Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Firebirds at Avalon - Check it out!



There is a new restaurant in Alpharetta called Firebirds Wood Fired Grill.  It's located just across the street from Avalon, the premiere shopping center in North Fulton.  For those of you that remember Wildfire near Perimeter Mall - Firebirds has similar decor, but it's a somewhat smaller space. It's a large place by most standards - it's just not so big that you feel like a number instead of a customer. It's a lovely resto with tall ceilings, lots of windows and an open kitchen - very nice!

It was 100 degrees out the day we ventured to Firebirds for a very early dinner so we didn't want anything heavy.  We split the amazing grilled shrimp salad which was large enough for four to share in our opinion.  I rarely get excited about salads these days, but this one is my new fave of the summer.  It's seriously incredible - in fact, it was so great, I'd gladly order it sans shrimp!  I had a baked potato and green beans for instead of an entree - only because I wanted the flourless chocolate cake for dessert.  But the salad and potato were so filling that I took the green beans home (they were also delicious!).  My husband loved his barbeque chicken sandwich as well.  Though I didn't notice bread or breaded items on the gluten-free menu, there is plenty enough to enjoy for lunch or dinner.

I've been over creme brulee and gf chocolate cake for half a decade (who wouldn't be if those were the only things offered for dessert for a full decade?), but I decided to try the gf cake here since I saw someone else order it and it looked decadent.  And that's exactly what it was!

I'm excited to go back for lunch when it's a bit cooler so I can try the potato soup on a Tuesday.  There are three gf soups, but each is served on a particular day.  Currently, potato soup day is Tuesday.  I can't remember the last time I was able to order a potato soup in a restaurant.... I've been able to maybe a half dozen times since 2006!

The food and service was excellent at Firebirds!  There is valet parking offered (at certain times) which I think is optional.  Since this is a chain with locations in almost 20 states, I doubt they can vary from the menu, but if they could, having Pure Kneads buns for sandwiches and Trader Joe's gf ginger snaps for the key lime pie crust would be my dream items at Firebirds.  Even with the current gluten-free menu, one can have an excellent gluten-free meal here - complete with a delectable dessert!



              

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Marilyn's Gluten Free on QVC!

OK - full disclosure here.  I know Marilyn, owner of Marilyn's Gluten Free Gourmet, very well!  I met her years ago when I ran the local gluten-free dinner club and Marilyn brought her fabulous gluten-free fruitcake to an event.  It was love at first bite with that product, and most everything since!  Things that Marilyn has created that I'm particularly partial (or addicted) to include Peachtree Pimento spread, lemon pound cake, buttermilk biscuits and the best cheese straws on the market!  Trust me on those - I can't keep them away from glutenoids who can eat regular cheese straws....

Naturally, when I found out that Marilyn was going to be on QVC, I was overly excited.  Keep in mind that I have never ever watched anything on that network before - I didn't even know where it was on my channel line up!  Anyway, I was able to watch her segment (I'm not sure if there was more than one during the food show she was apart of) and it was simply heart warming to see someone who's worked so hard to make such wonderful gourmet food to the gluten-free set get a spot on QVC!  I obviously could not resist placing an order for Marilyn's coffee cakes which are only available through QVC.




My shipment arrived promptly and the packaging alone was marvelous.  What a treat to get something shipped so well thought out, instead of a tiny item in a box that an elephant inside that I routinely get from Amazon.  Anyway, the real treats were, of course, the amazing cakes which - wait for it - were filled with icing!  Yes - coffee cakes filled with just the right amount of icing.  I was in complete gluten-free heaven!



If I have to choose a favorite, it has to be the cinnamon, but the cakes are all extremely delicious!  My only complaint is that I can't eat one every day - or else I would do just that!  If you want a treat for yourself or get a gift for someone else - this 8-pack of mini cakes is an excellent option.  Mother's Day is just around the corner, you know ;)  You can find out more about ordering here.

Thanks to Marilyn, who thinks we all deserve delicious food, regardless of having to avoid gluten.  She helps make the gluten-free world go 'round in such a wonderfully sweet way!    






Thursday, February 25, 2016

The Farmhouse finally opens in Johns Creek!

So I've seen the sign on the storefront of The Farmhouse coffee shop for six months or so...but I finally gave up on it ever opening.  I try not to patronize Starbucks much due to the gf cake fiasco of several years back.  Anyway, The Farmhouse opened about a month ago.  The first couple of times I stopped in for a gluten-free treat, they had already sold out for the day.  Finally, my husband popped in on a Saturday and surprised me with a sweet scone (yes, from Seven Sisters Scones) and a piece of pound cake from Sally's Gluten-Free Bakery.   Of course, he ate the pound cake in a nanosecond since it's one of his favorite treats (remember he can and does eat gluten!).  I ate 1/2 the scone and shared the other half since it's so large.  Sorry to say I can't report on the coffee, but the reviews of it so far are pretty positive.  The crepes are not gluten-free - at least not yet.

       

More options at Seven Sisters Scones!

OK - admittedly, I have written about Seven Sisters Scones several times, but they deserve the coverage!  Not only are their gluten-free (and from what I've heard, their gluten) scones seriously delicious - they now have gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and brownies to boot!  Both new items are yummy, but I'm partial to the cookies since I can easily make great brownies with a mix at home.  But for me, at least, cookies are too time consuming to make.  What's really special about the SSS chocolate chip cookie is that it's plenty sweet, but also has a hint of salt to balance it out. In a word, it's perfectamundo!

One last note on this darling establishment - they now have tables and chairs and not just a counter w/stools for in-house dining.  If you love scones, the offerings at Seven Sisters Scones can NOT be beat!         

Gluten-free in a pandemic? No problem!

Not to make light of the current situation the world finds itself in, but I'm so thankful that I learned to self isolate when I was diag...