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Sometimes The Littlest Luxuries Carry The Biggest Impact

Thursday, February 7th, 2013

I don’t know what it is but lately I have become increasingly frustrated with the seemingly endless number of articles that are placing a gluten-free diet back in the fad column.  I am not going to even call out any of the articles because chances are you already saw them and that is not what this post is about.  Every time I see one of those articles or some “C-lebrity” signs-on to the “craze” it always makes me wonder…Why on earth would you go gluten-free if you didn’t have to?  Again, that’s not what this post is about because it’s been discussed ad nauseum (though I still do ponder this question often).  So then is this post about you ask?

Well, as you likely know, I am always about excess and looking at gluten-free from a more luxury-focused point of view but sometimes it’s the most simple of everyday luxuries that make the biggest impact.  You see, on a recent business trip a few months ago I found myself in Dallas.  I found several really fantastic gluten-free locales that I will share in a future post but perhaps my most favorite meal was at Subway. 

Yes, you read that right – the sandwich chain (its Texas locations feature GF rolls).  You see it was a luxury for me to 1) walk into a major chain; 2) actually queue-up with a line of people; 3) be able to order off of the “normal” menu; 4) feel like the manager who came out to make my sandwich was looking out for me (and had been trained); and 5) actually sit down with everyone else, unwrap my sandwich, and enjoy a casual lunch.

Actually, to be completely honest I teared-up a bit when I unwrapped my sandwich and could not stop talking to people about it afterwards.  I know that most people were like, great, you ate at a Subway – here’s your medal.  But it was so much more you see.  It was a luxury.  A true honest to goodness unplanned  luxury that I do not get to experience very often.  Those of you that follow me know that I am all about doing what I want, when I want, and I never let Celiac have control over my lifestyle (but it definitely is something I always have to consider when out and about).  Yet, somehow, walking into a rather nondescript Subway in downtown Dallas became one of my most memorable meals of 2012.  It’s funny how something so simple that I took for granted the majority of my life in my pre-diagnosis days could actually now become so very important.

Oh, and for those of you who are wondering, I had a BLT with mayo and a bag of chips.

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Posted in Celiac, Dining Out, Gluten-Free, Meals, Products, Restaurants, Reviews, Travel | 5 Comments

Restaurant Review, Rodizio Grill

Saturday, June 9th, 2012

I was invited by my friends at Rodizio Grill to check-out their new Stamford location for dinner one evening.  Now, I typically am not a “chain restaurant” kind of guy but when I found out that this location was owned by the same owner of the Tri-State area Melting Pot locations I knew that this experience would be different than walking into any old chain.  You see, my two experiences at the Melting Pot of White Plains were absolutely amazing from a food allergy and Celiac perspective.  These are locations that, while part of a chain, go above and beyond to make sure that all diners, regardless of their dietary restrictions have a safe and delicious experience.

Now the Rodizio Grill was appealing because I am a huge fan of Rodizio-style dining where it is basically a bacchanal of assorted meats that just keep coming and are carved table-side for guests to enjoy.  Rodizio dining also means a lavish salad bar with are range of hot and cold selections that could be a meal all on its own.  But perhaps my favorite part of Brazilian dining is quite possibly the smallest – the Pão de Queijo.  These are absolutely decadent little cheese rolls that are served warm and they are gluten-free by design as they use tapioca flour as their base.

We arrived at the restaurant, which was already buzzing with guests, and were warmly greeted and shown to our table.  Perhaps the most astonishing thing was that I was immediately presented with a printed out multi-page version of all of the menu items that were arranged on an allergy-matrix so I could easily scan for items that would not be suitable.  Quite frankly, there was only a few items that were off limits.  I knew exactly what I needed to avoid at the salad bar, which meats had sauces that contained gluten, and what desserts would be viable options for me.  This was quite possible the best allergy guide that I have ever seen and addressed a range of ingredients that could cause problems for diners.

We were then presented with three appetizers consisting of fried polenta, fried bananas, and my beloved Pão de Queijo.  The polenta and Pão de Queijo arrived on the same plate and the bananas on their own.  Mike, the manager on duty – who was amazing by the way – quickly explained that while the fried polenta and Pão de Queijo were gluten-free, the bananas were not.  When I asked about the fryer situation he, without missing a beat, explained how there are dedicated fryers that only fry gluten-free items and the bananas (which had a coating) got their own.  This was the same experience I had at the Melting Pot where servers and staff were ALL extremely knowledgeable on food allergies and didn’t have to go get answers – they already had them.  It really makes such a huge difference when you can sit back and enjoy a meal because you know that the staff are looking out for you.

