The North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease (NASSCD) invited me to take part in a conference call to release their official statement regarding the recent Domino’s Pizza announcement of their new “gluten-free” crust that, just happens not to be suitable for Celiacs.

Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict I could not make the call but did want to share their press release with you.  I am in complete agreement with the NASSCD and commend them for taking a stand to help protect those of us for which there is no grey-area when it comes to being gluten-free.

North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease Comments on Domino’s Pizza ‘Gluten-Free’ Crust Announcement

May 17, 2012 – The North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease (NASSCD) today announced a call for all restaurants and food manufacturers to properly label gluten-free products to avoid confusion that has the potential to threaten the health of people with celiac disease.  View the statement NASSCD also issued this week.

The move comes after two restaurant chains, Chuck E. Cheese and Domino’s Pizza, last week separately announced new gluten-free food product offerings that provide significantly different levels of safety for people with celiac disease.

Celiac disease is a genetically inherited autoimmune condition that can damage the small intestine, and can lead – if untreated – to further serious complications, including anemia, osteoporosis, infertility and even certain cancers. Celiac disease is triggered by the consumption of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

“We want to eliminate the market confusion that has surfaced recently, provide clarifying facts and information about gluten-free labeling to food manufacturers, and ensure the public’s safety,” said Stefano Guandalini, M.D., president of the NASSCD, and founder and medical director of the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center. “Additionally, there is too much variance from manufacturer to manufacturer.”

Read the rest of this entry »

I have been waiting for the proverbial dust to settle a bit regarding the whole National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA)/Domino’s debacle hit the social media space last week.  I was off and on jury duty so was only able to follow the events briefly before heading out in the morning and then once I got home in the evening.  Unplugging for a bit actually gave me a bit of time to think about the situation and, in particular, the NFCA’s GREAT Kitchens designation.

First off, let us not forget the championing that the NFCA has done and continues to do on behalf of Celiacs to help raise awareness.  That goes without question and I think that Alice Bast and her staff have done a tremendous job.  I do however take issue with the GREAT Kitchens program credentialing system at both the Amber and Green designation-levels.  I think that the NFCA is well outside of its depth in trying to take on such a large initiative without really being able to effectively monitor or regulate the restaurants participating in their program.

I was actually invited to a virtual press conference the NFCA had to explain the new GREAT designations a couple of weeks ago.  I have to say I did find the system a bit confusing – in particular the Amber designation that seemed to not really stand for anything other than, in the words of the NFCA, a restaurant using gluten-free ingredients and has completed staff training to understand the health needs of those with gluten-related disorders. However, these restaurants cannot guarantee an environment free of cross-contamination.  This seemed to raise flags and confusion among those on the call only to be magnified when Domino’s and it’s gluten-free crust were announced to be carrying the Amber designation hit the airwaves.

I had trouble wrapping my head around the whole credentialing concept the NFCA has undertaken and tried to get a better understanding of exactly the type of commitment and training was required by those agreeing to take part.  To my surprise, and NFCA please correct me if I am wrong, to earn the highest-level of Green, participating restaurants need only have their staff take part in 90 minutes of online training modules.  Now this seemed a bit strange to me because there didn’t really seem to be any hard follow-ups or checks that would ensure that restaurants actually not only understood but were following the guidelines consistently.  I also question whether, given the complex nature of Celiac disease and the restrictions Celiac diners face, if online learning is the most effective method to use.  I mean I can watch 90 minutes of brain surgery but that doesn’t make me a surgeon.  Okay, perhaps a bit of a strong example but I don’t expect a restaurant employee to understand the intricacies of Celiac disease after 90 minutes – and quite frankly they have my health in their hands.  I was diagnosed more than ten years ago and I am still learning – and that’s with 90,000+ hours of learning.

Add the Amber designation into the mix and well, it really starts to become murky and dilute the seriousness that should be taken when it comes to restaurants understanding the needs and intricacies of safely serving Celiac guests.  So this brings us back to the Domino’s gluten-free pizza being not suitable for Celiacs. I did a double-take when I saw that but was thankful that at least they, per the NFCA product messaging, called out that it was definitely not recommended for Celiacs.  I would think that for a restaurant to earn even the Amber designation that all franchise employees would be required to take the training module.  I just find it hard to fathom that every U.S. Domino’s franchised employee took the Amber certification module (in whatever form it was given) as called out in their credentialing criteria.

