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The other day I came home to find a parcel from my friends at the Canyon Bakehouse and thanks to everyone’s favorite gluten-free public relations person Gluten Free Dee.  Now we all know that gluten-free bread has long been a sticky wicket among Celiacs.  Yes, there are now quite a few brands doing the gluten-free bread thing but in actuality very few (read I can count on one hand) do it exceptionally.  Well, my friends Canyon Bakehouse out of Loveland, Colorado has just raised the gluten-free bar.

Before I start gushing (oh, and I will be gushing) about their products I want to give you a brief little background about the company.  Canyon Bakehouse is a gluten-free facility that came about when Christi Skow, one of the owners along with her husband Josh and Master Baker Ed Miknevicius, was diagnosed with celiac disease during a routine physical.  She found going gluten-free to be a challenge (we have ALL been there) but really had a hard time finding a great tasting gluten-free bread.  So, the trio set out to make their very own great tasting gluten-free breads…nice.

So on to the products.  I was lucky enough to sample their entire current portfolio of gluten-free breads.  There is San Juan 7-Grain, Mountain White, Cranberry Crunch Muffins, Rosemary and Thyme Focaccia, and rounding out the group…wait for it…Cinnamon Raisin bread, yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus.

I have to first confess that I actually ate my way through all of the products in two days.  No, not the entire packages but I normally tend to eat one variety down and then move on.  Given the diversity of these products I just could not wait and found myself ripping through the packages like a kid at Christmas.

The San Juan 7-Grain bread was out of this world.  I never thought I would see the words 7-grain and gluten-free in such close proximity to one another.  The bread has a fantastic texture and (as with all of the breads) is great straight from the package.  It is moist and the taste is phenomenal.  You get really nice nutty tasting notes with just a hint of sweetness from sugarcane molasses.  Delicious.

Next came the Mountain White variety.  This one is a hard one to get right and many have tried and failed quite miserably.  Not here.  The white is just as moist as the others and has a rich, full-texture.  The flour mix of brown rice, tapioca, sorghum, white rice, and garbanzo is just perfect.  It is sweetened with agave syrup and sugar which provides a really nice homey sweetness to the loaf.

What’s next on the list you ask?  Well the Rosemary and Thyme Focaccia of course.  Now this I found to be most intriguing.  I was really apprehensive about this one but it was so soft in the package I somehow knew it would be delicious.  If you miss focaccia then head on over to their Web site and order this immediately.  This was a real highlight of the tasting and really out of this world.  The focaccia has just the perfect amount of denseness you expect in a focaccia without being a brick of bread.  I ate this one every which was – with cheese untoasted, toasted with cheese, as bruschetta, and all by itself.  The flavors are amazing.  You get the woodsy notes of the rosemary and thyme with just a very subtle hint of the extra virgin olive oil that helps tame the bite of the herbs.  The balance is perfect and I truly cannot say enough about this one.

For dessert there was the Cranberry Crunch muffins.  Now there are other brands out there that claim crunch but Canyon Bakehouse is the only one I know of that delivers.  These muffins while moist and delicious actually have a crunch to them.  These are truly complex muffins with a wonderful flour mix that is paired with poppy seed and tangy (but sweet) cranberries.  Just one of the muffins will easily fill you up, satiating your sweet tooth without leaving you feeling like you just ate a heavy item.

I have saved, in my opinion, the very best for last.  Now, all of the products really stand out among the competitive landscape but one in particular had me over the moon.  The Cinnamon Raisin loaf is the most unexpected (next to the focaccia) and I ate my way through the loaf in record time.  I am not a huge breakfast person but I actually found myself taking slices to the office and toasting it for brekkies.  This moist loaf does not disappoint.  It is chock-full or wonderfully sweet raisins with sunflower seeds scattered throughout and sesame sees on top.  It is the most complex raisin bread I have come across gluten-free or otherwise. Toast it (or not) and spread a little cream cheese love atop and prepare yourself for gluten-free nirvana.  Seriously, it is just that good.

