Well it was a marathon 4th with me throwing a gluten-free dinner party and BBQ over the holiday weekend. Normally I have both gluten and gluten-free options carefully segregated for guest but this time it was gluten-free all the way and I have to say no one was the wiser. I always smile when I think back to my initial diagnosis more than six years ago and the amount of products (more importantly good tasting products) that were available back then. When I would entertain, and people heard gluten-free and if offered something they would actually cringe and say that’s okay, those are for you. Funny thing is, I felt the same way but had not other choice.
Fast forward to the present and in the last year we have seen gluten-free begin to mainstream and a plethora of products, great tasting products, hit the market. Now when I am eating something gluten-free everyone wants to try it – even if there are a hundred other options in front of them they somehow still want the gluten-free version. I’ll never forget a little do that we had at the office with pizza and cocktails. There were literally 10-15 pizzas from the famed Patsy’s here in New York City and I had my special gluten-free version that was ordered for me from another place on the counter and everyone kept going for it. It really tickled me that even with fabulous gluten-filled really pizza in front of them, everyone wanted mine.
The fact that rice crackers and other gluten-free nibbles have become popular outside of the gluten-free world makes it so much easier when entertaining. People don’t even give a second glance when presented with a cheese selection with rice or gluten-free crackers. The selection of gluten-free chips has also come a long way and there is something to please everyone’s taste on the market today. As for main courses when entertaining – a few simple tweaks is often all it takes to make any dish you want gluten-free. The gluten-free replacements for things like flour or bread crumbs are really up to par with their gluten-filled counterparts from a taste and functionality standpoint. Also, there are so many fabulous gluten-free pastas out there that we are no longer relegated to sticky white rice pasta that essentially turned into glue if you left it too long.
So what’s my point with all this? Don’t let Celiac limit how you live your life. If you want to be a social butterfly than by all means fly my fellow Celiacs…fly. Just make smart decisions and go with your gut when it going to both entertaining and dining out. It’s a big world out there…get out an explore it. Oh, and don’t forget to get those entries in for my ultra-fabulous gluten-free giveaway.