I first made my way over to the salad bar and loaded my plate with a selection of items and all of them were delicious.  I was seated near the salad bar and could not believe how often staff came by to make sure nothing was running low and constantly refreshed the offerings.  The fun part about Rodizio-style dining is that each table gets a wooden cue that is red on one end and green on the other.  When you are ready for the parade of meat (and fish) to begin you simply turn it to green and let the main course commence.  Once you go green the gauchos begin to arrive with their offerings on large skewers and slice-off whatever piques your interest.

Now on to the main course…

I was amazed at the variety of options that were available.  There was everything from various cuts of beef, to chicken (most were not gluten-free because of the marinade), turkey, pork, lamb, fish, and even grilled whole pineapple – there was even chicken hearts on offer but I did not see many takers on that one.  If you check out the menu online you’ll see that different locations have different special offerings depending on where they are located and the season.  I pretty much tried everything that came out and I have to say that all of the meat was well-prepared and really quite flavorful.  The beef cuts were juicy and tender and had just the right amount of simple seasoning to allow the meat to stand on its own.  The nice thing about this style of eating is that while you will definitely be full at the end, you are eating small portions over a longer period so you can really sample a range of options over the course of your meal.  Not to mention you can eat as much or as little as you like.

For dessert I tried the Brazilian Cream which is a blend of ice cream with your choice of flavor (I had coconut) mixed in to make it more like a soft-serve custardy treat.  It was really very good with just the subtle flavor of your desired mix-in.  Next time I will definitely be giving the flan a go.

If you are in the Stamford area (it’s just a quick hop from NYC or Westchester) I would definitely recommend giving this Rodizio Grill a try.  Their attention to food allergic diners does not waiver and the service was really top-notch.  Now for the best part…

My friends at the Stamford Rodizio Grill are giving TWO lucky readers a $50 gift certificate to try Rodizio Grill on your own.  Entering could not be easier – just follow the instructions below. Completing each task will earn you a maximum of twenty five entries. Not on Facebook or Twitter? Just click Use Your Email to enter. The two lucky winners will be selected at random on Monday, June 18th.  Please note: The gift certificates are only valid at the Stamford location.

Update: 6/18/12
The giveaway is over. Congratulations to Peter S. and Simran S. who each will receive a $50 gift certificate to Rodizio Grill in Stamford, Connecticut.

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Posted in Celiac, Contests, Dining Out, Gluten-Free, Meals, Restaurants, Reviews | 3 Comments

Lima GF Travel Guide, Part Three, The Food

Sunday, May 27th, 2012

This is the final installment of my Gluten-Free Guide to Lima.

Lima has been called the Culinary Capital of the Americas and let me be the first to tell you that it definitely lived up to the title on my recent visit.  Now, I was first a bit apprehensive because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean which meant that fish and shellfish would likely be plentiful and featured at restaurants throughout the City – and given my shellfish allergy this always makes me a bit antsy.  I mean the City is famous for it ceviche after all with entire restaurants dedicated to this popular dish.  I need not have worried though as Lima’s amazing culinary scene has quite literally something for everyone and finding gluten- and shellfish-free options.

Now I might speak seven languages but unfortunately Spanish is not one of them – I know, I know.  More often than not when I travel I speak the local language but this time I would be outside of my comfort zone.  I did however plan in advance and found some great food allergic allergy cards that I ended up printing out and laminating with my shellfish allergy requirements on one side and Celiac disease on the other.  I had a native Spanish speaker first look them over to ensure that they conveyed exactly what I would need to communicate to servers and kitchen staff that I would encounter on my journey – and they did.  Best of all, they were available free online.  Being Italian both me and my mother speak Italian and were actually able to understand far more than I had anticipated being able to when spoken to in Spanish.  Hey, you use everything you can when you have to.

So on to the food…

Prior to departure I had asked friends and colleagues who had been or lived there to recommend the not to be missed places that I needed to visit.  I managed to compile quite the list but with only six nights and an aggressive sightseeing agenda I had to narrow it down and decided upon place that would give a taste of what Lima had to offer.  Also, as many of you know, evening meals were often dictated by how tired we were from the day’s outings – and we were really all over the place trying to take in as much as we could.

