It's a Salty Subject

I'm very new to baking so I have a lot to learn... exploring and trying some new recipes are fun, but one lesson to remember is do not put too much salt in the cookie batter! Yes. Salt to some symbolize purity, perfection, wisdom, hospitality, durability, and fidelity, but when it comes to sea salts which have an incredible flavor composition follow the direction and even use less! It is vital to great cooking, but when you over do it with salt you ruin the cookie on the first bite. Trust me when telling you the most valuable lesson I had ever learned on TV was during a FULL HOUSE episode in the 80s when Becky said, "less is more" and that applies to much more than baking...

Surprise Foods Containing Poision!

Be wary... you have to because this is your life... It's common for us to read and then re-read ingredient listings thoroughly and always to check with the source to be sure foods are gluten free. Here is a brief list of foods that you certainly should be checking out to be sure you find an alternate. Some of these may surprise you:

*chicken broth
*vitamins
*bouillon cubes
*soy sauce
*red licorice
*blue cheese
*mustard
*fruit punch
*play dough

Bad Bakery, Bad

Don't you just love that warm, sweet sensation from breathing in freshly baked bread and pastries at the nearby bakery/cafe? It makes you smile doesn't it? Perhaps you even do a little dance? Great.... well not so great for Celiacs. That's actually a poorly thought out concept. Spending extended amounts of time in a bakery surfin' your laptop breathing in the particles of goodness, could for some very sensitive Celiacs get you ill. And if there is enough freshly baked items in there, there could be flour dust contamination to the coffee, tea, fruit, smoothies or cups, etc. Daang.... The grass is always greener on the next block or two so go hang out at a coffee shop that won't kill ya. I'm sure the coffee there will be just as good.

Launch Of The Gold Star Awards ...

I'll give you one secret about Denver, since there are too many in reality to share with you today ... There are endless gluten free options. I've spoken with hostesses, waiters and even bus boys @ restaurants, bartenders, grocery staff, acquaintances and straight up strangers from the hood here in Denver and everyone has heard of Celiac Disease and knows more or less what the restrictions are about... Of course some people do not know the full extent, but those in the restaurant business certainly do and again we're not talking about only chefs. In my experience the front end is VERY familiar with it and will triple check all orders with the kitchen to ensure me as a patron I was pleased. As the face of a place, these employees deserve kudos... Here is the beginning of Gluten Free G's new gold star program... Congratulations Denver for earning the first Gold Star Award!!!

Does Gluten Sensitivity Mean Sensitive Skin?

The Gluten Free Fox has a brief article about the sensitivities to our skin and how they could certainly be affected by our allergies to gluten or other ingredients:

"Here are some of the more common natural ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin:

lavender: Even though it is typically thought of of soothing or calming, many people do experience allergic reactions.
bismuth oxychloride: This mineral makeup additive creates a healthy-looking shimmer effect, but may contain irritating heavy metals.
chamomile: Though less common, this calming flower can also product topical allergies.
carmine: Sometimes thought of as "the only true red found in nature," this bright red pigment is made by grinding up beetle parts and causes skin irritation to many.
tea tree oil: Especially if undiluted, this acne-fighting oil can cause skin irritation."

See the full link here: http://ow.ly/1oPTFY

Classic Bad Serving

Now this is just classic bad serving... Yesterday I went out to dinner with some cousins to a new seafood restaurant and they had a GF menu. The restaurant was not too busy at all so I was feeling good about what was about to happen. I ordered the salmon salad which was probably the easiest item to make on the menu without screwing it up GF. It was similar to the regular order but without noodles and capers. Waitress was confident to bring it with ease for me. I trusted her. It comes out salmon blackened, with noodles and capers. They completely screwed it up and the chef didn't make the GF version. Wow! Wow! The waitress didn't check and it came to my table as POISION on a plate, basically, hahaha. Luckily, I did the usual fork lift and shuffle and inspected the food before putting it in my mouth, but damn, classic mess up and a near gigantic accident. If you are not sure if this is the right meal on your own, definitely wait, be patient, and have the server inspect it for you to be sure they see it because they should know the menu best! But seriously you can't trust anyone when you go out to eat but yourself. You have to question people (kindly) and even sometimes your own parent, friend or family member because they don't necessarily know what is best. Because the only person that gets screwed when you don't is you! It's you who gets sick and when that is my case, I won't let that happen if I can hep it. Sigh. Another upsetting Gluten Free meal out to eat.