I've Gone Gaga!

It was definitely hot this past Sunday at the Suffolk County Gluten Free Vendor Fair, so it was nice to take a break from all of the baked goods and enjoy a refreshing sample of Gaga's Sherbetter.

Gaga's Sherbetter is a cross between ice cream and sherbet. It is all natural and contains no artificial flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners and, of course, it is gluten free. Currently, their product line includes 5 flavors: lemon, raspberry, rainbow, orange, and chocolate. With the exception of rainbow, all flavors are also available in sticks as opposed to just in pints.

If you are looking for a cold and tasty treat on a hot day, Gaga's Sherbetter should be a top choice! It is currently available in 27 states including AL, AK, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV, and in Washington DC. It is also available to order online at www.icecreamsource.com.

If you are in NYC, you can find Gaga's at:

A Matter of Health -
*1478 1st Avenue (btw. 76th and 77th St.)

Fairway Market -
*2329 12th Avenue (btw. 132nd and 133rd St.)
*2127 Broadway (btw. 74th and 75th St.)

Westerly Natural Foods -
*913 8th Avenue (and 54th St.)

Whole Foods Market -
*95 E. Houston Street (and Bowery)
*250 7th Avenue (btw. 24th and 25th St.)
*10 Columbus Circle
*270 Greenwich Street (and Murray St.)
*4 Union Square South (and Broadway)

For more information, visit their website at www.gonegaga.net.

Keep It Kosher!

One of the brands at the Suffolk County Gluten Free Vendor Fair that I was previously unfamiliar with was Katz Gluten Free Bake Shop. For those of you that attended, they were the super generous ones who handed out sample bags to fill with all of their cookies and breads!

Katz's motto is "Gluten-Free Should Not Be Taste Free!" and they definitely make sure their products taste stellar. All of the products besides being gluten free are dairy free, nut free, and kosher. Their Challah Rolls won the "Best Baked Goods" Award in the Breads, Grains, and Cereal category at the Kosherfest '08 New Products Competition!

And even better their products are made in a facility that is certified gluten free by the Gluten Free Certification Organization (a division of the Gluten Intolerance Group).

At the fair, I was able to sample so many of their delicious products from the tasty Challah Rolls to the delicious chocolate and cinnamon rugelech! Katz Gluten Free Bake Shop's products are available in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. They are also available online at www.glutenfreeplaza.com. If you are in NYC, you can find their products at:

Gary Null's Uptown Whole Foods
2421 Broadway (btw. 88th and 89th St.)

Westerly Natural Market
911 8th Avenue (and 54th St.)

Their current product list includes:

Challah / Breads -

*Large Challah Rolls
*Small Challah Rolls
*Whole Grain Bread
*White Bread
*Sliced Challah Bread
*Sandwich Rolls

Cakes -

*Marble Cake
*Honey Loaf

Cookies -

*Vanilla Cookies
*Sugar Free Vanilla Cookies
*Colored Sprinkle Cookies
*Chocolate Dipped Cookies
*Chocolate Chip Cookies

Misc. -

*Pizza Crust
*Farfel
*Kiskha Kugel
*Bread Crumbs

Muffins / Cupcakes -

*Sugar Free Blueberry Muffins
*Chocolate Cupcakes
*Vanilla Cupcakes

Rugelech / Strip -

*Chocolate Rugelech
*Cinnamon Rugelech
*Chocolate Strip
*Cinnamon Strip

For more information, visit their website at www.katzglutenfree.com or call their consumer phone line at 845-519-1555.

My 1st Ever Contest!!!

To those of you who read my latest press release or who follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/msceliacsays), then you know that I have spoken about an upcoming contest. Well, the time to reveal the contest details has finally arrived!

Starting as of now, I am asking my visitors to submit to me an email (don't forget your name) with their favorite gluten free restaurant and their favorite gluten free product. The restaurant you select can either have a gluten free menu, be entirely gluten free, or is extremely knowledgeable in gluten free dining.

At the end of the contest, I will compile the list and post it to the website. Winners will randomly be selected from the emails sent to me at msceliacsays@gmail.com. Each person is only to submit 1 restaurant and 1 product. Multiple submissions will make your entry invalid.

The winners will receive gluten free brown rice pasta from Tinkyada Pasta. I've mentioned Tinkyada Pasta on this site several times as it is a favorite of mine and most everyone I know in the Celiac community!

I also wanted to let everyone know about a bill that is being introduced to recognize the month of May as National Celiac Awareness Month. For more information and to find out how you can support this bill, visit the American Celiac Disease Alliance's website by clicking here: American Celiac Disease Alliance.

So, don't forget...Send an email to MsCeliacSays@gmail.com with your name + your favorite gluten free restaurant + your favorite gluten free product and you may be chosen to win some delicious Tinkyada Pasta. The contest will run through May 12th at 7 PM EST.

