mbrookes

My experience has been that the more upscale the restaurant the safer I am. The nicer places seem to understand the importance of avoiding cross contamination. (I suspect that they also understand the importanc of "law suit")

Since noone answered, I assume no one knows good places in Williamsburg. Let me clue you in to the ones I found:

Word of Mouth (gluten free menu; very good food & service; early manager was Celiac)

Whaling Company (no gluten-free menu, but servers knowledgable and will help you order; the shrimp and scollops dish is devine; normally over pasta but they will do it over rice)

Opus (no gluten-free menu, but savvy and cooperative. Bring money!)

Happy to report I made the whole week in Williamsburg with no reaction.

For really easy chili:

Use Tabasco brand chioli. It comes in a jar. Follow the directions on the jar: brown a pound of hamburger, add 3/4 cup beer (I use Red Bridge) a can of beans if you like them. Simmer about 20 minutes. This makes really good chili and really fast. All Tabasco brand products are gluten-free, according to the company.

And that, gentle reader, is why it takes me so long to buy groceries. We have to read the labels, even of the picture looks good.

I find that using humor, tinged with sincerity, works for me.

Server: My name is Ted and I'll be taking care of you tonight.

Me: My name is Marilyn and I am the customer from hell (laugh)

No, really, I have a special problem that I need your help with.

Then I explain what I need and ask the server for reccommendations. Just about always works.

I will be spending the next 7 days in Williamsburg, VA. Can anyone help me with non-chain restaurants that understand gluten-free and know how to handle it?

Waffle House has been great for me. Explain what you need. They don't mind taking special precautions up to and including letting me read the package that the hash browns come in. Just be clear about what you need.

I, my dear, am a true southerner. It doesn't get any more southern than Mississippi!

Make a pan of cornbread... use white corn meal and NO sugar. I make it the night before T'giving. Just wrap in foil and leave it on the counter.

Next day crumble the cornbread. Add enough chopped onion (raw) that you get at least one piece in every forkful.Add a little salt and enough black pepper to see the grains.

Stir in canned chicken broth or broth made from the neck and giblets of the turkey. You want it very moist but not soupy.

Don't stuff the turkey. Bake in a pan at 350 until golden, about an hour. Fifteen minutes before it is ready, drizzle with a little grease from the turkey.

This came down through my family.

Forget the plain bread. You will never miss it.

After telling a server that I can't eat wheat, barley or rye, I have been asked if rice is OK. I have also been told in restaurants that the bread is gluten free.

Here is the one that bothers me. If I order prime rib, sometimes I'm told that I can't have the au jus. I thought that was the juice from the roast, which should be OK. What is au jus?

Be careful what you ask for... you may get it. Mellow Mushroom now has gluten-free pizza option. Very expensive and not good at all. I'll stick to making my own for now.

The worst to get information from is Kroger. I was trying to check on some of their store-brand products. It took me a full week of calling every day to speak to a dietician, and no one else was allowed to give out that information. It seems they anly have one dietician for all Kroger stores nationally.

In case you are wondering, Krogeer brand Carbmaster yogert is gluten free.

Just read the ingredient lists carefully. Some bloody Mary mixes contain soy sauce (NO!) Most Margarita and pina colada mixes are OK. Tonic and diet tonic are safe. Just read.

I recently got 100 Best Gluten Free Recipes by Carol Fenster. Corn dogs, bananna bread,and pie crust all work great. I haven't tried any others, but those three were worth the price of the book to me.

Smile when you give your order. My normal thing is to say "I am the customer from hell" while laughing. Then I explain what I cannot eat and a little about cross contamination. The kicker is telling them " I hate it when I roll out across the floor and my children wind up owning the restaurant." An exaggeration? Of course, but is makes the point.

Hi

From one Marilyn to another:

It is all good! I have been gluten free for almost three years, and life gets better and better. The diet gets easier to follow as you get more used to it, friends and family accept that that is "just the way it is", restaurants recognize you and know what you need, and best of all, YOU FEEL SOOOO GOOD!

I am really happy for you!

Another Marilyn

Congratulations on the coming baby. Take this time to indulge yourself with any gluten-free food you want!

I do like Red Bridge, but I first tasted it after two years with NO beer. That may have an effect!

I really prefer Bards. To me it tastes similar to my memory of Anchor Steam, which I loved. Unfortunately, Bards is not available here, so I am happy with Red Bridge... sometimes VERY happy!

Life is too short to drink bad wine. Stick with the good stuff. It isn't all expensive. Check out the reccommended ones in Wine Spectator magazine (I read it free at the library) Some of the highly rated ones are under $20 a bottle.

I just called the company about Lea & Perrins worcestershire sauce and they said it is gluten free. They also offered to email me a list of all their gluten free products.

I do love cooperative companies!

I have used the Bisquick to make guess what... biscuits. I followed their recipe except I don't like drop biscuits so I formed them by hand (coated hands with a little Bisquick) They aren't what I used to make but far and away better than any gluten-free recipe I have tried.

It hardly seems worth the trouble. Especially since I keep a gluten-free kitchen and I'm the only celiac, the record keeping would be a nightmare.

Oh, gee, I wish you hadn't said Popeye's chicken. Especially the spicy. Now I'm really craving. I'll have to see what I can do with a raw chicken, some gluten-free flour and Chechere's Cajun seasoning.

I tried a couple of things (pie crust and biscuits) with disasterous results. Better to stick to the well developed specialty recipes for me.

I made some yesterday and frosted them with milk chocolate frosting. I have to double up at the gym, but it's worth it!

Imsohungry, thanks for your story. Gave me a good laugh!

Ah, to be able to order a beer in a restaurant or bar. I can have gluten-free beer at home, but no bars carry it. I can have a mixed drink or wine, but I love beer!