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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.  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. 
 
 
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Yesterday found me standing on my Facebook gluten-free soapbox after I noticed that a restaurant I order from regularly via an online service called SeamlessWeb was randomly (and sometimes days later) charging extra for not putting their sandwiches on bread.  Below is the dialogue that transpired.  To view the complete string with other gluten-free and non-gluten-free friends weighing in just pop-on over to my Facebook page.

Excerpted from my Facebook wall:
I have actually seen it all now.   Just found out a regular place I order lunch from online has been adding random charges because I ask for no bread.  Now, I can see if I wanted a special type of bread or perhaps a hero (which they do charge extra for) but removing bread and paying a penalty...not on my watch.  Not only did they charge silly random amounts, I was made to pay tax on those amounts.  There was no rhyme or reason for the charges and there were times when no charge was levied.  I mean I am no stranger to having to pay more for gluten-free preparations or items but being taken for a ride is something I will simply not tolerate.

I heard back from SeamlessWeb that I use for my lunch ordering.  To their credit, they called the restaurant and got an explanation.  Something along the lines of all the staff was not versed in how to handle such a special request.  Fair enough.  They continued that my orders were specially made and actually contained more product that their regular item.  Again, good to know.  Yes, I am still a bit pissed that I was taken for a ride, but here is where it gets good...

SeamlessWeb has now put the "platter" option that I order as a standard option (at a standard price) for this restaurant (which has multiple locations throughout NYC).  I am so pleased that they took it seriously and now Celiacs have at least one more option here in the City.  Yes, it seems like a small thing but it really resonates with me.  The Web site was really not at fault because they simple act as an intermediary between consumer and restaurant.  They also previously had a Gluten Free category that contained gluten-filled options. When I pointed it out, they removed it.

Okay so that is my rather long-winded way of saying if you feel like you are getting less than average service because you are a Celiac...SAY SOMETHING.  The only way things are going to change is if we take control of our condition and help educate others about it -- remember it is a two-way street.  We can't expect every locale to have a firm understanding of our condition but we can expect to be treated fairly. It is on us to (politely) explain what we can and cannot have and why when need be.  A little education goes a long way.  Remember it is not about a DYKWIA attitude, it's about us collectively joining together to educate others about our condition -- and I don't care if you are in NYC or Nome, Alaska.

So, it might be one small step in the broad scheme of Celiac disease but at least it is a step forwin the right direction.
 
 
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One of the fabulous views from the locale
Two years ago my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and my brother and I thought what better way to celebrate this milestone than an all out blow-out here in Manhattan.  Now, I come from a long line of party throwers.  My parents would throw parties at the drop of a hat and we are not talking about backyard BBQs though we had those as well, but rather proper parties that required thought and planning.  I supposed the proverbial apple does not fall far from the tree because I love entertaining and throwing a fantastic bash.  For most major events in the past I was not diagnosed Celiac nor had I developed my shellfish allergy.  This would really be the first event I would be planning with both my allergies in full-force and quite frankly I wondered how I would navigate the planning process.  I am happy to report that will a little creative thinking, I was able to effectively plan and execute a truly wonderful evening.  So how did I do it?

It took well over a year of planning but I am going to spare the boring logistics of selecting a venue and the like and focus more on how my allergies affected the planning and the evening itself.  Here is a bit of background to help frame the process.  I wanted a unique locale that was old New York.  I wanted a deliciously deco spot that oozed a New York of yesteryear to transport my parents back to a time when they were two young teenagers in love. 

After much searching, I ended up deciding on the Top of the Tower, high above the Beekman Tower Hotel next to the United Nations on the River.  It changed ownership during my planning which was fun.  I wanted something that was grand but still intimate as there would be only about 100 guests.  If you have not been, I highly recommend popping over for a drink as the ambience and panoramic views are magical.  I had the locale in mind but you need to have a tasting to see if the food is up to snuff and get an idea of what the chef can and cannot do.

So how exactly does a Celiac with a shellfish allergy handle a tasting?  He brings his partner along (but anyone with good taste and few allergies will work fineJ).  First, I let my coordinator who was arranging the tasting know exactly what my allergies were.  Second, the chef was alerted and would let me know what I could and could not sample during the tasting (remember ingredients and preparations are sometimes tricky so let the one who is preparing the food guide you).  Finally, I relied on my partner’s opinions to help guide me keeping in mind what I thought guests would enjoy most. 