Breakfast was a grand affair that we took daily on the roof of our hotel – the Orient Express Miraflores Park Hotel – and was by far the best thing the hotel had to offer (you can read more about that here).  Breakfast was an impressive of hot and cold buffet items with made to order options offered just as easily.  Basically you could have anything and as much as what you wanted.  Fresh fruit, freshly squeezed juices, and fresh baked goods were standouts but perhaps the most exciting thing for me was the inclusion of gluten-free bread that was on offer.  It was a rather unique bread, labeled only as “sin gluten” that was thicker and more solid than your traditional gluten-free bread and has a bit of sweetness to it.  I was most welcome and paired wonderfully with the eggs prepared a range of ways that I would delight in each morning.  I am typically not a big breakfast person but enjoying a full-breakfast while traveling affords me the opportunity to not have stop during the day for a large lunch allowing more time for sightseeing.  It makes it much easier to just grab something light while on the move to tide you over until dinner.

Speaking of dinner, here are a few memorable meals I enjoyed while in Lima.  I also want to point out that I was never glutened nor did I have to use my Epi-Pen for my shellfish allergy which is always a good thing.  Bon Appétit!

On our first evening in Lima we decided to walk to the nearby Larcomar Center which is an impressive upscale outdoor mall that is literally built into the cliff side.  It offers a range of shopping and dining options – not to mention the most amazing views of the coast and Pacific Ocean.  We walked around and stumbled upon what would turn out to be an amazing Italian restaurant Vivaldino.  I have to admit I was a bit hesitant because they did offer quite of bit of shellfish-based options but my concerns were quickly put at ease when I handed our waiter my dining card, which he read completely, and then provided tremendous advice on what would and would not work.  I opted for a homemade risotto with porcini mushrooms and Parmesan cheese that was cooked to absolute al dente perfection as my main course and my starter was a simple tomato and mozzarella salad drizzled lightly with olive oil and finished with fresh basil.  My mother started with a salad of Brie, pears, sun-dried tomatoes, and arugula which she enjoyed.  Her main was a duck magret with wild berry sauce with Portobello mushrooms, prosciutto, and pears au gratin.  She raved about this dish which was beautifully presented to boot.  Service was flawless even despite the restaurant being quite busy. We would actually end up eating here another evening with me ordering the risotto again – it was just that good.  We had a different server but ours was there serving a large party and stopped over to explain my allergies (he remembered) to our new server – very nice indeed.

Our second evening I had our hotel make a reservation at a restaurant that came recommended from a colleague – La Carreta.  This is Lima’s proverbial temple to all things meat and it did not disappoint.  As you can imagine this was not a problem to do gluten-free.  I did of course hand my dining card to our waiter who once again read it completely and, in this case, was able to advise on the potential for shellfish cross-contamination, which was minimal – but all of my requirements were noted and conveyed to the kitchen.  I started with an appetizer of thick-sliced grilled bacon accompanied by a wonderfully sweet and tart berry sauce.  This was, in a word, amazing.  The smokiness of the back brought to the next level by the grill and paired perfectly with the sweetness of the berry sauce that was not at all overpowering and allowed the bacon to really shine.  The portions at this place are enormous so sharing would definitely work.  My mother started with grilled Chinchulines (intestine) that was presented crackling away over coals when presented at the table.  For our main courses, I had the young filet which was pretty much an entire small tenderloin that could have easily fed three hungry people.  It was of course grilled to perfect medium with minimal seasoning allowing the true flavor of the beef to shine through.  My mother opted for the prime rib which was more of a large rib eye.  It too was cooked to perfection but was a bit fattier than my mother had expected but very good nonetheless.  We chose a potato rosti, mixed vegetables, and grilled asparagus for our sides – all of which were delicious.  I believe (and my mother confirmed) that I attempted to round-off the meal with a chocolate mousse but was in such a food coma by the end of the meal it has become a blur.