Good Luck!

~Paige

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Borders Book Signing - May 7th!

For those of you who haven't heard, Elisabeth Hasselbeck will be releasing The G Free Diet: A Gluten Free Survival Guide next week!

To celebrate the release of her latest endeavor, she will be discussing and signing her book at Borders Park Avenue (and 57th St.) in NYC on Thursday, May 7th at 7 PM. This event is free and open to the public. Seating will be first-come, first-serve.

I am looking forward to this release and to hearing what she has to say about her experience on a "G Free Diet." Several journalists were given advanced copies of the book to review, if you would like to read what they have to say, here are the links:

Sure Foods Living Review

Watching The View Review

Hope to see everyone at the signing next week!

~Paige

Foods By George Is A Gluten Free Classic!

When I first started on a gluten free diet, there were not nearly as many brands around as there are today. One of the first gluten free products that I truly enjoyed were brownies from the brand, Foods By George.

Foods By George was at the Suffolk County Gluten Free Vendor Fair this weekend giving out samples of their brownies and they still remain one of the best gluten free products around.

Since 1991, Foods By George has been making gluten free foods. The products are made in a 100% gluten free facility. George, who has created all of the recipes, is a graduate from the Culinary Institute of America.

Their gluten free product selection is as follows:

English Muffins
Cinnamon Currant English Muffins
No Rye - Rye English Muffins
Brownies [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
Pizza Crusts
Pizza [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
Blueberry Muffins
Corn Muffins
Crumb Cake
Pound Cake

Their products are sold at various health food stores in the Frozen Food Section. In NYC, they are available at Whole Foods Markets. You may also order Foods By George products at their website at www.foodsbygeorge.com.

I'm Back From The Fair!

Yesterday was the 3rd Annual Suffolk County Gluten Free Vendor Fair and it was a blast! There were tons of gluten free vendors giving out so many delicious samples and a lot of the vendors were also selling their products at the fair!

Although it was definitely very crowded as each year there seems to be more and more people, it was completely worth making your way through the masses of people. This week on Ms. Celiac Says...I'm going to exclusively feature tasty products from brands that were at the fair. I purchased so many great gluten free products from brands that I know and love and new brands that may become future favorites of mine! I was also able to bring home so many wonderful samples!

When stopping by the Whole Foods booth, I learned that Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse will soon be releasing a gluten free chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing and a gluten free vanilla cupcake with vanilla icing. I was able to sample them and they were delicious (photographed above). I am definitely looking forward to seeing these in stores.

In case you are unfamiliar with the delicious products available from Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse, their products are listed below:

*Breads and Staples:
-Cinnamon Raisin Bread
-Cornbread
-Hamburger Buns
-Honey Oat Bread (made with certified gluten free oats)
-Pizza Crust
-Prairie Bread
-Sandwich Bread
-Sundried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Bread
-Stuffing Cubes {Seasonal}

*Muffins:
-Blueberry Muffins [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
-Cherry Almond Streusel Muffins
-Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
-Morning Glory Muffins

*Biscuits and Scones:
-Almond Scones
-Cheddar Biscuits
-Cranberry Orange Scones
-Cream Biscuits

*Cakes
-Banana Bread [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
-Carrot Cake

*Cupcakes (Coming Soon!)
-Vanilla Cupcakes
-Chocolate Cupcakes

*Cookies
-Chocolate Chip Cookies
-Molasses Ginger Cookies
-Peanut Butter Cookies
-Nutmeal Raisin Cookies

*Granola [Available in the South Region: Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee]
-Fruit & Nut Granola

*Pies
-Apple Pie [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
-Cherry Pie {Seasonal}
-Southern Pecan Pie {Seasonal}
-Pumpkin Pie {Seasonal}
-Peach Pie (Coming Soon!)

With the exception of the products noted, these products are available at Whole Foods Markets everywhere! For more information, please visit, www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

Weekend Update - Twitter Time!

Hey Everyone!

I hope you're all outside enjoying the beautiful weather (if you're in New York, at least). I wanted to let you know that Ms. Celiac Says is now on the social networking site, Twitter.

Please check us out and follow us at www.twitter.com/msceliacsays. It is a great way to stay updated instantly on all of the latest gluten free news.

Also, as another reminder, the Suffolk County Vendor Fair takes place tomorrow, Sunday, April 26th, 2009. It starts at 11 AM and will go until 4 PM. The cost is $10 cash at the door. There will be over 50 gluten free vendors along with Dr. Peter Green of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University and Cynthia Kupper who is a registered dietitian and director of the Gluten Intolerance Group.

For more information, please visit www.suffolkcountyceliacs.org/events.html.

