GFRAP Expands on Long Island

Adds Restaurants in Nassau and Suffolk

The Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP) recently added two Long Island restaurants to its roster.

Pizza Bistro (4952 Merrick Road, Massapequa Park; 516-797-4747) includes pizza, pasta, and mozzarella sticks among its gluten-free options. Pizza Bistro's GFRAP participation is coordinated with the Suffolk County Celiacs (SCC).

Il Capuccino (30 Madison Street, Sag Harbor; 631-725-2747) is an Italian fixture on the South Fork. Il Capuccino's GFRAP participation is not coordinated with a local group.

S'MAC Anniversary Special

Discounted Mac-and-Cheese All Day Wednesday!

Once again, GFRAP mac-and-cheese joint S'MAC (345 East 12th Avenue, with a dedicated takeout storefront to the east) is celebrating its anniversary by discounting its All-American nosh. This Wednesday the gluten-free version will cost you $2.00.

The rules:

Limit one All-American nosh per person.

Valid for dine-in and takeout only, not for deliveries.

Must eat/pickup in person at the restaurant.

Not valid in combination with other offers.

Not available with multi-grain pasta. [Big whoop.—Ed.]

Not available at our Upper West Side location.

The special does not include the other varieties of mac-and-cheese, but that doesn't mean you couldn't, say, order the Cheeseburger. Look at it there...isn't it tempting?



Video by David Marc Fischer (00:05)

A Hasselbeck Bump?

Book to Debut on New York Times Best-Seller List

This post isn't about Elisabeth Hasselbeck's little baby bulge.

It's about the impact that the gluten-free View co-host (shown at right at recent Borders book event) might have in boosting awareness of celiac disease.

Consider the results for "celiac" and "gluten" on Google Trends. In both cases you can see spikes representing searches for those words in early 2007 and now. The older spike probably represents Hasselbeck's January 2007 "coming out" as being gluten-free on The View as well as the rollout of Anheuser-Busch's Redbridge beer and, ultimately, the very hot news story about melamine in gluten in pet food.

But how about the current spike, which coincides with the release of Hasselbeck's book The G-Free Diet? Granted, May is also a Celiac Disease Awareness Month, but I have a feeling Hasselbeck's book, currently number two on The New York Times Hardcover Advice best-seller list, has a lot to do with people searching for "celiac" and "gluten."

A week ago, I attended Hasselbeck's reading at the Borders at Park Avenue and 57th Street. Coffee was served...
















...and there were samples a-plenty of the new Starbucks Valencia Orange Cakes!


















Here she is speaking...

















...and here she is signing books.

















So how was the event? It reminded me of the old New York City CSA support group meetings, which have not been held for several years. About 60 people attended, filling the area of the bookstore set aside for the event. After Hasselbeck told her story and invited questions, the question-askers (one had just gotten diagnosed—and another had gotten a diagnosis after his autism spectrum disorder child tested positive for celiac disease!) sought guidance on subjects ranging from getting diagnoses to finding friendly restaurants. Hasselbeck fielded the questions reasonably well but the answers were not as comprehensive as they might've been had the gathering involved a panel of people sharing the wisdom of their pooled experiences. Yes, this was a book-signing, not a support group meeting—but this was a book event that attracted people looking for support and validation that is not as available in New York City as it is elsewhere in the greater metropolitan area.

I also note that Hasselbeck continued to offer useful and accurate information mixed in with remarks that weren't as useful and accurate. When asked about restaurant options in the Big Apple, she reeled off a bunch of options but never mentioned the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP)'s website (let alone the GFNYC restaurant listings) as as an up-to-date resource for that kind of information. When it came to vinegar, she basically warned against it despite the research by Gluten-Free Living that showed that, with the exception of malt vinegar, all simple vinegars are gluten-free. "Vinegar Contains Gluten" is actually one of persistent myths identified in Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic, co-written by Rory Jones and Dr. Peter Green, Hasselbeck's own doctor (and mine):

Any vinegar that is distilled is gluten-free. Malt vinegar is not distilled and contains gluten. It is important to read labels to see what other ingredients may be in a product that contains vinegar. But the distilled vinegar itself is not an offending ingredient.