The next evening we were exhausted after an afternoon of power shopping our way across Lima so decided to utilize a complimentary meal for two that accompanied my stay at the hotel restaurant Mesa 18 by Toshiro.  Now, I actually had no intention of using this because I typically steer away from Japanese restaurants as a rule given my shellfish allergy.  While this restaurant is a self-proclaimed Peruvian/Japanese restaurant I was still weary after reviewing their menu.  Due to some issues I had while at the hotel I had a meeting with the General Manager of the hotel who had asked if I tried Mesa 18 yet.  I explained that due to my allergy and Celiac disease I did not think it would be a good idea and he was instant that the restaurant would be able to accommodate.  He was in fact VERY wrong.

One evening, while both tired, we decided to just stay-in and try Mesa 18.  It was a proverbial cluster-fu*k from the moment we were seated.  Our drink orders failed to arrive after two reminders.  I had presented my dining cards to our waiter who was having difficulty understanding – despite them being in Spanish.  Felling a bit uncomfortable I asked for the manager who instead sent another waiter who I can only assume was sent because he had a better handle of English but also took my dining card into the kitchen for feedback.  Well, the hotel General Manager’s assurance that they could work with my restrictions turned into one, yes one, menu item working for me and that was a chicken in a white wine sauce with vegetables and white rice.  Apparently, according to our server, all other meat items, including the filet were pre-marinated in soy sauce which is off limits to me.

Happy that there was at least one thing I could have I was just thankful that I would be eating soon.  Unfortunately when the dish arrived it was completely off-putting.  A questionable looking piece of chicken was presented with cabbage and a few vegetables.  Now, this was not the restaurant going above or making something special – this was actually an existing menu item – which made it even more disappointing.  My mother just had the chicken skewers appetizer with a side of Japanese fried rice.  Both of which arrived cold and were just average at best according to her.  It was an utterly disappointing experience and by far the worst meal I had while in Lima.

The next evening, thankfully, we took-in another recommended restaurant Huaca Pucllana which is located in the actual Pucllana Archeological Zone making for a truly memorable dining experience – particularly at night when the ruins are illuminated.  Be sure you make sure you reserve a table on the expansive terrace which provides sweeping vistas of the ruins.  It was extremely busy when we visited and service started off a bit lackluster but once the staff got going it did get better. Once again my dining cards were read, understood, and even brought to the kitchen.  The menu features a range of options that incorporate Peruvian ingredients.  For my starter I had a Three quinoa salad with “solterito” (fresh cheese, onion, tomato, rocoto peppers, fava beans and corn) which was out of this world.  Lightly dressed with a tangy lemon dressing that played perfectly off of all the fresh, crisp vegetables this was a home run – not to mention the corn was quite possible the largest I have ever come across.  My mother had the green and white asparagus with artichoke tartar, fresh hearts of palm, and basil vinaigrette.  She raved about how delicious this was.  For my main course I had the Grilled tenderloin in a cilantro sauce with potatoes and white rice that did not disappoint.  The meat was cooker perfectly and the cilantro sauce just took it to the next level.  My mother had the Paiche filet (fish from the Amazon) served with yucca and plantain with cocona (indigenous fruit) and aji charapita (spicy peppers) chimichurri.  The fish was cooked to perfection and the sweet/tart/spicy trifecta made for a very interesting flavor combination that my mother said worked extremely well with the mild flavor fish used.  For dessert I had the Chocolate crème caramel with cherimoya (Andean fruit) foam sans the orange croquant that typically accompanied it.  The chocolate flan was decadent and the subtle sweetness the cherimoya foam offered capped off a perfect dessert.

Lima is indeed a culinary melting pot incorporating many of the foreign influences that make the City so amazing.  There is truly something for everyone from the very simple to food courts to fine dining.  If you are less adventurous in the food department there are a host of chains (American and otherwise) but with so many real options it’s best to step outside of your comfort zone while in Lima.  I even scored my beloved Pinkberry while shopping one afternoon that came complete with fresh gooseberries and enjoyed that while my mother indulged in a sugar-free Italian gelato as we sipped espresso.  One thing is for certain, you will definitely not go hungry while visiting Lima and perhaps some of the most memorable times we had on the journey were while talking breaks at the small cafes that dot the City to enjoy a coffee or cocktail while soaking in the true beauty that is Lima.

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Lima GF Travel Guide, Part One, The Flights

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

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 noting 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 an 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.

Part III: Dining Gluten-Free in Lima will give you a taste of this culinary capital of the Americas.

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Gluten Free In Lima Peru

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

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.