This was no small task as the evening would consist of 10 types of passed hors d'oeuvres as well as a few nibble stations.  The sit down dinner was a three course meal that required what salad (yes, there were many choices), main courses, and dessert would be offered.  We sampled so many different variations that the decision was very difficult in the end.  After much back and forth, there were two hors d'oeuvres I selected that were safe for me (without my shellfish allergy my options would have increased dramatically) along with some nice nibbles at the small stations being set up.  So it would be just the caviar (yes, I can still eat that) in potato cups with crème fraîche and prosciutto with melon for me.  The salad and entrée selections would also ensure I would not go hungry.  Dessert, well, I had to think of my guests and it was not GF but quite frankly after all the food and me monitoring to make sure everything was going according to plan, I had little time to actually eat, LOL. 

The evening was a complete success.  We had a truly fabulous piano player for cocktails and a famous New York band for dancing.  The evening flowed seamlessly and party goers danced into the evening.  A few fun ideas came out of this.   First, I sent a cryptic save the date postcard out well in advance.  It featured only a photo of the deco elevator doors at the venue and a riddle.  Guests would have to wait until their received their invitations to find out the locale.  The invitations were presented in high gloss black boxes containing custom New York skyline invitations in gold (for the golden anniversary) fabric envelopes and tied in gold ribbon imprinted with my parent’s names and 50 years together.  These were then shipped in boxes to all the guests across the country.  The seating cards were affixed to custom bottles of wine that were labeled to celebrate and remind guests of the event.  This made for a unique favor and way to present the seating cards. 
 
A Family Affair 09/10/2009
 
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GFM is hosting his parents this weekend (actually starting today).  It is great to see them and if you did not see my status update on Facebook the other day I count myself very lucky to have them here.  About a year and a half ago my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that was found really as a fluke as there is no proper test for this type of highly aggressive cancer.  Long story short, after a major surgery (8.5 hours), chemo, and radiation he is still here and, cancer free. 

I supposed I was waxing nostalgic yesterday as it was his birthday – one I in all honesty did not think I would see.  When all of this first happened, my brother who is a medical doctor, helped keep me grounded and realistic as to my father’s prognosis.  Sometimes the truth is harsh and not what we want to hear but, alas, looking back I am glad to have prepared for the worse and hoped for the best.  I was able to move to the West Coast (where my parents were for the surgery) and work remotely the entire time thanks to my company (a great one by the way).  Throughout it all my father never once complained, other than he was “too thin” proving that heroes are, in fact, right in front of our eyes and we just need to open them.

 Both my parents have actually had bouts with cancer.  My mother had breast cancer and prior to this last bout my father had prostate cancer.  It is experiences like this that make me realize my food allergies are really insignificant in the broader spectrum of life and quite frankly if they are the only hurdles I must leap through, I count myself lucky.

Anyway, we are an extremely close knit family and my parents have been married more than 50 years now.  I will dedicate a post to the fabulous party my brother and I threw for them high above Manhattan soon because it was a lesson in gluten free party planning on a truly grand scale so stay tuned.
 
 
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My review of Sylvia’s in Harlem is now ready for your viewing pleasure.  It marks the second installment of my Quintessentially New York Gluten Free (QNYGF) series which, for those of you unfamiliar, has me visiting some of the most iconic establishments in the City to show that you can be gluten free and fabulous anywhere.  If you missed the inaugural locale be sure to check it out as GFM took on his all time favorite restaurant here in N.Y.C. – The Four Seasons.

I love a challenge (remember GFM is not only Celiac but also hyper-allergic to shellfish)  and cannot stress enough that with just a little bit of research and leg work you can have a terrific meal wherever you like without having to deny yourself.  Hey, we only get one go on this big blue marble so I am Living Well Gluten Free, No Apologies. 
 
 
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In Manhattan we have a phenomenon that is known as cart food or street meat as it is affectionately known.  Now, I am not talking about the dirty dogs that come out of the hot dog carts but rather the wonderful ethnic food carts that seem to be popping up with increasing frequency.  In the small area near my office there are at least 4-5 carts in a 2 block radius.  I am a bit OCD with cleanliness so many find it shocking that I would actually eat off of a cart but, the truth is, many of these carts have been around longer than some of the restaurants in the same area and the daily lines, even in the dead of winter is also very telling.  Many have been reviewed or featured in local and national media and garner cult-like following.

Cart food often reminds we of my travels, walking through tight alleys to sample local delicacies well off the beaten path.  In the NYC one of the most popular types of food is the gyro-like Halal lamb, chicken, or both served over your choice of rice along with salad and vegetables then smothered with both white and spicy hot red sauce.

The crispness of the cool salad coupled with the rich and spicy sauces and tender, flavorful meat really makes for a taste sensation that always pleases.  My craving for cart food is often cyclical and I go through spurts where I will eat it twice a week and sometimes will not have it for months.  It is all about my mood but one thing that is consistent is that I am never disappointed in the taste and quality.  I also do not have to worry about gluten or my shellfish allergies at the carts I frequent (though do always look at the food prep area and ask any questions you might have).  Some carts offer pita that are sometimes warmed on the grill or toss a couple falafal on top but it comes down to the cart.  So, if you are in NYC or visiting do yourself a favor and give this cuisine a try and with most carts charging $5.00 for a large lunch portion it is THE steal in the City.
 