Run, don’t walk over to their Web site and place an order.  You can view their entire product portfolio, learn more about the company, and follow them on all your favorite social networking tools.  Oh, and the final selling point (as if you needed it) is that the loaf breads are just 90 calories a slice, yes, there are delicious and calorie-friendly.
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I recently received, of all things, canned vegetables to sample from my friends at Allens.  Now I know what you might be thinking, canned vegetables and gluten – yep, many canned items, particularly those that are seasoned can contain some form of gluten that may or may not be obvious are part of the flavorings or ingredients.  I am not normally a canned veg kind of guy but was actually intrigued by the cool variety that I received.  There was Triple Succotash; Tomatoes, Okra, and Corn; Hoppin’ John with Vidalia Onions; Seasoned Cabbage; and Seasoned Mixed Greens.  I had never heard of this brand before nor had I seen it on the shelves at my local grocers so it was nice to get a taste of a new brand.

I started with the Triple Succotash which was in a tomato base and had corn and butter beans that paired very well together.  The beans and corn still had a nice firmness to them – even after heating – which really gave it the fresh taste edge.  The tomatoes were still chunky and provided a nice mild acidic kick to the earthiness of the beans.

Next up was the Tomatoes, Okra, and Corn mix.  Now, in full disclosure I love okra.  It is probably one of my all-time favorite vegetables (and one of the most under-rated and used).  I do not often indulge in my okra need because quite frankly it is hard to track down good fresh okra throughout the year and previous canned incarnations tended to be slimy messes – not the case with Allens.  This was probably my favorite item in the lot because the okra was not slimy and actually maintained it shape and consistency – how they did it I do not know, but I am definitely not complaining.  You get the unique taste of the okra paired with the tomatoes and corn with just a hint of sugary sweetness providing a fantastic balance to the tangy tomatoes.

The next day I decided to crack open a large can of their Seasoned Hoppin’ John with Vidalia Onions.  Now, my other half is Bermudian and knows a thing about Hoppin’ John.  Allens version was really very good and the blackeyed peas were nice and firm.  Allens version contained red and green bell pepper and the perfect snap of spice from the Vidalia onions and just a hint of smokiness.  We both really enjoyed this variety and it was nice that it was a vegetarian version of the classic dish.

Continuing my vegetable adventure, I opened the Seasoned Cabbage which was chock-full of spices with very subtle smoky undertones.  There was also just a hint of sweetness in this one that really made the sweetness of the cabbage pop even more. All in all it was very nice.

Rounding out this vegetable extravaganza was their Seasoned Mixed Greens.  This one contained mustard and turnip greens – two of my most favorite greens and right up there with my love of okra.  Now mustard and turnip greens are not something you see everyday in canned form and rarely have I seen them together (if at all).  This version was really very good with a nice with a hint of sweet and spiciness that played perfectly off the earthy taste of the greens.

Now I am really a fresh veg kind of guy but in all honesty there are times when I appreciated being able to reach into the pantry and grab out a simple heat and eat type side dish.  Allens has such an interesting variety or products in their portfolio that you can get as adventurous (or not) as you like.  One of my main concerns with pre-packaged food is that it is either too salty or I have to worry about what they are sneaking in to make it taste good.  This was not the case with any of the products I sampled from Allens.  All of the products I sampled were in fact cholesterol and saturated fat free which was very much appreciated.  I really like the fact that many of their products come in small and large sizes which makes them perfect for singles, couples, and families alike.  For those of you that are watching their sodium intake, Allens also has sodium-free options.  All of Allens canned products are gluten-free which is nice because you can take the guess work out of your shopping trip.  Do check out the company’s Web site for their complete product portfolio as well as inftheir other brands.
 
 
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As many of you who follow me regularly know, late last week I was a flurry of excitement as the warmer weather signaled the return (at least in my snack rotation) of the frozen yogurt cult that is Pinkberry.  A couple of colleagues and I placed an order so that we could have a mid-afternoon snack of frozen yogurt goodness.  When we placed the order we were told that it would be about 20-30 minutes – cool, not a problem, or so we thought.  More than two hours later we were still without our frozen yogurt and the location decided to stop answering the telephone…nice.  Long story short when we did eventually get through, the location really could have cared less and we, in the end, ended up sending it back when it finally arrived more that two hours later as we were getting ready to leave for the day.

