If you're going to San Francisco....

...be sure to visit Nopalito.

The lovely person who I spoke to at Mariposa Bakery recommended Nopa as a good place to eat if you're after good gluten-free food. That eve I went to look them up on the web and while doing so discovered that they had a sister restaurant in the same area that did Mexican food and was a bit more casual. Given that I was traveling with one Mexican food fan and another Mexican food obsessive, it seemed like a good bet, so we rang them up and got on the waiting list for that evening.

Nopalito was the food highlight of my trip. When we sat down we asked the waiter about the menu and he knew straight away what was what. All tortillas pure corn, and the only two things on the menu containing any gluten were pork dishes that I wouldn't have chosen anyway. Absolutely delicious, all of it.

Wonderful San Francisco Bakery

After a bad start on the flight, things got better on arrival in San Francisco. During our Sunday wander around I made a point of stopping off at the Ferry Terminal to look for an outlet of the Mariposa Baking Company, who I'd come across online. They are based in Oakland but have a little stand in the ferry building, which is also home to all manner of lovely food shops and delis.


And Wow - what a fantastic gluten free selection! Bagels, focaccia, ciabatta, baguettes... I had a bit of a squealy moment, soon dampened by the realisation that I was staying in a hotel with no means to heat or toast anything. But they had sandwiches for sale (another squeal) but only salami, which I still can't bring myself to eat. The Mariposa people were fab tho, and suggested taking a baguette to another shop for a filling. They recommended roasted pork from around the corner, but that's not really my thing, so I went to a cheese shop and bought some lovely herbed (read "urbed") soft cheese and made a little picnic:










Fab. My travelling companions had baguettes from another bakery, and we sat in the sun by the Bay Bridge and munched on lovely food. When you've not had a decent sandwich for many months, you can get very excited about simple bread and cheese.
I also bought cinammon rolls and coffee cakes for the next few days' breakfast, and they were extremely tasty.

If Mariposa was in my neighbourhood I'd be a very happy Coeliac indeed.
Oh, and they also had this selection of cakes and muffins:

If you're Coeliac, don't fly Virgin Atlantic

I went to San Francisco last week on a work trip. Have only flown BA since diagnosis, but with the strikes and wanting to fly with a friend who'd already booked, I went Virgin. Of course I pre-booked gluten free food.

On the way out I was pleasantly surprised with a lunch that was GF and vegetarian! (I've been eating chicken since diagnosis out of necessity but am still a veggie at heart so was really pleased by the veggie dish). It went downhill from there tho. An hour later ice creams came round, and after analysis of the label I decided it was ok to eat one. An hour later - warm wraps. A veggie and meat option, but both in flour tortillas, so obviously no good, but I wasn't too hungry so not bothered.

Several hours later, however, (and 7 hours after lunch) "tea" was served. Sandwiches, with a cookie. I asked about gluten free and the cabin crew asked around then looked bemused. I was given a bag of grapes, because "nothing else was loaded on the plane". The guy was very apologetic, but I was left hungry.

I emailed Virgin, explaining that I hoped this was a one-off. But sadly, on the way back, the same thing. Ok meal after take-off, then when everyone else got savoury croissants and a muffin for breakfast, I got leftover fruit from premium economy (it was on china plates with metal cutlery - kind of a giveaway). That's really pretty rubbish, as I pointed out to the cabin crew: eight squares of pineapple and melon doesn't really count as a "meal". This time around instead of apologising they were quite dismissive and explained that fruit was the only option, in a manner that suggested I was rather above myself for expecting anything else if I was to be so troublesome as to be coeliac.

I've written to Virgin Atlantic to complain, once for each journey. I'm told by the auto-response that I may get a result in 28 days. I'm not holding out.

Big fail for Virgin Atlantic on the coeliac front.

PITAC

Can't remember where I read it or I'd credit, but this is my Acronym of the Moment (AOTM). Pain in the A*** Coeliac.

When you ask to check the menu before a restaurant is booked. When you ask people not to leave breadcrumbs in the butter. When you have to ask about every ingredient because you're pretty sure the waiter doesn't get it, and you hold up everyone else's orders while he goes to ask the chef for the third time.

Oh it's the PITAC again. Sigh.

More Misconceptions

Upon being offered (and refusing) a sausage roll at a neighbour's house:

"Oh, you're not vegetarian are you?"

"Well, yes, sort of, but I'm also coeliac, so it's the pastry that's more an issue."

"Oh poor you. Ever so sorry we don't have anything suitable"

"No really don't worry"

"Funny thing is we used to have loads of things that would be suitable. Husband used to have that, but since he got better we don't any more".

Erm, got better? That ain't coeliac. Sigh.

F*****g hundreds and thousands

So I spent ages this weekend making things: gluten free birthday cake for NGFH because his mum was down early for his birthday. Then, as we had to cook dinner too, and GF desserts are impossible to buy, I made a GF apple crumble. (This is possibly the 4th time in my life I have made a dessert from scratch. You just don't get GF desserts ready-made.)

All was good, but felt bloated in the eve, and then woke up early this morning very uncomfortable. Put it down to the fact that I'd undulged in custard, and milk in my coffee the night before. Got on with things in a fatigued kind of way.

In the afternoon NGFH told me I looked very tired, which made me cross, but also made me think. I checked the custard pot from the night before, but it was ok. So we sat down and had tea and the rest of the GF birthday cake. Halfway in it hit me: what about the cake decs? I was sure I'd checked them all.

Quick into the kitchen. Hundreds and Thousands. Gluten.

DOH.

I cried.

I'm still liable to burst into tears about it. I checked EVERY ingredient in everything yesterday. Apart from the effing hundreds and thousands, which NGF Son had spread liberally across the cake.

Officially fed up now.

Fed up of Free-From

So the GF thing I was ok with, but 5 or 6 weeks after being on the diet I started to feel progressively worse and couldn't work out why. I checked everything I was eating: preparation methods, chopping boards - you name it, but couldn't spot a surreptitious source of gluten.

Then a few days a go a had a few really bad days of bloating and stomach pain and spotted a trend: dairy. Started after breakfast (GF cereal with milk), got worse as I had cups of tea with milk, and then mozzarella on my GF salad for lunch. So as an experiment I picked up some soya milk and dairy-free spread (for my unpalatable bread) and tried a day or two without.

Result? Feel loads better. Physically. Bloating and pains gone. Have dropped a size on my waist in the space of 24 hours.

Mentally? Not good. Gluten free, dairy free, non-red meat eating - not a good combo. Lunch options reduced to one salad bar* if I don't take my own. Dinner options dwindling. Cake for nonGF husband's birthday this weekend seeming impossible. Cheese. I love cheese. It makes veggie food tasty. It makes GF pasta bearable. And chocolate... sob.

There's a reasonable chance this intolerance is temporary, and once my small intestine heals I will be able to reintroduce dairy. (I need to focus on that when I'm looking for a quick dinner because I'm knackered after work and NGFH is out for the eve and I just want an easy meal and realise there's no such thing for gluten and dairy-free people and I feel tears welling up in my eyes and try very hard not to cry in the middle of the M&S food hall.)

Ho hum.


*Alpha Bar in Oxford's covered market is pretty much saving my sanity with tasty veg/vegan options galore. But even their lovely lentils get a bit dull if they are the only option in town.