Enjoy your weekend and for those of you who are not going to be able to attend the Suffolk County Gluten Free Vendor Fair this weekend, I will be letting you know everything that happened at the fair on Monday in the day's post.

And in case you do not have enough patience to wait until May 4th for the release of Elisabeth Hasselbeck's The G Free Diet, you can read the forward by Dr. Peter Green and browse through some pages of the book at:

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9781599951881.htm

Enjoy!

~Paige

***Read Ms. Celiac Says...latest press release here:

Ms. Celiac Says April 2009 Press Release

Rice Is Nice!

I absolutely love rice from Lundberg Family Farms. They have so many delicious varieties of gluten free rice and rice products and the brand has been around since 1937!

Their gluten free product line includes organic rice, eco-farmed rice, rice flour, rice chips, organic rice cakes, eco-farmed rice cakes, rice syrups, risottos, rice pasta, and hot cereal.

ORGANIC RICE -
short grain brown
long grain brown
brown sweet
brown jasmine
white jasmine
california sushi
brown basmati
white basmati
golden rose
long grain white
wild rice
quick wild rice
basmati & wild rice
wehani & wild rice

ECO-FARMED RICE -
short grain brown
long grain brown
white arborio
brown basmati
white basmati
white jasmine
wild blend
countrywild
black japonica
jubilee
wehani
olde world pilaf

ORGANIC RICE FLOUR -
brown rice flour

ECO-FARMED RICE FLOUR -
brown rice flour

ORGANIC PASTA -
penne brown rice pasta
rotini brown rice pasta
spaghetti brown rice pasta
elbow brown rice pasta

RICE CHIPS -
fiesta lime
honey dijon
nacho cheese
pico de gallo
santa fe barbecue
sea salt
sesame & seaweed
wasabi

ORGANIC RICE CAKES -
brown rice
brown rice (salt-free)
caramel corn
cinnamon toast
mochi sweet
wild rice
popcorn
tamari with seaweed
sesame tamari
koku seaweed
sweet green tea with lemon

ECO-FARMED RICE CAKES -
brown rice
brown rice (salt-free)
sesame tamari
toasted sesame
apple cinnamon
buttery caramel
honey nut

HEAT AND EAT ORGANIC BROWN RICE BOWLS -
short grain brown
long grain brown
countrywild brown

RICE SYRUP -
eco-farmed sweet dreams
organic sweet dreams

RISOTTOS -
butternut squash
cheddar broccoli
creamy parmesan
garlic primavera
italian herb
organic alfredo
organic florentine
organic porcini mushroom
organic tuscan

HOT CEREAL -
purely organic hot 'n creamy rice cereal

*Products by Lundberg Family Farms are available in stores everywhere. For more information, please visit www.lundberg.com.

*Lundberg products are also available at Ms. Celiac's Market.


***I hope everyone has a great weekend and please do not forget to check out the Suffolk County Gluten Free Vendor Fair! It's sure to be a great event!

~Paige

Food Can Be Great Without Dangerous Grains!

If you have never heard of The Grainless Baker then you are truly missing out on some tasty gluten free products! The Grainless Baker makes everything from breads to pizzas to cookies to cakes to muffins to danishes to pies, etc. In other words, they have a huge selection of gluten free products!
Their current product list looks like this:

*Eclairs
*Cream Puffs
*Croutons
*Stomboli
*Specialty Cakes
*Danish - Lemon, Cherry, Blueberry, Apple, & Cheese
*Black and Whites
*Linzer Cookies
*Baguettes
*Cinnamon Raisin Bread
*Sandwich Bread
*Flax Seed Bread
*Mock Rye Bread
*Hoagie Buns
*Hamburger Buns
*Hot Dog Rolls
*Sweet Dinner Rolls [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Bread Sticks
*Bread Crumbs
*Cheese Pizza
*Thin Italian Pizza Shell (10'' round)
*Thin Pizza Shell (8'' round)
*10'' Cheese Pizza
*Onion Bagels
*Plain Bagels
*Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
*Graham Cracker Crumbs
*Graham Crackers
*Sugar Cookies
*Butterfly Cookies (Raspberry or Apricot) [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Chocolate Chip Cookies
*Peanut Butter Cookies
*Coconut Macaroons
*Pepper Cookies
*Almond Biscotti
*Anise Biscotti
*White Cake
*Chocolate Cake
*White Butter Cream Icing
*Chocolate Butter Cream Icing
*Non-Dairy Bavarian Cream Filling
*Raspberry Filling
*Carrot Mini Cake
*White Mini Cake
*Chocolate Mini Cake
*Cake Brownie
*Cheesecake
*Pumpkin Mini Cake
*Coffee Mini Cake
*4''/8'' Apple Pie
*4''/8'' Blueberry Pie
*4''/8'' Cherry Pie
*8'' Chocolate Pie
*8'' Lemon Pie
*4''/8'' Pumpkin Pie
*Pie Crust
*Brownies
*Cinnamon Buns
*Cream Sandwich
*Cupcakes
*Peanut Brittle
*Pumpkin Muffins
*Zucchini Muffins
*Banana Wheat Muffins
*Blueberry Muffins
*Corn Muffins
*Chocolate Chip Muffins [A FAVORITE OF MINE]

The Grainless Baker's Products are available at stores / restaurants in Idaho, Montana, Texas, Missouri, Indiana, Nebraska, Kansas, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

In New York City, you can purchase products by The Grainless Baker at:

A Matter of Health
1478 1st Ave. (btw. 76th and 77th St.)

