Gluten-free Gourmand

When I first started out with gluten-free baking, I did a lot of experimenting with different gluten-free flours to see what worked and what didn't.  Here is a quick guide to what you should buy to try out at the start, and what you should avoid.  To read more about what these flours contribute to your mix read this post. Brown Rice Flour White Rice Flour Sorghum Flour Teff flour Potato Flour or Potato Starch Tapioca Flour Xanthan Gum Here are a few things you can pass up on, and the reasons why: Bean flours - Don't do it!  They taste and smell like beans.  If you need more disincentive, they are often difficult to digest and they spoil quickly. Amaranth flour - Overrated!  It's very delicate, it goes bad quickly, and sorghum tastes better anyway.  Plus, it's expensive. Quinoa flour - It has a distinctive flavor and a dry texture like corn flour.  I only use it in a few select recipes, including this pancake recipe .  While I like ...

Right now, I have plenty of cilantro.  It grows like weeds in my garden.  I love cilantro.  In honor of this  prolific herb,  I created a fresh pesto recipe.  This recipe is dairy-free, and the lime juice keeps it fresh long after other pesto sauces would expire.  See some recommendations for gluten-free pasta here .  Cilantro Pesto 2 C fresh cilantro leaves from your garden 1/3 C Brazil nuts or walnuts 1 clove garlic 1/3 C extra-virgin olive oil 1 squirt lime juice 1/4-1/2 tsp salt ground white pepper to taste Blend all ingredients in a food processor until evenly minced, scraping down the sides as you go.  Taste for balance of flavors and adjust.  Serve tossed with hot pasta.  It's that easy!

I went to visit some family in Denver this weekend and was pleased to find many more gluten-free options than I had the last time I visited.  I even had a few surprises: some really good gluten-free pizza, and a gluten-free beer I'd never even heard of before!  Here I thought I was up on all the cutting-edge news for gluten-free beer, and I found a new one thanks to my mom's iPhone app, which led us to Papou's Pizza . From the outside, it just looks like a run-of-the-mill pizza joint in an average Denver strip mall.  However, Papou's serves some really good gluten-free pizza.  It's New England-style Pizza with a Greek influence - meaning lots of good roasted vegetable toppings.  I got the Mediterranean, which was roasted eggplant, fresh tomatoes, and feta.  The normal pizza crust looked good, too, and the place was a real crowd-pleaser.  We didn't all get gluten-free, but everyone from my 5-year-old niece to my grandmother liked the place, which is a...

I went to Australia earlier this year and did quite a bit of research before I left.  Local blogs in Melbourne and Sydney proved to be really helpful, along with dining sites that had gluten-free search options.  I thought I'd give back to the community by making a traveler's dining guide for Portland.  I'll only list the restaurants that I have personally eaten at and which have strong adherence to gluten-free safety.  There's a more comprehensive list over at Gluten-free Portland dot org. New Cascadia Traditional Bakery - This dedicated gluten-free bakery serves bread, pastries, coffee, pizzas, and sandwiches. Tula Bakery  - An excellent dedicated gluten-free bakery in Northeast Portland. Hawthorne Fish House - Almost all the food served at this establishment is gluten-free.  See the full review here . Deschutes Brewery - They bake their own gluten-free buns and bread sticks in a separate kitchen, and they brew their own gluten-free beer! ...

What a difference a server makes. I like Clyde Common.  The food has always been amazing, and their mixed drinks are equally amazing.  I still remember the first time I went there.  It was New Year's Eve, and for some reason the mood struck me to get a Bloody Mary.  I almost never order that drink - it's usually too sweet or salty for me.  Well, this one was made from a chili sauce.  It was spicy and perfect.  Another reason to like Clyde Common is that many of their dishes are gluten-free without having to make substitutions.  They aren't trying for it; they are just really high-end.  The food is cheffy, which typically means they don't rely on a lot of wheat products.  Wheat is boring and mundane, after all.  Gluten is passé.  So I took a gluten-free friend to Clyde Common this winter.  We got our fancy cocktails and we checked out the dinner menu.  There were several things that looked doable as a gluten-free dis...

Here in Portland, the gardening season starts pretty early.  In fact, you could argue that it never stops.  I've been trying to budget my food expenses a bit more, so last week I decided I'd only eat vegetables that I already had, or that I picked from my garden.  Here is most of what I harvested for the week: The orange globes in the background are acorn squash I harvested last year.  The big white roots are parsnips.  The leafy greens are cilantro, kohlrabi, kale and mustard greens that I planted last year - they survived the winter, along with the onion.  I don't eat a lot of vegetables compared to some people, but I was able to get some green in my diet every day last week, and it was all from my garden. I already have some seeds planted in the outdoors and they are starting to sprout up.  I've planted carrots, basil, onion, fennel, chard, lettuce, parsnip, broccoli, kale and leeks.  I think I'll wait a few weeks before planting anything e...

