Gluten-Free in LA-LA-land

Greetings from LA-LA-land (Los Angeles). It’s funny coming to the land of plenty from the midwest. In ways, it’s comforting and easy; there are so many people doing so many oddball diets that no one raises an eyebrow when you take twenty minutes to grill the waiter before ordering.

I’ll have the grilled panini sandwich, but hold the bread, and can I have avocado instead of turkey? Thanks. And oh, can I have the special house dressing on the side? Does that have any gluten in it? You’ll check? Thanks. And, one more thing…

Apparently, Californians aren’t afraid to order it how they want it and waiters will wait all day for you to spit out all the gory deets of your high maintenance order. Refreshing.

But here’s the catch. Although a ton of restaurants think they know what a gluten-free diet entails, many of them make honest mistakes when putting together a gluten-free menu. Check this menu out. See what I mean? More than half of the things on their supposedly “gluten-free” menu are not remotely gluten-free due to the fact that they’re fried in oil that has also crisped wheat-beasty things. Uhm… right.

So, moral of the story: never assume a restaurant knows what they’re talking about when they say their entrees are gluten-free. Always, always, always tell them you have a severe allergy and grill them on their ingredients! Don’t let the wheat-beast sneak up on you.

Bob is going Gluten-Free?!

Our nemesis, EEEEEEEEEVIL WHEAT-BEAST!

Shoh ’nuff. “Bob” just announced on his Mill Room blog that two of the Big Cheeses at Bob’s Red Mill are going gluten-free for a month. The kid part of me says, “Whoop-dee-doo, welcome to life in Strict Dietville, you healthy jerkies,” (said in the nicest way possible, of course) but the adult part of me congratulates them on their open-mindedness and willingness to see the world through the gluten goggles we celiacs must wear. Honestly, when I venture outside the confines of my well-stocked kitchen and into American Food World, I am absolutely, positively FLOORED by how universal gluten is. Americans live on gluten (no wonder they’re so jiggley)! Save the spotted banana and the wax apple by the counter at every Starbucks/Panera/Caffe Bacci/Corner Bakery/blah-dee-blah, we inhabit a sea of gluten. It’s a bummer, dude, because there are so many other worthy grains out there. Let’s hope Bob’s Gluten-Free Gladiators inspire legions of people to abandon their gluten addiction and encourage the proliferation of other grains in our diet. Amen, sistah.

Bittman on ‘Globesity’ and ‘Lessmeatarians’

I appreciate this message from Mark Bittman regarding his new book, Food Matters:

http://fora.tv/2009/01/12/Mark_Bittman_Food_Matters

Bittman’s message of moderation is a great one, and is especially convincing coming from a dedicated omnivore. Omnivores tune out when vegetarians pipe up. So, thanks to Mark Bittman! I hope some of the Michael Pollan following takes his advice to heart. It will do us all good!