Friday, March 26, 2010

News & Notes: March 26, 2010

I've just returned from Clearwater, Florida, where I saw some Phillies Spring Training action for the first time in person. While the weather was hit-and-miss, people certainly are stoked for the start of baseball season. Though Mets fans continue to envy the Phillies' recent success, they can boast of one advantage: access to a new, completely gluten-free concession stand at Citi Field in New York.

While I was away, I posted an item about a celiac-awareness benefit dinner in Philadelphia at Sauté scheduled for this Sunday night.

I've added two other Philadelphia restaurants to the restaurant list this week. Just-opened 500 Degrees (1504 Sansom Street, 215-568-5000), from the owners of Rouge, offers gluten-free burgers (sans bun), fries and shakes made with Bassett's ice cream.

Thanks to the tipster who mentioned that Percy Street Barbeque (900 South Street, 215-625-8510) has lots of menu items for celiacs and those with gluten intolerance. Chef Erin O'Shea says that all of the meats and sandwich fillings, including the brisket and sausage, are gluten free - just order without the bread or roll. In addition, the deviled eggs, avocado salad, "Percy" chopped salad and root beer chili appetizers are made without gluten. Safe sides are pinto beans, coleslaw, German potato salad, collard greens and black-eyed pea salad, and a root beer float is available for dessert. The chef added that the kitchen keeps separate spoon drops for each item that is being prepared to avoid cross-contamination. The restaurant recently garnered a solid two-bell review from Craig LaBan, food critic at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

A "to-order" gluten-free bakery new to the South Jersey area is Medford's Tesori's Gluten Free Treats (732-337-9690). There's free local delivery for orders over $35. I'll have more on the bakery in a future post.

The website for another gluten-free bakery, My Gluten Free Baker in West Chester, has been dark of late. I haven't been able to reach the owner by e-mail or phone. If anyone has information on the company, please drop me a line.

More new products from Glutino are on the way. The company debuted chocolate-covered and yogurt-covered pretzels and vanilla and chocolate donuts at the recent Natural Products West food show. The products should hit stores in May.

R.W. Garcia has extended its gluten-free MixtBag tortilla chip line to include a Red & Yellow mix. Made from all natural, non-GMO stone-ground corn, the Red & Yellow MixtBag offers stone-ground yellow corn tortilla chips mixed with red beet tortilla chips. MixtBag tortilla chips are available locally at ShopRite.

For those of you going to tonight's Sixers game, enjoy the gluten-free festivities. Have a great weekend!
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