Hurray for me!

I knew going in to this birthday that things were going to be different. Not only am I living in a new apartment, I’m living in a new city, in a new country, with different people and new things. I was also completely aware that this would be a birthday without GF Patisserie. (insert quiet sobs here)

People, this scared me. GF Patisserie has been my birthday go to – I go to them for cupcakes, cake, lemon loaf, and Naniamo Bars. If you’re wondering how I get Naniamo Bars in the summer – I save one at Christmas and freeze it until my birthday! It’s a test of wills and determination to leave them in there that long.

Knowing that this year I would be without my beloved GF Patisserie, I went on a mission. I needed to find something suitable. I decided that the best thing to do would be to focus on cupcakes. Husband and I picked three and here is what we found:

1. Vanilla Cupcakes from WholeFoods.

We found these in the freezer aisle at Whole Pay Check Foods. I was skeptical about them. They looked good, but looks can be deceiving. Once thawed we decided to dive right in. They were good, like really good. They were moist and had a great icing to cake ratio. The icing reminded me of Crave icing – so very very good.

My major complaint is the price. NOT affordable for a grad student. These will be a treat maybe once a year. The verdict is that we really liked them but can’t afford them. Thus, GF Patisserie still wins for their taste and affordability.

2. Black Velvet cupcake from Red Velvet.

Red Velvet is a cupcake shop in DC. We found it by accident while walking around China Town. All they sell is cupcakes and there is only one GF flavour – back velvet. I figured that this cupcake had to be great because this is what the do – just cupcakes. After one bite all I could think was: um, maybe they do a better gluten cupcake then a gluten free cupcake. It was dry, very very dry. The icing was okay, it was fluffy and airy but it was just okay. I won’t be going back there, it wasn’t worth the $3.25 they charge for the cupcake. Or the line that you have to wait in. If I had to say what the most redeeming quality of it was – location, we were able to eat our cupcakes while sitting on the steps of the National Gallery. And trust me people there is nothing like the view from those steps – people can be so strange when they don’t know you’re watching them.

(if you’re keeping track, that means that GF Patisserie is still on top)

3. Vanilla Ginger Cupcakes by Sweet Sin Gluten Free

We found these at WholeFoods, again in the freezer isle. I was excited about the change in flavour. Vanilla Ginger is not a flavour you’d expect to come in GF, especially not in a frozen cupcake. To be honest, they were nothing special. The flavour was nice, but just nice. The icing was okay, but a little gritty with sugar. What I will say I really like about these cupcakes was the price. They were really affordable. And to be honest, that will affect my decision to buy them again. They were good enough and a good price, that means I would probably buy them again if I was looking for cupcakes.

I had a great birthday, I got to spend it in one of the coolest cities in the world and I got to spend it with some really interesting people. What I miss however, is GF Patisserie. I miss the great taste and the affordability of it. So, this Christmas, I’m going to save some Naniamo Bar and I’m going to find a way to get here and in the freezer. And if they try to take it away from me at customs – I may just have to call on my inner ninja.

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There are so many things that I miss about Calgary and Canada right now. I miss my family, my friends (who are the same as family), my dog and my old boss. I miss how the use of a car horn is reserved for celebrating a win in hockey or to indicate an emergency – and NOTHING else. I miss how no one gets scared when you say hi to them, even when you don’t know them. I miss being able to find East simply by turning my back to the mountains, I miss the letter ‘U’ and I miss local business.

Moving here has been like being re-diagnosed all over again. Nothing is the same, grocery stores are inconsistent and the rules of ppm are different. I miss knowing what’s okay to eat.

So this post is dedicated to my people at home. Here are some gems in your area. Support local and support the GF conscious business near you.

First: I want to send a shout out to GF Patisserie. Why? Because they are awesome. I’ve never kept that a secret. They are a great example of local business that cares, and that takes the time to do it right. Quality over quantity. It matters – trust me. So to the lovely ladies at GF Patisserie and to the Celiac Husband that supports them – you truly are ROCKSTARS.

