Friday, October 29, 2010

News & Notes: October 29, 2010

A record 1,600 attendees celebrated gluten-free living at last Sunday's Appetite for Awareness, held at the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal. I've been attending the event for the past five years, and this one was the biggest and best to date. I'll have more to share in a recap coming soon.

This Sunday, October 31, marks the end of the fiscal year for the Ambler-based National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, which organized A4A, trains local restaurants on gluten-free cooking protocols, sponsors awareness events throughout the area, and is a rich source of information about celiac disease. A generous donor has agreed to match contributions to the NFCA made through Sunday dollar for dollar, up to $10,000. If you are able to make a contribution (which may be tax-deductible), I encourage you to do so by then so that it can be doubled - no donation is too small!

Sunday also is the deadline for entering my latest giveaway - a variety of gluten-free groceries from General Mills, including Bisquick, Betty Crocker cake mixes and Chex cereal. To be in the running, post a comment to that blog entry noting your favorite gluten-free-friendly restaurant in the area. Reading your restaurant favorites has prompted me to consider creating a "Readers' Choice" poll in the near future on favorite restaurants for specific cuisines (like Italian and Mexican), markets, pizza, bread, beer and so on. I'm open to suggestions for other categories, so drop me a line to let me know what you want to see.

Los Amigos, with longtime locations in Berlin (461 Route 73 North, 856-767-5216) and Atlantic City (1926 Atlantic Avenue, 609-344-2293), has a gluten-free menu, though no dedicated fryers for chips.

In Milmont Park out in Delaware County, Carmen's Pizza (MacDade Boulevard & Milmont Avenue, 610-532-2300) has gluten-free pizza. The shop uses dedicated cookware and utensils. Thanks to reader Travis, who pens the Trav's Gone Gluten-Free blog, for the tip.

Reader Robin F. recommended modern American restaurant Supper in Philadelphia (925 South Street, 215-592-8180), saying the kitchen was "extremely accommodating" and the pastry chef was able to modify a dessert to make it gluten free.

The Beer Outlet (77 Franklin Mills Boulevard, 215-632-5035) and The Craft Beer Outlet (9910 Frankford Avenue, 215-632-2722) in Northeast Philadelphia stock bottles of Redbridge, New Grist and Estrella Daura as well as many varieties of hard ciders.

Food For All Market in Mt. Airy will have gluten-free items for Thankgiving, including stuffing, gravy and pies. Holiday orders are due by November 11.

GoPicnic just unveiled two more ready-to-eat gluten-free meals: Tuna + Crackers, featuring lemon-pepper tuna, multi-seed crackers, unsweetened applesauce, fruit & nut mix, and an organic dark-chocolate square; and Hummus + Crackers, with hummus dip, multi-seed crackers, dry-roasted edamame, fruit & nut mix, and a chocolate square. The products retail for $4.99 each and are available for ordering direct through the company. Sign up for the company's newsletter and get 10% off your first order. There's also free shipping for orders over $99.

Several readers asked last year if I was aware of any gluten-free fruit cakes available for Christmas, and unfortunately I knew of none. Kinnikinnick Foods will produce one this season that can be ordered as of November 4.

Amazon.com's gluten-free deals for October are almost done. This month's offers, which last only until Sunday, include:

Gluten Free Delaware's next meeting will be held on Sunday, November 7 at Christiana Hospital (Room 1000) starting at 3 p.m. There will be an open discussion and group knowledge share.

The Bucks/Montgomery R.O.C.K. chapter is sponsoring a fire station tour on Sunday, November 14. The event, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. will include a tour of the Horsham Fire Company (315 Meetinghouse Road), demonstrations and a potluck lunch. All family members are welcome; bring a main meal, side dish or dessert to share. To RSVP (with the number of attendees and childrens' ages), contact Holly and Steve Staugaitis at 267-664-6425.

The next Philadelphia Gluten-Free Supper Club dinner is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, December 14 at Buca di Beppo in Center City. For more information about the club or plans for the dinner, e-mail reader Adriana Z.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and happy Halloween!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Goodies Giveaway: Live Gluten Freely Product Box

Live Gluten Freely is an online community created by General Mills that offers gluten-free product news, articles and real-life stories from participants. The site also provides recipes, ranging from breakfast treats like Blueberry-Corn Muffins to dishes like Favorite Chicken Nuggets to desserts like Brownie Ganache Torte with Raspberries and Carrot Cake.

