News & Notes

I was excited to announce this week the latest Goodies Giveaway - with a twist. Readers have the opportunity to earn $100 for referring a restaurant that opts to carry Still Riding Pizza. The company, which makes gluten-free pizza pies used by pizzerias and Italian eateries throughout the United States, is offering readers a monetary incentive for suggesting restaurants that decide to add Still Riding's pizza to their menus. All the details are in my Monday post. As a result of a reader referral, Genteel's Trattoria, just outside Princeton, New Jersey in the neighboring town of Skillman, has already agreed to carry the pizza. There's definitely a need for gluten-free pizza in Center City Philadelphia, so hopefully someone can get a place there on board!

On Wednesday, I wrote about Giambri’s gluten-free holiday chocolates that can be purchased at the company’s store in Clementon, New Jersey or ordered online.

The big restaurant news this week was Bertucci’s introduction of a gluten-free menu that includes appetizers, entrees and desserts, although no pizza at the moment. Bertucci’s has many locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Ooka, with Pennsylvania locations in Doylestown (110 Veteran's Lane, 215-348-8185), Montgomeryville (764 Bethlehem Pike, 215-361-1119) and Willow Grove (1109 Easton Road, 215-659-7688), can modify most menu items, including sushi, to be gluten free. The restaurants carry wheat-free soy sauce.

Reader Bethann shared information on Stephen Starr’s Parc French bistro on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia (227 S. 18th Street, 215-545-2262). She told me by email that the restaurant, which uses a separate fryer for its French fries, can accommodate gluten-free diets.

Another reader recommended Cravings Café in Lansdale, Pennsylvania (155 Pennbrook Parkway, 215-855-4500), noting that the chef was knowledgeable on the gluten-free diet and prepared a separate gluten-free sauce upon request.

A commenter wrote that Noble, a modern American restaurant in Philadelphia (2025 Sansom Street, 215-568-7000) was easily able to accommodate both gluten and dairy restrictions.

I added Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s Amaranth Gluten Free Bakery (717-330-4359) to the bakery list, as its products are sold locally at Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square Farmers' Market and Weaver's Way Co-op, Whole Foods in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, and Harvest Market in Hockessin, Delaware.

On the grocery shelf at a local ShopRite, I spotted R.W. Garcia tortilla chips that were boldly labeled “gluten free” on the front of the packages. All of the company's products except for the spicy multi-grain chips (oats) are gluten free.

Amy’s Kitchen has introduced organic mini gluten-free chocolate cakes. Thanks to Maureen at Hold the Gluten for the information.

Woodchuck's limited-edition Oak Aged Cider has been released for the holiday season. The beverage has hints of oak and vanilla, and is a bit lighter than the company's other ciders at 150 calories per 12-ounce bottle. The cider should be available through January 2010.

As part of our family's Thanksgiving meal, I made gluten-free biscuit mix from Duinkerken Foods, based in Prince Edward Island, Canada. (I received a sample bag at the Philadelphia Appetite for Awareness event.) The recipe required the addition of half a stick of shortening and some milk and yielded about 15 biscuits. While not flaky like glutenous ones, the biscuits were crusty on the outside and airy inside. I can’t compare these to other brands since we never made gluten-free biscuits before, but I thought these turned out well, with many gluten-consuming guests enjoying them at our holiday dinner. The mixes can be ordered through the company's online store, but shipping to the United States is pricey.

On a recent weekend morning, I made gluten-free pancakes for the family using a different mix for the first time – Betty Crocker gluten-free yellow cake mix. I used a recipe using the mix posted by a blogger for Betty Crocker and it turned out great! They turned out much better (and a bit sweeter) than any other mix I’ve used in the past, reminiscent of crepes although not as thin. The mix is available at Amazon.com (currently $23.84 for a six-pack ($20.26 with Subscribe & Save)) and in many supermarkets.

Also at Amazon, selected Bob's Red Mill products are on sale at 10 percent off when using code BOBSGLFR at checkout. If you place a Subscribe & Save order, you can save another 15 percent. You can support Gluten Free Philly when purchasing your gluten-free groceries, holiday gifts and other items at Amazon. just click through this link; it won't cost you anything extra.

Keep emailing your restaurant news, product finds and events. Have a great weekend!

Sugar Cane

Few things commemorate the start of the Christmas season more than the annual appearance of candy canes in stores. Giambri's Quality Sweets in Clementon, New Jersey (26 Brand Avenue, 856-783-1099) has a number of Christmas candies that are listed on its website as being gluten free. Among them are the company's all-natural peppermint and lemon candy canes and sticks and dark chocolate Santa pops and crosses.

Most of Giambri's handmade hard candies and chocolate products have their ingredients posted online, and the majority are gluten free. According to the company's allergen statement, designated processing lines are not used for gluten-free products, but all machines are wiped and/or washed before making different products. Owner David Giambri told me that his company's candy canes and other hard candies are made in a different part of the building than where products such as chocolate-covered pretzels are manufactured.