To the Pinkberry corporate team’s credit, they did address my comments and concerns and I would later receive an apology and an offer of two free yogurts from the branch manager (which will not be redeemed) – but what was blatantly missing was an acknowledgement and more importantly an explanation from said manager who barely even addressed there was a problem.  I get it, customer service is on the decline and good service seems to be the exception rather than the rule but I do not have to accept it.

I did a post not that long ago about gluten-free companies and the higher-level of customer service that I have consistently received from these companies – large or small.  It was refreshing to note that those companies in the Celiac community have a true sense of customer service and more importantly take a great deal of pride in the products they produce.  Some were new and some had been around for decades but there was pride there and it showed.

Perhaps it is the visions of Mad Men, the classic movies of yesteryear, or hearing stories from my parents that have me blinded and waxing nostalgic for a time where service was the norm and pride was the order of the day.  When walking into a store was an experience versus a chore.  I do not want to be all doom and gloom because I have and continue to receive stellar service at home and in my travels – and those places that provide it continue to get my patronage.  Oh, and this is not just about retail, but across the board from hotels, to airlines, to restaurants and so on.  The decline seems to be across the board.  Perhaps this is why I so relish my trips to Dubai – where poor service just does not fly and you feel like you’ve been transported to another time.  Though having to fly half-way around the world is a bit extreme. 

So I am encouraging all my readers to speak up when something goes wrong or the quality just is not there.  I am by no means condoning being a jerk or obnoxious but if we do not let companies know that we will not tolerate poor service or products – how will they know there is a problem?
 
 
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I love it when companies contact me out of the blue – particularly when it is a mainstream manufacturer talking gluten-free – fantastic.  Recently I received an e-mail from someone at Boar’s Head Provisions who could not have been nicer.  Now, I have to confess, I am a Boar’s Head fan and always have been.  I actually knew that they were in fact gluten-free but for me it really comes down to quality and Boar’s Head knows quality.  But I digress…

I was actually unaware that Boar’s Head published a gluten free brochure that offers some really great tips like Avoiding Gluten at the Deli Counter and Tips for Cooking without Gluten.  On top of that, they also offer some great recipes that incorporate their various meats, sauces, and glazes.  I have to say well done Boar’s Head for not only being gluten-free but for taking an interest in its Celiac customer base.

Navigating the supermarket is a challenge for Celiacs and the deli counter probably more so because the products are behind glass so we cannot pick up the package and see the actual ingredients.  Sure, we could go online and research different brands and varieties, make a list, and hope the market actually has it in stock.  Quite frankly I am busy enough and when it comes to luncheon meat or hot dogs, I want to run in and run out. 

So you are probably wondering what my Boar’s Head favorites are.  Well, my favorite meats would have to be a toss-up between their Blazing Buffalo Style Chicken Breast or the Sausalito Turkey Breast.  However, if I am coming clean, my absolute guilty pleasure is their hot dogs which are fantastic topped with their Vidalia onions, sauerkraut, and horseradish sauce – actually anything covered in their horseradish sauce will do just fine thank you.  They have a range of great condiments that you will always find in my panty.  I was actually very impressed with their Web site that offers great entertaining ideas as well as nutritional and product information.

Here is their gluten-free brochure:
 
 
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This blog post is going to a very, very dark place.  A place that is as dark as night.  A place that I have not been pulled into since being diagnosed with Celiac disease.  That's right, I am talking about licorice or as I like to call it black confectioners gold.  What did you think I was talking about?  Minds out of the gutter people ;-).

