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Friends' Reactions To Gluten Free Food

mushroom

By mushroom
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

I have to share this incident with you all, happened this morning. :D

We have a neighbourhood group that gets together the last Sunday of each month for coffee and elevenses, just so that we all stay in touch. We take it in turn to host, and the rule is that the hostess doesn't have to provide any food, just the tea and coffee. It is what is known here in the popular vernacular as "Ladies, a plate" (with food on it of course :lol: ). In reality, of course, when I am hostess I always have to bake because I can't eat what they bring, which I am very careful to send home with them down to the last crumb. Another gluten-freer has just joined us too.

I always try to sneak my plate of food in so that no one knows which plate is the "gluten free plate", and I am usually pleasantly surprised at how much of my food disappears (there is always oodles of food). I shared with some of you before the story of my on-the-hill neighbour who said one day, "OMG, who made this delicious almond cake?" She thinks of herself as THE baker in the neighbourhood and sells baked goods at the local Farmers Market. When I confessed that I did, her mouth dropped open and she said, "Is it gluten free!!!???? :o:unsure::rolleyes:

So today I made a new recipe for me, an apple cake I think I found here on the forum. I think the apples (two) that I used were a little too big as the cake was very moist, but they all loved it any way. So up pipes my neighbour who was in the U.S. when we were last summer and stayed with us for a few days: "Ever since I stayed with you in Incline I have not been afraid of gluten free food. :blink: Sometimes when I am out having a coffee I will even choose one of the gluten free items." :):rolleyes: I wonder how deep this "fear" ran???

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jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

"Ever since I stayed with you in Incline I have not been afraid of gluten free food. :blink: Sometimes when I am out having a coffee I will even choose one of the gluten free items." :):rolleyes: I wonder how deep this "fear" ran???

:D Great story Shroom! Big scary gluten free food!! :o:lol:

Judy3 Contributor
Judy3
Posted

As you know I am new the the forums and to gluten free food but I have to share. It's not even a month since my diagnosis and I have already had by new 'guy friend' and his sister who has been my friend for years bailed on me. Nice people huh? They were teasing me and joking around about not inviting me places because of 'that gluten thing again'... hurtful words especially to someone that's new to this and when I voiced my feelings about it, I ended up being the bad guy. So good riddance I'm thinking. Tonight I made flourless peanut butter cookies from a post on here and my son who is not gluten free thinks they are better than regular peanut butter cookies. So here is the bad side of friends and family with the fear of gluten free and the good side with my 22 yr old son.. :)

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

As you know I am new the the forums and to gluten free food but I have to share. It's not even a month since my diagnosis and I have already had by new 'guy friend' and his sister who has been my friend for years bailed on me. Nice people huh? They were teasing me and joking around about not inviting me places because of 'that gluten thing again'... hurtful words especially to someone that's new to this and when I voiced my feelings about it, I ended up being the bad guy. So good riddance I'm thinking. Tonight I made flourless peanut butter cookies from a post on here and my son who is not gluten free thinks they are better than regular peanut butter cookies. So here is the bad side of friends and family with the fear of gluten free and the good side with my 22 yr old son.. :)

yay for your son :)

sorry your friends bailed- that is just so bizarre- some of the yummiest food in the world is gluten free!

im getting ready to dig in to this moist dark chocolate almond flour cake my sis in law made for thanksgiving :P

Darn210 Enthusiast
Darn210
Posted

:D Great story Shroom! Big scary gluten free food!! :o:lol:

:lol::lol::lol:

Shroomer, can I have the recipe for the almond cake, please. :D

Judy3 Contributor
Judy3
Posted

yay for your son :)

sorry your friends bailed- that is just so bizarre- some of the yummiest food in the world is gluten free!

im getting ready to dig in to this moist dark chocolate almond flour cake my sis in law made for thanksgiving :P

Wish I wasn't allergic to almonds... chocolate cake sounds good!!