For people just starting the gluten-free diet, there can be a lot to digest.  Sometimes, the biggest shock to the system isn't about the food itself - it's about how much it costs.  Here are some strategies for easing the blow to your wallet. Cut down on waste .  A recent study found that Americans let 40% of their food go to waste - in spite of having almost universal access to the most advanced technology in quality control and refrigeration in the world.  Have a plan for when you will eat everything perishable that you buy, and don't buy more than you can use. Make what you have .  If you find yourself running over budget in the week, try to see what you can make without going to the store.  Don't have any meat in the house?  Use eggs, tuna fish, peanut butter, nuts or beans for your protein instead.  Necessity is the mother of invention, and you might end up creating a new recipe out of common ingredients that you can use again. ...

Imagine traveling to a new city, one you've never been to before.  You go downtown, and you walk into a random coffee shop.  There are loads of pastries in the case, but nothing looks likely to be something you can eat.  You ask anyway, out of habit.  The woman behind the register blandly replies, "We have several things that are gluten-free.  There's a chocolate muffin that's gluten-free, and we have several kinds of friands that are all gluten-free." That is what happened on my first day in Melbourne, Australia.  And it happened almost every day after that.  My mom and I were amazed at how many gluten-free things there are to eat in Australia.  I even found gluten-free treats in several airports, an occurrence that has never happened in the US.  Here is proof that I bought a GF pastry in the airport in Hobart, Tasmania: In honor of the great gluten-free trip I had, I bring you a taste of Australia.  Friands aren't something you f...

Walk to the corner of NE 60th and Glisan and you'll see something that catches your eye: a sign out front of Seven Virtues lets passers-by know that they now serve gluten-free sandwiches.  Upon further investigation, it turn out that they can serve their grilled sandwiches on New Cascadia Traditional flax bread.  I was pretty excited about this turn of events so I had to sample a sandwich right away.  I got the North Tabor which has turkey, pesto and cheese. But first, I asked a few questions.  The man taking my order that day was one of the owners, and he was very helpful.  I asked if they grill the GF sandwiches on a dedicated grill, and he replied that they don't have demand or space for a dedicated grill right now, but they can give the grill a thorough cleaning before they make the gluten-free sandwiches.  They also use a separate cutting board and knife for prepping the GF stuff.  He told me that the sandwich would take a little longer than re...

I have to confess that I'm not very good at following directions.  In fact, I almost never cook anything exactly as instructed, and I am pretty savvy about when and where to skip steps or make substitutions.  When I saw that the King Arthur Gluten-free Bread Mix called for three eggs I was tempted to change the recipe entirely, but I was afraid that if it didn't turn out I wouldn't be able to legitimately review it.  So I started off to make the bread as directed. I threw in the three eggs, warm water, and 4 Tbsp of walnut oil.  I mixed with an electric mixer as instructed.  I added the flour one cup at a time.  Somehow, in the middle of it all, my subconscious took over and I ended up doing things my own way by sheer force of habit.  Sure, I added the three eggs, but I skipped another step entirely.  And it still came out. I've been making a lot of gluten-free bread recently, and I've figured out that you can completely skip the second rise...

I love pumpkin, but for some reason, I've never liked pumpkin pie. I've tried to get into it, but it's been over thirty years now and I have to admit that I've been unsuccessful. I have, however, found a solution: Butternut Squash Pie. I make this pie as more of a custard than your standard pumpkin pie. I go a little light on the seasonings and the sugar. Butternut squash is naturally sweet so you don't have to add a ton of sugar. Butternut Squash Pie Recipe (A clever substitute for Pumpkin pie) Have a (gluten-free) pie crust ready to bake. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. With a cleaver or other dependable knife, remove all the seeds and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes: 1.5 lb butternut squash Roast the squash on a baking sheet or roasting pan until it feels done when poked with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Puree the squash in a food processor. In a large bowl, whisk: 3 large eggs Whisk in: 2 1/2 cups of the butt...

I have found that gluten-free crusts aren't too difficult.  What helps to make them easy is, ironically, their lack of gluten. Wheat-based pie crusts are very finicky.  They have to be rolled out correctly the first time or the gluten is developed and the crust becomes tough.  GF crusts don't have this issue. What makes gluten-free crusts tricky is that they tend to crumble and break apart.  However, you can try rolling them out as many times as you like.  If mine doesn't roll out correctly on the first go I just fold it over onto itself and roll it out again.  You can do this many times for a really flaky, layered pastry.  Or, if all else fails, you can just press it into the pan. The hardest part of making pie crusts for me is the timing and the temperature of the ingredients.  You have to keep the bowl, the ingredients, and the blade cold if you don't want to have your dough turn out like this disaster : Don't. There is a lot of wai...