Spikes in interest about celiac disease and gluten-free dieting provide gluten-free support networks with opportunities to provide reliable answers to the public and find the many people who remain undiagnosed. Hasselbeck and The G-Free Diet represents one of those opportunities—but no single book or individual should be expected to provide all of those answers, which in some (or many) cases may evolve over time. Those seeking support in New York City might benefit from the resources listed here and here. I hope to see the resources grow as word spreads in the times ahead.

BONUS For more evidence of a Hasselbeck bump, check out this segment from Sacramento TV station KCRA.



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Photos: David Marc Fischer

Gluten-Free Coverage at LoHud.com

Includes Input from Dr. Peter Green and Two Regional Bakers

LoHud.com (which covers the Lower Hudson Valley) recently ran two Linda Lombroso articles having to with celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.

The longer article, "Eating gluten-free" (May 11, 2009) features two area bakers: Three Dogs Gluten-Free Bakery founder Karen Miller (current head of GFRAP in the greater metroplitan area) and Good Day Sunshine founder Pam Goldberg as well as Dr. Peter Green—Elisabeth Hasselbeck's celiac specialist and mine, too. Lombroso mentions a study co-authored by Green that documented the greater cost of a gluten-free diet and writes

Outside the United States, some patients diagnosed with celiac disease get a prescription for gluten-free foods, says Green. "In areas of Europe, like in Italy, the government encourages diagnosis, and all around the world, there are many countries in which gluten-free food is part of the national health care and the food is provided free."

Keep that possibility in mind when you're thinking health care reform!

The other article, "Celiac disease: a hidden epidemic?" (May 8, 2009), revolves around Dr. Green's book of the same title (sans question mark). Green encourages people who suspect that they have celiac disease to consult with their physicians about getting tested regardless of their symptoms.

"I see patients who say they asked their doctor to have the blood test, and they say: 'He said I couldn't have it because I was too fat or too tall or I didn't have diarrhea or I wasn't Irish or I wasn't Italian or I was Jewish,' because there are a lot of misconceptions about what celiac disease is like. Most people don't have classic symptoms," he says.

"If a doctor says he won't test for it, you should find a new doctor, because that just means he doesn't know the tremendous variability in the ways it can present."

Here's information about diagnosing celiac disease.

GFRAP Welcomes Nice Matin

A French Restaurant on the Upper West Side

The number of GFRAP restaurants on the Upper West Side just doubled: Nice Matin (201 West 79th Street) just got with the program!

Nice Matin is, like Hell's Kitchen GFRAP restaurant Nizza, a venture of partners Simon Oren and chef Andy D'Amico. Both restaurants offer cuisine from the same part of the world: Nice (France) and Nizza (Italy). Nice, huh?

The participation of Nice Matin in GFRAP is not coordinated with an area group. The restaurant serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.

The other GFRAP restaurant on the Upper West Side is Sambuca, which participates in cooperation with the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group (WCSSG).

Restaurant Inspection 2009

Have you been wondering what happened to GFNYC's annual round-up of restaurant inspection results from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)?

Wonder no more.

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 Deli new 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'MAC new to list
27 09/22/08 Gusto Grilled Organics new to list
27 04/29/08 Bloom's (Manhattan) down 14
NA --/--/-- Nizza no inspection found

For the most current DOH inspection records, click here.

GFRAP restaurants can be found here.

NBC New York: Gluten Free Menus Gain in Popularity

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!

Thanks to Shari of the New York City Celiac Disease Meetup Group (NYCCDMG) for the lead.



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Breaking: GFRAP Adds Gustorganics to Roster

I just got word that the downtown "Latin/organic" restaurant Gustorganics (519 Sixth Avenue by 14th Street in Manhattan) is now a participant in the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP)!

The restaurant serves meals from morning 'til night every day of the year. Its membership is not coordinated with an area support group.

New Gluten-Free Baked Goodie at Risotteria

If you Google "gluten-free bakery manhattan" there's a good chance you'll get hits for Babycakes NYC, the Lower East Side bakery that advertises various gluten-free goodies in addition to various bakery items that are not gluten-free due to the use of spelt.

What doesn't Google up as readily is Risotteria, in the West Village. But you shouldn't count out this restaurant when searching Manhattan for gluten-free cupcakes, cookies and other bakery items. Risotteria, which was one of the first restaurants on the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP), offers cupcakes, carrot cake, pies, cookies and other yummy bakery treats in addition to its famous breadsticks.