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted
  • Author

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Shroomer, can I have the recipe for the almond cake, please. :D

Here ya go:

Open Original Shared Link

Enjoy :)

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Monklady123 Collaborator
Monklady123
Posted

The almond cake sounds yummy, but I have a couple of questions. First of all, grams.... I thought that was a weight. ? Do I weigh my ingredients? or measure them like in a measuring cup? My measuring cup has "ml" on it, not "g", so I guess not.

And the "self-raising flour" -- I've never seen self-rising gluten-free flour. What did you use? and then how much yeast would I add to make up for it?

hmm.... maybe I'd better not even try this recipe. :lol: (totally ignorant of the metric system, and I don't like to cook -- although I've been gradually learning a few baking tips since becoming gluten free.)

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Yes, you weigh the ingredients. If you have only non-metric scales, one ounce is 28.3 grams. It is a bit odd to see tablespoons in the same recipe. One Tbsp is 15 ml.

Pac Apprentice
Pac
Posted

Wish I wasn't allergic to almonds... chocolate cake sounds good!!

As a chocolate-lover allergic to almonds, I totally agree. :)

Can you eat other nuts? You can substitute almonds with hazel nuts, walnuts or whatever is cheapest where you live - like poppy seed.

ElseB Contributor
ElseB
Posted

My non-Celiac-but-eats-gluten-free-at-home boyfriend is an amazing baker (as a hobby). After I was diagnosed he switched to baking entirely gluten free. No wheat flour in our house (his choice, not mine). If we told friends that what he'd made was gluten free, they'd comment "hmmm, yeah tastes gluten free". But then we could make the exact same thing again and not tell them before they ate it that it was gluten free and they'd be raving about how good it tasted. And they'd panic when they saw me eating it thinking that it wasn't gluten free and I was going to get sick! Its just a mind-set. People think gluten-free = disgusting food. Probably because often it is if made with cheap ingredients like rice flour. But if made properly, its good! Nothing like a good flourless chocolate cake!

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

Wish I wasn't allergic to almonds... chocolate cake sounds good!!

sorry you're allergic to nuts....

i second "helpme" - there's nothing better than a flourless chocolate cake!!!! my sis in law just happens to like this particular recipe with almond flour- but ive seen several recipes that are flourless- AND YUMMMM... do u have problems with dairy??? i like to use a jaimee oliver recipe for flourless choco torte- and then i just make or buy a gluten-free pie shell :P:P:P

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted
  • Author

The almond cake sounds yummy, but I have a couple of questions. First of all, grams.... I thought that was a weight. ? Do I weigh my ingredients? or measure them like in a measuring cup? My measuring cup has "ml" on it, not "g", so I guess not.

And the "self-raising flour" -- I've never seen self-rising gluten-free flour. What did you use? and then how much yeast would I add to make up for it?

hmm.... maybe I'd better not even try this recipe. :lol: (totally ignorant of the metric system, and I don't like to cook -- although I've been gradually learning a few baking tips since becoming gluten free.)

Hmm, sorry about the grams; I have a scale that does both ounces and grams so I never think about it. As for self-rising flour, here's a guide:

sb2178 Enthusiast
sb2178
Posted

American kitchens don't typically have scales at all, but the joy of cooking has tables with volumes (cups) and weights (oz or grams) as do many classic basic cookbooks.

I like weighing things better, though, so it may be an investment worth making if you're going to cook much.

On topic: Yeah, it's been funny with a few friends. I make perfectly delicious naturally gluten-free food and they say ... this is gluten-free??!

not so much in the bakery realm yet, though. I definitely sympathize with the sentiment though because many of the prepared foods are AWFUL.

realmaverick Apprentice
realmaverick
Posted

Great that your friends enjoy your cooking. Though given the choice, I'd never buy or eat a gluten free alternative. In my experience, they are packed with sugar, to take away the odd tastes of the alternate flours etc.

Never tried home baking, as I'm certain it will taste just as bad or be equally as unhealthy. I would however love to try yours! :D

Judy3 Contributor
Judy3
Posted

As a chocolate-lover allergic to almonds, I totally agree. :)

Can you eat other nuts? You can substitute almonds with hazel nuts, walnuts or whatever is cheapest where you live - like poppy seed.

