What's New for Passover 2018

While the Jewish holiday of Passover has not lost its religious meaning, it has in recent years become an unofficial gluten-free holiday. This year, Passover begins the evening of Friday, March 30 and ends the evening of Saturday, April 7. It's a time when many more gluten-free products are available at supermarkets. This grew out of the observance of certain segments of the Jewish population refraining from eating any wheat products during Passover. The packaging of many gluten-free products is expressly labeled as such, while others have a "non-gebrokts" notation. (As always, read the ingredient label before buying and consuming a particular item.)

Kosher food manufacturer Kayco will be introducing many new gluten-free products this year under various brand names (you can find all of Kayco's gluten-free products here.) The best-selling gluten-free matzo-style cracker, Yehuda, will have a Cinnamon version for the first time, joining Original,  Everything, Egg, Unsalted, Onion and Fiber Enriched varieties. Returning products include Yehuda's gluten-free matzo meal, farfel, cake meal and crackers.

Kayco's Gefen label will introduce fresh gluten-free gnocchi and fusilli pasta for Passover. Gefen will also have a new lasagna and two kinds of chow mein noodles on store shelves.

New from Kayco's Haddar brand are chocolate nut clusters (cashews, pecans and almond), soup croutons and panko crumbs (Original, Onion & Garlic and Barbeque).

This year, Manischewitz has two new gluten-free gefilte fish products: a frozen loaf and a pre-sliced version.

Lieber Foods is expanding their Passover baked-goods line with several kinds of mini cookies.

About a week or two before the start of Passover, supermarkets receive their shipments of fresh gluten-free cakes and cookies from New York bakeries such as Oberlander's, Lilly's Bake Shoppe and Schick's. Look for sandwich, black-and-white and rainbow cookies, cake rolls, decorative and layer cakes.

If you want to try "Mexican Coke" (made with sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup), Passover Coca-Cola will be available in the Philadelphia area and other regions. Look for bottles with distinctive yellow caps.

Prices of some Passover foods tend to be higher than their non-holiday counterparts, so I suggest buying one of a particular item to see if you like it before stocking up. Keep an eye on Passover sections after the second night of the holiday, when markets tend to cut prices on whatever products are left.

News & Notes: February 16, 2018

They're not yet on the company's website, but Promise Gluten Free now has baked-in-store sourdough breads. (The Ravitz ShopRite stores in southern New Jersey currently have them on sale for $5.49.) The breads are shipped par-baked and frozen, then baked off in the supermarkets in their own bags to avoid cross-contamination; you'll have to slice at home. There are four varieties in all: Rustic White, Rosemary & Olive, Rustic Seven-Seed and Seeds & Fruit. So far, my son has tried the white bread and really liked it. It's more soft than crusty, but tastes especially good after being toasted.

The company making my favorite gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, Tate's Bake Shop, has introduced two more gluten-free flavors: Oatmeal Raisin (which are also sold at Trader Joe's under the store's own label) and Coconut Crisp.

Schar has introduced a chocolate-covered version of its popular Honeygrams cookies, made with dark chocolate and honey. Also coming soon from the company is a puff pastry dough.

The Jewish holiday of Purim begins the evening of Feb. 28 and of course that means noshing on filled hamentaschen cookies. Katz Gluten Free has a full complement of flavors - chocolate, apricot, raspberry, prune and poppy - available for online ordering. Support Gluten Free Philly and use promo code WELCOME20 using this link for 20 percent off your order.

Locally, Bryn & Dane's is serving up gluten-free wraps, salads and smoothies at its just-opened outpost in Malvern (615 Morehall Rd., 610-296-5555).

In Manayunk, Jamaican-Korean The Spicy Belly (3847 Terrace St., 215-482-2095) maintains a dedicated gluten-free fryer and uses a rice flour base for most items. The Korean and jerk wings, shrimp curry and pork belly lettuce wraps are some of the gluten-free items served.

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Botto's Italian Line in Swedesboro (1411 Kings Hwy., 856-467-1570) has a large number of gluten-free options, including pasta (prepped separately), meatballs (made with gluten-free breadcrumbs) and sausage.

Further south in Vineland, Maplewood III (200 N. Delsea Dr., 856-692-2011) offers an extensive gluten-free menu that includes appetizers, pasta, entrees and desserts.

Jersey Mike's opened a location in Reading (3225 N. 5th St., 484-869-8559) earlier this week. Guests can order subs on Udi's gluten-free rolls at all Jersey Mike's locations nationwide.

Fox & Son is testing a fried gluten-free "Oreo"

This week, the all-gluten-free Fox & Son at Reading Terminal Market in Center City Philadelphia (51 N. 12th St., 215-372-7935) is offering - wait for it - fried gluten-free "Oreos" using Trader Joe's gluten-free Joe-Joe sandwich creme cookies. Based on early feedback, the owners are considering adding the treats to the menu permanently.

Another 100% gluten-free restaurant, Westmont's Heart Beet Kitchen (29 Haddon Ave., 856-240-1106) announced this week that it will be opening a location in Ocean City this spring. The address has not yet been revealed.

Turning Point announced a Summer 2018 opening for its newest Pennsylvania location in Newtown (2841 S. Eagle Rd.). The local breakfast/lunch cafe chain offers a gluten-free menu.

Studio Movie Grill will open a second Philadelphia-area location at Willow Grove Mall, likely sometime later this year. The first, in Upper Darby, offers gluten-free burger buns.

