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Perhaps it is all the trees in bloom or the warmer weather but I find spring to be highly inspirational.  In the coming months there are going to be quite a few fantastic and fabulous surprises here at Gluten Free Mike. 

There are tons of new locales on-deck for both my regular and QNYGF series as well as delicious gluten-free recipes and quite possibly the coolest giveaway I have ever had to-date – and trust me, you will not want to miss this one (not to mention it will be open to all my friends in CANADA who always seem to get left out). 

The spring and summer has GFM travelling as usual and I hope you will come along as I gluten-free globetrot bring you to some unexpected gluten-free places.  So please join me as I continue my journey to gluten-free fabulousness – I am so glad to have you along for the ride.
 
 
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What better way to kick of spring than with a fantastic giveaway from my friends at General Mills, Stop & Shop, and MyBlogSpark – thanks everyone.  In addition to the in-store promotion where you could win one of two fabulous eco-friendly 2010 hybrid cars, I have a $20 Stop & Shop card to give away to one of my lucky readers.  To win a chance at the $20 Stop & Shop gift card all you need to do is comment on this post and tell me what General Mills products you fancy from the list below – easy peasy.  Oh, and if you use re-useable bags at the grocery, why not share what motivates you to do so?

So how do you enter?  Entering could not be easier.  From April 16-29, buy 5 participating General Mills items with your Stop & Shop card, use a re-useable shopping bag and you’ll automatically be entered to win.  How easy is that?  Come on people, this one is a no brainer.  You get to help the environment, save money with your Stop & Shop card, and get entries to win a 2010 hybrid car.  I am a HUGE Stop & Shop fan and my local Super Stop & Shop has the most amazing gluten-free section a Celiac could hope for.  Oh, and just so you know, when you use re-usable bags at Stop & Shop you always get $.05 off for each bag – very nice indeed.  You can also enter without making a purchase by completing an official entry form at your local Stop & Shop store.

There are two different groups of participating General Mills items for each week of the promotion (see the embedded PDF below for the full list).   Yes, not everything on the list is gluten-free but I already spied quite a few fun options on there that we can indulge in. 

Now for the fine print:
No purchase is necessary.  You can also enter without making a purchase by completing an official entry form at your local Stop & Shop store.   There are two 2010 Hybrid cars up for grabs, and the more you buy the better your chances are to win! Limit one entry per visit. Open to residents of MA, RI, CT, NH, NJ, NY, MD, DE, VA or DC and individuals at least 18 years old. For details about the sweepstakes, see in-store for complete rules.
 
 
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Well, my friends I’ve been to Nice and the Isle of Greece while I…well, you know the rest.  Forgive my Charlene moment there.  Is it New York?  Los Angeles?  London?  Dubai?  Hong Kong?  Nope.  It’s actually…in Montreux, Switzerland – a small town roughly 2 hours outside of Geneva on the shores of Lac Léman.  That’s right, nestled in Fairmont’s Le Montreux Palace Hotel, well, actually you can only access by walking out of the hotel briefly along the Grand Rue to Harry’s New York Bar.  Sometimes you just find great things in the most unlikely of places.  I love a good burger and have certainly eaten my fair share while traveling the globe.  Yet, at the same time, it is not something I actively seek out while on the road.  So how did I stumble across this one?  Well, Harry’s has always been one of my all-time favorite bars.  It has a great atmosphere and the service is second to none.  Their bartenders mix a mean cocktail and the manager cannot do enough for his patrons.

When in Montreux, my other half and I make a point of hitting Harry’s at least once (sometimes more) an evening.  It is a great spot for a relaxed drink before heading out to dinner and even better to have a nice nightcap before retiring for the evening.  If you go outside of the Jazz Festival period it is never really crowded and even when it is it works.  Over the years we have some to know some of the regulars who frequent the place and the service staff has been pretty consistent over time.  So what does all this have to do with a burger?