I am a huge licorice fanatic.  I absolutely love the dark spiciness in all of its forms.  Give me ropes, nibs, vines…you name it and I will eat it.  Probably one of the largest blows that hit me when first being diagnosed many years ago was that licorice would be a no-go.  Sure I found other confectionaries that would help satiate my sweet tooth but no matter how hard I tried I could not rid myself of my desire for licorice.

A few months ago I received a sample of treats from my friends at Health Flavors which included some licorice products – which I loved.  Soon thereafter, they sent me a sampling of every conceivable type of organic black licorice from Dutch company Candy Tree.  There were laces, vines, bites, and lariats (thick rope) and they were all absolutely delicious.  This licorice is the real deal and is certified organic which is a nice added bonus.  It has just six simple ingredients: organic corn syrup, organic rice flour, organic rice starch, and gets it rich flavor from licorice extract and anise seed oil.

What's nice about Candy Tree's black licorice (aside from being organic) is that the rich licorice flavor is not overpowered by sugary sweetness but rather has a mild sweetness to it that helps balance the wonderfully spicy bite.  I know most people either love or hate black licorice so if you are of the former mindset, please do give this a try.  You can order it right on Amazon.com and have it shipped right to your front door. 
 
 
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The other evening I found myself in a part of town that I normally do not frequent while attending a theater production.  So I jumped online and did a quick search of restaurants near the theater to get a feel for what was around.  I came across a restaurant that I had heard of before but never tried so decided to head on over to their Web site and look at their menu to see if there was even a remote possibility of me dining there.  I am a huge fan of BBQ.  I like northern, northern, southern, and just about everywhere in between types of BBQ.  Dry rub…check.  Heavily sauced…check.  I was over the moon when I saw that Blue Smoke (the restaurant in question) actually had a gluten-free menu (check it out at the end of this post).  Yep, those two magical words appeared larger than most in the word cloud on the restaurant’s site.  I quickly made a reservation as images of my BBQ sauce stained fingers passed before me.

When the evening we’d be dining there finally rolled around, I was, to say the least, giddy with excitement to sample this new locale.  My other half and I had imbibed for an hour or so prior to heading over to the restaurant at one of my all-time favorite bars – The Campbell Apartment.  There is just something about that place that has always drawn me to it.  Not to mention early evenings on weekends are far less chaotic than during the week or later at night so I always try to pop-in for at least one cocktail when in the neighborhood.

So after tying on a few, my other half and I headed on down to Blue Smoke.  What’s nice about this place is that it features a rather good Jazz club on its lower-level (The Jazz Standard) and the restaurant above.  So technically you can binge at the restaurant and then roll yourself down the stairs for some smooth Jazz stylings…but I digress.

The restaurant was hopping when we arrived and we finally made our way to the front desk.  We were told our table was just being set and within a few minutes were seated at our table.  Oh, I forgot to mention that when the host was grabbing the menus I asked for a gluten-free version which first seemed to surprise him but he quickly grabbed a smaller red-framed menu that offered only gluten-free options.

Now I am always a bit leery of restaurants that have a gluten-free menu but are not really gluten-free establishments.  I always wonder how many requests does the kitchen actually get and do they really take it seriously.  Well, Blue Smoke definitely shines in this area.  When ordering I told the waiter that not only was I Celiac, but that I have a severe (read deadly) allergy to shellfish which he repeated to me and noted on the order ticket.  Nice.  I opted for the Baked Chipotle Wings as a starter.  I cannot remember the last time I have anything remotely related to Buffalo wings when dining out.  Not only is the gluten-contaminated oil a factor but most places tend to fry shellfish (and anything else) in a communal fryer.  Disgusting I know, but I learned the hard way when I reacted not once, but twice to shellfish laced French Fries – fool me once…  So the baked wings seemed like such a fantastic option I could not understand why more places don’t offer such an item.  The GF menu noted not to have the bleu cheese dressing.  I ordered the lean Brisket of beef for my main which came with a side of mashed potatoes (sans fried onion topping) and my other half and I shared a side of beets.

