Holiday Pies

Before going GF, I was an avid (and darn good) baker. But even then, there were some things that I preferred to leave to the pros (aka bakeries and my grandma), like pies. This fall, I tried to make a GF pie and it was a massive fail. When Thanksgiving rolled around, I knew I wanted to serve pie and didn't have time to experiment further. So I turned to Whole Foods and their Gluten-Free Bakehouse line. In a word: WIN. I bought two pies - one apple crumb, one pumpkin - each for under $13(!) and they were delicious. Light, flaky crust and excellent filling - better than homemade. They came frozen; all I needed to do was defrost them in the fridge overnight. (But I heated the apple one up prior to serving and topped with vanilla ice cream. Delicious.) My guests were mostly gluten-eaters and pleasantly surprised by how good GF can be.

Don't have a Whole Foods near you? Want to buy local instead? Here are some NYC-area businesses offering GF pies. Many require pre-order for the holidays, so make note of those deadlines:

Crespella (pies are baked by Las Delicias)
Sun In Bloom
Three Dogs Gluten-Free Bakery
Tulu's Gluten-Free Bakery
Babycakes
Everybody Eats

(Not all of the above businesses have their December holiday menus up on their websites yet, though some have them listed on Facebook.)

So, please - don't let your GF diet and/or a fear of making pie crust(!) keep you from enjoying traditional holiday pies this season!

** On a more personal note: Regrets for the blogging lapse. Have been dealing with some health issues over here in GFbird Land and needed to focus my energy there. Feeling better and hope to be back more often, sharing the good GF word!**

Celebrate Cider Week! An Original Sin Cider and Pizza Tasting at PIE

Celebrate Cider Week at PIE, with a gluten-free pizza and hard cider tasting! Sample over 20 types of delicious gluten-free pizza (including apple pizza for dessert!) and meet the cider maker. Gidon, owner of Original Sin Hard Cider will be leading tastings of his Apple, Cherry Tree & Newtown Pippin varieties.

With over 80 establishments participating in Cider Week, this is the ONLY gluten-free event on the roster. This event is open to the public, but the owner of PIE has made 25 advance tickets available to the NYC Celiac Disease Meetup group. Join now (it's free and takes just a minute!) and secure your ticket here.

When: Wednesday, October 19th 6-10pm. Come on over whenever you can; pies and cider will be available throughout the evening.

Where: PIE. 124 4th Ave bet 12th & 13th St. (212.475.4977) Note: PIE usually serves both gluten-free and regular pizza, taking every precaution to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. This event is strictly gluten-free, with no regular pies for sale for its duration.

Price: $25 (+tax) per person. A portion of the proceeds to be donated to the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University.

Event: GF Pizza, Beer, and Cider Tasting at PIE

Do you know PIE? It's a pizzeria right off of Union Square that makes amazing GF pies. The owner, Jeffrey, is GF and dedicated to making safe and authentic pizza for his fellow GFers. I became acquainted with the eatery and owner at a NYC Celiac Disease Meetup held there in 2010, an event where we were able to try many (so many!) of the GF menu options. Jeffrey's hosting a similar event this Thursday:

No need to RSVP - just stop on by and join the party! (7-9pm, $25)