In my opinion (and clearly I am not alone) the Amber designation does little to help ensure that an establishment is even remotely safe for Celiac diners.  All it does is potentially lull Celiac diners into a false sense of confused security.  It still requires us to remain diligent and ask the right questions wherever we dine – gluten-free, gluten-friendly, or otherwise.

The NFCA continues to do great work to help raise awareness for Celiac disease but has perhaps overstepped it’s capabilities in trying to act as an accrediting agency without the infrastructure needed to support and continually maintain that participating restaurants  are in fact adhering to the guidelines.  The NFCA called this out on the conference call stating they were relying on diners to report back on their experiences at credentialed restaurants as they just didn’t have the capacity to take this on themselves.

My friends over at 1 in 133 have started a petition to Ditch Amber and I encourage all Celiacs to make their voices heard by signing the petition to help the NFCA realize the error of its ways.  Cynthia Kupper, Executive Director of the Gluten Intolerant Group (GIG) wrote a tremendous open letter to Alice Bast, Executive Director at NFCA which is definitely worth reading and makes some really excellent points.  We, as a community, need to come together on this one because there is already far too much confusion out there when it comes to Celiac disease as the general public is constantly bombarded with the gluten-free FAD vs. the gluten-free reality that is our lives.

Update: May 16, 2012

I received an e-mail from the NFCA yesterday evening that provided additional detail on their GREAT Kitchens credentialing program and to be completely transparent and allow for both sides of the issue to be heard I am sharing it with my readers.

From Jennifer North, Vice President, NFCA:

We are in the process of rolling out our expanded GREAT Kitchens training program, which will be replacing the 90-minute GREAT Kitchens program that we currently have on celiaclearning.com.

We also provide on-site training and consulting (that integrates gluten-free training into a restaurant’s existing training program).

The new training will have five topical modules, PDF checklists and manual and a variety of other tools. We’ve launched our Ingredients module and the remaining modules will be released in a beta version, one by one, over the next 4-6 weeks.

In order to be eligible for the designations, restaurants completing the online training must also complete the appropriate checklists, sign an Agreement of Gluten-Free Intent (which is different language for each designation), submit a sample menu, have a Complaint Policy in place and get a passing score on the corresponding test. The modules are:

• Ingredients
• Front of House
• Back of House
• Gluten-Free Guests
• Special Diets Overview

Restaurants engaging in training outside of the online program must also complete these processes, or the equivalent.

I thank the NFCA for providing additional details regarding the program.  I also had a few additional questions regarding the additional detail they provided that I have e-mailed to the NFCA and will post the answers as soon as I receive them.  Stay tuned.  Here’s what I asked:

1. Could you please explain the method of administration and time commitment for restaurants for both the Amber and Green designations?
2. Are the on-site training and consulting services you referenced add-ons and not a required part of the formal credentialing process?
3. How is the credentialing of franchises handled? Must each employee at each location take part in the formal training process and subsequent testing and how is this tracked and certified? If not, how is this handled?
4. Unless a restaurant utilizes your in-house consulting option there is no on-site visit made to any of the restaurants applying for credentialing?
5. I know that the NFCA mentioned that it is relying on consumers to help monitor participating restaurants via several mediums. After credentialing has been awarded, is there no formal check by the NFCA to ensure that restaurants are complying? How often must a credentialed restaurant re-certify to maintain their designation?

My trip to Lima was better than I even anticipated. I mean, I knew it was going to be a great trip but was so interested to see how far the City has come since the horrible internal terrorist activity during the 80′s and 90′s which severely damaged the reputation of Lima and Peru.  Well, I am happy to report that the Lima of today is a vibrant city that has most deservedly captured the title of culinary capital of the Americas.  Lima is very much a city of stark contrasts particularly rich and poor but one thing that is unifying is the warm welcome and sense of pride that its inhabitants have.

To most people, Lima is a just a starting or stopping point before or after a visit to Machu Picchu.  I had a feeling that the city had far more to offer so decided when planning a recent trip that I would spend more than a week in Lima – and let me tell you it was the absolute right thing to do.

As a Celiac with a severe shellfish allergy who doesn’t speak Spanish I was a bit concerned about how that would go when dining out but as you’ll soon read, I needn’t have worried about it as things went extremely well thank to just a little bit of planning.

