A VERY GFRAP THANKSGIVING


















At this time of year I'd like to offer thanks to a special group of people who have made New York City a much better place for gluten-free dining. I deeply appreciate the Big Apple restaurateurs who agreed to join the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP) and abide by its guidelines for serving gluten-free food, but the people I'm about to recognize are the GFRAP volunteers who have served as the liaisons and resource people who help the restaurateurs stay on the gluten-free path.

It might come as a surprise to some readers that these volunteers were originally organized by a group outside the city: the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group (WCSSG). According to the WCSSG August 2007 newsletter, the volunteers (and restaurants) were as follows:

Lynn Hyman
Candle 79
Lumi
Risotteria
Sambuca
Tini

Pam Goodman-Rogers
Bistango
Bloom's

Elyn Rosenthal
Gus' Place
Risotteria

Danielle Valenti-Smith
Asia de Cuba
Peters'

Doug Meadows
Sambuca

Thanks to Lynn, Pam, Elyn, Danielle, and Doug for their great and important work. And thanks also to Pat MacGregor for founding the GFRAP program, and to current area coordinator Liz Lebo for her own crucial work, which is certainly appreciated in these parts.

BONUS Check out this entry in WNYC'S Cartoon Cornucopia Contest.

Photo: David Marc Fischer