One late evening after hitting the Casino I decided to have a quick drink to round off the evening.  Now, my frequent readers know I am a bit of a lush so no surprise there.  My other half and I popped into Harry’s and settled into one of their comfortable booths.  We ordered our drinks but I was feeling a bit peckish (again, no newsflash there) and decided to peruse the bar menu.  The menu is really very comprehensive and has everything from Rib Eye to Spaghetti to the famous burger.  I was craving a burger so when the manager came over to attend to us, I explained my allergies and if I could have the burger sans bun and fries (possible shellfish cross contamination).  Without skipping a beat the manager could not offer me enough options to pair with my burger.  I mean, I typically just get the patty with lettuce and tomato but he felt it his duty to make sure that I felt like I was not getting the full experience.  I don’t think there was anything he would not hair offered to pair with my burger.  I settled on a fresh salad of mesclun greens lightly tossed with the house vinaigrette. 

When the burger arrived, the presentation was impeccable.  A hearty patty grilled to perfection with every possible accoutrement one could hope for – condiments, pickles, sliced tomato, onion, well you get the idea.  I have always enjoyed topping my burgers with a ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard which I keep in separate areas of the plate, almost like a painter’s palate, and paint each bit with just the perfect amount of each.  OCD?  Perhaps, but it truly makes for the most perfect of bites.

The burger itself has a consistency unlike any other you will come across.  I tend to order all of my meat charred (though this is slowly changing) but not here – medium is the perfect temperature to enjoy these burgers.  Perhaps it’s the Swiss beef (I love that the Swiss put the country of origin for meat on every menu) or perhaps it is the atmosphere or maybe a combination of both that makes this the best burger.  When you cut into it you barely need any effort and the first bite is something you will not soon forget.  It is almost creamy in texture and seasoned to perfection.  It is more akin to eating a fine pate than a greasy burger.  I have no clue what they mix into the meat but whatever it is makes for absolute burger perfection.  The spices are subtle but so well balanced that one could easily eat the burger by itself and not even notice the lack of condiments.  To me it is true burger perfection as it can stand on it’s own without bread, without cheese, without any of the traditional accompaniments – how many burgers can really do that?

So, if you find yourself walking along the Grand-Rue of Montreux, do yourself a favor and pop-in for a cocktail and perhaps a nibble.  My partner and I have enjoyed many a meal at Harry’s (outside of the famed burger) because we went for a drink and ended up tucking-in for the evening because it is just that cozy.
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In a word.  Burnt.  Actually – two words, very burnt.  When a dear friend and colleague presented me with a box just because I mentioned wanting to try it and not being able to find it in any local stores – I was touched.  It was very sweet and most appreciated.  I actually had no idea what the going price for oat matzo was and honestly had I seen the price myself, I likely would have kept on walking.

I was really excited to give it a try.  I have a weakness for matzo and every visit to the supermarket during this Passover yielded literal walls of matzo of every size, shape, and variety, alas not an oat matzo to be found.  So, needless to say, I was over the moon when my colleague surprised me with my very own box that they managed to pick-up in New Jersey.

The matzos are from Shemura Oat Matzos and were their hand made variety.  I would later find out they do make a machine made variety as well.  Of the three boards two out of the three were extremely burnt and one was slightly better than the others.  We are not talking just a bit of char but honest to goodness blackened matzo that had a terrible aftertaste that was unavoidable no matter what you put on it.

I have no problem paying a premium for quality gluten-free products but, despite the fact that I did not shell out the cash for these, I still feel taken for a ride.  I also feel terrible that a friend tried to do a truly thoughtful and rather generous act only to have it soured by the fact that the matzo really was inedible.  So, to my dear friend who purchased them, a heartfelt thank you – your thoughtfulness and friendship is worth far more to be than a box of matzo.  To the company that produces these, you should be ashamed of yourself – charging a premium price for an inferior product.
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I want to thank everyone for taking the time to enter the Gluten Free Mike and Earth Café fabulous gluten-free and vegan Cheesecake Giveaway.  We had over 500 entries from more than 100 people.  Thank you all for making the promotion a huge success and do give Earth Café some gluten-free love and try one of their delicious cheesecakes – they are definitely one of my favorite things.

The lucky winner was Heather S. from Boston, Massachusetts.  Congratulations Heather.  Your cheesecake of choice will be making its way to Boston soon.

 
 
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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.