Giambri's has a printable in-store coupon posted on its website good for $5 off any purchase of $25 or more. The coupon is good for use through December 31, 2009.

Goodies Giveaway 7: "Dough" From Still Riding Pizza

I’ve written about Still Riding Pizza before – it’s unique in offering local pizza parlors a way to serve gluten-free pizzas alongside glutenous ones. Still Riding provides restaurants with gluten-free pizza crusts, dedicated cooking pans and cutters, along with instructions on using separate cheese, sauce and toppings so that the pizzas don’t get contaminated. In southeastern Pennsylvania, Wayne's Main Line Pizza and Roman Delight in Southampton serve Still Riding’s delicious pizza. The entire list of restaurants in the United States offering the company’s pies can be found on Still Riding’s website.

Gluten Free Philly readers have the opportunity to get a local pizza place or Italian restaurant to offer Still Riding pizza and get a $100 bonus for themselves as part of the latest giveaway. For every referral of a restaurant to Still Riding Pizza by a customer that results in a “sale,” the referring customer will receive $100 (or the equivalent value in Still Riding pizza crusts, if he or she prefers).

Here are the details: tell the owner of your local restaurant that you’re interested in having him or her serve gluten-free pizza from Still Riding; print an information sheet to give to the owner. If the owner is interested, the customer should forward the owner’s name, the name of the restaurant, the location and phone number to Still Riding Pizza, and Still Riding will contact the owner directly. Mention “Gluten Free Philly” when calling Still Riding at 203-683-7238 with the information; if you prefer, you can send an e-mail containing the information to the company with “Gluten Free Philly” in the subject line. Either way, be sure to provide Still Riding with your own contact information - name, address, phone number and e-mail address.

As part of the offer, Still Riding will provide the restaurant with its first order of pizza crusts, equipment, instructions and setup, all for free. The company also will take out an advertisement in a local newspaper for the restaurant to share the news about the gluten-free pizza option, also at no charge to the owner. If the owner decides to place a second order with Still Riding, the customer who referred the restaurant to the company will get the $100 bonus.

The offer is open to any customer who refers a restaurant that orders Still Riding Pizza beyond the free offer, but there is only one referral bonus allowed per customer. In the event that more than one customer refers the same restaurant (as determined by Still Riding Pizza), the referral amount will be divided among those customers. Eligible referrals must be made to Still Riding Pizza no later than March 31, 2010; however, Still Riding reserves the right to end the offer on another date of its choosing in its sole discretion. Multiple restaurants with the same owner(s) constitute a single referral. The offer is limited to restaurants operating in the continental United States.

I will announce new additions to the roster of Philadelphia-area restaurants offering Still Riding as they occur, and all new restaurants will be added to the locations on the Still Riding website.

News & Notes

I could scarcely believe my eyes this week when I read the headline of an online press release announcing that Domino's Pizza was introducing gluten-free pizza. My excitement was short-lived, though, because while the headline was technically accurate, the release itself revealed that it is the Domino's outlets in Australia that will be serving celiac-friendly pizzas! It will be interesting to see if the company intends to roll out gluten-free pizzas in North America if successful Down Under.

In news closer to home, I wrote on Monday about bed-and-breakfast inns in the tri-state area that serve gluten-free breakfasts to guests. One commenter to the post wrote that the Speedwell Forge B&B in Lititz, Pennsylvania also offers such meals. On Wednesday, I spotlighted the gluten-free meats and cheeses made by Philadelphia's own Dietz & Watson.

I learned this week that the Cock 'n Bull restaurant at Peddlers Village in Lahaska, Pennsylvania (Route 263 and Street Road, 215-794-4000) has a gluten-free pasta option. While shopping at the Village, you can also buy gluten-free cookies, brownies and specialty cakes from Town Crier Bakery (29 Peddlers Lane, 215-794-9910) and gluten-free peanut brittle, nuts, handmade nut butters and most varieties of Korn Krunches from The Nut Kettle (63 Peddlers Lane, 215-794-8494). Town Crier's gluten-free baked goods are made off-premises by celiacs.

The area's newest P.F. Chang's China Bistro is set to open on November 30 at the Providence Town Center in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Customers can now place take-out orders for all area P.F. Chang's locations at the company's online ordering page. Incidentally, the chain is running a holiday gift card offer: purchase $100 in gift cards at any P.F. Chang's restaurant (not online) and receive a $10 Be Our Guest card. The offer ends December 31, 2009.

Another gift-card offer is at Ninety-Nine Restaurants. For every $25 gift card purchased, you will receive a coupon good for $5 off your next meal of $25 or more.

Reader Tara wrote to tell me about the fantastic chicken pot pie she made last weekend using a gluten-free pie crust from Sweet Christine's Gluten-Free Bakery in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The pie crusts are available for $6 each.