Friedman's Delicatessen
Chelsea Market
75 9th Ave. (btw. 15th and 16th St.)

Lotus Health Foods
1309 Lexington Ave. (btw. 87th and 88th St.)

Natural Green Market
162 3rd Ave. (btw. 15th and 16th St.)

You may also order the products at their website at www.thegrainlessbaker.com.

The Grainless Baker will be at the Suffolk County Vendor Fair on Sunday, April 26th!

For more information:
The Grainless Baker
Lake Ariel, PA 18436
www.thegrainlessbaker.com
info@thegrainlessbaker.com
570-689-9694

Super Socca!

Recently, I tried a restaurant called Nizza in NYC's Hell's Kitchen area. The cuisine is inspired by foods of the French and Italian Riviera, as "Nizza" is the Italian pronunciation of the French city, Nice.

Nizza recently added a gluten free menu that includes a wide range of soups and salads, a dish called socca and several varieties of it, corn pasta dishes, risotto, meats, poultry, and fish.

Socca is a crispy chickpea pancake cooked in a brick oven. Nizza offers several varieties including:

*CLASSIC - Sage, Onions, and Pecorino
*LA MIA - Taleggio Cheese, Pancetta, Chili Flakes, Red Onions & Parmesan
*HOT COPPA - Provolone, Mozzarella, Taleggio, Tomatoes, & Arugula Salad
*POMODORO - Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, & Basil
*QUATTRO FORMAGGI - Mozzarella, Fontina, Ricotta, Gorgonzola, Pesto, & Pinenuts
*PIZZA PICCANTE - Spicy Sausage, Tomato, Long Hots, & Smoked Mozzarella
*SOCCA & EGGS - Swiss Chard, Fontina, Onions, and 2 Eggs

Nizza also offers a variety of different gluten free pasta dishes using corn pasta. These include:

*PESTO - Fettucini with a touch of cream, crescenza cheese, and pesto
*POMODORO - Spaghetti with tomato sauce, fresh and smoked mozzarella, jalapeno pepper, basil, and pecorino
*ZITI AL FORNO - Oven roasted ziti with tomato sauce, burrata, and paremesan
*SUNDAY PASTA - Spaghetti with tomato sauce, sweet italian sausage, and parmesan

I ordered for my dinner, an Arugula Salad with Parmesan, Lemon, and Olive Oil to start with the Classic Socca with Sage, Onions, and Pecorino for my main course. They were both absolutely delicious!

Nizza is open for lunch Monday - Friday and for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. It is open for dinner, 7 days a week.

For more information:

Nizza
630 9th Avenue (btw. 44th and 45th St.)
212-956-1800
www.nizzanyc.com

View Co-Host To Release Gluten Free Survival Guide!

On Monday, May 4th, 2009, Elisabeth Hasselbeck (co-host of the View) will be releasing The G Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide.

According to Amazon.com,

For years, Elisabeth Hasselbeck couldn't figure out what was making her sick. She asked doctors and consulted nutritionists, but no one seemed to have any answers. It wasn't until spending time in the Australian Outback, living off the land on the grueling Survivor TV show, that, ironically, her symptoms vanished. Returning home, she pinpointed the food that made her sick -- gluten, the binding element in wheat. By simply eliminating it from her diet, she was able to enjoy a completely normal, healthy life. But that wasn't all. Hasselbeck discovered the myriad benefits that anyone can enjoy from a gluten-free diet: from weight loss and increased energy to even the alleviation of the conditions of autism. In this all-inclusive book, Hasselbeck shares her hard-earned wisdom on living life without gluten and loving it. She gives you everything you need to know to start living a gluten-free life, from defining gluten - where to find it, how to read food labels - to targeting gluten-free products, creating G-Free shopping lists, sharing recipes, and managing G-Free living with family and friends.

The G Free Diet will also include a forward from famed Celiac Disease doctor and my doctor, Peter Green, MD. This book will be published by Center Street, a division of the Hachette Book Group and will retail for $24.99. However, it will be on sale through Amazon.com and available for the great price of $16.49 at Ms. Celiac's Market.