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Posted in Celiac, Dining Out, Family, Gluten-Free, Meals, Products, Restaurants, Reviews, Travel | No Comments

GFM New Lifestyle Expert on GlutenFreeChoices.com

Sunday, February 5th, 2012

Houston, we have lift-off. A while back I had mentioned a partnership that I had entered with a fantastic manufacturer of gluten-free products. Well, I am happy to announce that the company is the Hain Celestial Group and the endeavor is their brand spanking newly revised Web site www.glutenfreechoices.com.

I am honored to have been named one of the company’s gluten-free lifestyle experts and have provided a host of content that I hope you will enjoy. Be sure to head-on over to their Web site and check out all the great changes they have made. To follow my content, simply click on the Talking Gluten Free tab at the top of the page. I’ll be dishing about everything from travel to going gluten-free at the office and they’ll be two updates a month so there will always be fresh content. So come on over and let’s dish, gluten-free of course.

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Posted in Celiac, Dining Out, Entertaining, Events, Gluten-Free, Meals, Products, Recipes, Resources, Restaurants, Reviews, Travel | No Comments

You Asked For It. Mom’s GF Stuffing Recipe.

Monday, November 21st, 2011

I have to be honest, I am not a huge Thanksgiving food person – never really have been.  Thanksgiving to me was always more about family than the food and our family being extremely close didn’t need a holiday excuse to get together.  I also eat Thanksgiving staples throughout the year when I feel like it so having it one more day really does not make a huge difference.  Don’t get me wrong, I am truly thankful to our forefathers for helping to shape our nation but I’ll take my turkey and stuffing throughout the year and not just on Thanksgiving.  That being said, I do have a personal affinity for stuffing.  I love it as a side throughout the year and will often mix up a batch of simple gluten-free stuffing for a hearty side with dinner.

After having an early Thanksgiving with my Mother, who made her famous stuffing, many of you were asking for the recipe.  So, just in time for Thanksgiving, here it is.  Now while Mom’s is definitely a bit more elaborate than what I typically make – it is still pretty fast and simple to make and takes plain gluten-free stuffing to the next level.

  • 12 oz. seasoned stuffing cubes (Aleia’s is a personal favorite)
  • ¾ lb. Jimmy Dean’s Original sausage
  • 1 lg. onion chopped small
  • 4 stalks celery chopped small
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 ½ tsp. of poultry seasoning
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
  • ¾ cup raisins
  • 1 lg. Gala apple chopped small
  • 3 tbsp. butter or margarine

Optional: Pignoli nuts

In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat.  Add sausage, onion, celery, poultry seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce and sauté until onions become translucent.  Stir in apples and raisins.  Add stuffing cubes.  Reduce heat and add chicken broth. Simmer over low heat until all broth is absorbed (but mixture is still moist).

Now there will always be the debate of whether to cook the stuffing inside or outside of the turksy but it comes down to personal preference.  Mom recommends cooking inside the turkey (and trust me at our early Thanksgiving this year it turned out amazing).  Mom always bakes any additional stuffing that does not fit in the bird in a well-buttered baking dish.  You can then mix the stuffing from the bird with any baked separately before serving.  If you are baking separately, just keep an eye on the stuffing while it bakes along with your bird.  Once the top is crispy you can remove from the oven.

To give the stuffing a Sicilian flair (Mom is Sicilian), my mother also from time to time includes pignoli nuts in the mix.  A couple of handfuls does the trick and adds another level of complexity to the dish.

Recipe is perfect for a 14 to 16 lb. turkey.

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Namaste Foods Product Review

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

I received a Waffle and Pancake mix and Taco Pasta meal from Namaste Foods.  These were both new to me so I was happy to give them a try.

First up was the Waffle and Pancake mix.  I love to have a full breakfast on the weekend but don’t want to typically invest too much time in making it.  Anything that tastes great and saves me time is always welcome in my book – and this met the bill on both.  All I had to do was add three simple ingredients: egg, oil, and milk – and I was good to go.  These cooked up perfectly fluffy and had a wonderful light and airy texture.  They also had muted vanilla notes that helped to round out the flavor of these pancakes.

