Beware of gluten-free menus - even more than before!

The amount of restaurants that now have gluten-free menus is staggering and many offer incredible options that are safely prepared (as much as is possible in a mixed kitchen).  But the number of menus that list fried items that are not made in a dedicated gluten-free fryer seems to be on the rise.  Forget chips and fries - I'm talking about even gluten-free breaded items in some cases.

The good news is that many places will denote on the menu that the items are cooked/fried in a regular gluten fryer.  The bad news is that most of us can't take the risk of getting sick, and therefore must avoid those items.  In some instances, avoiding those items will leave you with few safe choices on the menu.  And at least in my case, that's not a place I'd bother patronizing.

So when you're doing your homework, looking for gluten-free options at your neighborhood or on your dream vacation, pay great attention to the little things regarding food prep, etc.  It's not only about the ingredients.  It's not even about those and the preparation methods.  It's about the plating after everything has been done to prepare the meal correctly.  One line cook tossing a piece of bread ruins the whole darn thing.

Years ago, I watched someone throw a roll on my plate at Ted's Montana Grill.  Someone yelled "no bread gluten-free" quite loudly.  The roll was quickly removed and they brought out the plate as though nothing happened.  They had no idea I'd seen the whole thing from our table.  I explained that I could not eat anything on the plate now and I'd take just a baked potato.  We didn't have the time to wait on another steak...and I really had no trust in the place at that moment.  I think Ted's has improved greatly since then, but it's not a favorite because of the incident years ago.

What many companies don't understand is that it's hard to forget simple mistakes, because those mistakes can take us down for the count.  If you get the feeling a place doesn't take gluten-free orders, or food allergies, seriously, it's hard to shake that feeling no matter how much you'd like to.

Restaurants that don't understand how to feed us safely would be better served to do away with their gluten-free menus altogether.  And the places that do get it, and care about our business, are the places we all need to support as often as possible!. 



    

Follow a gluten-free traveler through wheat country!

If you enjoy interesting gluten-free blogs, you must check out Not Even A Crumb!  In just a short time, the author of this wonderfully upbeat and informative blog has shared some amazing things about living gluten-free. And she's done amazing things like putting this PSA together in partnership with the Celiac Disease Foundation.  Can you imagine how amazing it would have been to be at a San Francisco Giant MLB game when the PSA aired during a game?!!!  Yes, Not Even A Crumb is definitely a blog to watch!

Hope everyone has a fabulously delicious gluten-free weekend and stays cool in this blistering heat! Atlanta definitely lived up to its nickname - Hotlanta - this week! 

Winter Delight gluten-free finally arrives!

What perfect timing that it is hovering near forty degrees in Atlanta and I received a box of Delight gluten-free magazines on my front stoop today. It's a bit late, to say the least, but oh it is so worth the wait! Anyone who's living gluten-free and planning a wedding will not want to miss this issue! See how Udi's played a part in this special wedding. The couple's gluten-free honeymoon in Thailand adventures are not to be believed!

My interview with the wonderful Allesio Fasano, MD discusses a possible vaccine and cure for celiac disease as well as why some people can't tolerate pure gluten-free oats. I just might have to make the corn and crab chowder recipe in the new issue this weekend. It looks simply amazing!

Delight gluten-free is truly the little allergen-free lifestyle magazine that could! It started off as something local that grew into something much larger....almost too quickly for comfort. Who would have thought a new niche market publication would have this kind of growth in such a short time? I'm pretty sure none of us knew that people would respond in the amazingly positive way that they have.

Some of you might be aware that our subscription service server crashed and it's not back up yet. For that we can only apologize and ask for your patience. When everything is back up and running, we'll have a much more seamless operation for new subscriptions, renewals and back issue orders. Much needed changes are taking place to ensure that future issues arrive in a timely manner and that reader inquiries are replied to promptly.

As the new Advertising Manager for the magazine, I believe I've contacted all potential advertisers that reached out to us during our transition. However, if I missed you somehow, please contact me by clicking here. I'd love to help you get your products or services exposed to our readers. Our summer issue will be our largest production run to date!    

Last but not least, I'd like to thank everyone who has stuck with Delight gluten-free through our growing pains. Our entire team pledges to make sure you don't regret it one bit. As always, thank you so very much for your continued support!