Second: Copper Pot Creations. Here’s the deal – I never had the pleasure of eating there. This information comes to me from an insider. Yes, I still have spies in Calgary. Be aware, be very aware! I looked over their mandate and the menu and I’m impressed. Their products are 100% free of wheat/gluten, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy/casein, soy, sesame, fish and shellfish. Not going to lie, I had to stop and think: If the are free of all that, then what is left to cook with? And this, is why I am a domestic anti-goddess. There is lots left and they have made meals that look fantastic out it. They also offer free delivery with the city of orders $30/more. Someone please try them out and let us know how it is. I hope it tastes as promising as it looks/sounds.

Third: Wild Horse Bistro. My sister and my mom stumbled upon this gem when they were at the Farmers Market. And because they are so awesome, they sent the Chocolate Cake mix my way. It’s damn good. Nicely packaged, all ingredients included (at least the non-perishable ones) and easy to make. The cake came out fluffy, moist and rich. Wild Horse Bistro for the win! They operate out of Black Diamond, but can be found at Farmers Markets. Visit the site for more details.

So let me end with this. I miss you all. I miss you’re emails and comments. I miss your silent judgment of my culinary ineptness and even more importantly, I miss hearing about your lives. I may be living in the US, but for as long as I can type, I’ll do my best to contribute to your quest for GF greatness.

If anyone is interested in the directions I am going here, please feel free to follow my new twitter feed: @nonresident. A second blog is on it’s way. Because let’s be honest, I’m never short of things to say and living as a non-resident alien has given me more material than I ever thought possible.

Happy Easter My People.

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Here is the article, courtesy of my fantastic cousin.

As a side note: Do any of you have issues with people thinking your just on a fad diet? They actually ask at Chianti’s now if your GF choices are a preference or an allergy. My new standard response to people in these situations is to ask: Are you calling me fat? That usually takes the conversation in a whole new direction. I’m thinking that even if my food is gluten free, it might no longer be spit free after that!

Oh and another side note: GF Patisserie, sorry for being so negligent about this. A few weekends ago you helped my mom outfit my bridal shower with the most amazing goodies. Thank you so very very much. I particularly enjoyed watching the gluten eaters be amazed that it all tasted so good. Oh and my niece would like to express her concern – she was really concerned that you never got to sleep because your house was a bakery. I told her it’s okay because we all keep you too busy for sleep. She’s three, I think that one went right over her head. Thanks again, you really do rock my world.

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It’s been busy. Very, very busy. I haven’t had the chance to seek out new GF products and I’ve had even less time to blog about anything.

That being said, I am going to steal a format from Bailing Bucket, who stole his format from ctoverdrive, and give you a little list of the things I know today. Some GF and some not.

First - Kensington Wine Market strikes again. They are now carrying Glutener Beer. I’ve reviewed this before here, and now I am happy to say that it’s available in another place.

Second – I don’t care what BCFF says – everything in life can be reduced to 50/50. Will you win the lottery? It’s 50/50, you either will or won’t. Will they find a cure for cancer? 50/50, they either will or they won’t. Will a case of CocoPebbles fall from the sky and land in my kitchen? 50/50, either it will or it won’t - Just ask Celiac Husband. So for all of you pessimists out there that want to tell me that there is thing called Math that proves that I’m wrong ya da ya da, PLEASE save it. My argument is iron clad, and in the places it might not be – my resolve is, and I will win even if it’s by breaking you down into admitting I’m right.

Third – Timbuk2 has plaid. JAM.

Fourth – Thanksgiving is coming. Fiance and I are hosting. GF Patisserie is going to do most of the work.

Fifth – Love her or hate her, Dooce is a literary genius and her posts make me want to contemplate the idea of having kids. And then I remember that kids are all about eating all your food, spending all your money, messing up your stuff and never really knowing at any given time what is going on.

Sixth – Have a great weekend everyone.

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Please give McDonald’s your phone number.

They’re claiming that a good tasting hamburger bun is hard to find.

I disagree.

So if you could just get on that, we’d all appreciate it.

Thanks,

Glutastic.