General Mills offers more than 300 gluten-free products, available in grocery stores nationwide. Keep up with new additions to the gluten-free list by subscribing to the Live Gluten Freely Newsletter. Every month, you'll receive recipes, tips, coupons for gluten-free items, new product information and more delivered directly to your inbox. Click here to sign up. Also, be sure to visit Live Gluten Freely on Facebook. "Like" the page and check out recipe ideas, product news and tips about living without gluten.

MyBlogSpark is offering one Gluten Free Philly reader a Live Gluten Freely product box, which includes an assortment of gluten-free products from popular brands like Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Chex and Larabar. The product box, a $24.99 value, contains the following items:

  • Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Brownie Mix
  • Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix
  • Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Chocolate Frosting
  • Honey Nut Chex Cereal
  • Bisquick Gluten Free Original Pancake and Baking Mix
  • Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks Variety Pack - Fruit Roll-Ups, Fruit Gushers, Fruit by the Foot
  • Peanut Butter Cookie Lärabar Snack Bar
  • Betty Crocker Potato Buds Mashed Potatoes
  • Betty Crocker Red Serving Spoon
  • Coupons and More
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment to this post about your favorite gluten-free friendly restaurant in the Delaware Valley (southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware).

Some brief guidelines: (1) please do not enter unless you or a family member is on a gluten-free diet; (2) one comment per person; (3) U.S. residents only. Most important is to make sure your comment provides a way for me to contact you. If your comment does not link back to an email address, blog or website through which I can get in touch with you (some past entrants have blocked their Blogger profiles), post your email address in the comment in the following format: "name[at]domain[dot]suffix."

The giveaway runs now through Sunday, October 31 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. I’ll randomly select one winner the next day and will contact him or her by email. If I don’t hear back from the person with his or her mailing address by the following Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern, I’ll select another name.

Good luck!

DISCLOSURE: MyBlogSpark has provided me with product samples, product information and is offering the prize pack. Neither I am nor any immediate family member is an employee, officer, director or agent of MyBlogSpark or its respective parent, subsidiary and affiliated entities, advertising and promotional agencies. My full Disclosure Policy can be found at the blog's Disclosure page.

    Friday, October 22, 2010

    News & Notes: October 22, 2010

    Make sure that you come hungry to Sunday's Appetite for Awareness event at the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal. In addition to the dozens of area restaurants and local and national vendors sampling food, there will be cooking demonstrations from Le Bec Fin's Georges Perrier, 10 Arts' Monica Glass and cookbook author Silvana Nardone. Tickets will be available at the door, but you can save money by ordering online today or tomorrow. Even if you can't make it, you can follow the action in real time on Twitter using hashtag #A4A10.

    I've posted to the restaurant list updated gluten-free menus from two Jose Garces restaurants, Chifa and Amada. His new place at Philadelphia's Cira Centre, JG Domestic (2929 Arch Street, 215-222-2363), doesn't yet have a similar menu, although requests can be accommodated.

    Good Eatz Green Cafe in West Reading (701 Penn Avenue, 610-670-4885), the sister business of Rick Allebach's Good Eatz Bakery, offers plenty of gluten-free options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.

    If you're flying in or out of Terminal E at Philadelphia International Airport, you can grab a quick bite off the gluten-free menu at Cantina Laredo in Terminal E (215-492-1160).

    Connie at The Pop Shop in Collingswood let me know that the restaurant now uses bread from Miller's Gluten Free for its grilled cheese and other sandwiches. We stopped in last Saturday night, and our older son gives it a thumbs-up. The bread is now sliced thicker so that there's one large sandwich rather than two smaller ones.

    Philadelphia's all-gluten-free Sweet Freedom Bakery is now taking orders for Thanksgiving goodies, including pumpkin and apple pies and pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes. Order before November 18 by calling 215-545-1899.

    The Mag Bar, located at Maggio's in Southampton (400 Second Street Pike, 215-322-7272), serves New Grist beer and two varieties of Woodchuck ciders.

