If the large crowd on the floor of the Wachovia Center was any indication, the Appetite for Awareness event on Wednesday evening was a rousing success. I'll post a recap of the festivities next week, but among the product highlights were mini frosted donuts from Sweet Christine's Gluten-Free Bakery, Shabtai Gourmet's black-and-white cookies and top-and-bake pizza shells from Violet Packing. I'll also be adding the many area restaurants who competed in the Gluten-Free Cooking Spree to the Gluten Free Philly restaurant list shortly. Emcee Marc Zumoff, the television voice of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team, announced to the delight of the crowd that gluten-free food will be available at 76ers and Flyers home games this season. I'll let you know when I find out which stands will offer it.There's still time to enter the latest Goodies Giveaway from Gluten Free Philly - a Betty Crocker "Simple Joys" prize pack that includes two packages of Betty Crocker Fruit-Flavored Snacks, a retro Pick 'em Up Sticks game, a light-up yo-yo and a classic Frisbee. The deadline to enter is Sunday, October 4 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
On Wednesday, I wrote about some impressive gluten-free bread and muffins from Udi's Gluten Free Foods. The white sandwich bread was soft right out of the bag and did not require toasting or warming.
Butterflies Healthy Food, a new healthy-style "fast food" restaurant in Skippack, Pennsylvania (4019 Skippack Pike, 610-222-2111) offers gluten-free menu options. The new restaurant was profiled in Monday's edition of the Norristown Times Herald.
Mom's Bake At Home Pizza locations in Chestnut Hill, Devon, Havertown, Newtown Square and Thorndale, Pennsylvania now have gluten-free pasta dinners from Conte's, including lasagna.
Grub Street Philadelphia has more on the gluten-free offerings at Sweet Freedom Bakery, which, as I mentioned last week, is planning to open in November on Philadelphia's South Street. I had a chance to speak with the owners at the Appetite for Awareness event and they are busy getting ready for a early November opening.
I also learned this week that My Gluten Free Baker in West Chester, Pennsylvania will be opening a retail store in Chester County in 2010.
Trader Joe's in West Windsor, New Jersey (3528 U.S. 1 - Brunswick Pike, 609-897-0581) is now open.
While I have not been to an Eagles football game this year, my contact at Aramark, the stadium concessionaire, tells me that the gluten-free items available at the "Philly Favorites" stand near Section 117 are posted on the menu board there.
In gluten-free beer news, the Great American Beer Festival wrapped up last weekend and the judges awarded two medals to The Alchemist Pub and Brewery in Waterbury, Vermont: a gold for its Celia Framboise and a bronze for its Celia IPA. Redbridge from Anheuser-Busch took the silver.
Local Whole Foods Markets are hosting gluten-free tasting events throughout October:
- North Wales: Friday, October 2 - 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- Devon: Saturday, October 3 - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Italian Food Fest)
- South Street: Saturday, October 10 - 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Jenkintown: Wednesday, October 14 - 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Callowhill: Wednesday, October 14 - 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (store tour - 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.)
- Wynnewood: Friday, October 16 - 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Marlton: Thursday, October 22 - 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Princeton: Thursday, October 22 - 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (cooking/tasting)
Amazon.com has its October grocery specials posted and there are a few gluten-free items on sale:
- 20% off when you purchase $59 or more of Conte's gluten-free pasta and pizza (choose free expedited shipping at checkout)
- 15% off when you purchase Enjoy Life granolas and trail mix
- Up to 30% off when you purchase Hain gluten-free products - Arrowhead Mills, Imagine, De Boles, Rice Dream and more (save 15% when you enter code HAINGF25 at checkout and save an additional 15% when you combine the instant rebate with your Subscribe & Save order)
- 25% off when you purchase Arico cookies and chips
- 15% off when you purchase Mary's Gone Crackers
Enjoy the weekend!
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