Care to Meetup?

Are you familiar with Meetup? It allows folks to organize online around a common interest and meet up in person for fun activites. Here in NYC, we have two active gluten-free Meetup groups: The NYC Celiac Disease Meetup and the Brooklyn Gluten-Free Meetup.

We have a lot of fun events coming up, including three dinners at local gluten-free friendly restaurants.  It's free to join and registration takes just a couple of minutes. Sign up now for details and to register for events!

Smorgasburg (DUMBO Edition)

For all my love of small, local food producers, I just could not bring myself to attend Smorgasburg the past couple of years. I'd heard from fellow celiacs that there weren't many safe offerings; last thing I wanted to do was go watch my friends eat tasty things while I ate (yet another) LARA bar. Also: Crowds and waiting in long lines? For the birds. Oh, and I'm not a fan of Williamsburg. I've tried - truly! - but just not my scene.

Turns out I'm now in walking distance of the Sunday Smorg in DUMBO and after checking the vendor list, found there are things I can eat this year! So I rounded up some friends and walked down right after opening (11am) to avoid the crowds and lines.

11:30am. Quiet. No lines. Joy. 

I walked a loop around the site, stopping to inquire re: gluten-free options here and there. First promising stand, Saucy by Nature, which had GF options marked on their board. Sadly, upon inquiry, I found their fare to be unsafe, as they cook everything - including regular pita bread - on the same griddle.

Alas, not really gluten-free. 

Next up, Hash Bar, which serves highbrow takes on that humble breakfast staple, hash. (No website, so find them on Twitter at @hash_bar). They don't serve any gluten-containing products - hooray! Wasn't in the mood for breakfast food, but I'll be back at their stall another day.

No gluten ingredients used - on my list for next time! 

Was happy to see gluten-free friendly Mighty Quinn's (read my review here), but wasn't up for BBQ right then. Onward.

So gluten-free friendly!

I've heard good things about Palenque and they had GF items marked on the menu, but there was a bit of a line, so I kept moving. Will check it out next time.

Wanted something carby and cheesy, and found it in pupusas from Solber Pupusas, a Red Hook-based vendor.

Ding, ding, we have a winner! 

Pupusas are corn cakes stuffed with cheese and savory fillings. Solber has a variety of options, including fish, pork, chicken, and a number of vegetarian options. All of their menu items are gluten-free. I went with the pupusa platter ($7) which included two pupusas, pickled cabbage, sour cream, jalapenos, and tomato sauce. Delicious - totally hit the spot.

Next up: dessert. I noticed at least one purveyor (Blue Marble) of that old celiac stand-by, ice cream, in attendance, but wanted to try something different, something I couldn't get just anywhere.

One of my friends had snagged a regular ice cream sandwich from The Good Batch and excitedly told me that they had GF ice cream sandwiches, too! Went to check it out and was shown a beautiful ice cream sandwich made with giant flourless chocolate cookies and mint chocolate chip ice cream. While they are careful to use clean equipment/avoid cross-contamination, the GF cookies ARE baked while regular ones are being made in the same space. I've been glutened a few times recently and just wasn't up for taking a risk that day, though may give it a go another time. (Anyone tried it?)

I have to give a shout out to the rep working that day - she was cheerful and utterly patient with all my questions and not miffed in the least when I decided it wasn't a safe option for me. Best case scenario exchange.

This place, whimsy & spice, offered a gluten-free bar, but it was the only GF item AND on display (unwrapped) on a cake stand right next to regular baked goods. So, yeah, no to that. NEXT.

NOT a safe option.

After a few other not-worth-mentioning misses, I circled back to my safety, the vendor I had researched and knew to be GF-friendly: Danny Macaroons! (The only one we can't have is their Black Chocolate Stout macaroon, which has beer in it.)

Cute little bag:

Your first macaroon is $3 and there are price breaks on additional items purchased. I went with two (for $5), a chocolate and a salted caramel.

Delicious. Very moist and the toppings make them more decadent than your average macaroon.