It seems like May will be a great month for those of us on a gluten free diet with both the release of Elisabeth Hasselbeck's book and the debut of Starbuck's gluten free Orange Valencia Cake.

~Paige

Curious For Those Cookies

Recently, I was shopping at Whole Foods and noticed a new package in the gluten free cookie section of the aisle. It was a brand called Curious Cookie. They had gluten free cookies available in 4 flavors.


The gluten free flavors that Curious Cookie produces are:
*Chocolate Chocolate Chip
*Lemon Chocolate Chip
*Ginger Cranberry
*Chocolate Chip [The Flavor I purchased]

Their cookies are not only gluten free but lactose and casein free, as well as, being very low in cholesterol. The gluten free flour used to make these cookies is a combination of all natural rice flour with all natural soy flour and all natural tapioca flour along with a hint of xanthan gum.

Currently, you may purchase these cookies at their website www.curiouscookie.com or visit their retail location in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey. The cookies are also available at Whole Foods Markets.

Starbucks - The Latest Developments

Hey Everyone!

I have more details on the gluten free cake Starbucks will be offering starting Tuesday, May 5th, 2009.

It will be an Orange Valencia Cake with Almonds. The 7 gluten free ingredients that we previously heard about will include:

*Whole Eggs
*Valencia Orange Pulp
*Almonds
*Sugar
*Orange Peel
*Gluten Free Baking Powder
*Orange Oil

According to the Starbucks Official Blog, the Orange Valencia Cake "is a delicious moist citrus cake bursting with Valencia oranges and topped with crunchy almonds."

Another added benefit, is that it will provide you with 30% of your daily value of Vitamin C.

You will find the Orange Valencia Cake with Almonds in the Pastry Case with a sign that reads, "Gluten Free." Each cake will be individually wrapped to prevent cross-contamination. The complete ingredient list will be on each package so you can find out exactly what you are eating.

Stay Tuned to Ms. Celiac Says...for the latest news about gluten free developments at Starbucks!

~Paige

Bissinger's Bunny!

For the 1st time in quite a few years, I received a chocolate bunny for Easter. It was gluten free, of course! The bunny was solid dark chocolate and from a chocolate company called Bissinger's.

Bissinger's is one of the last handcrafted chocolatiers in the world. They have been making their fine French confections for more than 350 years!

The Bissinger family began creating their delicacies for European royalty in 17th-century Paris, France. Karl Bissinger left France in 1845 for Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1927, his son opened the 1st Bissinger shop in Saint Louis on McPherson Avenue. That store closed in 2007, but a replica will be rebuilt soon in the popular City Museum in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Most of Bissinger's chocolates are gluten free and they have a huge selection of chocolates to choose from. Currently, they have "Economic Relief Packages" where you can buy any 5 items in this category and receive 3 FREE or buy any 2 and receive 1 FREE!

For more information on which products are gluten free, feel free to contact them at orders@bissingers.com or at 1-800-325-8881 or visit their website at www.bissingers.com.

******************************************************************************************
Hey Everyone!

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for the tremendous flow of support we have received! Ms. Celiac Says...has made it to its 4th month of posting the latest and greatest gluten free products and restaurants and today is our 100th post! Thank you to all of our loyal readers! Ms. Celiac Says...is nothing without you!

I also wanted to remind everyone that coming up this SUNDAY, APRIL 26th is the 3rd ANNUAL SUFFOLK COUNTY GLUTEN FREE VENDOR FAIR! I have been to this event the past two years and it is a lovely and delicious experience. You will not leave hungry! It is actually the largest gluten-free consumer event in North America and over 50 vendors will be present this year!

Here are the details:

Date - Sunday, April 26, 2009
Time - 11 AM - 4 PM
Location - International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 25
370 Vanderbilt Motor Parkway
Hauppauge, NY
Guests - Dr. Peter Green, Director, Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University
Cynthia Kupper, Registered Dietitian, Director, Gluten Intolerance Group
Fee - $10 / person (cash only) | children under 12 are free | families of 4 or more = $30

PROFITS WILL BE DONATED TO THE CELIAC DISEASE CENTER AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Participating Vendors:

