September SGFA Round-Up

Blink....summer's over and the chill of fall is in the air! Our September SGFA Round-Up is long over due - so take a look at these updates and we hope to see you at one of our many events this fall! Without further ado....

Upcoming SGFA Events

• September 26th - SGFA Meeting at 12PM at the Westbrook Library, with Guest Speaker, Kim Snow, Owner of Aleia's; please RSVP by emailing our new secretary at lunajake AT yahoo.com.
• Stay tuned for details on the rest of our fall events:
  
• October 17th - Mystery Luncheon: A gluten-free lunch extravaganza at a surprise local restaurant!
  
• November 14th - A Taste of Gluten-Free in CT and Beyond! Come and taste them all at the Westbrook Firehouse. Gluten free vendors from around CT and beyond will be bring their products for you to taste!
  
• December 12th - GF Holiday Cookie Swap: The very popular, kid-friendly, SGFA cookie swap at the Westbrook Library - yummy!
  

Restaurant Updates

• Bell' Amici in Guilford - Currently offering a in a gluten free menu -- and here is link to a coupon too!
• Chain Restaurants with Gluten Free Menus - This is a nice article with links to the set of chain restaurants that have developed a gluten-free menu. A few surprises like Olive Garden!? :-) I would be interested in hearing if any of you have tried these and what your experience was like! Post a comment below...
• Paperback Cafe - There was a wonderful article on Russ and the Paperback Cafe in the Day in mid-August - here is the link if you missed it. Also includes his recipe for GF Chicken Parm!

Member Travels

One of members, Kristin, traveled to Italy this summer - and had this to report!

Last month I traveled to Italy...where it was unbelievably easy for me to eat! Almost every restaurant I walked into had gluten-free pasta on hand...in Rome as well as smaller cities. One night, I ordered gelato and was surprised to see that the person helping me washed his scoop and took out a fresh bin of gelato for me...without my even asking! It was really refreshing to see how Celiacs are treated in other countries...I hope we catch up here soon!

It took me a while to figure out, but all the gluten-free products are sold in the pharmacy! Schar has quite a number of excellent products in Europe (ciabatta breads, chocolate croissants, focaccia, baguettes, etc) that they apparently don't sell/ship here because they are perishable. There is also another great brand that I encountered in Europe called "Galbusera," which had amazing crackers and cookies. If you are interested, below are two sites that carry some of the products I found:

• http://www.glutenfreemall.com/catalog/schar-schaer-m-110.html?gclid=CPrY-8fFspwCFRBM5QodsBuyog
• http://www.quattrobimbi.com/cookies.aspx

Thanks for the update Kristin!

Product Suggestions

• Are you longing for good GF at pizza at home? That is BRILLIANT? Run to Foodworks in Old Saybrook and pick an Against the Grain pizza crust...I will never go back to any other pre-made pizza crust at home. Crunchy crust, yet chewy too...can withstand a good amount of sauce. Lovely! Try it now!
• Are you also looking for a hamburger/sandwich roll that won't break the bank? Try The Grainless Baker Buns (also sold at Foodworks)! You get 6 rolls for under $6! And they are good! Give them a try and let me know what you think!
  

Research & News Articles

• Article in Scientific American on Celiac Disease
  
• Article in the New Haven Register about the challenges of being undiagnosed
• Worried about the expense of eating GF? This article in the NY Times is chock full of tips for staying healthy and not breaking the bank. Thanks Lea!

That's all for now - stay in touch and see you this fall!

July SGFA Round-Up

Happy Summer!

Restaurant Updates

• Grand Apizza Shoreline: Located at 9 East Main Street in Clinton, Grand Apizza is now offering Still Riding GF pizza and GF beer. Call 860-669-1204 for more information - Thanks to Sue for passing this on!
• Wendy's Update and Report: One of our members recently went to Wendy's and had this story to share: "We ordered fries. At the bottom of my fries was a breaded chicken piece. So much for gluten free! Eric went to the Wendy's website to send off an e-mail to Customer Service. That's when we found out about their fries and their new disclaimer as of June, 2009." You can view the new GF list for Wendy's here. Thanks to Eric and Claudia for letting us know!

• PF Changs Bistro: Have you checked this out yet? I had a great GF meal at the PF Changs in Stamford on our way to New Jersey this past week. The menu is full of tasty options! I had the lettuce wraps (messy but tasty), the fried rice (good, needed a little more GF soy sauce (which they gave me!!)), and the spicy chicken (which was the closest thing the General Tsao's chicken that I have had in years!).... overall, a great GF experience! If you've tried it out, let us know how it was for you!
  
• Are you traveling to Boston? Check out Nebo and report back! The owners wrote to Sybil and I and shared their story: "Nebo is a traditional Italian restaurant offering dishes based on recipes that were passed down from our mother and grandmother. After being open for about a year, two of our closest friends were told they had Celiac disease. We then realized just how many people this disease has affected and the need for an alternative for their dining restrictions. Determined to serve our friends their favorites, we set upon making our menu available in a gluten free form. We are thrilled to say that we have now produced 90% of our menu with the same great taste as our regular menu. We don't think there has been an accomplishment that has brought us more pleasure." They offer GF pasta and pizza....but we haven't tried it yet! Have you?

Product Updates and News

• Grandma's Goodies: These tasty delights are now available at Foodworks in Old Saybrook. From italian bread to banana bread to muffins to cookie, it all looks good! (The banana bread is fantastic!) One member shared, "It is the first Gluten Free product a non-GF person could like. I was really impressed." Check it out!
• Missing Oreos?: According to Beth Hilson, these are the closest product to actually Oreos - I haven't tried them yet! Have you? Let us know how they are...
• It's Summer...nothing like a cold beer!: Lea passed on this article on GF beers...CHEERS!
• Betty Crocker GF Baking Mixes: Now available on Amazon!
  

New & Interesting Information

• ABC News Story on Celiac: Passed on by one of our members, the article talks about one woman's struggle with Celiac. It also includes a good string of articles and a great new magazine (Delight Magazine) referenced within the article which has a nice website! Looks interesting...
• Tax Deduction for Gluten-Free Foods as a Medical Expense: This is from one of our members, Laura, thanks for letting us know! You may deduct the cost of gluten-free products that are in excess of the cost of the gluten containing product that you are replacing. Special items are completely tax deductible. An example would be xantham gum, a product used in gluten free baking recipes. Xanthum gum is completely different than any ingredient used in an ordinary recipe. And as we all know, xanthum gum ain’t cheap! If you make a special trip to a specialty store to purchase gluten free foods, the actual cost of the trip to and from the store is deductible. If you are using your vehicle for the trip, you may deduct a certain amount per mile each way you travel. To find out the most up to date rates for mileage deductions, visit The Celiac Disease Foundation. Their resource page on tax deductions outlines very clearly the process you need to follow if you plan to claim deductions as a medical expensive. They even provide a spreadsheet template to get you started with recording your expenses.
• Celiac on NPR: NPR has done a nice article on celiac, complete with recipes.
• From the Celiac Disease Center: The Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University hosted a Thought Leader’s Program in June which included the following presentations:
  Introduction to the Center and recent new information on celiac disease, Evaluation of poorly responsive patients, Why see an expert nutritionist for evaluation of celiac disease, and Nutrient and vitamin replacement. These presentations are available on You Tube and can be accessed at http://www.youtube.com/CeliacDiseaseCenter. Enjoy!
  

Make Your Voice Heard!

• Orange Valencia Cake at Starbucks: Sadly, Starbucks has decided to discontinue its GF Orange Valencia Cake. It really was quite a tasty treat! If you are as bugged as I am, sign this petition and make your voice heard! [Here is a little more background on what they have replaced it with...]

As always, thank you for your submissions and links! Enjoy the sunshine!

SGFA Quick News - more updates coming!

Hope this finds everyone enjoying the summer sun that has FINALLY arrived on the Shoreline!

A couple quick news items....

• SGFA at the Lace Factory Marketplace - TODAY! July 15th from 3:30 - 6:3oPM with Channel 3! The Lace Factory Marketplace is one of the newest farmers markets on the Shoreline - complete with amazing cheeses, veggies, berries, coffee, and hand crafted items - it is a great addition to our community. Sybil and Grandma's Goodies will be there to provide samples and give out information! The Lace Factory Marketplace is located in Deep River, located on River Road, opposite the Landing in Deep River. See their website for more information - come for a visit!

• NEW SAVE THE DATE! Our Strategic Planning session will be held on Monday, August 24th at 5 PM. For those that can arrive around 5, we will start with a social hour, with a pot luck supper starting at 6. The meeting place be held at the Westbrook Firehouse, located in the center of Westbrook and convenient for everyone. More information will be available by Mid August.

More to come - happy summer everyone!

SGFA June Roundup!

THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING FUNDRAISER!

Thank you to ECHO Salon and all of SGFA supporters who helped to make our May 31st Cut-A-Thon a fantastic success! The funds raised will support the development of our school program which will educate schools on how to better support and provide options for GF students! THANK YOU!

Restaurant News and Updates

Panera Bread - Panera's does have certain gf items available. They also have an ingredient binder next to the cashier- at least they are supposed to have one in every store. This was confirmed by two of Sybil's grandchildren who worked there. The chicken is safe - it is coated with rice flour, the salads are ok, and some of their soups are gf. In case you get caught eating there when with friends, there are things we can eat besides gazing at the pastries and breads!

Traveling this Summer? Good GF options on the road include: Dairy Queen ice cream is gluten free and Wendy's is always a good choice for safe, fast gf food: you can enjoy the chili, baked potatoes, french fries, grilled chicken/salads and Frosties. Do you have more tips? Send them over...or comment down below!

Restaurant Warnings

Max's chain of restaurants does have a gluten free menu however, we need to put out a disclaimer: "Dine there at your own risk!" The one in downtown Hartford and in Glastonbury so far seem to be ok, but the new burger place in West Hartford evidently is having problems in the kitchen, as several people have gotten sick. Also, be very careful at Uno's if you are going for the pizza -- although we had originally heard good things. In addition, The Fresh Meadow product is supposedly excellent, but something is going on the kitchen to render it nearly inedible. Two complaints so far, one at the site at the Danbury Mall and one In Machester. Also, word has been received that the new grilled chicken at KFC is NOT gluten-free. Beware!

One last restaurant to note. At It's Only Natural in Middletown, they check off items on their menu that are gluten-free. One of those items - the sweet potato fries - are checked off, but when asked for more information, it turns out they are made in a shared fryer. Be sure to tell your server you are celiac and have a severe allergy! [We did try to explain to our server that if done in a shared fryer, they are not GF...but to no avail.] The GF sweet potato enchiladas though - were fantastic!

Article of Interest

• SFGA member, Laurencia Ciprus, recently wrote an article for the Old Saybrook Events Magazine about our group and its origins. The article is on page 42 - you can read it here. Thank you for sharing our story!
  

Product Finds and Discoveries

• In support of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Jones Dairy Farm will donate $5 to the Celiac Disease Foundation for every gluten-free gift pack ordered during May and June. View all of Jones' Gluten-Breakfast Gift Packs - maybe the perfect GF Father's Day gift? The packages includes GF pancake mix, syrup, and a package of gf bacon, sausage, or turkey breakfast patties! YUM!

• We recently found out that Glutino/Gluten Free Pantry brands are actually owned by the Betty Crocker label. The cake, cookie, and brownnie mixes will be out soon and the Gluten Free Pantry label will be fazed out and the prices should come down. Betty Crocker's website has some more information about the new products -- looking forward to trying them!
  

Upcoming Events

Are you interested in shaping the future of SGFA or getting more involved in our association? Attend our planning meeting in July - more details will be distributed via Sybil's July Newsletter. The date will most likely shift from Saturday, July 18th to Monday evening, July 13th at 5PM - stay tuned for more details! If you can not attend the meeting but have suggestions, don't hesitate to email Sybil or comment below! Thank you for all of your ongoing support!