So I thought I would start my report with the flights.  People often ask about how I handle my dietary needs, particularly on long-haul flights.  Well, being a private pilot, I am a bit of an aviation dork and have long had a love affair with all things aviation-related – particularly airlines.  Yes, I am the person who made my mother fly with me to Honk Kong via Dubai (rather than a much quicker non-stop routing) so we could be on the first non-stop from New York to Dubai to try Emirates new service.  And yes, it was well worth it.

The first part of this trip report is of course The Flights.  I am warning you that this is a pretty comprehensive report on the flights as I am also sharing with some travel boards I frequent where like-minded travel enthusiasts congregate to read exactly these types of in-depth travelogues. So here we go…

I researched various options to Lima and landed on flying LAN Airlines to try their much raved about Premium Business Class service.  We’d be flying New York (JFK) to Guayaquil to Lima and non-stop Lima back to New York.  I also was very interested in sampling LAN’s gluten-free meal option.  I of course do not travel without my gluten-free contingency pack which includes snacks or food items in case of delay or lack of gluten-free options while on the road.  LAN’s flights depart late at night to arrive in Latin America early the next morning.  LAN recently moved to JFK’s Terminal 8 (American Airlines) and the terminal was actually very busy when we arrived to check-in.  LAN has two desks handling business class check-in and while not the fastest process, it was efficient and the agents very pleasant.  When checking-in we were told that our flight was delayed but we could go on the non-stop to Lima leaving around the same time we were supposed to leave.  I was not too hopeful though because when I made the reservations that flight was sold out – hence our one-stop itinerary.  Sure enough, there were no business class seats available so we stayed on our original flight which was now two-hours delayed.  Certainly not the end of the world but this would push departure time to around 1:30 a.m.  Luckily the same aircraft was the aircraft for our connection so that too would be delayed allowing us to connect as planned.  We were presented with invitations to the American Airlines Admirals Club along with two vouchers for $20 each to use at any of the terminal restaurants – though we had already has a lovely dinner prior to arrival so those went unused. The only strange thing was that the monitors confused our flight information with the Lima non-stop so our flight number and destination were correct with the Lima non-stop flight’s departure time (and hour before ours). Likely something to do with the terminal swap. This did not get resolved until shortly before boarding.

The Admirals Club was a pretty standard club that was quite busy but we received four top-shelf cocktail chits and settled in.  There is food for purchase along with the standard club snacks and beverages.  The lounge does have a good view of flight operations which I always enjoy – though at that hour they were not too frequent.  The lounge was supposed to close at 11:30 p.m. but actually remained open until we were called to the gate for boarding which I thought was very nice.

LAN 539
JFK-GYE
767-300ER (with winglets)
Seats: 3J and 3L (Premium Business)

When we got to the gate we were warmly welcomed on-board by a smiling, impeccably dressed crew and took out seats.  This LAN aircraft had only three rows of Premium Business in a 2-2-2 configuration and full lie flat seats.  The flight attendant serving our side came over and introduced herself and offered champagne, juice, or the famous pisco sour cocktail along with warm nuts – guess what I had?  The cocktail was delicious and really helped put you in the mood of your destination and was a very nice touch.  We were then presented with menus and wine lists and Bvlgari amenity kits were also distributed.  As we were already delayed passengers has the option to just sleep the entire was or enjoy the dinner service.  I had to see what my gluten-free meal would be so opted to stay awake for a bit.  I also confirmed as soon as I was settled that the meal was actually on-board – a very important tip I always stress to travelers.  There is very little that can be done at 35,000 feet if your meal is not on-board so ask nicely once you settle in to confirm.  I should also point out that my boarding pass also had my gluten-free meal noted on it which I have not seen before.

Boarding was swift and we were soon on our way to Guayaquil.  Flight time would be a quick six hours and twenty minutes.  Shortly after takeoff the attendants swung into action and hot towels were distributed.  Meal order were taken prior to take off so were served extremely efficiently.  Given the delay, a more abbreviated meal service was offered and that was actually most welcome.  My gluten-free meal arrived and was actually not that bad.  For some reason airline caterers love to make chicken, in some form or another, the gluten-free option.

After dinner I reclined my seat into the bed position and was fast into sleepy land before I knew it.  Flight attendants distributed large bottles of water and the cabin was darkened for sleep.  The seats are amazingly comfortable and come complete with a real duvet and pillow which really made a difference.  I pretty much slept until landing so not sure what transpired or was offered while I was sleeping but pretty much the entire cabin was out cold until landing.Arrival in Guayaquil for transit was super easy.

A LAN representative was waiting and directing to the transit area or customs.  The transit area has a quick security check with X-ray and walk through metal detector and we were the let out in the Duty Free Shop and made our way into the terminal.  We went to the Diamond Club Lounge.  I did find it strange that I had to go to the departure gate to get a lounge invitation but I guess since so many airlines use the lounge they have to track it somehow.  Was not a big deal and we were soon enjoying a very nice hot breakfast with amazing fresh coffee.  The lounge was really very nice with skylights replicating and outdoor area in one part.  Service was excellent and we were soon called to the gate for boarding.

LAN 1631
GYE-LIM
767-300ER (with winglets)
Seats: 2A and 2C (Premium Business)
The flight to Lima was empty in business class – just four of us in the fifteen seats so it felt a bit eerie but again, was warmly welcomed on-board and offered a pre-departure beverage.  The attendant servicing our side of the aircraft introduced herself and we were soon on our way.  The flight would only be about 2 hours so there would be a quick breakfast meal service.  It consisted of fresh fruit, yogurt, assorted cheeses and meats, and a selection of warm breads (none were gluten-free) was offered.

Arrival in Lima was uneventful and we were through customs and immigration very quickly despite having our bags selected for X-ray before leaving the arrivals hall.  You push a button and if it’s green off you go, red and you have to just go through one final check that took no time at all really.  This was not the first country I have had to push a button in but when I saw the people in front of me all go green I knew I’d be making a pit stop.  Upon exiting the arrivals hall we were immediately met by our driver and whisked to our hotel – about 45 minutes away.

The Return

Our departure from Lima was a non-stop flight that departed, you guessed it, after midnight.  Having been warned that Lima airport can get a bit crazy we decided to leave for the airport at 8:00 p.m. and it took a good 45 minutes to an hour to get to the airport.  Traffic in Lima is extremely congested  and when we arrived at the airport we were glad we had given ourselves some extra time.  Check-in was fast though I had to smile when the agent asked if one of us would be interested in downgrading as business was oversold – I should have found out was being offered but quite frankly was looking forward to a nice long sleep again – so we declined.  Here’s a little tip: when flying internationally while you cannot typically print your boarding pass (because of security and immigration requirements) you can pre-check-in which on LAN is 48 hours in advance.  So we had long been checked-in and the agent made a point of nothing this.  Lounge invitations were issued and we were on our way.

Security was busy but pretty well organized and we were through in no time.  Immigration on the other hand took a bit longer and we were again glad that we given ourselves additional time.  There is no premium cabin security or immigration at Lima and with most flights north departing around the same time it can get very busy – so give yourself plenty of time.

After immigration we hit the duty free shops for a few items (that are delivered to the jetway for claim prior to boarding) and then headed to the LAN lounge which is the SUMAQ FISA Investments Salon.  The lounge was very busy but still had plenty of seating.  There was a host of food items and beverages including a fresh squeezed orange juice machine and a staffed complimentary bar.  The lounge had and outside courtyard seating area and quiet area with loungers.

LAN 530
LIM-JFK
767-300ER (with winglets)
Seats: 3A and 3C (Premium Business)

Boarding in Lima was pretty chaotic.  The flight originates in Santiago, Chile and transit passengers had to deplane and then there was some confusion as they were re-boarded before the Lima passengers were.  There was secondary screening for all passengers which was very quick and we were soon boarding after picking-up our duty-free purchases.

The consistent thing about the LAN crews is that they are extremely professional and seem to really enjoy their jobs (at least the crews we had).  We were once again warmly greeted and took our seats.  Welcome cocktails and nuts were once again offered, amenity kits distributed, along with breakfast menus.  The first meal service would be a quick-service dinner (single tray presentation) and breakfast would be either a full breakfast (2 hours prior to landing) or fast breakfast service (45 minutes prior to landing).  The full breakfast options were pretty much everything under the sun from omelets and hot options to cereals and fresh fruit.  Best of all you could select anything that you wanted to customize it to you preferences.  My first meal option was the gluten-free meal and was – you guessed it – chicken.  It was not as good as the outbound chicken but the grilled vegetables with it were quite good as was the salad.

Shortly after dinner it was time for bed and I slept through until I was, as requested, awaken for my full breakfast.    I opted for an omelet with fresh fruit and a cheese and meat platter.  It was very good but I did have use my gluten-free skills to navigate because it was an à la carte menu and there was some confusion as to whether there was a separate gluten-free meal for the second service.  Anyway, it was fine because I was able to pick a few simple items that I knew would work for me.  Total flight time was 8 hours and 20 minutes.

LAN is definitely a world class airline and their Premium Business Class is a great hard product and service was extremely professional.  On the ground they are good but somewhat inconsistent – not really a big deal but it would be nice if their ground service was more on par with their in-flight crew.

Part II: The Hotel is also ready for viewing. Unfortunately TripAdvisor didn’t publish all the photos I submitted but you definitely get a taste for the experience.

Next up, Dining Gluten-Free in Lima. Stay tuned.

As many of you know May is National Celiac Awareness Month.  While many of us champion awareness throughout the year, it is nice to have a designated month to help draw increased attention to our cause.  This year I was once again invited to be part of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) annual campaign of guest bloggers to get the word out over on the NFCA’s blog.  This year’s theme is KISS – Keep it Simple and Safe and features 16 bloggers talking about four main themes (one per week) with each day within those weeks having a specific focus.  We will each be offering five tips related to our topic.  There is actually a ton of great things happening over at the NFCA this month ranging from online events to giveaways to local events around the country so be sure to take a look to see what’s on the calendar.

The Daily Focus is as follows:

• Monday – Cooking/Baking Gluten-Free
• Tuesday – Nutrition/Wellness
• Wednesday – Raising a Gluten-Free Kid
• Thursday – Dining Out Gluten-Free
• Friday – NFCA Resources You Should Know About

 

Here’s the detailed list of bloggers participating and the weekly line-up:

Week 1: Just Diagnosed (April 30-May 4)

• Anne Byrn of The Cake Mix Doctor – Reading labels and cooking with boxed mixes
• Shirley Braden of gluten free easily – Avoiding hidden gluten
• Kathleen Reale of Be Free for Me – Talking to your child about celiac disease
• Lisa Garza of Gluten Free Foodies – What questions to ask when dining out
• NFCA – Discover NFCA’s Getting Started Guide

Week 2: Getting the Hang of It (May 7-11)

• Shauna Ahern of Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef – How to cook and bake gluten-free from scratch
• Erin Elberson of Gluten-Free Fitness – Weight gain and gluten-free processed foods
• Heidi Kelly of Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom – Talking to family & friends about your child’s gluten-free needs
• Chandice Probst of Gluten-Free Frenzy – Trying new gluten-free dishes when dining out
• NFCA – Free Webinars: The easiest way to get new information

Week 3: Hitting a Roadblock (May 14-18)

• Diane Eblin of The WHOLE Gang – 5 tips to get out of a food rut
• Alisa Fleming of Go Dairy Free  – First gluten-free, now lactose intolerant? 5 tips to becoming a dairy-free diva
• Wendy Kaho of Celiacs in the House – Gluten-free challenges at school
• Michael De Cicco-Butz of Gluten-Free Mike – Traveling while gluten-free
• NFCA – 5 resources to handle life’s hurdles

Week 4: What’s Next? (May 21-25)

• Amie Valpone of The Healthy Apple – Publishing your gluten-free recipes
• EA Stewart of The Spicy RD – Healthy gluten-free foods you’ve never heard of
• Katie Chalmers of G-Free Kid – 5 tips to empower gluten-free kids
• Carrie Forbes of Ginger Lemon Girl – Starting a gluten-free dining group
• NFCA – Ready to fundraise? Here’s how to start

As you see from the list, I am in very good company indeed and know that I am looking forward to seeing what tips my fellow gluten-free blogger have to share.

My friends at Warren’s Foods sent a sampling of their complete relish and salsa products including Webber’s Original Relish and Louie’s Original Salsa recently to sample.  Now I am a huge condiment person but quite frankly there are so many out there that I typically grab whatever piques my interests when I am at the shelf in the market.  This usually results in a pretty boring experiences as, well, most salsas and relishes are pretty much all alike.  Well, I am happy to report that Warren’s products helped to break the proverbial condiment mold by providing great (and unique) tasting relish and salsa.  Not to mention that they are all natural and use no chemical preservatives – nice!

First up is their Louie’s Original Salsa in both mild and hot varieties.  The mild had a wonderfully fresh tomato taste that has very subtle spicy undertones – but perfect for those who like their spice-level mild.  You really notice how crisp the onion and peppers still remain even after being salsafied.  Noted of spicy garlic and a very subtle hint of curry really help to take this salsa to the next level.  The Hot variety is indeed hot – so if spicy is not your thing I would recommend sticking to mild.  The hot salsa is a similar base to the mild variety with the addition of hot cherry peppers and hot cherry pepper juice.  This gives the salsa a really unique hot kick that other salsa typically use jalapeño peppers for.  Interesting enough you will not find any jalapeños in these salsas (they save those for their relishes).  The heat factor while hot is actually perfectly hot – the kind of spicy that flirts with your palate rather than attacking it.  You can still enjoy the full, robust flavors that the salsa delivers.

Their Webber’s Original relishes were incredibly delicious.  These are more old time type relishes that had me waxing nostalgic for barbecue memories from my childhood.  These are definitely not those emerald green relishes you might be thinking of.  These are rich and dark more grown-up type relishes.  They are a great mix of peppers, onions, with a hint of sugar, and cider vinegar.  The mild variety is their traditional relish and as you move up the heat levels to medium and ultimately hot they add the addition of jalapeños to the mix.  The medium is spicy with a good kick but still compliments whatever you put it on.  The hot variety is very spicy but still paired well with whatever I threw it on.

Both the salsas and relishes are extremely versatile.  I used then on everything from nachos (salsa) to burgers, baked potatoes, grilled cheese – and the list goes on.  So if you are looking for condiments to help spice up your lunches and dinners do give these a try.  You can check out their Web site for more information and to order right online.

I was invited by my friends at the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) to take part in a virtual press conference with other gluten-free bloggers and publications as they launched their enhanced GREAT restaurant credentialing program.  I found the call to be very interesting and it was helpful to hear first hand and ask questions about the NFCA GREAT restaurant credentialing program.

Essentially the new credentialing will designate participating restaurants by either an Amber or Green designation dependent on the level of training and implementation of certain protocols associated with each level.

While the NFCA is still in the early days of the program rolling out they did mention that the actual policing and feedback on participating establishments will come from the Celiac community itself via various communication methods.

Here is the press release detailing the credentialing program in more depth.  The NFCA is seeking feedback on the program so please feel free to comment here or send me an e-mail if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions and I will pass them along to the NFCA.

 

I went to high school in Germany so have long been a beer aficionado but that all came to a screeching to a halt when I was first diagnosed.  In recent years there have been some very good gluten-free beers that have hit the market but none really ever blew me away – that is until now.  When Widmer Brother’s Omission Beer reached out to me I have to admit I was a bit hesitant.  You see they use malted barley in the production process but have developed a proprietary way to remove the gluten.  Okay, still hesitant but then found out its CEO, Terry Michaelson, was diagnosed Celiac twelve years ago and brewmaster Joe Casey’s wife has been Celiac since 2006.  Okay, getting better – but would whatever they did to the beer to make it gluten-free make it, well, taste gluten-free?

I do not say this often about any gluten-free product but this is, hands down, the most amazing gluten-free beer that I have ever come across (and believe me I have been looking).  Take everything you have come to expect from a gluten-free beer and toss it right into the trash.  This beer single-handedly changes everything and it must be the use of the malted barley that really helps to elevate the flavor portfolio of this beer making it 100% indistinguishable from its gluten-filled counterparts.

I sampled both their Pale Ale and Lager varieties.  The Pale Ale was wonderfully light and crisp with subtle caramel flavor undertones you would expect in a really good ale.  It was so smooth and easy to drink I was immediately saddened when that I only had one to enjoy and it was soon gone.  The Lager was a bold but smooth brew.  It had a delicious nutty flavor that had the real-deal lager taste to it.  It had a terrific rich malty taste but was still light and had a real smooth finish to it.