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Recently we celebrated two great events, my birthday and my nieces birthday. Birthday’s require a few things: great people, good food and CAKE. LOTS OF CAKE.

I took this opportunity to discover the world of GF cake. My job is so hard, eating cake for three days straight. This is all for you, my beloved readers. You can thank me later!

Let’s start with the first cake – my birthday cake. I’m the only celiac in our household. Because of this, I’m the one that normally does all the baking. It’s not that Fiance doesn’t want to, it’s simply that he is terrified of getting it wrong. Because of Fiance’s fear, he sought out help. Help from our friends at GF Patisserie. Between you and me, I’m so happy he did! The cake was awesome. It was a chocolate cake with butter cream icing. It was heaven. The cake was moist, full of flavour but not full of sugar. It traveled well and it was decorated with really pretty flowers. I was a happy birthday girl! Even my non-celiac partners in crime loved it. In fact, they were trying to eat off of each others plates. I think that is the ultimate test – will the gluten eaters enjoy it. I’d love to show you a photo of the cake because it was so pretty…but we ate it before I could even think about getting out the camera. So instead of a picture of the cake, I’m going to share with you a picture of the A-Team!

Fast forward a few days to Ellie’s 3rd Birthday. Being an Aunt is the best job I’ve ever had. Some people were meant to be parents, and some people were meant to be Aunt’s/Uncle’s. I’m sure you have figured out where we fall on that spectrum! As the world’s greatest Aunt and Uncle, we decided that it would be great to make Ellie her birthday cake – Ellie’s GF birthday cake. Enter Bob. Bob’s Red Mill Vanilla Cake Mix.

Bob does not fail at GF. This cake mix was a godsend. Easy to make is understatement. Making a bowl of cereal for dinner takes more effort than this cake mix. The instructions were just as easy to follow and it baked like a dream. The flavour was a touch bland. I thought bland was great. I can use this mix as a base for all types of cakes. Add your favourite flavour extracts and toppings to make it whatever you want it to be. It is the canvas of your master piece! My only criticism is that it is a touch on the grainy side. I’ve discovered that almost all boxed GF baked goods have a slight grainy texture. I’m not sure why this is. But, it’s not a deal breaker because its not over powering. Keep your eyes peeled for this cake mix. You won’t be disappointed.

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A staple of most people’s diets; the burger provides a quick and easy way to feed the family and not feel guilty about it. Burgers, when done right, can be a very well balanced meal: Meat = patty, Grains = bun, Dairy = cheese, Fruit and Vegetables = Ketchup.

Here is where this can go very wrong for a Celiac – the bun and the patty binding. Let me talk about the bun first. I’ve tried a couple bun options. Celimix makes a boxed bun mix that you can make at home. It was okay, very heavy and soaks up ketchup and mustard like those little sponge pocket guys on TV. It’s also labour intensive, and involves things like yeast and oil mixing. Totally way too much work for me!

Kinnikinnick Products also makes a hamburger bun. It comes pre-made and frozen. The buns are okay. Like the Celimix buns, they are really heavy, and when they thaw out they tend to crumble. Not the best scenario for hamburgers. (Note: As I write this, I am learning that Kinnikinnick has heard peoples complaints about their buns and have reformulated the recipe. I look forward to seeing what they roll out and if they improvements are just as they say.)

I knew that I had to keep looking. Okay wasn’t going to be good enough, there had to be better. And there is. GF Patisserie to the rescue again. They make a great hamburger bun. It’s light and fluffy, holds together and has a great crust. Fiance thinks that they are just as good as ‘normal’ buns, so now we don’t bother buying two different types – it’s all gluten free all the time. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that the buns are small. This is okay when you mix your own patties because you can tailor make them to size, but when you buy the pre-made burgers the buns tend to be a little small.

And let’s talk about the patties. Binding patties can be difficult. Adding too much egg can make them a little slimy, and using rice crackers leaves them a little dry and crunchy. Your best bet is to use GF bread crumbs. I have found that if you save the ends of your GF loaves and dry them out, you have the perfect binding agent for burgers, meat loaves etc.