Aside from the food, the venue is fantastic. From the vendor area I spied Jane's Carousel:

And there's plenty of room on the grassy lawn to plunk yourself down and enjoy this view:

Views like this make me grateful to live in Brooklyn. 

Bottom line: I ate well, didn't get sick, and had a thoroughly enjoyable time - I'll be back. In fact, I'm even going to brave the G train on a Saturday and head over to the Williamsburg Smorgasburg soon! There are some vendors (see: Krumville, CakeBites) that I need to visit over there. 

Smorgasburg has two locations: Williamsburg on Saturdays, and DUMBO on Sundays. Vendor lists for the coming weekend are posted every Friday. 

Souen (Manhattan)

Souen is an organic macrobiotic restaurant with three locations - SoHo, Union Square, and the East Village. All three locations have their charms, but the East Village is my favorite. Small (maybe 24 seats?), narrow, and hushed, it is a relaxing space to dine in. Upon entering, you duck under sheer cloths hung just above the entryway; as you straighten back up, you're greeted by muted decor, soft lighting, and mellow music - all in direct contrast to the hustle and bustle of narrow E 6th Street outside.

East Village location, early on a Sunday 

While the menu varies a bit from restaurant to restaurant, the basics are the same - and all three are wonderful about food restrictions, able to prepare the majority of the menu items gluten-free. With so many options, I tend to get overwhelmed and default to one of three favorites: The fish entree, macro plate, or sushi. This week I tried something new, the white sesame ramen:

Big bowl of goodness

Souen offers white and brown rice noodles for their gluten-free ramen, as well as add-ins such as meat or fish. (I opted for brown rice noodles and added shrimp.) While there were lots of tasty morsels in there, the broth is the star of this dish - silky smooth, pleasantly briny, with a mild sesame flavor - complex yet comforting. While happy with my choice,  I spent the meal coveting the lunch box my dining companion had ordered:

One of everything, please. 

A beautiful piece of fish (salmon or black cod) with tasty accompaniments, including pickled vegetables and a lovely little salad with seaweed. Souen does fish well and I'm always happy when I order it there. Plus, at $14, the price is so right.

Bottom line: Souen is very gluten-free/allergy friendly and I've never had a problem at any of their three restaurants. They offer healthy, delicious, and SAFE food at very reasonable prices. Highly recommend.

Souen has three locations:  210 6th Ave (at Prince St.), 28 E 13th St. (betw University Pl and 5th Ave), and 326 East 6th St (betw 1st and 2nd Aves). 

Siggy's Good Food (Manhattan)

Having had a great experience at Siggy's Good Food in Brooklyn, I decided to try their new Manhattan outpost for brunch a few weeks ago. They recently took over the space at 292 Elizabeth St., former home to one of my all-time gluten-free friendly favorites, the now defunct Rice.

Space hadn't been changed too much - some different light fixtures and decorations.

Thankfully, the fireplace was still being used:

Toasty 

We settled into a corner seat, right next to the crackling fire. As at Siggy's in Brooklyn, the menu is clearly marked with many GF options. Our server was fantastic about my gluten-free needs, answering all my questions thoroughly and with good cheer. I opted for a goat cheese and vegetable omelette with potatoes and salad. No dedicated GF toaster at this point, so I skipped the toast with my meal.

Beautiful brunch plate, no?

Absolutely delicious and I didn't have a gluten reaction. I don't know what magic Siggy's uses on their potatoes but, white or sweet, I hold them up as what a breakfast potato should be - well-seasoned, uniformly soft within, but with a crisped roasty exterior.

Excellent food and service. Also conveniently located a couple of blocks from the Angelika, aka one of my favorite places to see a movie. (Brunch + a matinee = a beautfiul weekend thing.) Oddly, this outpost of Siggy's is now closed on Sundays, so you'll have to get your brunch on between 12-4 on Saturdays.


Siggy's Good Food has two locations, at 292 Elizabeth St (betw Houston and Bleeker) in Manhattan and 76 Henry St. (betw Pineapple and Orange) in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn location is closed on Mondays and the Manhattan location is closed on Sundays. 

Utica Greens (Gasp, a Recipe!)

