New Redbridge: GF beer from Anheuser-Busch!

The makers of Budweiser, Michelob, Natty Ice, etc have concocted a gluten free beer called Redbridge!

They have a Retail Locator for Dining In & Out so you can see where to get it. I was having a hard time getting it to work - perhaps the site is inundated with thirsty celiacs? But am hoping there is some in the Boston Area.

Anyway - I will be looking for this, and will report back to you with an update immediately!

(Rural, just got your comment below via email -- just as I was about to post! Word must be spreading like wildfire!)

Check out there website here

Celtics Game, but no junk food or beer???

I've realized as of late, that one of the biggest bummers about Celiac (besides the freedom to eat whatever I want at whatever restaurant I want) is that sporting events just aren't as fun without a beer and dirty hotdog!

Last weekend I went to the Giants/Cowboys game - great game! - but couldn't eat or drink anything there. In that case, I was pretty hungover so I didn't want a beer anyway, plus it was cold.

BUT - tonight, I'm going to the Celtics game and will be meeting up with people at a bar right near the Garden, to pre-game. Normally I would just go, get some chix fingers & fries, & drink beer - maybe get a hotdog at the game. Of course, that's not an option. So what do I do? Before going to meet everyone, I order in some sushi at work, it's actually excellent sushi, so that makes me happy. Now I'm feeling full & heading over to the bar, and won't mind when everyone's eating burgers & pizza.

Now, we get in there, I'm sitting watching the game, I would really like to enjoy a cold beverage while watching. I DOUBT they sell wine, cider jacks or hard liquor at the venue, which means I'm going to have to drink EXTRA wine at the bar before heading over; sounds like trouble.

I think Celiacs should be allowed to Bring-Their-Own Alcohol wherever they go. We don't want to always volunteer to be designated driver! No one's even driving tonight?! So what's a celiac to do?

I'll let you know, but hopefully they're servin' some Bard's Tale at the Boston Garden tonight.

Wagamama to open in Boston!

I am so pumped! Wagamama, one of my favorite restaurants I loved to visit in London, is conveniently opening right across from where I work in Faneuil Hall!

Of course, when I used to eat there, I didn't know I had celiac, and had no symptoms, so I had free reign on the menu - BUT, as listed on their website, they do have a few gluten free items! Here's a link to their dietary restrictions: Wagamama Link

They also display food suggestions for people with lactose, garlic, msg, nut allergy, and diabetic issues... So thanks for lookin' out Wagamama!

The location in Faneuil Hall isn't opening until Spring 2007, and they will have another location opening in the Summer of 2007 as well... I think this place will do tremendously well here in this city, it's great, affordable asian food in a funky, chic atmosphere. Easy & delish, love it.

Rough Sunday

We almost burned down our house after a failed attempt at a late night mac & cheese session... Good thing the smoke coming from the burning Tinkyada woke us up! I'm almost more pissed that I wasted some of my precious Tinkyada than the fact that our home STINKS. Any suggestions on how to get the smell to go away?? I've been washing everything and all windows are open despite the cold.

And to top it off, I decided to make some Cheddar Corn Chowder. Ran to the store to pick up a few things... began making it - and realized after I was almost done, that I had put in Chicken Stock that wasn't gluten free!!!! I was so pissed. I ate a small bowl anyway, and I feel OK actually. But still, pissed. Why on earth isn't all chicken stock gluten free???

RISOTTERIA!

After reading much of the famed gluten free restaurant Risotteria - I made a trip to NYC to visit friends, and head to the Village to check this place out!

I was very excited, and we got there to find there was an hour wait, which was OK by me - I wasn't eating anywhere else, and we knew they didn't take reservations. We were finally seated at 10:30 (yikes!) and enjoyed some of the GF bread sticks in front of us. I was thinking about getting a bottle of GF beer - but we got a bottle of wine instead. I was with two friends who do not have a gluten intolerance, but agreed to eat GF so that I could try everything (so nice!)...

I have extremely mediocre pictures of the food we ate - I was embarrassed to use the flash to take pictures, so they were dark and I tried to lighten them up a bit - you'll get the idea.

To start: the White Bean & Calamari salad... YUM, this was delish, very light and a great start to the meal.

Then, for our main courses we got the Pesto Pizza with shrimp, arugula and cheese: I love thin crust pizza - so this was excellent - Actually, I think this was my favorite thing we ate there.
Then we got Risotto of course, we got that nights special which had sausage in it & was flavored with saffron- YUM:
Finally, we got a panini with chicken, mozzarella, olive tapende and something else, which I can't recall:

The panini was good, not great. I was more excited about the fact that I was actually eating a sandwich - something I haven't done since I was diagnosed, and I used to eat at least one sandwich a week. My friends thought the panini tasted the most "gluten free" - since the gf focaccia was a little dense, typical of any gf bread. I still enjoyed it - and we ate everything on that table!

We were STUFFED, but I had to get dessert - so we got the carrot cake, which was excellent - the frosting was the best part! Check it out: It was a HUGE piece.

My sister wanted me to get the dessert called "The Fudgie" which is two cake-like chocolate chip cookies with whipped fudge in the middle, it looked really good, but too rich for our full bellies. I took some of the breadstick dough mix with me to make at home - still haven't done that yet.

All in all - a great place! I will certainly be going again. The only problem is the location - it's way down in Greenwich Village and everyone I know lives in the Upper East side - so a bit of a hike, but still great. Too bad it's not bigger - and it's really too bad they don't ship!!! I inquired about it to the grumpy manager, but he just gave me an irritated look and said that they did not ship and never would and that everyone asks them that. Well Mr. Grumpy-pants - maybe you should, your business may take off!

Happy Halloween!

It's Halloween today - not that I'm dressing up or anything, but still a good excuse to eat sweets, speaking of which; my favorite gluten free candy bar:
YUM. I bought a whole bag of the minis thinking there is a slight chance I could get a trick-or-treater or two in my building. Chances are, I won't - which leaves more for me!

What's your favorite gluten free candy???

First Legal Seafoods Experience

I made it to Legals this past weekend for my first gluten free dining experience. YUM!

It was so great to have an entire menu that was gluten free and I could eat anything that I wanted!

I started with the hot crab dip with "seafood crackers" -- I think they were rice crackers, they were hot, and fried and great! Then I got the Seafood Casserole (had shrimp, lobster, white fish, scallops) which had a sherry butter sauce & gluten free breadcrumbs! It was excellent. It was great service too -- the manager brings over the gluten free dish, and the waitress brought over everyone elses... I guess they do that so that you know your food is prepared separately, and is, in fact, gluten free & "special". We had sorbet for dessert too... Can't wait to go back! I highly recommend it if there is one near you!