A Big Apple Guide for People with Celiac Sprue and Others on a Gluten-Free Diet
Besides being stubbornly independent, GFNYC tries to be accurate and up-to-date, but feels obligated to offer this disclaimer: None of this information is medical advice. Also, GFNYC cannot take responsibility for errors or misinformation that might appear here. GFNYC encourages all readers to confirm information to their own satisfaction.
Support Your Local "Gluten-Free Aware" Restaurant!
In case you hadn't heard...this Sunday offers an opportunity to say "thank you" to restaurateurs who support people on gluten-free diets. Organized by the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), the Chef to Plate National Awareness Campaign urges you to patronize these supportive restaurants [PDF] on Sunday, May 3, 2009. The goals of this event are to
Spread national awareness of celiac disease and gluten intolerance conditions during May, Celiac Awareness Month
Spread recognition and awareness of restaurants with gluten-free menu options
Bring Peace of Mind to persons with gluten intolerances when dining out
Join restaurants across the country in a day of awareness
I just thought I'd post this reminder about the Long Island Vendor Fair 2009, the fundraiser to be held this Sunday in Hauppauge. To make the most of the experience, bring cash and coolers to carry away frozen goods. Um...and get there early to have the greatest choice "while supplies last." And, uh, pace yourself with those samples—taste them to keep yourself from getting stuffed too fast.
If it's anything like the 2007 fair, you can expect cannolis, gourmet chocolates, and outstanding rolls and bagels and English muffins.
You've still got time to participate in the 2010 Zagat Survey of New York City Restaurants.
If you register and vote by the May 17 deadline, you can give your favorite restaurant(s) a hand and get yourself a free copy of the survey when it comes out—but not a moment sooner!
MSN Money/AP reports that Starbucks is to offer a wrapped, gluten-free Valencia Orange Cake starting May 5, in response to customer requests.
Starbucks previously test-marketed a gluten-free brownie in New York City and spent years considering what it should do to cater to gluten-free customers.
When is it medically safe for someone with celiac disease to enjoy a deep smooch with someone who has, say, just eaten some gluten-containing cake or chugged a six-pack of Bud? I think it's hard to know for sure, but some recent allergy research may shed some light on the subject.
As reported in various places including Please Don't Pass the Nuts, Parenting a Child with Food Allergy, Medscape, and the website of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a recent peanut allergy study looked at peanut butter residue in saliva. Led by Dr. Jennifer Maloney of New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital, the study found that, apart from avoiding peanuts in the first place, the most effective method of eliminating peanut butter residue in saliva was to wait several hours, then eat at least one peanut-free meal. And just in case you're wondering: Toothbrushing alone did not do the trick. Nor did gum-chewing.
How would the findings relate to gluten residue from food and/or drink for people on medical gluten-free diets? I'd like to see some studies done—immediately! In the meantime, the safest approach to, um, swapping spit would be for the smoochers to be gluten-free—and the second safest approach would seem to be for them to be gluten-free for at least several hours with something gf to eat or drink before the smooching starts. Those hours without gluten might make a difference when it comes to mouth-clearing. And, of course, otherwise keeping a strict gluten-free diet does keep any minute quantities of ingested daily gluten from adding up to dangerous levels.
It's easy to see how one might feel that an ultra-hygienic approach to kissing can be unromantic or just plain, um, suck. As suggested above, research might provide some insight into the properties of gluten residue as opposed to peanut butter residue. And GFNYC continues to feel that sympathy, creativity, good humor, and safe expressions of sensual affection can go a long way in rewarding partners who respect the medical concerns of the gluten-free.
So what do you think? Even this very serious "How To Kiss" video addresses hygiene.
As always, the restaurants on this list—New York City eateries on the roster of the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP)—continue to be way ahead of other Big Apple restaurants in recognizing the health concerns related to gluten in their foods.
The lower the number score, the better the inspection results, with a score of 28 or higher constituting a failing grade.
Topping the list are Asia de Cuba (albeit with a rating from 2007) as well as Tuttoriso, Candle 79, and Risotteria. Many restaurants did worse this year than last year, but (unlike last year) none received a failing grade. Not available at this time is an inspection report for Nizza.
02 11/21/07 Asia de Cuba (Manhattan) no new inspection 04 01/16/09 Tuttoriso (Staten Island) newly inspected 09 01/08/09 Candle 79 (Manhattan) up 7 10 06/12/08 Risotteria (Manhattan) unchanged 12 03/20/09 Sambuca (Manhattan) down 7 13 12/05/08 Peters' (Artaki) (Manhattan) up 4 13 03/10/09 Lili's 57 (Lili's Noodle Shop) newly listed 15 01/04/08 Outback Steakhouse Chelsea (Manhattan) no new inspection 15 07/17/08 Outback Steakhouse Brooklyn (Brooklyn) up 65 18 11/12/08 Bistango (Manhattan) down 2 18 09/08/08 Outback Steakhouse Queens Boulevard (Queens) down 9 19 11/29/08 Outback Steakhouse (Staten Island) down 3 20 12/22/08 Outback Steakhouse Third Avenue (Manhattan) down 2 20 12/05/08 Lumi (Manhattan) down 10 22 11/20/08 Carrabba's (Staten Island) down 1 22 03/09/09 Gus' Place (Manhattan) down 14 25 05/14/08 Friedman's Delinew to list 25 11/03/08 Outback Steakhouse Bell Blvd. (Queens) down 12 25 01/05/09 Lilli and Loo (Manhattan) down 14 27 03/16/09 S'MACnew to list 27 09/22/08 Gusto Grilled Organicsnew to list 27 04/29/08 Bloom's (Manhattan) down 14 NA --/--/-- Nizzano inspection found
For the most current DOH inspection records, click here.
Days ago, the ShopRite at Morton Village in Plainview, Long Island, received what was probably its last delivery of Passover products—including the return of frozen Mini Eclairs from Frank's Gourmet Bakery! Even if you set aside the gluten-free pastry dough made from potato and tapioca starch, these little treats would still not be "classic" eclairs in the sense that the filling isn't made with dairy products. But Frank's version—thawed or frozen—is still good enough for gluten-free me. I'm glad to see them back.
It was a madhouse on Sunday afternoon, but I made my way up and down the narrow aisles and found a number of familiar products (including Frankel's frozen foods and baked goodies from Oberlander's and Shabtai) as well as some items that were new to me. From Noam Gourmet there were potato-y Passover Bagels as well as Passover Pizza Bagels, which I'd also seen at Pomegranate.
And I found yet another faux matzoh ball mix—this time under the Haddar label.
Top kayaker Glenn Singleton and Olympic marathon runner Kate Smyth were athletic ambassadors for Australia's Coeliac Awareness Week 2009 (featuring mascot MOJO, right).
Singleton [PDF] experienced fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, sporadic anemia, and nutritional deficiencies before his general practitioner ordered the tests that led to his diagnosis and subsequent adoption of a gluten-free diet. Since then, Singleton says, he has experienced improved well-being and improved his time by a whopping 15 seconds.
Smyth [PDF] says she improved her marathon time by nearly six minutes after getting the tests that led to adopt the gluten-free diet that relieved her lethargy, bloating, chronic anemia, and nutritional deficiencies.
On Tuesday, Tracie Strahan of New York's NBC News did a segment on celiac-friendly restaurants including GFRAP's Sambuca and Risotteria as well as Opus, on the Upper East Side. Here it is!
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