lb)	Gluten-Free Pantry – Chocolate Chips
Nature’s Path – Crispy Rice Bar Chocolate	ANDI – Bar – Chocolate Shake	PureFit – Chocolate Brownie	Let’s Do Organic – Chocolate Sprinkles
Larabar – Chocolate Coconut	Larabar – Jocalat – Chocolate Coffee	Larabar – Jocalat – Chocolate Mint	Larabar – Jocalat – Chocolate Orange
Larabar – Jocalat – Chocolate	Cherrybrook Kitchen – Chocolate Cake Mix	Cherrybrook Kitchen – Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix	Cherrybrook Kitchen – Chocolate Frosting
‘Cause You’re Special – Rich Chocolate Cake Mix	‘Cause You’re Special – Chocolate Pound Cake Mix	‘Cause You’re Special – Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix	‘Cause You’re Special – Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix
Kinnikinnick – Chocolate Cake Mix	Really Great Food – Chocolate Cake Mix	Kinnikinnick – Chocolate Cookie Crumbs	Vance’s – Dari-Free Chocolate Milk Powder
Food-Tek – GF Minute Chocolate Cake Mix	Food-Tek – GF Dairy Free Chocolate Flavored Icing	Sorella – Biscottines – Chocolate Chip	Sorella – Biscottines – Chocolate Almond
Enjoy Life Foods – Chocolate Chip Cookie Pack	Pamela’s Products – Chocolate Chunk Pecan Shortbread	Pamela’s Products – Dark Chocolate Chunk Chocolate Cookies	Pamela’s Products – Chocolate Chip Mini Cookies
Pamela’s Products – Chocolate Walnut Biscotti	Jo-Sef – Egg Free Cream Filled Chocolate O’s	Alti Plano – Oaxacan Chocolate Hot Cereal	Glutano – Chocolate Chip Biscuits
Glutano – Chocolate O’s

Published 10/27/08

This morning I doubled the length of "The Gluten Free Bread List". Bread is essential to life. The prospect of a life without bread is the first major crisis that faced me when I went on the gluten free diet. I have written several articles about gluten free bread and gluten free bread recipes and included sumaries of those articles on "the list".  To check it out, click on the button in the right column of this page.

Published 10/07/08

Massachusetts has an impressive list of restaurants serving gluten free meals. I’ll list the ones I know about here, in alphabetical order by city: In all cases, you can get the restaurant location by clicking on the restaurant name and I have given you a link to the menu. as a matter of fact, the list is so extensive that my computer informed me that I had exceeded the amount of material that could be crammed into a single article. So, I am publishing this article in two parts.

Arlington. Mia Regazza. Menu states that “gluten free pasta is available” but does not go into specific detail. The address is not given on the website. It is 268 Washington Street.

Belmont. Stone Hearth Pizza, with locations in Belmont, Needham, and Cambridge. Click here for the gluten free menu.

Boston. Elephant Walk. This well know restaurant serves French and Cambodian cuisine. Gluten free menus are posted on-line with separate menus for lunch and dinner. You can click on them from the restaurant name.

Boston. Burton’s Grill. Click here for the gluten free menu or click on the restaurant name for locations.

Boston. Marco Restaurant. A restaurant offering French cuisine and mentioning it on its menu that “Marco now offers gluten free options”.

Boston. Wagamama. This is an internationally known chain of Japanese restaurants. Its only American locations are at Faneuil Hall in Boston and at Harvard Square. Click here for the menu.

Cambridge. Elephant Walk. See the Boston listing for information.

Cambridge. Stone Hearth Pizza. See the Belmont listing for information.

Dennisport (on Cape Cod). BZ’s Mexican Pizzeria features gluten free pizza. Click here for the menu.

Hadley. Butternuts. Describes itself as a “home and family restaurant”. I learned about this restaurant from a satisfied customer who e-mailed me on June 18. The e-mail mentioned that the owner’s son is a celiac. The website does not mention the restaurant’s gluten free status. Click here for the menu.

Hadley. Hillside Pizza. Click here and then scroll down to find a location. Then click to read that restaurant’s menu. Both restaurants offer takeout service and also have a “take-and-bake” option.

Harvard. Peaches Bakery and Deli. The gluten free menu is posted on the site. I discovered this bakery and delicatessen after reading an e-mail from an enthusiastic customer on June 18, 2008.

Hingham. Burton’s Grill. See their listing in the Boston section.

Mattapoisett. The Kinsale Inn specializes in Irish cuisine and posts its gluten free menu on-line.

Needham. Hearth Stone Pizza. See their listing in the Belmont section

North Andover. Burton’s Grill. See their listing in the Boston section.

Northhampton. India House. I received an e-mail recommending this establishment on June 15. The menu is posted, we know that the majority of Indian food is gluten free, but this is not spelled out  on the menu.

South Deerfield. Hillside Pizza. Look at the listing for Hillside Pizza in Hadley for details.

Waltham. Elephant Walk. See their Boston listing for details.

Worcester. Boynton Restaurant. This restaurant offers gluten free pizza daily.

Worcester. Nancy Chang. Click here to read their gluten free menu.

If those offering are not enough, “Not Your Average Joes” serves gluten free food at 16 locations in Massachusetts. Click here to read their menu.

And don’t ignore Jake’s Dixie Roadhouse which serves food with an attitude in different locations in Massachusetts. Click here to read their gluten free menu.

That is enough information for one article. Click here to read about chain resaurants, celiac-friendly supermarkets, and gluten free support groups in Massachusetts.

Information added 4/22/09