I rarely share recipes on here, but this one is so good, it would be rude of me not to: 

When I got a craving for escarole with hot peppers and breadcrumbs - an Italian dish I first encountered in Utica, NY about 15 years ago - I turned to Google, hoping to find something similar that I could adapt to gluten-free. Lo and behold, the first result: Utica Greens, by Marie over on Feeling Foodish. I made my first batch on the spot and, lemme just tell you, it was like being back at The Chesterfield in Utica. Serious Italian greens. I followed her recipe with only slight modifications, and she's graciously allowed me to share it with you here. 

Ingredients: 

2 heads escarole or broccoli rabe 

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 hot cherry peppers, diced (can sub pepperoncini if you want to dial down the heat)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano 

1/2 cup chicken broth (Please don't skip the broth - it makes the dish)

Instructions: 

Bring salted water to boil in a soup pot. Add thoroughly washed greens once water comes to a boil. Cook until tender (5-10 min), drain, and set aside. 

While you're cooking the greens, you can toast the breadcrumbs. I use Schar, which are pale and neutral in flavor. 

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned to your liking. 

Before

After

Let cool, then mix in the pecorino romano. 

In large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons each of olive oil and butter over medium heat. 

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

Add peppers, cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add greens and chicken broth, cooking until chicken broth is absorbed. 

Add breadcrumb/cheese mixture and stir to combine. 

I can't even. So good. 

Great the next day and freezes well. I made a massive lasagne last week and froze these greens alongside individual portions of lasagne - kickass lunches for over a week.

A Happy (Gluten-Free) Birthday

My birthday was a couple weeks ago and I had a party at my place. I considered serving a sit down dinner, but when the guest list swelled to 20, I knew I'd have to switch gears. I also had some guests with additional food restrictions to contend with, including dairy, vinegar, sugar, yeast, as well as one guest with anaphylactic salmon and Brazil nut allergies. I learned a few things in the process of hosting this shindig, so am here to share. 

Thing #1: There's no need to cook everything yourself.  

I opted to cook one dish (quiche) and buy or assemble (see: guac) everything else. I live in a food mecca; seemed a shame not to take advantage of that. 

The menu: 

Spinach feta kalamata quiches 

A selection of great cheeses, including my favorite, boucheron

Quince paste

Schar table crackers

Guac and chips

Baba ganouj and hummus (from Sahadi's)

Feta za'atar dip (from Trader Joe's, of all places - runaway favorite savory thing at the party)

Sesame rice crackers

Lentil crackers (from Mediterranean Snacks. So good - the Gluten Eaters couldn't believe they were GF)

Dolmas

Crudite

Some of the goods

Dairy fat close-up:

Delectable cheeses on my GF board (a wonderful gift I received a couple of years ago and use all the time)

The one savory thing I cooked:

One of the quiches 

Thing #2: It's not your job to make every menu item meet every person's dietary restrictions/choices.

I have a few guidelines for when I host friends:

(1) If I invite you over for a small dinner party, say 4-6 people, most of the menu will meet your dietary restrictions/choices (i.e. if I ask three dairy-free vegetarians over, I won't serve meat lasagne.)

(2) For larger gatherings, like my birthday party, I will make sure there is at least one dish you can eat. With so many people, I focus on medically necessary dietary restrictions, in this case: celiac, lactose intolerance, and the severe nut and fish allergies.

(3) Whatever the occasion, once I finalize the menu, I send an email to anyone with food restrictions to let them know what I'll be serving. This way they can assess whether they need to eat beforehand and/or bring a dish to share. (I try to send this out >24 hours in advance.)

Personally, I like to know the menu ahead of time when I'm a guest so I can bring a GF something or eat a dish similar to what they're serving - helps to quell cravings.

***

And now, the cakes.

A GF cake big enough to feed 20 people would have been insanely expensive to buy and I've been disappointed in the birthday cakes I've had from local GF bakeries, so I opted to bake at home. I used to be an excellent baker in my pre-celiac days, but I just have zero interest in from-scratch GF baking. So I bought two mixes, the yellow and chocolate cake mixes from Pamela's. (Both are dairy-free, btw, though I added tons of dairy to the finished product.) My MO when I have to bake now is to use a mix, but doctor it up with high quality fillings, frostings, etc.