So you are likely wondering just how committed Omission is to ensuring that each batch is indeed gluten-free.  According to their press materials and Web site – extremely.

We’re committed to ensuring that every bottle of Omission beer meets our quality standards for both flavor and gluten content. Each batch of Omission Pale Ale and Omission Lager is tested by an independent lab using the R5 Competitive ELISA test to ensure that every batch contains gluten levels well below the international gluten-free standard of 20 parts per million (ppm) or less.

Actually their beers test at 6 ppm.  You can even view your batch’s actual test results right on Omissions Web site by entering some information found on the bottle. Here’s a cool look inside of their brewery that not only talks about the reasons behind their interests in making a gluten-free brew but also gives a glimpse at the rigid testing and high standards they have in place to ensure each batch is gluten-free.

At the moment you can only get their beers in Oregon but I am hoping that this will soon change because I am already missing their taste.  Those of you in Oregon, you can check out where to buy Omission in your local area on their Web site. Hopefully they will soon be available in additional regions or for online purchase because once you try Omission you will most definitely be hooked.

So other gluten-free brews, be afraid…be very afraid because there’s a new kid on the block and it just reset the bar when it comes to gluten-free beer.

Lima was a truly magical city.  It is at the crossroads of becoming a well-established tourist destination on its own versus a pit stop or jumping off point for more well-known destinations in Peru such as Machu Picchu or a diversion from the Galapagos Islands.  Lima is a sophisticated metropolis that is a city of distinct contrasts grounded in a rich historical background.

I had no idea what to expect my first time in Lima.  People who had heard that I was only going to Lima and not venturing to the highlands seemed to question Why?  Well, you see this was a trip for my mother and me to re-start our globe trekking that dates back to my high school days when we would jet off to London for a weekend of theater or Brussels and Amsterdam to shop and dine and more importantly just be together.  Mom is a fabulous travel partner in crime and we’d later visit Dubai before it was well known or be ducking the back alleys of Mong Kong in Hong Kong.  She is now 73 and has more energy and hutzpah than most people half her age.  The past few years saw my father battling for his life against cancer — a battle lost just ten months ago which still does not seem real.  My mother was a rock during his illness and devoted every minute and ounce of her being to my father — not once faltering.  After more than 50 years of marriage they were still as in love as the teenagers who met long ago.  My father’s passing was beyond difficult for my family and my mother in particular.  This trip was to make her feel special and rekindle our past travel experiences and make them once again an annual tradition.

My Lima experience was so diverse that I am breaking my travelogue into a few sections: The Flights; The Hotel; and The Sights and Food.  Of course the focus for all of the sections will be on my travels as Celiac and shellfish allergic traveler in a country that is not too well-known as a gluten-free friendly locale.  So stay tuned in the coming days for the release of each of these sections and I hope you’ll enjoy learning more about this remarkable city.

I have not been posting as frequently as normal because as many of you know I am on the road in Lima, Peru. Sadly my journey to Lima is coming to an end and I have had a truly fabulous time here. I was a bit apprehensive in the food allergy department at first but found this culinary capital of the Americas to be most welcoming to this food allergic diner.

I have been documenting my gluten-free experience from the airline lounges, on-board LAN’s Premium Business Class, some great locales here in Lima, and finally, the return home.

Another great Costco find was these Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves from Frankly Fresh.  Not only are these gluten-free but also dairy-free as well.  Now, if you are thinking of those small, tightly wrapped grape leaves that you’ll typically find in tins – which I love, don’t get me wrong – these are a cut above and have a a really unique flavor, not to mention they are huge.

The complex stuffing contains: rice; onion; tomato; bell pepper; parsley; cilantro; dill; and mint.  The ingredients are perfectly balanced and complimented by extra virgin olive oil and a hint of lemon juice that gives the grape leaves just a slight acid kick.  Throw in a hint a tomato paste and dash of garlic powder to add another flavor dimension to these and you have, what in my opinion, are the most unique-tasting grape leave I have come across – and believe me, they are addictive.

Each package contains twenty over-sized grape leaves and come in a re-sealable container making it a practical option to keep in the refrigerator and use as an easy side or main course.  I highly recommend giving these grape leaves a try.  Their Web site appears to be undergoing a revision so you will have to check back to view their product portfolio.