Selected Sam’s Club membership warehouse stores have begun selling gluten-free frozen pizzas on a provisional basis, with a pending national roll-out if the pilot program is successful. The pepperoni variety of Isabelle's Best Gluten-Free Pizza is now available at Sam's Club locations in parts of the Eastern and Midwest United States. Stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Dover, Delaware will be participating in the program (call ahead to find out if the location nearest you has them in stock). I found the pizzas at the Sam's Club in Cinnaminson, New Jersey; a package of two 12-inch pies sells for about $14. The pizza, which is distributed by JHS Foods, is made with Domata gluten-free rice flour.

Pre-made gluten-free Dutch Country Soft Pretzels are now being sold in packages of three at natural food stores. I spotted these at Water to Go/Gluten Free Dynasty in Pennsauken, New Jersey, where I bought a package of gluten-free Oreo-style sandwich cookies made by Glutino. I thought they tasted great - they reminded me of Double-Stuf cookies, with lots of creme filling.

At least some Quaker rice cakes are now being labeled gluten-free. I saw the Apple Cinnamon and Lightly Salted flavors marked as such during a visit last week to my local ShopRite.

Shoppers at glutenfree.com, which sells products from Ian's Natural Foods, Glutino and Gluten-Free Pantry among other companies, can get a 10 percent discount off of orders totaling $75 or more; use promotional code November at checkout. Coincidentally, Gluten-Free Pantry packaging is undergoing a redesign, to be implemented before the year is over.

The Bucks/Montgomery chapter of Raising Our Celiac Kids (R.O.C.K.) is holding a holiday party on December 13 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Kids in attendance will decorate cookies, with cookies, frosting and sprinkles to be provided. If you are interested in participating in a cookie swap, bring two dozen cookies to share. Jodie and Bruce Finkel will be hosting the event at their home, located at 2052 Serendipity Way in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania (you may need to enter the town of Skippack if obtaining directions on a GPS device). RSVP to Holly and Steve Staugaitis by phone at 215-997-2706 or by email.

I will be off next week but will return after the Thanksgiving weekend. Be safe and have a wonderful gluten-free holiday!

A Cut Above

Celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, Philadelphia's own Dietz & Watson is famous for its deli meats and cheeses. The company's products do not contain fillers, extenders, artificial flavors or MSG. All of Dietz & Watson's cheeses and meats - with the exception of Scrapple and Bockwurst - are gluten free. (As of this writing, the company has not updated the "Allergy Information" page on its website to reflect this information.)

Dietz & Watson also makes private-label cold cuts for ShopRite Supermarkets under the name Black Bear. According to the Black Bear website, the Scrapple and Bockwurst similarly are not gluten free. Although several other meats are listed on the FAQ page as containing gluten, because Dietz & Watson makes the Black Bear products it's likely that the Black Bear website has outdated information as to those meats as well.

Both product lines are available at the deli counter and in pre-sliced resealable packages. To avoid cross-contamination issues with the deli slicer, I buy the already packaged meats; the packages cost more but give me peace of mind. The Golden Brown Turkey is my older son's favorite, while I'm partial to the zesty Buffalo Chicken. The D&W website has a "Where to Buy" section that lists by zip code the markets carrying the company's products.

Bread and Breakfast

Whether in metropolitan areas or smaller locales without full-service hotels, bed-and-breakfast inns offer visitors more intimate overnight accommodations with a hearty morning meal. B&Bs - usually with 10 or fewer rooms - can serve as a base for an entire vacation or a shorter weekend getaway. The inns typically are family-owned historic private homes that serve complimentary breakfasts. The innkeepers, who serve as hosts to visitors, often live on the property. Most B&Bs offer rooms with private entry and bathrooms.

There are dozens of bed-and-breakfasts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and several offer gluten-free breakfasts - just provide advance notice when making a reservation. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is the home of a number of inns that serve such meals. The list includes The Artist's Inn & Gallery (Terre Hill), The Alden House (Lititz), The Harvest Moon (New Holland), Apple Bin Inn (Willow Street) and King's Cottage (Lancaster).

In Mifflin County - in the middle of the state - is the Weiler Mansion (Belleville). Philadelphia itself has at least one gluten-free-friendly B&B: Spruce Hill Manor in University City, situated in an 1879 Victorian mansion. Bucks County is the home of the The Inn at Stoney Hill (New Hope).

Ocean City, New Jersey, known as "America's Greatest Family Resort," has many B&Bs. One serving gluten-free breakfast is Serendipity (pictured, above). Further north, The Pillars of Plainfield is situated in the Queen City's VanWyck Brooks Historic District.

At the Delaware beaches, the Lazy L at Willow Creek (Lewes) and Delaware Inn (Rehoboth) are two inns that can serve breakfast without gluten.