A Black & White cookie was a recent Risotteria addition; more recently, I've noticed an "Orio Cakester" added to the bakery counter. A "creme sandwich" made with two discs of chocolate cake, the Orio has a taste and texture similar to a Devil Dog, even though the shape is not the same. Or so I thought when I ate my first Orio last night. When I had the second one today (there are two per pack) I thought it was more like a marriage between a Devil Dog and an Ore...well, let's say a Hydrox cookie.

On the right you can see an intact Orio (above) and a cross-section of said Orio (below). In case you're interested, it's the one that I ate today.

PS I forgot to mention that Risotteria and Babycakes NYC will be among those supplying desserts at next Thursday's (affordable) modern dance fundraiser at City Center!

Photos: David Marc Fischer

S'MAC Sale!

15% Off on February 9-12, 2009


















Double-plus good news! GFRAP restaurant S'MAC is offering 15% off its menu items Monday through Thursday of this week! And it's opened a takeout/delivery storefront next to its East Village location! The former promotes the latter, which should help speed up the service considerably.

Remember: It doesn't hurt to double-check with the staff to make sure that you've gotten the gluten-free noodles in your order.

Also, GFRAP really really really wants your feedback, positive as well as negative.

Thanks to Erin of the New York City Celiac Disease Meetup Group (NYCCDMG) and Gluten-Free Fun for spreading the news!

Photo: David S'MARC Fischer

Happy Moo Year!

Welcome to the Year of the Ox—known to some as the Year of the Cow!

And this year, for the first time, there are two GFRAP options for Chinese food in New York City: Lilli and Loo (now with Gluten-Free Lunch Specials!) and its sibling restaurant Lili's 57.

Here's how the New Year is celebrated at Hong Kong Disneyland—you know, the home of Mickey Mao!



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GFRAP Welcomes Midtown Restaurant Nizza

Upstate Bakery Also Added

The latest New York City restaurant to join the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program is Nizza.

Located at 630 Ninth Avenue near 45th Street, Nizza (rhymes with pizza) is convenient to Times Square and the Broadway and Off-Broadway shows in the Theatre District, and even relatively close the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum. (Not very long ago, you had to be intrepid to wander through this part of Hell's Kitchen, but now it's a welcoming part of town that's crowded with restaurants and host to an annual food fair.)

Nizza, which delivers, opened around October 2007. Since then its Italian-French fare (including a chick pea pizza-pancake-crepe called socca) has been written up in The New York Times, New York, and Time Out New York. It's also been sized up by the good folks at Menupages and Zagat, where it rated a very respectable food rating of 20.

Nizza's GFRAP participation is not coordinated with an area group.

Another addition is Three Dogs Gluten-Free Bakery of Briarcliff Manor. The owner of Three Dogs is GFRAP leader Karen Miller, who is also involved with the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group (WCSSG). Karen brought a plate of delicious bakery samples when she recently visited Manhattan to speak about GFRAP and the WCSSG with the New York City Celiac Disease Meetup Group (NYCCDMG). I especially enjoyed her chocolate chip cookies.

The GFRAP participation of Three Dogs Gluten-Free Bakery is coordinated with WCSSG.

Zagat NYC Restaurants 2009

Below is this year's round-up of the New York City GFRAP restaurants as listed in the Zagat guide.

Candle 79 and Asia de Cuba stayed at the top of the list, with new addition S'MAC elbowing itself just ahead of Risotteria with its food rating. Price estimates tended to go up, with Candle 79 and S'MAC and Outback distinguishing themselves with rating increases.

Despite any number of trend and health pieces in the media about gluten-free dining, the Zagat guide still hasn't found much of a way to recognize gluten-free dining as a cuisine or special feature, though it is mentioned in at least three restaurant comments.

The guide notes that "Tipping remained steady at 19%, right on par with the national average." So keep that in mind when you want to make a good impression with the restaurant staff.