I can eat peanuts and cashews that's it!! I'm going to try to make an all purpose gluten free flour so I can make my own chocolate cake. People have raved about it for years now I have to try to adapt it to gluten free so that noone knows the difference.. heehee a cooking challenge just up my alley.

Judy3 Contributor
Judy3
Posted

sorry you're allergic to nuts....

i second "helpme" - there's nothing better than a flourless chocolate cake!!!! my sis in law just happens to like this particular recipe with almond flour- but ive seen several recipes that are flourless- AND YUMMMM... do u have problems with dairy??? i like to use a jaimee oliver recipe for flourless choco torte- and then i just make or buy a gluten-free pie shell :P:P:P

I've never made a flourless chocolate cake. I don't have problems with dairy. hmmm Jamie Oliver is one of my favorite people in the foodie world. I have his book.. wonder if the recipe is in there... going to look now... :D

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted
  • Author

American kitchens don't typically have scales at all, but the joy of cooking has tables with volumes (cups) and weights (oz or grams) as do many classic basic cookbooks.

I like weighing things better, though, so it may be an investment worth making if you're going to cook much.

You can also do conversions via the Google method :o

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

My daughter is the gluten-free one. Most of the time her friends just flat out refused to eat any food that I made or bought for her, fearing it would be strange. It could even be something that is naturally gluten-free like an apple or some chicken and rice. I guess they just don't understand.

Then at her birthday two years ago, we bought some kind of cupcakes and a small Spongebob cake for the other kids. I made her some Betty Crocker gluten-free brownies. We had the party at a hotel. It was a sleepover. It was great for me because we were able to get a suitable meal in their restaurant and they put out a large spread before dinner with gluten-free options. The breakfast the following morning was free and also had some gluten-free options. I had daughter bring a bag of cereal just in case, but she didn't need it. But I digress...

When it came time for cake, none of the kids wanted it. The Spongebob cake had an accident so didn't look very good but the cupcakes were intact. Instead, some wanted to try the gluten-free brownies. They liked them and aksed me how I took the gluten out of them! I tried to explain, but their eyes glazed over.

I think a lot of people just don't understand what gluten-free means and for some reason they are frightened of it.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted
  • Author

I've never made a flourless chocolate cake. I don't have problems with dairy. hmmm Jamie Oliver is one of my favorite people in the foodie world. I have his book.. wonder if the recipe is in there... going to look now... :D

This chocolate cake is not flourless, but you might like to give it a try nonetheless:

Open Original Shared Link

I am a great fan of the gluten free goddess, although have not tried this particular recipe (have it in my file ready to try though) :D

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

omg wow- if u go on google- there's a ton of recipes for flourless choco cake- tyler florence, emeril, jaimee's got several... i used Jaime's from his 1st book- the one with sour cream in it.. im pretty sure it's gluten free as long as u use a gluten-free pie shell

wouldnt it be nice if we all could get together for a potluck, everyone on here seems to really appreciate GOOD FOOD :P

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

wouldnt it be nice if we all could get together for a potluck, everyone on here seems to really appreciate GOOD FOOD :P

Now that would be incredible !!! :D

rainer83 Newbie
rainer83
Posted

My friends have been my support system. They all saw how sick I was, and kept telling me that I looked too skinny, saw how tired I was, that I wouldn't go out at all because I was always sick and in pain. Now they see the 180 that happened, and don't want to see me sick as I was before. I've baked for my friends and they've all loved it, no complaints. My family is a different story. My parents have opened up, but my sister and I don't get along whatsoever, so if I bake something, she refuses to touch it and tells her kids that it tastes horrible and not to have any either... even though she's never tried anything I've made. Whatever, I'm not gonna care about what she thinks. The people who actually matter to me are supportive, and that's all I care about.

hazelbrown10 Rookie
hazelbrown10
Posted

It's funny how wary so many people are of gluten-free stuff! They don't realize how much you can eat that's gluten-free. My close friends were great this Thanksgiving and we had a totally gluten-free meal, minus regular crackers with the cheese beforehand. They bought rice crackers too, though! :lol: I bought the gluten-free pie crusts from Whole Foods and they were really good.