Need some gift ideas for a gluten-free person in your life?  Here are some practical suggestions for things to give or read this holiday season. This holiday season, get your friends and loved ones something they can cherish forever: a book.   The Essential Gluten-free Restaurant Guide by TriumphDining . Know someone with a new baby in their life?  Get them the Eco-nomical Baby Guide: down-to Earth Ways to Save Money and the Planet , written by the authors of GreenBabyGuide.com . Not that they need more press in this circle of friends, but this one is on my wish list: Gluten-free Girl and the Chef Have gluten-free friends?  If they are new to the diet, it's likely they will need some new kitchen equipment to help them in their new culinary pursuits.  Here are some things I've always desired: Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer Chantal 8-inch Omelette Pan You can find these and other culinary tools in Portland or online at Kitchen Kaboodle . Or, if...

One of the only things I miss about eating gluten isn't about eating at all: it's about drinking beer.  I'm always on the lookout for new gluten-free beers, which is why I was eager to try St. Peter's. I enjoyed drinking this beer.  It stands out against other gluten-free lagers for being higher quality, hoppier, and cleaner.   The hoppiness plays nicely against the inevitable metallic flavor that sorghum imparts on a beer. The description on the bottle reads: "A clean, crisp beer with a pilsner style lager finish and aromas of citrus and mandarin from American Amarillo hops.  Made from Sorghum, not wheat or barley.  Brewed with skill and patience in Britain's finest small brewery." I've found St Peter's Sorghum Beer at various GF-friendly grocery stores in the Portland area selling for $6.99.  When weighing the price, keep in mind these factors: 1) It's gluten-free. 2) It's imported. 3) It's from the UK.  They not only ma...

If you're like me, you haven't had a chance to do anything with your turkey leftovers yet.  On Black Friday, I worked all day.  I work in retail, so there was no getting around that!  Yesterday I had a family leftover dinner.  However, I still have plenty of leftovers to deal with, so today I'll be making turkey soup. Use this recipe as a template and make it your own.The ingredients you use will depend on what you have leftover.  Typically you will not need to buy anything extra, which makes this dish very cheap to cook.  Most ingredients in this recipe can be substituted out for something else that you have on hand.  The amount of salt you will need will vary greatly depending on how salty the other ingredients in the dish already are.  Making soup is a very easy way to use your leftovers for a new dish, although it does take some time.  Allow about 4 hours to make this recipe.  Here are the basics on how to make turkey soup ...

Gluten-free Gingerbread Cookie Recipe These cookies are easy enough to work with that you can do gingerbread people, plain circles, or other shapes. In a medium bowl, mix together: 1.5 C  Deluxe Pastry Flour 1/2 cup teff flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (if your pastry mix doesn't already have it) 1/4 tsp salt 3 tsp ginger 1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cardamon 1/4 tsp ground cloves In a large bowl, beat for 3-3 minutes: 6 tsp softened butter 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 egg Add and beat for another minute or two: 1/3 cup molasses 1 tsp vanilla Stir in the dry ingredients a bit at a time until everything is thoroughly blended.  If the dough is very sticky, add a little more pastry flour one tablespoon at a time and beat or knead it in.  The dough should feel manageable at this point.  Divide it in half and wrap the two dough balls in wax paper.  Let them rest for 2-8 hours at room temperature, o...

It's hard to say what you'll remember the most about Andina.  It might be the service, the amazing Peruvian food, the atomosphere, or the stunning presentation.  For me it was the huge gluten-free menu. One of the things that I have liked about going gluten-free has been that it simplifies my dining decisions.  Before going gluten-free, I had always been the person in the party who would mull a bit too long over the many tantalizing options to order.  Now, in most restaurants I simply find the one item on the menu that I think might be easily modified to be gluten-free.  At Andina I didn't have that luxury.  However, at Andina I didn't mind having so many things to choose from. My gluten-free friend and I got the works.  At least, it felt like it.  First of all, they brought us something to snack on instead of bread.  I'm not sure I've ever been to a restaurant that had a gluten-free bread substitute.  It was a delicious fried yucca d...

I've been frequenting New Cascadia Traditional a bit more lately and I've noticed that they have some seasonal pies out.  I've tried their apple pie a few times, and I really like it.  They seem to use the same crust as they do for other pastries such as the sweet gallette. New Cascadia Traditional is a dedicated gluten-free bakery here in Portland.  They take pre-orders on pies for Thanksgiving, or you can stop by and take your chances! Have you tried any of New Cascadia's pies?  What did you think?

Recently I've been obsessed with gluten-free bread.  How does it work?  How do I make it rise?  How do I give it a bread-like flavor?  I've been experimenting with creating my own recipe lately and I've learned a lot.  There are still some things that are a mystery to me, however.  That's why I decided to make Fire and Salt's Gluten Free French Bread for the November Adopt-a-Gluten-free-Blogger event hosted by The Book of Yum . I started with the intention of making the recipe as true to the original as possible.  That being said, I have a hard time restraining myself from putting my own stamp on things, and I love making modifications.  I am also known to be a little haphazard and ill-prepared, so while I double-checked that I had the list of ingredients I forgot to get a French bread pan as Brian (Fire and Salt's blogger extraordinaire) strongly suggests in his blog post.  I even tried to swing by a kitchen store before heading home, but ...