
At the VIP reception that kicked off the event, John Binswanger and his family were feted for their longstanding contributions to the NFCA. Binswanger is the chairman of Binswanger & Company, which manages major commercial building projects in the Delaware Valley and elsewhere.
My older son and I covered a lot of ground that night, sampling our way through the concourse to the Marketplace section that covered about half the floor of the Wachovia Center. We chatted with Christine Ruggio of Sweet Christine's Gluten-Free Bakery in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Christine had mini frosted donuts that were better than anything made by Entenmann's. Before heading into the arena proper, we also sampled focaccia from Aunt Gussie's and several breads from Lancaster, Pennsylvania's Amaranth Gluten Free Bakery (formerly Spice of Life). While several vendors offered slices of gluten-free pizza, we were most impressed with the top-and-bake pizza shells from DeIorio's, made under its Violet Packing brand. Right now, the company's product is only sold at wholesale commercially, but hopefully they will distribute to the retail level soon.

We also met Sweet Freedom's Heather Esposito and Allison Lubert, who plan to open their gluten-free bakery on Philadelphia's South Street in early November. They sampled their chocolate chip cookies, which were so soft and chewy.

I was so happy for my son and other first-time guests to partake in this great event, which has evolved from a small reception in a private home to a convention of sorts for Philadelphia's growing gluten-free community. With its growing popularity, Appetite for Awareness should draw even more attendees and raise awareness of celiac disease even further in the years to come.
No comments: