First, I love the fact that owner/baker Kartika Castonguay is baking cakes that she used to make with her mother back in Indonesia.  Family recipes that are passed-down from generation to generation are so full of tradition and it definitely comes through in the end product.

This cake is, if you’ll pardon the pun, a triple threat of flavors – alternating thick layers of moist vanilla and chocolate cake with caramel butter intertwined between those.  I mean what’s not to love.

The thing that truly sets these cakes apart from the pack is their flavor.  There is a subtle sweetness to the cakes that allows you to really enjoy the individual flavors.  Rich cocoa, nutty vanilla, and the wonderfully earthy caramel.

You can order Eurforia’s products right on their Web site or from a range of online retailers.  These cakes not only taste and look amazing – they are beautifully packaged and make a statement when they arrive.  They are truly luxurious confections that make dessert a special occasion.

The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center will play host to the International Celiac Disease Symposium (ICDS) the fall and you can be part of the symposium.

One of the sessions at the conference will be Debunking Myths–And Plenty of Them and the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center asked me to ask you for what myths you’d like to see included in the presentation the most popular of which will be included in the session presentation and debunked by an esteemed panel of Celiac experts.

It doesn’t matter if you are newly diagnosed or a Celiac veteran — now’s your change to have your questions asked and answered by an esteemed panel.  The ICDS only takes place every two years and will likely not be back in the United States for many years.

I am truly honored to have been asked by the Celiac Disease Center to gather your questions — so let’s give them a lot of questions to choose from and if your question is among the most popular it will be included in the session and answered at the ICDS.  To submit a question or a list of questions (don’t be shy) simply shoot me an e-mail by clicking on the Contact tab above (if you’d like to keep it private) or leave a comment below (if you’d like to share it with other readers).

Either way, don’t miss out on this rare chance to participate in the ICDS.  The symposium runs September 22-25 so let’s have your questions by the end of July.

The new site is far more streamlined and user-friendly — not to mention it make my life a whole lot more simple on the back-end.  The site is now broken down into a few key sections.  All the content you have come to love is still all here it’s just far easier to access.

Perhaps the coolest part (aside form the look)  is that my blog is now linked to the sections within the site so if I am sharing a post on a recent flight or a restaurant experience or new product — that post will also be archived in its respective section.  Of course you can also use the great search function on the blog to search for whatever your heart desires.  Commenting is now easy peasy with a simple form at the end of each post — where you can also share a post you like across social media or via e-mail.

Again, welcome to the new me and I hope to see you here often.

Alas, after learning more about the book, there is no oven in sight in any of the recipes.  I became instantly fascinated with the concept of being able to make desserts (my favorite food group) without having to deal the stress that, in my life, is known as baking.  I would just as soon run out and pay a ridiculous amount for a pre-made baked good than have to wrestle with a recipe and cross my fingers that my oven would not destroy the fruits of my labor.

The book does in fact live up to its title of no baking and is actually one of the most fun and unique cookbooks that I have come across in a very long time.  The book itself is divided into seven delicious-looking sections: Truffles (yes, please); Clusters & Bark; Fudge & Bars (hello); Mini Pies & Cakes; Cold Cravings & Pudding; Candy & Cookies; and Breakfast for Dessert.  Each recipe is clearly described and makes even this novice “baker” feel like  Hey, I can actually do this.  There is also a great selection of recipes grouped by major holidays for easy reference.

Now you are probably wondering why on earth a Celiac is reviewing a cookbook that does not have gluten-free in the title?  Well, there are a host of gluten-free recipe options throughout the book – all clearly noted.  Also, nearly every recipe that I looked at could very easily be made to be gluten-free by merely replacing the gluten-filled ingredient (usually a store-bought cookie) with its gluten-free counterpart.

All of the recipes yield fun-sized small bites that are big on presentation and I personally think that making a range of the small bites paired with some wine or cocktails would make for a fun evening to share with friends.

I also had the opportunity to interview Cristina to find out what was behind the idea to put the “no” in baking:

GFM: What made you decide to include a selection of gluten-free recipes in the book?  Is there a personal connection to Celiac disease?

CSK: I have a bunch of friends that are Gluten-Free and I know Celiac is on the rise. I knew from the beginning that it was incredibly important to keep this in mind when putting the book together and actually some of my favorite recipes in the book happen to be GF!