CeliacMom2008 Enthusiast
CeliacMom2008
Posted

I've had the complete opposite response with my kiddo's friends. Just a few weeks ago we had the end of season soccer party. A lot of people had brought things, so I quickly made one table gluten-free and peanut free (we had a peanut allergic boy on the team) and the other table the "anything goes" table. The older boys who had been on our team before all came flying over to the table and said, "What did you bring?? You always have the best food!" A couple weeks later one of the moms stopped me at school and told me her son had been on her since the party to find out how I made my cake that day...It was a Betty Crocker yellow cake with Betty Crocker chocolate frosting! :D

Also, at Disney's Coral Reef Restaurant at EPCOT their signature dessert is a gluten free lava cake! For those who haven't been to Disney, their "signature" desserts are always the first on the menu, in bigger font than the rest, and their "special" dessert. Then they have other less exciting things like sundaes, brownies, carrot cake, etc. So for the top dessert to be gluten-free I thought was pretty amazing. At the Flying Fish Cafe on the Boardwalk at Disney they have a gluten free cheesecake that is amazing - again, it's just part of their regular menu.

We had a completely gluten-free Thanksgiving, and I had so many compliments on the Artisan Oatmeal bread. No one could believe it was gluten-free. Stuffing made with Gluten Free Pantry bread - everyone loved it.

Gluten Free - now that's Great Food!!

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      Good evening @EssexMum You are quite right to be concerned about this situation.  Once diagnosed as coeliac, always a coeliac, and the way to heal  is through adopting and sticking to a strict gluten diet. That said... I have travelled twice to France since my diagnosis, firstly in May 2013 and again in August 2019.   My spoken French isn't bad, and whilst there I tried my best to explain my needs to chefs and catering staff, and I read labels very carefully when shopping in supermarkets, but both times I came away with worsening gastric symptoms and pain. Interestingly,  after the second holiday, my annual coeliac review took place the following month and although I'd been very careful to avoid gluten all year, thanks to that August holiday my coeliac antibodies were elevated,  Clearly I hadn't been imagining these symptoms and they must have been caused by gluten sneaking in somehow. When I spoke to my gastroenterologist on my return, who is an excellent doctor, he told me with a smile that this was a very common experience in France among his patients, and not to worry too much about it! In fact, before we went away in May 2013, which was just after I had been formally diagnosed, he told me not to even bother trying to adopt a gluten free diet until I returned, knowing what France was like, but I was feeling so awful at that time I ignored his advice and at least tried to make a start with it. (I ought to say - both these visits were some time ago, so perhaps things are a lot better there now.) So what to do?  I would say at least try to explain to catering staff the situation - they should be able to rustle up a plate of cheese, boiled eggs, tuna, salad and fruit, and if things like crackers and gluten-free pot noodle or oats can be packed in the UK, those can be produced at mealtimes.    Of course, most larger supermarkets in France do now cater for coeliacs, but when I was last there the the choice wasn't as wide a range as we have in the UK but I think that is partly because the French like to cook from scratch, whereas our gluten-free aisles have quite a lot of dried or pre-baked goods in them/convenience foods, because I think we as a nation tend to use them more. I would be worth doing a bit of research on the internet before the trip, - the words you want are 'sans gluten'.  I've just googled 'sans gluten Disney Paris" and this came up.  I do hope at least some of this is of help. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g2079053-zfz10992-Disneyland_Paris_Ile_de_France.html  Whatever befalls in France, at least your stepdaughter can resume her usual diet on her return. On a related tack, would you be happy to post any positive findings/tips upon her return - it might be of use to others travelling to Disneyland Paris with children in future? Cristiana
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