Candle 79
Food: 23
Service: 22 (up 1)
Decor: 20 (up 3)
Estimated dinner for one: $46 (up $10)

Asia de Cuba
Food: 23
Service: 20
Decor: 24
Estimated dinner for one: $61 (up $3)

S'MAC
Food: 21 (up 2)
Service: 14
Decor: 10 (up 1)
Estimated dinner for one: $16 (up $3)

Risotteria
Food: 20 (down 1)
Service: 15 (down 1)
Decor: 9 (down 1)
Estimated dinner for one: $24 (up $1)
Comments: "Gluten-sensitive gourmets" gather at this "tiny" Village Italian turning out "creamy risottos" and other fare fit for "those with food restrictions" yet "terrific enough for everyone else"; there's "no decor" and little elbow room, but "squeeze in" and you'll leave "happily satisfied."

Gus' Place (reopened, relocated)
Food: 19 (down 1)
Service: 20
Decor: 14 (down 2)
Estimated dinner for one: $38 (up $1)

Lumi
Food: 18 (down 1)
Service: 19
Decor: 18
Estimated dinner for one: $53 (up $1)
Comments: "Perfect for a romantic interlude" or a shopping break, this UES Italian (seen in the Sex and the City movie) is set in a "lovely and comfortable" townhouse equipped with two fireplaces; "decent" food, including a "gluten-free" menu, and "pro" service help justify the tabs.

Sambuca
Food: 18
Service: 18
Decor: 16
Estimated dinner for one: $40 (up $2)
Comments: Maybe the "basic, family-style" Italian eats at this "kid-friendly" UWS "alternative to Carmine's" "won't wow you", but the "giant portions" may, so "go with a group" and "share"; waiters are "cheery", and - who woulda thunk? - there's a "gluten-free menu."

Outback Steakhouse
Food: 15 (up 1)
Service: 16 (up 1)
Decor: 12
Estimated dinner for one: $34 (up $2)

Tuttoriso covered in Staten Island Advance

Staten Island Advance reporter Pamela Silvestri writes up the GFRAP restaurant Tuttoriso in her September 18, 2008 article "Defloured."

Silvestri writes, "It is important to recognize the importance of Tuttoriso for Staten Islanders, particularly those who suffer from specific carbohydrate, milk protein or wheat allergies. Most importantly, this is one of the few Staten Island restaurants where significant items -- breads and a respectable variety of baked goods -- are being made from scratch. Without a doubt, this vertical control over ingredients helps indemnify a business geared to those with food allergies."

Silvestri praises the baked goods and home cooking as well as the restaurant's efforts to cater to people on special diets, but she also notes slow service (somewhat understandable considering the home cooking) as well as the lack of complimentary "welcoming" appetizers (an absence certainly not unique to this GFRAP restaurant).

I can see where Silvestri's coming from, but I'd like to stress just how good the gluten-free sandwiches, desserts, and drinks can be. (I'm still making my way through the menu, so I'm not yet ready to pass judgment on many other offerings at Tuttoriso.) If you haven't yet sampled the restaurant's breads and baked treats, I urge you to make the journey to Tuttoriso and give them a try—especially while the weather is still pretty good. Only a short walk from the ferry landing, Tuttoriso is a great destination for gluten-free day-trippers, date-trippers, and tourists as well as commuters ferrying between Staten Island and Manhattan. Kerrie at Gluten-Free in the Shaolin goes so far as to call the restaurant a "gift."
















Photo: David Marc Fischer

Outback Alert: GIG/GFRAP Responds

Some Questions Remain Unanswered

In response to disclosures that at least some Outback restaurants have been using bread to fight the clumping of brown sugar, Cynthia Kupper issued the following statement Wednesday morning:

Gluten-Free Diners,

Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP) and Gluten Intolerance Group of NA (GIG) would like to advise you what we have been doing to resolve the issue about bread being used in some brown sugar containers at various Outback Steakhouse locations to prevent hardening of the brown sugar.

This issue came up a few months ago. As soon as we heard about it, we immediately contacted Outback Corporate offices and followed the chain of emails showing the corrective actions taken at that time.

Recently this issue has come up again. I sent the notices posted by Connie Sarros to Outback and again very promptly, they responded (on a Sunday -- no less). I have continued to send every post on the subject and am addressing the issue at the top levels of Outback, all the way down to the local restaurant.

Since it has come to Outback's attention that this was not an isolated case, they are in communication with all restaurants to change this practice at a number of levels, including adding information into their regular communication and training channels. As with all things in large corporations, it takes time to see the change fully implemented -- but they are working on it.