    Acme Markets is offering customers with gluten sensitivity a tool to help them shop for gluten-free foods. The new program will begin in this month and roll out in phases during the next three months. As part of the program, select stores will have signage and special merchandising sets to help make it easier for customers to find gluten-free products. Shoppers can also stop at the customer service desk at any Acme to pick up an in-store shopping list/guide to gluten-free products. More extensive gluten-free shopping lists as well as recipes and snack and meal solutions are available at Acme's gluten-free website page.

    Allergen-friendly Ian's Natural Foods keeps the new products coming, and this one looks particularly promising. Now available are gluten-free chocolate-covered wafer bites, similar to Kit Kat candy bars. The treats are available at glutenfree.com ($4.99 a bag) and will soon be in stores.

    Shabtai Gourmet Gluten Free Bakery has just won the Kosherfest Best New Passover Product Competition for the fourth time. The winning product this year is Yidels Mini Swiss Chocolate Rolls, which will be available in time for Passover next Spring. The bakery will be participating in A4A.

    The gluten-free muffins and cakes from Butterfly Bakery, which until recently were available at Wegmans, have been discontinued.

    Tomorrow at Big Blue Marble Bookstore in Mt. Airy (551 Carpenter Lane, 215-844-1870), author Jae Steele will read from her new cookbook, Ripe From Around Here. The book, which emphasizes the importance of local, sustainable eating, has many gluten-free recipes for meals like Polenta Spice Pudding, Love Muffins and Springtime Tabouleh. The event begins at 3 p.m.

    The next Chester County Gluten Intolerance Group meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 1 at Paoli Hospital, with guests Keith J. Laskin, M.D. (medical director of the hospital's Celiac Center) and dietitian Nancy Patin Falini (author of Gluten-Free Friends: An Activity Book for Kids) set to speak. The event will be at the hospital's Potter Room (Zone B, Level 1) beginning at 6:30 p.m. Register by calling 1-866-CALL-MLH.

    Finally this week, here's a preview video for Appetite for Awareness featuring Sixers TV play-by-play announcer Marc Zumoff:



    I hope everyone has a great weekend, particularly if you're attending A4A!

    Tuesday, October 19, 2010

    O'Canada

    Founded by the Weinberg family in 2007, O’Doughs bakes healthy gluten-free breads, pizza shells, cakes and buns at its suburban Toronto facility. The company uses all-natural ingredients such as flax, potato, tapioca, soya and rice flours.

    We recently had a chance to try O’Doughs products and, overall, thought they hit the mark. (After trying the samples, we liked most enough to buy more product during our summer trip to Canada.) All of the products are best stored frozen but, in the case of the cakes and buns, taste fine after being defrosted or microwaved.

    To satisfy that sweet tooth, the company makes three loaf cakes, all of which are delicious: Banana (with chocolate chips), Carrot, and Chocolate. The cakes are sweet and moist, and show no signs of the grittiness that mar other gluten-free sweets.

    We were also impressed with the flax and white pizza kits. The square personal-size pizza shells come with packets of tomato sauce that can be combined with toppings of your choice, then baked in the oven to the desired level of crispiness.

    The flax sandwich bread (topped with poppy seeds) and white bread (sprinkled with sesame seeds) are better toasted than at room temperature. While serviceable, they're not airy or pliable like Udi's version.

    O’Doughs' white and flax buns have quickly become our son’s favorite for hamburgers. They’re just the right size, complementing the meat patties without being “bready.” Also available are Apple Cranberry Breakfast Buns.

    O'Doughs will be participating at Sunday's Appetite for Awareness, where you can sample the products. The company is expanding distribution in the United States and is working on availability at East Coast stores. In the meantime, orders can be placed online for home delivery.

    DISCLOSURE: While O'Doughs provided product samples for me to review at no cost, such compensation did not influence my review. Neither I am nor any immediate family member is an employee, officer, director or agent of O'Doughs or its respective parent, subsidiary and affiliated entities, advertising and promotional agencies. My full disclosure policy can be found at the blog's Disclosure page.

    Friday, October 15, 2010

    News & Notes: October 15, 2010

    I was happy to publish a guest restaurant review for this week's feature, and the timing was fortuitous. Reader and Philadelphia Gluten-Free Supper Clubber Adriana Z. wrote about the group's recent meal at Adsum in a week in which the restaurant received lots of good press. Food critics at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia City Paper also found much to recommend.