When the pile of rather large-sized wings arrived at the table I nearly squealed like a school girl but something caught my eye – a small cup of blue cheese dressing was next to a larger bucket of Chipotle sauce.  I found it strange but simply removed the offending sauce and pretty much inhaled the plate in front of me.  When the waiter came back to clear the dishes, I nicely noted that he may want to tell the kitchen about the blue cheese.  He stated that when the plates are dressed the runners put both sauces on because some people tend to order them for a table vs. themselves and like to share ;-).  Well, me being a greedy guts (I did share two with my partner, who indulged in the bleu cheese, it made perfect sense.

The Brisket arrived next was a HUGE portion.  It was cooked to perfection and the table was filled with a variety of sauces and shakers to accommodate a wide-rage of taste preferences (all of which were GF by the way).  The mashed potatoes were heavenly and beets cooked to simple perfection.  While completely stuffed, I decided to binge even more and have some plain ice cream and coffee for dessert.

When the ice cream arrived, the runner (not the waiter) said “Ooops, sorry, there is a cookie underneath there.  I am sorry, let me get you another”.  I thought that was incredible that they knew what to look out for before it even hit the table.  Also, after we were finished our waiter came by and said he owed me an apology as he heard the first dessert arrived with a cookie.  What?  Are we still in N.Y.C.?  I though that was such a nice move (though unnecessary) on his part because it shows that they take allergies seriously and it is comforting to know you have a line of two or three people looking out for you.

I could not have been happier with the entire experience and highly recommend Blue Smoke to all of my Celiac and non-Celiac friends out there.  Oh, and they mix a mean cocktail, which I can personally attest    to ;-).
 
 
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What better way to ward off those coming April showers than with a fantastic gluten-free cheesecake from my friends at Earth Café.  That’s right you could have one of their fantastically delicious cheesecakes delivered right to your front door – for free. 

It has been a while since I had a little contest so my friends at Earth Café came up with the following contest to give one lucky GFM reader their very own cheesecake – and best of all the promotion runs the entire month of March. 

I absolutely love, love, love these cheesecakes and not only are they gluten-free but also: vegan, dairy-free, wheat-free, sans refined sugars and nasty oils, and free from cholesterol.  Oh, and did I mention they taste out of this world!  There are multiple ways to enter, each offering a different amount of entries.  You can earn a maximum of 10 entries for this promotion.  Best of all you have the entire month to get those entries in.  Oh, and if you know someone who loves decadent desserts feel free to pass this along.

Here’s how to enter:

1.  Write about or link to the contest in your own blog.  Just be sure to link back to this post, forward me the link to your posting, and you’ll receive 5 entries.  Note this method can only be used once.

2.  Fill out this simple entry form for 3 entries.  Note this method can only be used once.

3.  Make a comment right here.  In your comment please include: What flavor cheesecake you want to try.  Be sure to fill out your contact information when prompted.  You can head on over to Earth Café’s Web site to check out their decadent flavors.  GFM loves their Cali Style Lemon and Rockin’ Raspberry flavors.  A simple way to score 2 entries.  Note this method can only be used once.

4.  Become a fan of Earth Café on Facebook.  Just shoot me an e-mail once you do with your name so we can verify.  This will get you 2 entries.  Note this method can only be used once.

5.  Follow Earth Café on Twitter.  Just shoot me an e-mail once you do with your name so we can verify.  This will get you 2 entries.  Note this method can only be used once. 

6.  Tweet the following via Twitter "@glutenfreemike I want a @earthcafe #glutenfree cheesecake! http://bit.ly/bG9ilf ".  This will get you 1 entry.

7.  Friend me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter for 1 entry.  Just shoot me an e-mail once you do with your name so we can verify.  Note this method can only be used once for Facebook and once for Twitter.

Oh, and if you just can’t wait to try out their cheesecakes, you can get a special 20% discount on your orders by simply entering the promotion code: GFM at checkout.
 
Now here’s the fine print:
Contest is open to legal residents of the United States only.  A maximum of 10 entries can be earned by a single person.  All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. (PST) on March 31, 2010.  Winner will be chosen from all entries received at random on or after April 1, 2010.