If I could only have one...

A Slice

2010-05-11T18:06:00.000-07:00

One of the true joys of living in New York is the slice. You know how it goes, you stop by the local pizza place on the way to a party that you don't want to be hungry for, on the way home from drinks that you don't want to be too hungover from. It's perfect: greasy, filling, cheap. One slice takes the edge off, two are acceptable as a meal substitute.

And then there's gluten-free pizza. Available: only at home, only after preparation, only after a 450 degree oven. Or: Mozzarelli's. Available after a visit to the lawyer to discuss partnership agreements. ("$350 an hour? Eh... Next to Mozzarelli's? Where do I sign?")

Some things:

1. Good crust.

2. Greasy, not too greasy.

3. Good topping options (note: pepperoni, above)

4. Available By The Slice.

That's what I'm talking about, people. I love New York. Even More.

Devil's Food Cake and Funfetti icing, too

2009-08-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago General Mills announced a line of Betty Crocker gluten-free baking mixes.

Tonight, a simple trip to the Park Slope C-Town challenged me to bake a birthday cake in honor of all the Leos of our lives. The mix was simple, only three ingredients and 38 minutes later, Devil's Food Cake with Funfetti icing (artificially-flavored vanilla icing with a packet of sprinkles tucked into the lid of the perfect tub). And, it tastes exactly as I remember box cake. How did they do it?

At start, I was wary; the mix was granular, the batter watery but after plumping at 325 and topped with fluffy icing, it's perfect.

Ice cream sandwiches

2009-07-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

Lo and behold, ice cream sandwiches! On a recent trip to Union Market, a font of gluten-free pastas, treats and naturally safe fruits and veggies, I created the Brooklyn version of a summertime favorite. A oversized scoop of Ronnybrook vanilla ice cream "smooshed" between two Dr. Lucy's Cinnamon Thin cookies (they are basically Snickerdoodles, but crispier) makes for the perfect ending a summery dinner party. The cookies were so cinnamon-sugary with a subtle hint of salt, the best GF cookie to date. Even gluten-loving guests went in for seconds!

Pancakes

2009-07-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

It's the season of the CSA, when the mounds of kale and chard in the refrigerator compete with my normal inclination to just order take out. Right now, for instance, the door swings open to: lettuce, bok choi, kale, broccoli, snow peas, corn, cucumbers, scapes, peaches, and blueberries. And last week's pickles. Oh, and (just checked) scallions, turnips, eggs, and kohlrabi. So delicious and local and good for me... so overwhelming. With more coming on Thursday.

Clearly, I need to take steps. Today's baby step was: blueberry pancakes. (Hey! I admitted it was a baby step.)

In all honesty, I've never been much of a pancake girl, even before I knew I was celiac. It was always like choosing candy for breakfast--feeling glad that as an adult I can make that choice, but knowing that as an adult I have to live with the consequences of feeling jumpy and hungry for the rest of the day.

So pancakes are a special treat. Particularly using the Kinnikinnick mix. I venture to say that this is one of the few gf items where the gf version is far superior to the traditional. The perfect consistency--spongy but substantial, chewy but light. I don't know how those folks do it. Also, perfect for me: they only require 3 ingredients: 1 egg, oil and water/milk/seltzer/soy milk (I love that choice, as I'm bound to have at least one of those). And fresh South Jersey blueberries that get all melty and juicy and explode in your mouth.

Today I made them as big as my head. Now I'm ready to a) make peach ice cream or b) take a nap.

Yellow Cake on the Horizon

2009-07-02T17:20:00.001-07:00

Oh my goodness, so many new things, so long ago my last post.

First, a quick one:

JULY 2, 2009
For General Mills, Wheat-Free Items Are Tricky to Make, Cheap to Market

Mass marketer General Mills Inc. is carving out a niche in gluten-free food after realizing it could reach eager customers without costly ad campaigns.

The company's Betty Crocker brand is rolling out gluten-free mixes for cookies, brownies and cakes. The mixes are the first gluten-free offering from a major, mainstream brand in the cake-mix aisle. Gluten is a key protein in wheat, but many people react badly to it.