Thing #3: Make the cake ahead of time. (No, really.)

I knew I didn't want to make two cakes the day of the party, so I baked the four layers off three days ahead, flash froze them (see Smitten Kitchen for tips), and took them out the morning of, about an hour before assembly. I made my fillings and frostings and then sliced each layer in half. I was stunned at how easy it was to do when they were semi-frozen! Clean cuts, (relatively) even layers, and no broken pieces. I filled, frosted, and popped those babies into the fridge until the guests arrived. A couple of hours out at room temp gave the frosting and filling plenty of time to soften up. The results:

Texas Italian Cream cake

Chocolate sour cream cake with brandied ganache 

In short, a small dairy fat festival in my kitchen (and arteries). The Texas Italian Cream is an old favorite - coconut cake with nuts, lemon cream cheese frosting, and a coconut dusting. but I didn't love it with this particular cake mix; came out a bit gummy and dry. The chocolate, on the other hand, was slammin'. I added sour cream to the cake and used Guittard bittersweet chocolate to make a ganache, reserving half, and adding brandy to the remainder. I used the brandied ganache as a filling and whipped the rest until stiff enough to frost. It was the runaway favorite of the night, prompting some "I can't believe this is gluten-free" comments from some Gluten Eaters, a sure sign of success.

Since there's little sadder than everyone having cake but you, I snagged delicious DF/GF tarts in flavors similar to that of the cakes for my dairy-free friends:

Tasty GF/DF tarts

In the end: One of the most fun birthdays I've had in years. Low on stress, as all the food was prepped ahead of time and I wasn't stuck in the kitchen all night. I highly recommend keeping it simple and not stressing over store bought vs. homemade. Make what you're good at and buy the rest. Oh, and ain't no shame in using a cake mix, no matter what Pinterest and Twitter tell you.

Char No 4 (Brooklyn)

Brunch can be a problem for gluten-free folks. You'd think eggs and potatoes would be easy but, what with toast, pancakes and such in the mix, cross-contamination is a worry. Thing is? Brunch is basically a sport in NYC, and not being able to participate can feel like a social liability. 

So I was beyond excited to hear that a restaurant near me, Char No 4, might be a celiac-safe spot. A new member of my Booklyn Gluten-Free Meetup group shared that he'd dined there successfully - and had heard that a relative of the owner has celiac, always a good sign. After emailing with the restaurant about GF options, I decided to make a reservation via OpenTable for brunch on my birthday, noting my gluten-free needs in the "special requests" field. A whiskey bar with southern-inspired American fare, I knew Char No 4 would please my non-celiac friends, too. 

We decided to do early-ish brunch in the hopes of avoiding crowds, but even at noon it was pretty darn busy. So glad I'd made a reservation on OpenTable! Upon check-in, the host said she'd alert the waiter to my gluten-free needs. We only waited about 10 minutes to be seated, but still really appreciated that a Char staffer was over within a minute to offer us ice water while we waited. A good sign, we said aloud - and it was; the service was excellent throughout, even though the place was PACKED by the time we left. 

Upon being seated, I started to ask our server about the gluten-free options and he said that he was gluten-free, too - a birthday miracle! Wanting to ensure a happy rest of my birthday, I asked him to just pick something for me from the safest options on the menu. Result: a roasted red pepper and cheese omelette with some outstanding potatoes, sans fried scallions, which are dredged in flour prior to cooking. 

Simple. Delicious.

Food was great, the Char folks kept our mugs full of excellent coffee, and - huzzah - I felt fine after! 

Bottom line: I've finally found a safe gluten-free brunch spot in my 'hood. Not only did I eat well and safely, it was a no-fuss affair. I wish more restaurants in Brooklyn would use OpenTable - makes explaining your gluten-free needs so much easier! 

Char No 4 is located at 196 Smith St. (between Baltic and Warren), Brooklyn, NY. 718-643-2106