Aleia's Gluten Free Foods -FEATURED ON MS. CELIAC SAYS
Allergy Friendly Foods
Aunt Gussies Cookies & Crackers
Axcan Pharmaceuticals
Azure Chocolate
Bakery on Main
Bob & Ruth's GF Travel Club
Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods
Buona Sera Restaurant
Caesar's Pasta Products
Clare Rose Distributors (Red Bridge Beer)
Domata Living Flour
Foods by George
Enjoy Life Natural Brands - FEATURED ON MS. CELIAC SAYS
Everybody Eats
Food Tek
Full Flavor Foods
Gaga's Inc.
Get Healthy America
Gilbert's Gourmet Goodies
Gluten Free Naturals
Gluten Free Passport
Good Day Sunshine
Jake Bakes
Joan's GF Great Bakes - FEATURED ON MS. CELIAC SAYS
Katz Gluten Free
Kettle Cuisine - FEATURED ON MS. CELIAC SAYS
Kinnikinnick - FEATURED ON MS. CELIAC SAYS
Kitchen Table Bakers
Little Bay Baking Co.
Mama's Restaurant
Marble Slab Creamery
Mari Productions
Meadow Foods
Miller's Gluten Free Bread Co.
Mixes from the Heartland
Mr. Ritts Bakery
NuGo Nutrition
Nutritional Healing Technologies
Organic Bistro Whole Life Meals
Outrageous Foods
Pamela's Products - FEATURED ON MS. CELIAC SAYS
Rose Door Inc.
Schar USA - FEATURED ON MS. CELIAC SAYS
Shabtai Gourmet Bakery - FEATURED ON MS. CELIAC SAYS
Smokin Sloe's Restaurant
The Best Ever Low Carb Cakes
The Diet Shop
The Gluten Free Choice
The Grainless Baker
The L. Lodico Walk for Celiac Disease
The Silly Yak Bakery
Two Fresh Chefs
Whole Foods - FEATURED ON MS. CELIAC SAYS

I will definitely be attending the fair this weekend, and will keep you updated on the latest delectable gluten free products that I get to sample.

Have a good week!

~Paige

BREAKING NEWS - STARBUCKS TO PREMIERE GLUTEN FREE CAKE!

On Tuesday, May 5th, 2009, Starbucks will introduce their 1st gluten free product in US stores, a pastry called Valencia Orange Cake.

This cake will be made with 7 ingredients which are 100% gluten free! The gluten free cakes will be individually wrapped and will sell for $2.25.

Adrienne Knapp, a product manager at Starbucks, said, "I think one of the things we learned right from the get-go from our gluten-free customers is they can't eat away from home very easily. A cake is actually really hard to find for someone that's a gluten-free consumer."


Starbucks - I LOVE YOU!

~Paige

A Taste of Perfection...

If I ever decide to move to Paris, I can assure you that one of the top reasons would be for the macarons at Ladurée . I could seriously get by eating these for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with a shot of espresso. And with so many delicious flavors to choose from, one can never get bored!

Their macarons are composed of almonds, eggs, and sugar before they add the final ingredient to create the flavor. The flavors include:

*Vanilla
*Gingerbread
*Mint
*Licorice
*Strawberry
*Blueberry
*Lemon
*Lemon Basil
*Dark Chocolate [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Milk Chocolate [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Rose Petal [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Lily of the Valley
*Violet
*Coffee
*Pistachio
*Hazelnut
*Caramel with Salted Butter
*Raspberry [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Black Currant Violet
*Cherry
*Apricot
*Red Fruits
*Orange Blossom
*Praline
*Coconut
*Spice and Soft Fruits
*Chocolate with Lime
*Chocolate with Cherry
*Chocolate with Passion Fruits
*Almond
*Chestnut

Ladurée also celebrates each new season by introducing a new flavor. The Spring 2009 flavor is Bergamot. Ladurée has several locations throughout Paris including:
Ladurée Royale [MY FAVORITE LOCATION]
16, rue Royale
Ladurée Champs Elysées
75, avenue des Champs Elysées

Ladurée Bonaparte
21, rue Bonaparte
Ladurée Printemps de la Mode Haussmann
62, boulevard Haussmann

They also have locations in England, Monaco, Switzerland, and Japan. For more information, please visit their website at www.laduree.fr.

Viva La France!

For those of you that decide to visit stores such as Naturalia, La Vie Claire, and Biocoop while in Paris, you will find a popular brand of gluten free products called Valpiform.

Valpiform makes over 60 gluten free products including breads, crackers, baking mixes, pasta, biscuits, pizza crusts, puff pastries, etc.

A large percentage of their products are also milk free, egg free, soy free, and peanut free. Some products are also free of lactose and organic. All of their products comply with CODEX standards.

These products are available throughout most of Europe.

For more information, please visit their website at: www.valpiform.net

Check Out The Food Shoppes!

When traveling on a gluten free diet, I always recommend bringing some gluten free products with you. Even when you know there will be gluten free cuisine where you're visiting, it is better to be safe than sorry (or hungry!).

However, it is always fun to check out the natural food markets in another country to try their selection of gluten free products. In Paris, there are many places to try. Three great shoppes are Naturalia, La Vie Claire, and Bicoop.

Whenever, I am abroad and I find a gluten free product that I love, I will buy as many as can fit into my suitcase for when I return to the states.

For more information and for locations within Paris, France, please visit the following websites:

www.naturalia.fr

www.lavieclaire.com

www.biocoop.fr

So Many Restaurants To Try!