If you’re at all like me, you think that mixing your own burger patties is still too much work. Ideally, you’d be able to buy the pre-made burgers and just pull out a few at a time so that you are not committed to eating 8 patties or trying to find a way to reinvent them as left overs. Superstore to the rescue. Superstore now sells pre-made GF sirloin burgers that are to die for. They are not the cheapest, but wow they are worth it. So juicy, very thick and easy to BBQ. Yummy, yum, yum is all I can say about it.

Burgers are possible, and you don’t have to settle for just okay. Trust me, once you find your winning combination, your gluten eating friends will be jelous of you, jelous of the great hamburger you’re eating.

And just incase you don’t believe me – here is a picture of my hamburger wonder!

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This is a big deal to us. This never happens. So of course, we had to make some plans because free time freaks us out. We chose to shop.

First Stop: GF Patisserie.

GF Patisserie is like Disney Land for Celiac’s. As we pull off the highway I begin to vibrate in anticipation.

On the list this weekend:

• Sandwich Bread (you haven’t lived until you’ve had their sandwich bread),
• Cupcakes
• Hot Dog Buns.

The only thing they didn’t have was hot dog buns – SOLD OUT. I had mixed feelings about this. Happy that they sold out – selling out means that they will make them again and it means that I am not alone in my quest for hot dogs. Sad they sold out – selling out means I didn’t get a chance to have  hot dogs this weekend. All is not lost. I will have a hot dog soon!

Second Stop: The Calgary Farmer’s Market.

Once you get past the fact that farmer’s markets are listed #5 on the Stuff White People Like list, it really is an enjoyable time.

Here is a list of notable favourites at the market:

Old Country Sausage Shop.

Very knowledgeable staff and an epic selection of GF goodies. This is also where we get hot dogs. Seriously people, they taste like normal hot dogs. It’s like a trip into your childhood with these hot dogs.  The selection is huge: cold smoked sausage (7 varieties), fermented sausage (8 varieties), fresh sausage (11 varieties), cooked sausage (4 varieties), and hot smoked and ready to eat (14 varieties).

Absolutely Fabulous

Absolutely Fabulous is the not only the name of the company, but also indicative of the items they sell. Some notable favourites are: Coconut Chicken Skewers, Smoked Trout Cheesecakes, Crab Cakes and Springrolls. There is also a selection of Fresh Weekly GF Specials, featuring things like: Chili Avocado Mousse, Layered Sombrero Dip and Spinach & Artichoke Heart Dunk. Oh so good!

Little Jack Horner Homemade Meat Pies.

All be it not a place you would assume had GF options, they have some great selections. Some notable favourites are: Pate Chinoise, Fisherman’s Pie, and Spicy vegetarian. From the freezer to the table…no mess. My kind of cooking!

Go forth and plan a Saturday shopping trip. You wont be disappointed.

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I cried tears of joy, tears of excitement, tears of nostalgia and tears of promise.

Today I cried because I ate a Nanaimo Bar.

Oh ya, you heard it people. I ate a GF Nanaimo Bar.

You’re jealous, you’re envious, you wish you were me. And guess what? You CAN be just like me. How? You ask. You can be just like me because I got my Nanaimo Bar at GF Patisserie. It was a moment of epic proportions. From the moment I first looked at the Nanaimo Bar I knew that good things were about to happen to me. It looked like a normal Nanaimo Bar and it tasted like one too.

I cried.

The quest for the ultimate Nanaimo Bar has been a long one – one that I had been on since December 1st, 2008. It was well worth the wait. They were just like mom’s.

Trust me people, there is no other place to go to get a GF Nanaimo Bar. NO WHERE ELSE. Earth’s Oven, in Calgary, does make them, but the ones they have are not okay. In fact they are so ‘not okay’ that Merlin won’t even touch them.

For those of you that know my dog Merlin – you are shocked that he turned down food. And for those of you that don’t know Merlin…well…you should be shocked that an Airedale has refused food in general, and even more shocked that ‘Merlin the Airedale’ has turned down food.

So trust me people. There is NO OTHER place in this world to get a GF Naniamo Bar. No other.

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