I am not normally a fan of pre-made meal mixes but the Namaste Taco Pasta meal had just a few simple ingredients paired with brown rice and hemp seed pasta so I thought I would give it ago.  Again, preparation could not be easier.  Just a couple of ingredients and you have a tasty side dish or main course depending on what you toss-in.  Namaste actually has quite a few recipe options on their Web site (and suggestions on the package) to make this more of a meal.  I just had it as a side and it was really very good.  The first thing you’ll notice in the flavor department is that it is not too salty which is often a problem with pre-packaged mixes.  The spice-level was spot-on for my personal preference but the real stand out was the hemp seed/brown rice pasta.  It had a great texture and the flavor was more complex with a nuttier flavor than traditional brown rice pasta.

Be sure to check out Namaste Foods Web site to learn more about the company and view their complete product portfolio.

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New Product Review, Five Star Meat Marinade

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

I recently received a couple of bottles of Five Star marinade to sample.  I am a huge meat eater and I am always on the lookout for fast, easy, and delicious ways to marinade my meat of choice and throw it in the oven.  Five Star marinade meets all of my criteria.  Simply pour the marinade over your meat of choice and toss in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it.

The marinade has five simple ingredients: vinegar, salt, spices, paprika, and garlic.  You’ll also note what’s not there: MSG, sugar, carbs, preservatives, oils, or fats.  Sometimes simple works best.  I tried the marinade on a couple of chicken breasts and, while you can marinade overnight or days as the bottle notes, I only had a few hours. 

What I love about the marinade is that it has a very unique flavor that is the perfect balance of spiciness with the tangy tartness of vinegar.  Now I am not sure what spices are used as it is obviously a guarded secret but I have not tasted a marinade that had some of the flavors going on that this one does.  Yet, at the same time, the marinade does not take away from the flavor of the meat itself but is rather the perfect compliment.

You can order Five Star right from the manufacturer’s Web site and learn more about the company itself.

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A Very Golden Girl Moment

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

Okay, so it is perhaps a totally expected cliché but thank you for being a friend.  Two years ago I was enjoying a long holiday weekend when I decided to start a personal blog about my gluten-free journey.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think that what started as a very basic site would evolve to where it has today (or that so many people would even care what I had to say).  Over the past two years I have met so many fabulous fellow gluten-free bloggers, companies, and organizations who have made the journey all the more sweet.

My mantra has always been Living Well, Gluten-Free, No Apologies.  It stemmed from, at one time (10 years back at my initial diagnosis), feeling like I was going to lose a bit of who I was because of the limitations that we sometimes face as Celiacs – and believe me the gluten-free landscape was a very different place back then.  Fast forward through the years and I began to learn that being Celiac did not mean having to compromise – in fact I found it quite empowering.  As time passed, I realized that I was the one calling the shots and would never let Celiac throw a wrench into my lifestyle.

I have since navigated the globe gluten-free and without incident.  Those of you that follow me regularly know that I am a bit of a lush and love living well.  I do not let being Celiac (and shellfish allergic) dictate where I go and just do a bit of research beforehand to ensure that gluten-free will not be a problem.  I have done gluten-free at some of the most iconic locales in New York City in my QNYGF series (new episodes coming soon), circled the globe as a Celiac from Hong Kong to Dubai and beyond and enjoyed gluten-free fare at 35,000 feet.  I have eaten my way through 160+ product reviews and found many great new products I likely would not normally have come across.  I even managed to ahre some of my favorite recipes.  Hey, I even was lucky enough (and honored) to be featured this year on MSNBC.com and later TodayShow.com Luxury Travel.  All that is well and good but the most important and rewarding part of this journey has been meeting fellow Celiacs from around the globe and learning from all of their experiences as well.  I can only hope that my take on gluten-free living has proved entertaining and empowering to those living a gluten-free lifestyle.

My site is a true labor of love and something I devote a significant portion of my free time to.  I promise to remain true to the principles that I put in place from the get-go.  It has been a truly mindboggling ride and I remain humbled that so many people actually have taken an interest in my gluten-free ramblings.  So, thank you all for an incredible two years and for making this gluten-free, shellfish allergic, Epi-Pen-carrying, cocktail drinking guy feel so very, very welcome.

Here’s to another delicious year ahead…and just in case you were wondering I would be definitely be Blanche, but you probably already figured that out :-) .

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Posted in Best Of, Celiac, Cocktails, Contests, Dining Out, Entertaining, Events, Favorite Things, Gluten-Free, Holidays, Meals | No Comments

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