Ann Simonds, General Mills's president of baking products, says the company decided to pursue gluten-free products last year after its customer-relations department noticed that customer inquiries about food allergies and sensitivities ...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124649298279583139.html

Or, you know, if they'd been paying attention. I have to say, this is probably the beginning of the crap-ization of gluten-free food, but doesn't a box cake sound kind of dreamy in a summer vacation kind of way?

Chinese meal in DC

2008-11-30T16:19:00.000-08:00

When I found out that the menu for our company laser tag retreat this year was "pizza for lunch, Chinese for dinner," I was devastated. Really? Don't they remember that I have celiac disease? And don't they know there is absolutely nothing for me to eat at a Chinese restaurant?

Of course, Alexis contends that there are plenty of things that I can eat at a Chinese restaurant, to which I reply: "Like what? Chicken with that gloopy clearish white sauce? I'll pass, thanks." I mean, no soy sauce, nothing deep-fried, nothing breaded. What does that leave at your standard Chinese place?

Lucky for me, Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church, VA, is not your standard Chinese place. For one thing, it's the Bushes' favorite Chinese restaurant, and as soon as I walked in I saw one million photos to prove it. Hmm. One the pro-side: good enough for former leader of the free world. Con-side: he's not celiac.

There was no gluten-free menu, which always makes me a little nervous, but there was a very attentive server who promised me something delicious with no flour or soy sauce. Chicken with garlic shoots it was. I remained suspicious as the Scorpion Bowls arrived, with the dumplings soon after. I had braced myself for this, by envisioning what I'd have from room service before I even sat down.

And then the garlic shoots arrived on the baby-pool-sized lazy susan. What a dream: fresh tasting, not at all bland, and pungent without leaving me smelling of garlic for days. That same fresh taste that the "special greens" at Sushi D have. Success!

I knew the Bushes wouldn't let me down (when it came to Chinese food).

Order of Dumplings

2008-10-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

Obviously it would be the pork dumplings at Lily's 57. Oh my god, how much I've missed Chinese food since being diagnosed with celiac.

When people ask which gluten-free treats I miss, I usually keep it to three things: great naan, fresh New York pizza, and real New York bagels. I miss them for their convenience, their chewy deliciousness, their irreproducability.

But lurking behind that neat list is an entire category of delectable Chinese food, entirely off limits. Oh, delicious brown sauce, tempting fried items, greasy egg rolls, steamy dumplings, I admit it: I miss you. Even, you, slightly stale fortune cookies. I miss you, too.

Until now. Based on the Celiac Chicks review, I took my mom, aunt Sue, and Alexis to Lily's 57 after an off-Broadway show last weekend. With low expectations, I requested the gluten-free menu, and was immediately dazzled by the choices. It was like the first time I went to Tao Palate as a vegetarian: you mean I can have *any* of this? Really? In fact, I was so overwhelmed that the manager had to come over to assist me.

His enthusiasm was contagious: "all of the blogs" love the dumplings (one order, please!), the chicken satay is very good (sign me up) and apparently their gluten-free General Tso's is even better than their sister restaurant, Lily and Loo's (sold).

The satay was first, and while I loved not being anxious about whether the peanut sauce had soy sauce in it, the chicken was a little bland, and nothing to write home about. But then came the dumplings: OMG. First, they were filled with pork, which prompted a wonderful flashback to my pre-vegetarian days. Second, the dumpling itself was excellent. Doughy without being sticky, and with good mouth feel. Just thinking about them now, my mouth is watering.

Next time I try a new gluten-free restaurant, I'm making everyone order gluen-free to expand my options, like a real restaurant reviewer. At Lily's I made the mistake of letting everyone choose for herself. Never again.

Because my gluten-free General Tso's tofu (my former vegetarianism dies hard, apparently) was the best dish on the table. Lightly fried, in a spicy/sweet sauce. Perfectly nostalgic. I let everyone try it to determine that I had, in fact, gotten the best thing, and then had to slap their hands away so they wouldn't eat it all.

The owners even brought me out a piece of gluten-free layer cake, on the house, to end my meal. Apparently, it's a work in progress, and when I had it, it was a little... leaden. But I have no doubt that they will get it right by my next visit. Which is, hopefully, tomorrow?

Mexican Meal

2008-07-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the most delicious meal ever. For the past few months, I'd been fighting the suspicion that maybe there wasn't great Mexican food in Brooklyn. Sure, there was Bonita (with expensive and seemingly non-alcoholic drinks, and food that was good but not great), and Maria's (excellent guacamole, but weirdly greasy food), and Habana Outpost (do I really want to wait on line for 30 minutes for a taco? I also always find myself doubling up on orders, just to avoid having to wait on line again) and maybe Taco Chulo (also strangely greasy), but nothing quite right. No go to.

And then BrooklynBased delivered a list of delicious Mexican spots in Greenpoint. With a Google Map--the way to my heart.

Last night we went to Papacito's on both Huron and Manhattan (it's L shaped) in Greenpoint. The fluorescent-lit storefront is just a fake-out, the real action is in the alley on Huron. Dim, with picnic tables and a relaxed bar with lots of water on the cement and a faint smell of cat in the corner I was sitting in. Not yet convinced.

Apparently, they have a 36 ounce beer (which means nothing to me, really), but a delicious sangria. Unlike the thick grape-juice concoction at Bonita, this was icy cold, light, refreshing, and filled with alcohol-soaked fruit. Yum.

Starving, we got guacamole and chips which was above par, if not excellent. Although Coop tried to scare me with "are you sure these are corn chips?" I've made the executive decision that all chips are restaurants are corn chips, and I will eat them. I haven't thrown up yet, so it must not have been a terrible decision. Yet. The guacamole was pretty good. Kind of pre-fab, but with some real avocado mushed in. I think Maria's still holds the prize on this front.

But then the tacos, oh, the tacos. Two floppy corn tortillas with: chorizo (perfectly greasy, and well seasoned), aniito pork (not too fatty, and spicy), and carne asada (probably my favorite, with good seasoning, and the perfect texture). Oh, tacos. With good toppings, too: a little sour cream, maybe some lettuce, not too much. Alexis got a fish taco which was also pretty spectacular--spicy, not breaded, or deep fried.

I ate them so fast, I essentially stacked the three tacos in my stomach, which hurt pretty good.

Again, although it means nothing to me, they also have veggie/probably-vegan options of seitan asada, spicy tempeh, and soyrizo. I will be passing on those, but good to know.

Also, like a nerd, I took a photo of the menu with my phone--it's a white board that was far from our table. Start salivating now:

Carbonated Beverage

2008-05-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

As I said, for many years, my beverage choice was caffeine-free diet coke--slightly flat, if possible. Many people argued that it was the same as water, since it had nothing in it. My response was that whatever was in it made it taste so much more delicious than water. Turns out that whatever was in it is not, however, so much more healthy than water. Like a smoker, I always really knew this in the back of my mind, but after reading the Omnivore's Dilemma, I finally quit it.

And delicious seltzer stepped in to take it's place. Oh, seltzer. So delicious, so refreshing, so watery. But also so heavy, and kind of expensive when you drink 2-3 liters a day. At first, Alex would buy it for me at the co-op, but the cost of the car service pretty much negated any cost savings. Then I had FreshDirect deliver it for me. Effective solution, but it also made me feel like kind of a jerk for using all of the human and fossil fuel energy to essentially deliver water to my house.

And then I was invited to join the Soda Club, and fell in love. Soda Club is a carbonation machine which lets you make your own seltzer by screwing in a reusable bottle and then pressing a button to send carbonation into it . How do I love thee, Soda Club? Let me count the ways:

You are so cheap. I bought the slightly more extravagant Edition One Seltzer Lover Starter Kit for $129. So far I have had about 2 bottles of seltzer a day, and haven't finished one cartridge yet. Yippee!
You make me feel better about myself. I definitely reduced my carbon footprint by eliminating all of those plastic bottles from my life, as well as all that gas needed to get those bottles to my doorstep.
You are endless and delicious. You never run out, not even late at night. You are always there for me.

Now I just need to convince EchoDitto to buy us one for the new office.

Bread Product

2008-04-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

It would be Kinnikinnick. Oh, those crafty Canadians and their delicious gluten-free bread products.

I first met Kinnikinnick through their bread mix. After reading amazing reviews, I took the plunge and went for an entire case of Kinnikinnick Kinni-Kwik Bread & Bun Mix, from Amazon. I was not disappointed. Some excellent features:

You only need to add water. If, like me, you have a hard time keeping milk and eggs in your house without rotting, an ingredient list of "water" is ideal. Sure, you can get fancy and use milk or soymilk or ricemilk, but water works just as well.
It's so easy to make. The directions pretty much read: Open package, Add water, Mix, Pour into pan. Just like the Tastybake oven, but with bigger, and fluffier, results.
You can make as much as you want. You can make one bun or an entire loaf.
The resulting bread is springy and delicious. After an hour of baking, your whole house smells like bready goodness, and the result doesn't disappoint. The bread is springy with a firm crust, slightly sweet, and airy. I have no idea how they do it. There is nothing like bread, hot from the oven, with melty butter.

My only recommendation is to not make too much. It molds quickly. Just saying.

Then, when I was in Florida, visiting my aunt and uncle, I met the pre-made bread. The Italian White Tapioca Rice Bread, to be specific. Somehow Naples, FL is a hotbed of gluten-free products. We had delicious BLTs for lunch and the bread:

Did not fall apart
Was as good as the mix
Toasted perfectly

The only negative is that Kinnikinnick is a little hard to find in the neighborhood, and I live in New York City. I would offer to open up a Kinnikinnick store, but maybe in the meantime, Whole Foods could just stock their stuff?

Also, I just found the new Kinnikinnick blog, featuring... doughnuts! Dreams do come true! I'll tell you all about them as soon as I get some.

Sugar Cookie

2008-04-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

I grew up in Verona, New Jersey (the Queen of States, in my opinion), which was a lovely suburban town to be a kid in. There was a park at the end the block, a stream in the backyard, and a town within walking distance. Summertime involved a lot of all three of those, especially walks to town to DiPaolo's Bakery. Have I mentioned how much I love bakery cookies? Those kind on the tray that have sprinkles on them, that have sprinkled sugar in multi-colors, that are Neapolitan? Those. Italian bakery cookies. I miss you and long to have you again. In a gluten-free version, of course.

I thought I had an answer in these Kosher for passover cookies at Fresh Direct. The bummer was that they were a little gritty from the rice flour, and came frozen, which I didn't know how to manage (defrost? eat frozen? give up and let them get freezer burn? yes.).

Then, while visiting Alexis's mother in Greenwich, NJ, I found them. Mr. Ritt's Sugar Cookies. They have the perfect buttery, Italian Bakery flavor. They have the granular sugar on top. They taste delicious and not at all gritty. All of her family was asking if they could have one.

Mr. Ritt's website leaves a lot to be desired. To the extent that I want to offer to redo it for a few batches of cookies, but... if you can get beyond that or hike to Philly or south Jers, you're in luck. Delicious sugar cookie luck.

Best Bets

2008-03-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up, a staple of all family vacations, trips, and get-togethers was a food-based forced choice game that began "If you could only have one ____." The rules were pretty simple: you had to pick the one food from that category that you would eat for the rest of time. We played so often that I forget what most of my choices were, except that for several years I answered "if you could only have one beverage" with "diet coke" for many years.

I think the fun of the game comes from thinking about eating all of the options, but ultimately only getting to pick one. Some choices were more pragmatic (a baby me posited that "you can make anything out of potatoes..."), while others were more obsession based (if I could only have one dessert, it was "Cadbury Cream Eggs"). There weren't many categories I wasn't sure my answer was the right one.

Now I'm older and gluten-free, but still so confident in my opinion. And when you're gluten-free and looking for a good cookie, I feel it's my duty to report what your one cookie should be.