    In restaurant news this week, contemporary American Za Restaurant in Pennington (147 West Delaware Avenue, 609-737-4400) notes gluten-free items on its lunch and dinner menus.

    Gluten-free pizza and pasta are available at Medford's Illiano Cucina Mediterranea (200 Tuckerton Road, 888-748-4765).

    Reader Annsley K. let me know that the chef at Olive on Third, a newish Italian in Philadelphia's Society Hill section (516 South 3rd Street, 267-519-9498), is knowledgeable about celiac disease and can easily accommodate gluten-free dietary requests.

    Currently served in bottles at Northern Liberties' Swift Half Pub (1001 North 2nd Street, 215-923-4600) are Redbridge, Original Sin Pear Cider and Magners Cider.

    New to the list of gluten-free friendly caterers is Jack Kramer's Catering in Philadelphia (4217 Chestnut Street, 215-662-5300). Operations manager Brian Miller, who has a family member with celiac, told me that the caterer can prepare gluten-free foods for corporate and social events. The company will be participating in the Appetite for Awareness event on October 24.

    Gluten-free breakfast choices have increased with the introduction of a couple new items. First, Glutino has debuted glazed original and chocolate donuts, six to a box. Look for them in the frozen food section of supermarkets and health food stores.

    Smart Ones, made by Heinz, has added a Cheesy Scramble with Hashbrowns frozen dish. It's made with scrambled egg whites and Monterey Jack, cheddar and reduced-fat mozzarella cheeses with a side of potatoes.

    October 24 stands to be a busy day in the local celiac community. In addition to Appetite for Awareness, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is hosting area benefit walks. One will be along the Camden waterfront, where "Team Celiac" will be participating. The three-mile walk begins at 9:30 a.m. Readers can register for the walk or make a donation. The other will be at Bucks County Community College in Newtown starting at 10 a.m. Advance registration is recommended.

    A new book for children called “Mommy, What Is Celiac Disease?” is available exclusively at Wegmans through December 31, 2010. Katie Chalmers’ book grew out of personal experience: she learned in 2007 that she had the disease and, after having her children tested, learned that her daughter Morgan has it too. The book is available at Wegmans for $11.16 (a 20 percent discount of the list price) and will be carried in the Nature’s Marketplace area of the store, where gluten-free foods are sold. Chalmers will sign books at Saturday, October 30 at Wegmans in Mount Laurel from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Sunday, October 31 at Wegmans in Malvern, also from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    Enjoy the weekend and root on the Phillies!

    Tuesday, October 12, 2010

    Awesome Adsum

    The Philadelphia Gluten-Free Supper Club recently met at Adsum, in the city's Queen Village neighborhood (700 South 5th Street, 267-888-7002). Guest reviewer Adriana Z. shares her thoughts on the meal:

    I admittedly visit restaurants way too often, and considering that gluten and I aren’t the best of buddies, I find myself constantly hunting for a place that can accommodate my dietary restriction while still being tasty and inviting. When I hear about the newest haunts, I frequently assume that I won't be able to experience them. Considering this, I was surprised when Matt Levin, Adsum's chef/owner, was quick to welcome our Club into his hip, new space.

    Portuguese cockles
    We went during the recent Center City District Restaurant Week, which made for a fairly crowded dining room. The chef made special arrangements so that we could enjoy a slightly modified prix fixe menu that was free of gluten. Our server, Jack, was quick to explain the menu to us and answer any questions that we had; namely, our curiosity about the Portuguese cockle appetizer. Before long, we were talking and laughing over the first course. I ordered a romaine salad accompanied by roasted onion, polenta croutons and lemon-thyme dressing. The flavor of the dressing was divine, while the soft croutons provided a nice contrast to the crisp lettuce leaves. I also managed a taste of the cockles from one of my friends at the table. With a hint of lemon and a spicy kick from the accompanying chorizo sausage, they made my taste buds dance with happiness.

    Herb risotto
    Service of the main course was delayed a bit, but considering the menu was altered and some of the dishes were prepared especially for us, we didn't mind the wait. The majority of the group enjoyed the pork mole with radish salad and lime, and scents of cocoa and chili. I enjoyed the herb risotto with crunchy sweet corn, tarragon and tomatoes. It was creamy (but not too rich) and cooked to perfection.

