Friday, April 27, 2012

News & Notes: April 27, 2012

Peter McAndrews just keeps 'em coming. Not long after opening Popolino in Northern Liberties, the chef is about to debut his fifth Italian concept - the first outside of Philadelphia. La Porta in Edgmont (1192 N. Middleton Rd., 610-358-5104), due open on May 1, will have pizza sensa glutine prepared and baked in a separate area.

Lots of additions in the First State this week (the home of tax-free shopping, you know). FireStone in Wilmington (110 S. West St., 302-658-6626) has a gluten-free menu with appetizers, salads, entrees, bunless sandwiches and sides.

Mad Mac's in Newark (801 S. College Ave., 302-737-4800) has gluten-free mac & cheese, prepared separately from other kinds. Living Social is currently running a deal for Mad Mac's: $10 for $20 worth of mac-&-cheese delivery or $15 for $30 worth of dine-in fare.

The PureBread chain of cafes, with locations in Wilmington (500 Delaware Ave., 302-421-9866; 4801 Limestone Rd., 302-239-9866), Greenville (4001 Kennett Pike, 302-426-9866), Newark (1309 Churchmans Rd., 302-455-9866) and Glen Mills, Pennsylvania (100 Evergreen Dr., 610-358-9866) has gluten-free bagels and lists gluten-free soups and salads on its menu.

To promote a greater level of food safety, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is introducing a tiered credentialing system for restaurants that will enable gluten-free diners to understand restaurant practices through a voluntary and transparent disclosure process. The GREAT Kitchen's Green Designation means that a restaurant has verified ingredients and has undertaken comprehensive training and strict cross-examination controls. An Amber Designation means that a restaurant has verified ingredients and undertaken basic server training, but kitchen practices may vary widely.

Toté in the Italian Market (1024 S. 9th Street, 215-551-5511) has been renamed Taffets, as chef Omer Taffet and his wife are now co-owners of the bakery.

Free Is For Me Desserts (609-920-3086) bakes gluten-free cheesecakes exclusively, out of Hainesport, New Jersey. Delivery is free within Burlington County, with a $1 charge to Camden and Gloucester counties.

On the other side of the Delaware, Sensational Soiree in Bensalem (215-964-3805) specializes in gluten-free wedding cakes (and wedding planning). The cakes are made with coconut flour.

Crocodile Catering in Wayne (610-971-9993) can prepare gluten-free salads and other meals for events in Philadelphia and the western suburbs. (Hat tip to Molly H.)

Sesame Place in Langhorne (100 Sesame Rd., 215-752-7070) offers Conte's bake-in-bag gluten-free pizza at Elmo's Eatery and Captain Ernie's Bistro. The park continues to have allergen-friendly snack packs from Rebecca & Devyn’s Gluten Free To Go at Elmo’s Eatery, the Snack Cart in front of the Dine with Me building and at the Popcorn Cart located behind Elmo’s Eatery.

This May, in honor of Celiac Awareness Month, Davio's in Center City Philadelphia (111 S. 17th St., 215-563-4810) will be offering a special four-course tasting menu. Executive Chef David Boyle will be serving up this gluten-free menu all month long for $65 during lunch and dinner (tax and gratuity not included). Here's the menu:
Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes, Baby Basil and Balsamic Reduction

Gluten Free Pasta, Applewood Smoked Chicken, Spinach, Sundried Tomatoes in a Walnut Cream Sauce

Grilled Fillet Mignon, Jumbo Sea Scallops, Barolo Sauce, Shellfish Butter

Vanilla Panna Cotta
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and the NFCA are sponsoring an educational event on Wednesday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the hospital. Dr. Anthony DiMarino, the director of Jefferson's Celiac Center will be speaking about causes and treatments, and Chef Gregg Ciprioni of Garces Trading Company will be conducting a food demo and sampling. Call 1-800-JEFF-NOW or register online.

As I reported on Tuesday, the long-awaited return date for the NFCA's Appetite for Awareness is on the books. Tickets are now available for the event, which will be held in Center City Philadelphia on Sunday, September 23.

I hope to see you at the Celiac Awareness Tour tomorrow - I'll be at the NFCA table from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Have a great weekend!

- Michael
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2 comments:

  1. Pure Bread currently does not have designated gluten-free toasters, so be careful of cross-contamination! It is still a great place to dine, and I received an email stating that they are working on the toaster issue! I went this past Friday and had my first breakfast sandwich on a bagel in over 6 months!

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  2. I eat at the Glenn Mills location frequently. Today I had GF Maryland Crab Soup. Amazing! They have also added a GF menu which includes Panini's on Udi's new LARGER sandwich bread!!! They also have Udi's muffins and cookies. Worth the trip!

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