News & Notes: July 23, 2010

The 2010 pro football season is near, which means that I get to defend my fantasy football league championship! Preceding the start of the campaign, of course, is training camp for the players (the athletes, that is, not the fantasy-team managers). Practices for the Philadelphia Eagles begin on Tuesday, July 27. If you're planning to watch any of the action or attend the autograph sessions at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, know that there are quite a few gluten-free options in the area - a list of restaurants can be found in my post from last July.

I posted my first "Dishing With" profile this week - a Q&A with Monica Glass, the pastry chef at 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge in Center City Philadelphia. Monica was diagnosed with celiac disease last year, but doesn't let it stand in the way of creating wonderful desserts. Please drop me a line to suggest other local chefs, restaurateurs or area personalities for a future "Dishing With" feature.

New to the restaurant page is Mazzella's in Wilmington (729 Philadelphia Pike, 302-762-8722), which now serves Still Riding's gluten-free pizza.

Thanks to reader Amanda T., who tipped me to the fact that Teresa's Cafe in Wayne (124-126 North Wayne Avenue, 610-293-9909) offers gluten-free penne for the pasta dishes. The restaurant's sister Bar Next Door serves Redbridge beer.

Latin tapas restaurant Tinto in Center City has updated its gluten-free menu.

The Grain Exchange's Oatmeal Caramel Delight bars, which I wrote about in April, are available in the frozen-foods section of the North Wales Whole Foods. The bakery's cakes and cupcakes are available at The Lucky Cupcake Company in Pipersville (6011 Kellers Church Road, 267-362-5136), and McCaffrey's in Yardley will begin carrying products in a few weeks.

Everyone have a great weekend!

Are You Ready For Some Football?

UPDATE (8/3/09): Boston's The Gourmet Pizza, a national chain with a location in Allentown, has gluten-free pizza.

The dog days of August will soon be upon us, and along with the humidity comes the two-a-day workouts long associated with pro football training camp. For more than 10 years, the Philadelphia Eagles have been holding training camp at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This year, rookies and selected veterans are scheduled to report to camp on Sunday, July 26. The remaining veterans are scheduled to report on Wednesday, July 29, with practices scheduled through Wednesday, August 12.

Thousands of Birds fans flock to Bethlehem every summer to watch the team practice and get autographs from their favorite players. Those on a gluten-free diet can be assured that there are plenty of celiac-friendly eateries in the Lehigh Valley. Two restaurants unique to the area are Copperhead Grille and White Orchids Thai Cuisine. Copperhead Grille, with locations in nearby Allentown and Center Valley, is a sports "grille" with 130" high-definition TVs. Copperhead offers steaks and chicken entrees, among other items, on its gluten-free menu. White Orchids, in Center Valley, has an extensive gluten-free menu featuring noodle entrees and desserts.

Many national and regional chains have outposts in the area as well, including Bonefish Grill (Whitehall), Carrabba's Italian Grill (Allentown, Easton), Charlie Brown's Steakhouse (Allentown), Chili's (Whitehall), Lone Star Steakhouse (Allentown, Easton), Red Robin (Allentown (2), Center Valley, Easton) and Outback Steakhouse (Allentown, Bethlehem). Links to the chain restaurants' websites and gluten-free menus can be found on the Gluten Free Philly restaurant list.

Wegmans, which carries a wide selection of gluten-free foods, also has three markets in the Lehigh Valley, located in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton.