Happy New Year!

It's 2010...and we hope everyone had a wonderful healthy holiday season! Our apologies for the hiatus -- but the association had a busy fall as well - complete with a very successful event with Rob Landolphi in November and our fantastic cookie swap in December which was a huge success.

The year will be kicked off with our exciting upcoming event on Saturday, February 6th, entitled "LIVING A HEALTHIER LIFE IN 2010" - an informational and mini-vendor event. A busy afternoon will be in store for you and your children, starting at 12 noon. We will meeting at the CLINTON (HULL) LIBRARY on Rt. 81, next to Clinton Crossing Mall, exit 63 off I-95.

[PLEASE note the change in meeting place and the date, the FIRST Saturday! (Due to scheduling conflicts and school vacation we had to make some changes.)]

The following vendors will be available with samples to taste and products to buy– it is a great chance to taste a new products!
-- John DePuma is returning with a new ravioli he created especially for kids— bring the gang and check this out!
-- Dee Kittle from Dee’s One Smart Cookie will have her pizza shells, mini cupcakes (and more) available to taste and buy. She will also have unfrosted mini cupcakes so the kids can frost and decorate their own!
-- Lauren DeLisa from LaPiastra is returning with more samples and products to take home. She sold out last time! Make sure you bring your checkbook this time so you won’t be disappointed! -- Two informational programs will be presented starting at 12:30 with Susan Kyne, followed by Jennifer Ashley- Maurice, both of whom will have ideas about living a healthier life style– something we all need!

This meeting is free for paid members, $5 for non-members, children are free. Paid members will receive a free raffle ticket, everyone will receive a free gift.
In the event of bad weather, event will be canceled.

Save-the-Date: March 20th - A Gluten-Free & Allergy-Free Pancake Breakfast!
Stay tuned for more details!!

SGFA November Update

Thank you to Russell at the Paperback Cafe!

We would first like to wholeheartedly thank Russell for hosting our association for dinner at the Paperback Cafe in October. It was a wonderful event where members and their family and friends got a chance to connect and enjoy a FANTASTIC gluten-free dinner - with no worries of getting sick! From the smoky shrimp and crab appetizer to the chicken parmesan and the vegetable pasta, it was all so yummy and tasty. The cake he made for dessert was also great. Please be sure to stop in a visit Russell - he's always got something special cooking for his gluten-free guests (I recently had GF cookies to top off my lunch there!) and is always willing to make adjustments for you to have a safe meal. The big news is that, although they are closed for dinner through the winter, you can order your favorite GF meals before 3:30PM and pick them up for dinner at home. Give them a call to learn more! Once again, thanks to Russell and all our members who came out for a great night!

Upcoming Events:

November 14th, 12PM - 3:00PM, Westbrook Firehouse: Are YOU dreading the coming holidays? Need some ideas for stuffing, desserts and casseroles? How about real onion rings? The SGFA is very proud to announce that Rob Landolphi, chef at UCONN and author of "Gluten-Free Every Day", will be joining our group for a cooking demonstration and will be answering your questions about cooking GF! Rob was recently featured on the CBS Early Show -- where he stressed that, "Gluten-Free Doesn't Have to Be Flavor-Free!" Come meet Rob -- we promise you won't be disappointed!

There will also be tons of samples, raffles for GF products, and holiday recipe. Bring a recipe, holiday side dish to share, and your tips for holiday survival!

Admission is free with a GF donation to the Shoreline Soup Kitchens. Empty handed? Come anyway!! Admission is $5. For more information, contact Sybil at 860-399-3410 or email shoreglutenfree@sbcglobal.net

SAVE THE DATE: December 12th, 12PM: The Infamous SGFA Cookie Swap! Put your baking caps on and get ready...more details soon!

Do you want to inside skinny on SGFA, great recipes,

and discounts on our events?

Become a 2010 member! The SGFA has recently formalized a monthly newsletter but guess what? It's members only and our events and adovacy efforts can only happen with your support. Please consider becoming a member for only $25 for new members and $20 for returning member. For more information, contact Sybil at 860-399-3410 or email shoreglutenfree@sbcglobal.net

Opportunity to Volunteer
Do you like to write? And perhaps research topics of interest to our members? We are looking for writers who may want to contribute to the newsletter and this blog. Touch base with Sybil if you might be interested!

That's it for now -- more restaurant information, product reviews, and research articles next month!

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!