 
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After the success and positive feedback received since my visit to the Four Seasons, I am happy to announce that the second locale has been selected.  Where will my love of eating gluten free in the most iconic New York City restaurants take me this time?  Well, you will just have to wait to find out.  But fear not – it will not be a long wait.  GFM has his sights set on Labor Day Weekend to see if he can go gluten free at a restaurant that does not cater specifically to Celiacs.  This restaurant will in fact be a first for GFM and I love a challenge.  I promise not to disappoint as we take a glimpse, yet again, into one of the places that makes New York City a foodie's paradise.  As always, I will be evaluating the establishment on a variety of criteria to measure how it fairs in the allergy (gluten and shellfish) department.

So do stay tuned for updates and I hope you will join me on my journey.  Oh, and in November I am taking the series on the road and going international to some very exciting destinations for some gluten free dining on a global scale.
 
 
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Well tomorrow is the kick-off to my QNYGF series and I am really very excited about this new section and hope that my readers will enjoy it.  While the first location is a secret, I can say that it is indeed quintessentially New York without a doubt.  Now, we all know I am pretty much a lush and do enjoy the finer things in life so any excuse to dine out is always welcome.  Ah, the lengths I will go through for my readers.

On a more serious note this new series is not just about eating fabulous food and indulging in fine wines and spirits.  It is meant to educate and demonstrate that, as a Celiac, you are only limited by your imagination when it comes to dining out.  This exercise will help you to ask the right questions and make the right choices to ensure that no gluten makes it way into your meal and consequently your digestive system.  We only get one spin around the proverbial cosmic roulette wheel so I am placing all my money on fabulous!

Each locale that is selected for the QNYGF series will be evaluated on set criteria to show how accommodating each place was on everything from menu selections to wait staff handling of food allergies. Remember, I am not just a Celiac, I am also deathly allergic to any and all shellfish so without being a pain in the you know what, I am interested to see how each locale handles it.

Finally, I will always be dining with a non-Celiac to help add an additional dimension to the reviews.  I do hope you will join me regularly and find the information useful in your living a fabulous gluten free life!
 
 
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Today’s post is a bit more serious in tone as I was waxing nostalgic for some reason during my morning commute and remembering how my food allergies came to manifest themselves.  As if being Celiac was not enough I also developed a shellfish allergy not that long ago so in the course of a few years my life became very interesting indeed.  When first diagnosed with Celiac it was a pretty big blow.  I mean I loved bread, pasta, beer – okay, I had a love affair with gluten and did not even realize it.  Yet, this was a one-sided love affair as I may have loved gluten but gluten was slowly destroying my digestive system unbeknownst to me at the time.  It is funny when you think back and the signs were so clear yet Celiac was not something that had mainstreamed so it was always a case of having a funny tummy or GERD (God, I was on Nexium for 3 years which I am sure is not a good thing).  It is amazing how something can be right in front of you yet without a little bit of knowledge it just goes unnoticed.

I often wonder what life would have been like having known I was Celiac all along and am glad that younger generations can spare themselves the damage and discomfort early on.  I am also still amazed that one can become allergic to anything at any point in their life.  Celiac aside, because obviously many of us had it our entire lives but just went undiagnosed.  My shellfish experience was a real wake up call because, once again, the initial warning signs my body was sending off were ignored because I did not know what was happening. I would eat shellfish and feel itchy or get small hives but never connected the dots until my body sent a clear message which led me to a fantastic allergist and in-depth allergy test to find out not only what I was allergic to but also to what degree.  I was amazed at how specific the tests could get (down to the different varietals of individual species).  I will never forget my allergist going over the results and starting to read the shellfish section – about half-way through, after being off the scale for every type thus far, he looks at me and said Just never eat ANY type of shellfish again because you are off the scale.  At the time I felt like, great, yet another entire food group wiped away.  But somehow the shellfish took a priority in the sense that 1) it would likely kill me and 2) the thought of having to jab my Epi-Pen into my thigh (which I had to be trained in) was really not appealing because I am essentially a big baby when it comes to any type of needle.

So where am I going with all this?  My lesson learned was to listen to your body.  No one knows it better than you do.  If something seems a bit off, get it looked into and nip it in the bud.  Also, you have to be comfortable with your physician – if you are not, find someone else.  I am lucky to have a brother who is a physician and I can bounce things off which comes in very handy.  But is important to ask questions and have a physician that does not seem put out in answering whatever (or however many) questions you might have.  It is your responsibility to take a proactive stance in your own health in order to keep living a full and fabulous life.