GFM: I know it is like picking a favorite child, but, if you had to pick one recipe from the book, what is your personal favorite and why?

CSK: My favorite is probably the Icebox cakes. They are so yummy and so easy to make your own. You can swap out the cookies and crackers for GF varieties and use GF whipped cream or pudding for the cream layers. No rules with garnishing either! I literally chopped up a snickers bar and threw it on top of an icebox cake this weekend!

GFM: What inspired you to come up with this no-bake concept – where did it all start?

CSK: I have always loved cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. I’m not a big baker but obviously love sweets. When I combined my playful approach in the kitchen and my love for sweets, all of my recipes were naturally no-bake. Baking is way to precise for me!

GFM: Do you actually bake?  I saw on your site that you do indeed have an oven at home and you do use it.  I was just curious if the no-bake came from an aversion to baking or out of a love for it? I very rarely bake.

CSK: I just love whipping things up on the fly and using whatever is in my pantry to make dessert with. Unless you are a really experienced baker or pastry chef, it’s not easy to do that with baked goods. If you add a little too much of something to your cake mix, it might be totally ruined! What’s so great with no baking is that it can really be as easy or fancy as you want it to be. Mixing cereal and chocolate is a no bake treat but so is a really decadent mini pie or mousse. The range and level of creativity you get with no baking it just so cool and fun!

GFM: What tips would you give to reluctant bakers, like myself, (no-bake or traditional) who feel intimidated when it comes to “baking”?

CSK: Start small with easy stuff like fudge and rice krispie treats and build from there. If you go through a few recipes in the book, you’ll pick up the tricks pretty quickly and be able to come up with you own creations in no time!

GFM: Is there anything else you would like to share about the book or no-baking with my readers?  Please feel free.

CSK:  Just so honored that you are interested in my book and the concept in general! I’m so excited for people to dive in and no bake! It’s really so fun!

I think that last response really sums it up – desserts and sweets should be fun and thanks to Cristina you can dive right into making the recipes and not have to feel like it is a chore.  If you can melt chocolate (something I do exceptionally well) which is likely the most difficult part of any of the recipes than you’ll do just fine.  Not to mention that Cristina has a whole section on working with chocolate just in case you need a bit of reassuring.

Best of all, I have a brand spanking new copy of No Bake Makery that the publisher has graciously offered to one of my readers.  All you need to do is shoot me an e-mail and you’ll be entered to win. The lucky winner will be selected at random on May 17th.  If you just cannot wait and want to purchase a copy, head-on over to Amazon.com where you can pick-up a copy (at a great price at the moment).

Be sure to check out Cristina’s web site and blog to learn more about No Bake Makery (the book and her Brooklyn-based business).  She even accepts orders for her sweet treats for special events and parties.

What I was hoping to write-off as merely a fleeting fascination of public interest (thanks to mainstream media and the explosion of gluten-free products) appears to still be going strong — and this is what I find pretty darn scary (and, to be frank, annoying).  So for the month of May I will be trying to clear-up any confusion on what it means to have Celiac disease by sharing a few posts that will hopefully do just a tiny bit to set the proverbial record straight.

I have also adopted the hashtag #iamnotafad that I’ll be tagging my gluten-free tweets with for the duration of Celiac Awareness Month (please feel free to use it as well).  I would also like to point out that the month is not Gluten-Free Awareness – it’s Celiac Awareness.  Say it with me.  C-E-L-I-A-C Awareness.  Nowhere in there do I see gluten-free.  For you see, Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder and the prescription is to remove all gluten from your diet — there is no choice involved.  If we as Celiacs can get just one person to really understand what it means to be Celiac — and I mean really understand — then that’s one less person we have to worry about.

So to all my fellow Celiacs — Happy Celiac Awareness month.  To the fad contingent, please just keep on walking by — this is not your month, this is not your disease, this is not your gluten-free. Gluten-free IS your CHOICE. I don’t have that luxury.

Perhaps I am most excited about the new Gluten Free Mike logo and branding that I have truly fallen in love with and think it truly captures what I am all about — in a very modern, clean, new way.

Stay tuned for updates on the progress of the site updates and perhaps even a sneak peek at the new logo!

A great big gluten-free thank you to everyone who entered.  There were nearly 800 entries and fear not, I am already thinking about next year’s giveaway which will top even this one.

Now I just need to find a box big enough for all of these gluten-free goodies.  Enjoy your prize Cara.

Nevertheless, there are several locales featured that I personally really like myself and a couple that I have been meaning to try.  I actually really enjoyed my visits to 97 Lake and Soul Dog.

So, if you are in the New York Metro area and looking for some gluten-free and friendly places, definitely check out the article (click the image for full article):

One of my favorite times of the year is Passover – when new gluten-free products tend to flood onto store shelves.  Three local supermarkets in my area had truly amazing Passover sections this year and all were larger than previous years – heck, one market has two full aisles and stand-alone displays set up well in advance of Passover.   This year in particular I tried some really delicious new Passover items so I thought I’d do a Passover Roundup of some of the standouts (and old favorites) that I indulged in this year.

First up is my all-time favorite – matzo (well, as close to matzo as a Celiac can get).  Now, over the years I have tried everything from super-expensive hand made matzo (that, at $10 per board, yes per board, was a disappointment) to mass produced matzo.  When it comes to gluten-free matzo there are really two players, Yehuda and Manischewitz.  I have long been a fan of Yehuda’s plain and onion varieties.  They are large sheets that are extremely crisp and flakey – the do tend to leave a crumb mess behind but it’s a small price to pay.  This year, for the first time (as they are new), I came across Manischwitz matzo and have to say that they even more closely resemble the real thing.  They are a just a bit softer in texture so they are more akin to what I remember good old gluten-filled matzo tasting like.  They also make smaller matzo-style crackers that are exactly the same consistency as the larger boards only perfect for dipping and snacking.  One important note is that both of these brands are not suitable replacements for Passover Seder because of their ingredients.

Another great savory snack find is Paskesz Crispits Flats – I prefer the Everything variety.  These are really great for entertaining because each cracker is quite long not to mention they have a pretty robust texture (making them great for dipping or topping) and are packed with flavor.  These truly reminded me of the flatbread crackers I enjoyed in my pre-diagnosis days.

Now onto my favorite part – the sweets.

I am always amazed at the amount of gluten-free cakes and cookies that pop-up every Passover.  Year over year there is just an exponential growth in the sweets category.  This year I came across some new brands that produce some truly amazing sweets.  Lilly’s Bake Shoppe makes a chocolate roll cake that is wonderfully fluffy cake with layers of rich (but not too sweet) chocolate icing with the entire thing enrobed in chocolate – truly decadent.  I have long been a huge fan of all things rainbow cookie and have had my share of gluten-free versions.  Yet, this Passover, I came across Zemer Cookies and Cakes who make a truly delicious rainbow cookie.  The individual layers are moist and have just the right amount of fruit preserves between each layer.  Each cookie also has just a touch of chocolate frosting on both the top and bottom so you can really enjoy the cookie itself without having it be overpowered by the icing.

Of course one of my go-to brands throughout the year for baked sweets, Shabtai Gourmet, also has an impressive line-up of every possible baked good you can imagine but I am a huge fan of their Ring Tings and Yidels.  They also make a fantastic seven layer cake and rainbow cookies that are personal favorites as well.

Another perennial favorite is Oberlander’s Bakery who make the one of the most amazing assorted cookie selections I have come across (not to mention they make a mean seven layer cake).  Their chocolate leaves and sandwich cookies are two of my personal favorites and if you love black and white cookies like I do, don’t miss Oberlander’s gluten-free variety.

So do be sure to check out some of these brands if you come across them at your local market.  Best of all, in a week or so, the bulk of the remaining items will be on sale.  I have also selected several items from this post and included them in my One for Me, One for You Giveaway (and a few more might just get added before it’s all over).  Be sure to enter today if you have not already.

As a result, I have noted this new information on the original review and I am withdrawing my recommendation of their products.  If they were allegedly mislabeling items, whether intentional or not, I cannot recommend a product I do not have confidence in.  While the FDA investigation appears to focus on their sugar and fat content it does make you wonder how rigorous they were in dealing with their gluten-free line.  I personally did not experience any problems when I tried some of their gluten-free products but would I trust them again, likely not.

It is truly a shame when something like this happens because I am all about supporting smaller, home-grown, local businesses that offer gluten-free items.