It is important that the local restaurants not only understand the potential dangers of this practice, but also follow the corporate policies set in place. GFRAP has a strong relationship with Outback regarding their menus and training. We communicate with them on a weekly basis. Rest assured this issue will be resolved.

GFRAP and the GFRAP participating restaurants appreciate feedback about your dining experiences and the program. Please feel free to send comments to: www.glutenfreerestaurants.org/feedback.php.

Cynthia Kupper, RD, Executive Director
Gluten Intolerance Group of North America

This statement leaves some important questions unanswered. Examples:

What items identified as gluten-free are potentially contaminated because brown sugar is an ingredient?

How, exactly, is the problem being addressed?

How will the public be notified when the problem has been addressed?

Kupper writes that the problem came up some months ago, but there is evidence that the problem existed as far back as April 2006. How did the problem exist—and persist—for so long, even after corrective measures were taken? How will this flaw be fixed going forward, with regard to Outback as well as the other GFRAP restaurants?

What does Outback have to say about this?

Outback Alert

Brown Sugar May (or May Not) Be Cross-Contaminated

It is possible that some Outback restaurants might bring their brown sugar into contact with bread to prevent clumping. So it seems that, for the moment, people on gluten-free and wheat-free diets should inquire at individual Outbacks as to whether any part of an order that is supposed to be gluten-free might be made with the cross-contaminated sugar. One item to ask about would be the sweet potato; I'm not sure what else might be made with brown sugar.

Outback has offered a gluten-free menu [PDF], made in coordination with the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) and then GIG's Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP), for a number of years. The GFRAP roster currently includes 786 Outback restaurants.

Questions about possible cross-contamination in the brown sugar seem to have arisen at least as far back as April 2006. More recently, the blog Grain Damaged reported that cookbook author Connie Sarros offered the following in her "Newsletterette."

Last month, I posted that Outback Steakhouse places a piece of wheat bread in their brown sugar to keep it fresh. I called four different Outbacks in my area and all four agreed that they do place a piece of bread in the bag of brown sugar. Since that time, I have learned that each Outback Steakhouse determines whether or not to add the bread; this decision is based on how quickly they use up the brown sugar and whether or not the bread is needed. It is possible that the Outback near you may not use the bread. It is best to ask the manager once you arrive at the restaurant or call ahead.

On the International Celiac Disease Mailing List, Betty Barfield (President of the North Texas Gluten Intolerance Group (NTGIG)) shared correspondence she had with Gina Marcoff, Vice President of Training & Development for Outback Steakhouse. Marcoff acknowledged the issue in the correspondence.

The restaurants really do handle the brown sugar differently. This practice was brought to our attention recently, and it is something that we need to be aware of for those who are gluten intolerant. We are preparing to film a training video for October's meeting, and we've decided to focus on gluten intolerance, so it's a great topic for us to address!

A mailing list member from Indianapolis chimed in with the following:

Outback has long been a "friend" to people with celiac -- so I hope that folks won't just be too afraid to go there now. At least in our city, they have such a positive attitude toward making sure their GF Menu is safe -- and I think this helpful attitude is a top-down way of doing business.

This is what I found out about our local Outback:

-- YES, they do put piece of bread in the brown sugar to keep it fresh.

-- BUT, when someone orders from the GLUTEN FREE menu (again, this is the policy at our local Outback -- it does not speak for others), the waiter codes that order as gluten free, and they know to open a fresh bag of brown sugar, and that is what is put on the sweet potato.

-- In fact, she told me that the manager of their restaurant location is usually the one who manages the plating of all GF orders, and he is STRICT! If anyone else is doing it, he watches over like a hawk.

*** As for me, I will know now to always ask, at any Outback (and perhaps ANY restaurant now!), if they ever put bread in the brown sugar. But it seems an easy and straightforward thing to ask -- and probably not too much trouble to also ask (if the case) that a new package of brown sugar is opened for one's potato -- or just decide to leave it off. Mostly, I really encourage people to COMMUNICATE with and not boycott their local Outbacks -- which, I think, was also the sentiment of Betty Barfield's note as well.