The Chester County GIG support group will meet on Thursday, March 1 at the Whole Foods in Exton beginning at 6:30 p.m. The meeting includes a store tour.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

(This post contains affiliate links.)

With the updated Gluten Free Philly app for iOS and Android devices, find more than 1,600 area gluten-free-friendly businesses on the go, search by cuisine or neighborhood, make reservations and more!

Reaping the Harvest

Harvest's gluten-free short rib flatbread

Former chiropractor Dave Magrogan made a splash as a restaurateur with multiple Kildare's Irish Pub locations throughout the Delaware Valley, but his focus these days is on the growing farm-to-table Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar.

Locally sourced cheese with gluten-free crispbread

 Many menu items at the celiac-friendly Harvest are under 500 calories and utilize mostly local ingredients, changing seasonally. Gluten-free options are listed on the main menu; most salads, appetizers, entrees and desserts fall into this category, either naturally or as modified. The kitchen also serves a variety of gluten-free flatbreads (baked on a separate sheet tray); gluten-free burger buns and mac-and-cheese  are also offered (the macaroni is separately prepared).

Grilled swordfish is among the fish options on the Winter menu

We recently had an excellent experience at the Moorestown location, where my son and I shared the gluten-free braised short rib flatbread (topped with smoked cheddar) and a four-cheese board served with nuts, fruit, house-made jams and gluten-free bread. We also savored bowls of creamy butternut squash soup made with locally sourced honey. My son followed that with a cuminy wood-fire grilled swordfish drizzled with lemon-onion butter. There's even a gluten-free dessert: three-bite peanut butter and chocolate mousse atop flourless chocolate cake.

Harvest rotates gluten-free desserts seasonally

While wine is clearly the backbone of the beverage menu, there is a cider option. Given Harvest's extensive gluten-free food selections, I was disappointed to see Omission - which is gluten-reduced and not truly gluten free - on the beer list, particularly since Magrogan's remaining Kildare's location in Scranton currently stocks three kinds of Glutenberg beer and multiple ciders.

Despite the beer demerit, though, Harvest scored well overall in offering a wide variety of delicious gluten-free fare.

Harvest has six locations in Eastern Pennsylvania (Glen Mills, Radnor, Harrisburg, North Wales, Moosic and the newest in Newtown), along with one in Moorestown, New Jersey and another in Delray Beach, Florida. Future outposts are planned for Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Tampa, Florida.

News & Notes: February 2, 2018

Trader Joe's leads the way this week with even more gluten-free products on store shelves. For starters, there are two new organic, gluten-free pastas: black bean rotini and red lentil sedanini, both selling for $2.99 a package. The new churro bites, made with corn meal and brown sugar, are $2.49 per bag, and the oat cranberry flaxseed cookies are $2.99 for a six-cookie package.

Namaste Foods is branching out from its traditional gluten-free baking-mix roots to introduce single-serve microwaveable cake cups. They come in three flavors: Dark Chocolate Cake, Yellow Cake and Cinnamon Sugar Cake.

Locally, the big story this week is the impending closure of gluten- and allergen-free Sweet Freedom Bakery's location in Collingswood (577 Haddon Ave., 856-869-7322) on Feb. 18. The bakery's original Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr outposts are unaffected and it's business as usual there.

The newest area Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar opens in Newtown on Monday, Feb. 5 (2865 S. Eagle Rd., 215-944-8469). Gluten-free options are noted on the dinner menu.

JuiceFresh in Rehoboth Beach (37385 Rehoboth Ave., 844-584-2366) is the area's newest all-gluten-free business. In addition to juices and smoothies, the cafe offers soups, salads, muffins, power bars and more.

Many of the items on the Thai side of the menu at Thai Burger Cafe in Pitman (13 S. Broadway, 856-582-0424) are gluten free. This includes pad Thai, all fried rice and curries and several soups and appetizers.

Pittsburgh's gluten-free Aurochs Brewing continues its eastern expansion. In addition to Farmers Keep (10 S. 20th St.), Aurochs' Blonde Ale and Session IPA are now available in Philadelphia at Beer Heaven (1100 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.), The Bottle Shop (1616 E. Passyunk Ave.), Moore Beverage (601 Moore St.) Campo's (214 Market St.) and Rybrew (2816 W. Girard Ave.), The Foodery in Phoenixville (325 Bridge St.) and Rocko's Beverage in Media (4 State Rd.)

Kensington's Original 13 Ciderworks (1526 N. American St., 215-765-7000) is serving items from its winter menu and has expanded its gluten-free options, including the addition of a sandwich bun and dessert. The kitchen maintains a dedicated fryer. The pub is offering a dinner package on Valentine's Day - almost everything on the menu is gluten free and the package includes a three-course dinner, cider pairings and a bottle of Sweet Nothings Chocolate Cherry Cider for $75 per couple.

Whole Foods recently opened its newest area store in Exton (175 N. Pottstown Pike, 610-423-6360); as of March 14, the Ambler location will be relocating to 1111 N. Bethlehem Pike.

The Rachel Way gluten- and dairy-free food pantry at the Plymouth Meeting Mall (500 W. Germantown Pike, 484-404-5293) is hosting a kids' cooking class tomorrow at 1 p.m. to celebrate Valentine's Day (register here). The event is free but monetary or gluten-free food donations are appreciated.

Have a great weekend and Fly Eagles Fly!!!

- Michael

With the updated Gluten Free Philly app for iOS and Android devices, find more than 1,600 area gluten-free-friendly businesses on the go, search by cuisine or neighborhood, make reservations and more!