Every time that I have traveled to Paris, France on a gluten free diet I have been amazed at how easy it is for me to find delicious food to eat. It seems like as soon as I show my dietary card to a waiter, they completely understand what gluten is and are able to bring me a gluten free yet flavorful meal to enjoy!

Although, I have tried many restaurants in Paris some of my favorites include La Cantine Du Faubourg, Buddha Bar, and L'Obelisque at the Hotel de Crillon. These places catered exceptionally well to my diet.

La Cantine du Faubourg is a beautifully designed trendy restaurant at 105 rue du Faubourg Saint Honore. It has a variety of French cuisine with an Asian-influence. This restaurant serves lunch Monday thru Friday and dinner seven nights a week. As it gets later in the night, this restaurant turns into a lounge. They also provide a free car service home to their diners. For more information visit their website at www.lacantine.com.

Buddha Bar is also a very cool looking place with amber-colored lighting and rich mahogany furniture. The cuisine is a combination of Chinese and Japanese dishes. The Buddha Bar is a chain that is in many major cities throughout the world. For more information, visit their website at www.buddha-bar.com.

Now, the Hotel de Crillon is my favorite hotel in Paris, France and one of their more casual restaurants is called, L'Obelisque. This serves some traditional French cuisine. However, the chef is very aware of the needs of someone on a gluten free diet and is able to provide some excellent gluten free options.
For more information, visit www.crillon.com.

Parlez-Vous Français?

The first time I visited France on a gluten free diet, I was extremely nervous. I was worried that I would not be able to communicate my restrictive diet in French. I had a difficult enough time trying to explain it in English to an English-speaking server.

However, I did some research online and found a company called www.dietarycard.com. This company provides small green cards that can easily fit into your wallet or pocket and are very durable (I've had mine for about 8 years). And it is a life-saver as far as communicating your dietary needs.

On their website, you are able to order the classic Celiac card or a custom-made card that is specific to your diet whether it includes food allergies or that you're on a vegan diet. The card is available in 18 languages including: English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Greek, Japanese, Russian, Thai, and Turkish.

You can order one card for approximately $9 or the classic europack for $30 or the worldwide pack for $37.

For more information, visit their website at www.dietarycard.com or email them at enq@dietarycard.co.uk.

Weekend Update - Happy Easter / Passover!

Hey Everyone,

I feel like it's been a while since I've had a weekend update and I wanted to take a few minutes to share with you some gluten free goodness!

In the past 2 weeks, two primetime TV shows have featured gluten free products. On March 26th, 2009, ABC's Private Practice aired an episode in which Violet Turner (Amy Brenneman) could be seen eating a bag of gluten free pretzels by Ener-G brand. This week, on the CW's 90210 they actually work gluten free bread into the storyline and name it as a great reason to stay living in Los Angeles instead of returning to their hometown of Kansas.

On Thursday night, I had dinner at a fabulous restaurant in NYC's Times Square that has recently added a gluten free menu. It is a French-Italian restaurant called Nizza. They have a great selection of choices on their gluten free menu. I had a dish called Socca, which is a piece of flat bread made out of chickpea flour topped with sage, onions, and parmesan cheese with an arugula salad to start. I will describe the restaurant in more detail with some pictures of the food in an upcoming post.

I also wanted to thank all of the loyal visitors of Ms. Celiac Says. In just 3 months, this site has grown tremendously! And of course, none of this would be possible without the delicious products from our favorite brands and the restaurants that cater to gluten free diners. These brands/restaurants will be listed at the end of this post along with a link to their websites.

I would like to especially thank Applegate Farms, who sent me some of their delicious gluten free chicken nuggets and I would also like to thank Arico Foods for sending me their unbelievably addictive cassava chips, and a fine selection of cookies, coupons, and a t-shirt!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

This upcoming week, Ms. Celiac Says...will be featuring the restaurants and products of Paris, France and be sure to stay tuned for exclusive gluten free giveaways coming soon!

Today I will be enjoying a gluten free Passover Cake from Shabtai Gourmet for Easter lunch. In an upcoming post, I will let you all know how it was!

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!

~Paige

*Here are the brands/restaurants that were featured in March:

Applegate Farms

Enjoy Life Foods

Risotteria

Lilli and Loo

Amy's Kitchen

Blue Diamond

Whole Foods Market

Zen Palate

Cherrybrook Kitchen

Balance Bars

Glenny's

Josie's Restaurants

Kinnikinnick Foods

Mozzarelli's

Crunchmaster Crackers

Tinkyada Pasta

Ben and Jerry's

Bloom's New York Deli

Celestial Seasonings

Kettle Cuisine

Crazy For Cadbury and That Perfect Peep

Oh, that controversial egg...

I literally went into a panic when I was reading the ingredients to my Cadbury Creme egg and noticed the word "wheat" clearly stated on the packaging. How could my absolute favorite candy in the world contain gluten?! I was strongly considering ignoring that I had seen those words and continuing eating the egg. However, after I had a nightmare about eating gluten that same night, I decided that I better look into its gluten free status.

It turns out Cadbury Creme Eggs do contain an ingredient called glucose syrup which can sometimes be derived from wheat. However, glucose syrup derived from wheat is actually considered to be gluten free. In the UK, Cadbury states on its website that the Cadbury Creme Eggs are gluten free. In the United States, however, Hershey's manufactures Cadbury products and will not state the gluten status of the Cadbury Creme Eggs even though the ingredients are supposedly the same for the UK and the US egg.

I have lived on Cadbury Creme eggs and never have had a bad reaction. I have also discussed this with my doctor and several nutritionists who all assured me that it was safe to eat this product. However, it is your choice to make. To learn more about why wheat-derived glucose syrup is considered gluten free, check out this article at the Sure Foods Living website.

And for more information regarding Cadbury products, visit their website at www.cadbury.com.

Another delicious gluten free Easter-time candy are Just Born's Marshmallow Peeps. Nowadays, Peeps are available in a variety of colors and shapes. For Spring, you can get Tulips (Yellow), Chicks (Yellow, Pink, Lavender, Blue, Green, and Orange), and Bunnies (Yellow, Pink, Lavender, Blue, and Green). The yellow chick is also available sugar-free.

My personal favorite is the original yellow chick. For some reason, it just tastes the best!

For more information on marshmallow peeps, you can visit their website at www.marshmallowpeeps.com.

Both Cadbury Creme Eggs and Just Born Marshmallow Peeps are available for sale at Ms. Celiac's Market!

Have a Happy Easter!

Be Jolly with Jelly Belly!

I must say that I was never a fan of jelly beans until I went on a gluten free diet and found out that Jelly Belly makes them gluten free! Now, I love them!

There was a time when you had to be careful about the flavors that you were eating because the Buttered Popcorn flavor contained gluten, but now the ingredients have been altered so that all Jelly Belly Jelly Beans are gluten free. As with any product, it is a good idea to double-check this information with the company as the gluten free status can change day-by-day.

Jelly Belly Jelly Beans come in 50 delicious flavors that include:

*A&W Cream Soda
*A&W Root Beer
*Berry Blue
*Blueberry
*Bubble Gum
*Buttered Popcorn
*Cafe Latte
*Cantaloupe
*Cappuccino
*Caramel Apple
*Caramel Corn
*Chocolate Pudding
*Cinnamon [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Coconut [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Cotton Candy [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Crushed Pineapple
*Dr. Pepper
*French Vanilla
*Grape Jelly
*Green Apple
*Island Punch
*Jalapeno
*Juicy Pear [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Kiwi
*Sunkist Lemon
*Lemon Drop
*Lemon Lime
*Licorice
*Mango
*Margarita
*Sunkist Orange
*Orange Sherbet
*Peach
*Peanut Butter
*Pina Colada [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Pink Grapefruit
*Plum
*Raspberry
*Red Apple
*Sizzling Cinnamon
*Strawberry Cheesecake
*Strawberry Daiquiri
*Strawberry Jam
*Sunkist Tangerine
*Toasted Marshmallow [A FAVORITE OF MINE]
*Top Banana
*Tutti-Fruitti
*Very Cherry
*Watermelon
*Wild Blackberry

For more information about Jelly Belly Jelly Beans and other Jelly Belly products, please visit their website at www.jellybelly.com.

You may also purchase Jelly Belly Jelly Beans at Ms. Celiac's Market and at most food retailers.

I Love This Time Of Year...

One of the reasons I love this time of year is that there is an abundance of gluten free products to be found as many kosher for Passover products are gluten free. I also love that Shabtai Gourmet's delicious line of cookies and cakes become available via FreshDirect!

In January, I featured Shabtai Gourmet on my site. If you have not had the chance to try these products, you must do so now. They are some of the best gluten free treats, I have ever had!

Not only are their products kosher for Passover but they are made in a dedicated gluten free bakery and are casein free, corn free, dairy free, lactose free, and soy free.

At FreshDirect, you can currently purchase the following Shabtai Gourmet products:

*Brownies
*Almond Macaroons
*Honey Cake Loaf
*Marble Loaf
*Fancy Cookie Assortment (Delicious!)
*Passover Railroad Layer Cake
*Raspberry Roll
*Ring Tings
*Rainbow Cookie Square (Yummy!)

Shabtai Gourmet products are also available in the Passover section of many supermarkets including The Food Emporium in NYC. For more information or to order their products, please visit their website at www.shabtai-gourmet.com.