I will try to add updates about this as they become available. It is a shame that this problem—which seems relatively minor as far as potential cross-contamination is concerned—has existed for so long, and that neither GFRAP nor Outback has been very proactive in addressing and correcting it. I'm glad that Outback plans to deal with it on a corporate basis a month from now, but I'd feel a lot better if I knew that the company were dealing with it immediately—and I'd feel even better if Outback had taken care of this problem already. It might be time for a soup-to-nuts review of Outback's—and GFRAP's—standards and practices.

Something else can be learned from this: Mixing bread and brown sugar to break up the sugar seems to be a common practice even though this source says that the bread isn't necessary. So that's something else to keep in mind when trying to avoid cross-contamination. And, if bread isn't even necessary to do the job, then it would be good to spread the word about that—perhaps starting with Outback.

CeliaCalendar: Westchester Events

Walking, Talking, and Eating in September

As mentioned previously, the third annual Colin Leslie Walk for Celiac Disease takes place at Rye High School in Rye, New York, on September 14, 2008. This is the third edition of a fundraising event that has earned more than $113,000 over the past two years, with the money going to the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University (CDCCU).

Calling this event a "walk" doesn't quite capture its magnitude. There is indeed a walk—but there are also vendors and talks. The vendors currently include Everybody Eats, Gaga's Inc., Gluten-Free Living, and Joan's GF Great Bakes. The speakers include Suzanne Simpson, the new nutritionist at the CDCCU and Rory Jones, who co-authored Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic with CDCCU director Dr. Peter Green. Lunches and snacks will be available for purchase from the Poughkeepsie GFRAP restaurant Soul Dog.

Pre-registration, which earns you a free t-shirt and saves you $5, ends on September 2.

A week after this event, Dr. Green speaks at the September 21 meeting of the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group (WCSSG) at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York from 2 to 4pm. This is an opportunity to learn about celiac disease from an expert; some vendors should also be present.

GLUTEN-FREE LI

Back in May, Peter Bronski wrote a good article for Long Island Pulse called "Hold the Wheat: A Guide to Going Gluten-Free." In the article, Bronski noted that "An estimated two million Americans—1 in 133—have Celiac Disease, whether they know it or not (most, like me, live with years of pain and discomfort, undiagnosed or misdiagnosed). That means that in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, where there are some 2.85 million residents, statistically more than 21,400 people are living with CD—that’s enough folks to fill 1.2 Nassau Coliseums." Accompanying the article was a short list of gluten-free dining and shopping options.

Today, The New York Times offers Carolyn Nardiello's take on "Restaurants Offering Gluten-Free Options" on Long Island. The article mentions most of the area restaurants on the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP): Emerson's in Babylon, Mama's Italian Restaurant in Oakdale, and Caffe Baldo in Wantagh as the Outback Steakhouse chain [PDF]. Nardiello seems to have a good feel for the specialties of each restaurant: rib-eye au poivre and flourless chocolate cake at Emerson's, cannoli at Mama's, garlic knots at Caffe Baldo.

The article also notes a promising development: "Fran Watins, 57, of Commack, who is on the board of the Suffolk County Celiacs Support and Awareness Group (SCC), said that next month the organization, which has 400 to 500 members, will meet for the first time with restaurant owners on Long Island who may be interested in offering gluten-free menus." Let's hope this leads to many more options, especially under the aegis of a third-party organization such as GFRAP.

Also note: The site of the April 26, 2009 Long Island Vendor Fair will be IBEW Local 25, 370 Motor Parkway, Hauppauge.

BISTANGO IS BACK!

A little while ago, I saw a meetup group message reporting that the GFRAP restaurant Bistango had finally reopened. Then I called the restaurant and confirmed the news!

Sigh of relief—because restaurants that close for renovation sometimes never open again!

So welcome back, Bistango! I look forward to visiting soon. In the meantime, this tango's for you!

Updates will be forthcoming at the map and the restaurant page.



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RISOTTERIA NEWS



















Summer Hours Risotteria recently posted its summer hours: The popular GFRAP restaurant will be closed on July 4 as well as August 11 through August 18, 2008.

Shipping Risotteria now ships some of its foods and mixes, including its Black & White Cookies ($4.50 each at the time of this post). For more information, you can phone Risotteria at 212-924-6664 during the afternoon (EST).

Breadstick Recipe Out of the GFNYC archives, here's info on the recipe for Risotteria's beloved gluten-free breadsticks.

Photo: David Marc Fischer