    Chocolate pot de crème
    The dessert course was highly anticipated. Save for some ice creams, it’s not often that a gluten-free diner can safely enjoy a dessert straight off of a restaurant menu. We were thrilled to have a choice of crème brĂ»lĂ©e or a Manjari chocolate pot de crème. I went with the latter, and when it came out in a tiny glass pot, I was immediately impressed with the presentation. I was expecting a softer chocolate – almost like a pudding – so I was surprised when I had to force my spoon into a thick layer of chocolate topped with a fluffy cream. The unexpected texture didn’t disappoint, and when the fudgy chocolate hit my palate, I was in heaven. It was so rich, but the whipped cream evened out the intense chocolate flavor. Overall, it was the perfect ending to a delicious meal. The crème brĂ»lĂ©e was rumored to be just as delicious by one of our supper clubbers, who also took advantage of the wine pairing through her meal.

    In the end, our experience at Adsum was stellar. Everyone left full and happy, and was pleased to have been able to enjoy top-notch food from one of Philly’s buzzed-about new restaurants. The conversation was delightful, the food and service were superb, and as individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, we didn’t once feel as though we were limited or slighted by the offerings. Thank you, Adsum, for a great experience that was unnoticeably gluten free.

    Adsum on Urbanspoon

    Friday, October 8, 2010

    News & Notes: October 8, 2010

    Regular readers of this blog know that I am a baseball nut, so you can imagine how stoked I was to witness Roy Halladay throw a no-hitter Wednesday night. In retrospect, I'm glad the game wasn't on television in prime time so I could watch the historic game with my boys. As I wrote earlier in the week, we went to New York last month to see the Phillies beat the Mets on the road and were able to check out the gluten-free food stand at Citi Field.

    Also on the sports scene, a reminder that with the start of the new pro hockey and basketball seasons the Wells Fargo (formerly Wachovia) Center has gluten-free food and drink at the "Fan Favorites" concession stand, on the concourse level at Section 122.

    Congratulations to reader Jake M., whose name was selected as the winner of the Bisquick Gluten Free prize pack giveaway, and thanks to everyone who entered.

    New to the restaurant list this week is Ry's Bagels Cafe in West Berlin (255 Route 73 North, 856-210-6327). The shop has Udi's bagels and uses a dedicated toaster and separate utensils. Diners can also enjoy two varieties of Conte's gluten-free pizza.

    Another Seasons Pizza location has added gluten-free pizza. This one is the Elsmere location in Wilmington (1112 Kirkwood Highway, 302-994-4000).

    South Philadelphia's Black N Brew (1523 East Passyunk Avenue, 267-639-6070) now offers flourless banana and blueberry pancakes with shredded coconut.

    Main Line Pizza in Wayne (233 East Lancaster Avenue, 610-687-4008) has expanded its gluten-free menu beyond its namesake specialty to include pasta dishes and chicken wings, among other items. Coming soon will be homemade meatballs and chicken cutlets made with gluten-free breadcrumbs.

    Loads of gluten-free goodies on sale at Amazon.com this month. Add another 15% discount to all orders if you Subscribe & Save; there's free Super Saver shipping on orders of $25 or more and Subscribe & Save orders are shipped free regardless of order total. This month's offers include:


    Looking for healthier chicken nuggets? New to market are fully cooked Coleman Natural Gluten-Free Chicken Breast Nuggets, which are made with chickens that were fed a vegetarian diet and raised with no antibiotics, hormones or preservatives. A serving of six nuggets are 130 calories and six grams of fat (just one gram of sat fat). Readers in South Jersey can find these at ShopRite of Marlton. Fill out a product survey and get five dollar-off coupons for Coleman products. The nuggets themselves are small; we microwaved them and thought they were tasty.

    First came Oreo-style gluten-free ice cream sandwiches. Now, the sequel from Julie's Organic and Glutenfreeda Foods combines lemon-flavored frozen yogurt with vanilla cookies.

    Purely Elizabeth, a company started by holistic health counselor and native Philadelphian Elizabeth Stein, has debuted a line of gluten-free cookie mixes sweetened with hard-to-find organic coconut palm sugar. The new cookie line includes three inaugural varieties: chocolate chip, oatmeal cherry chocolate chip and oatmeal cinnamon raisin (the oats are certified gluten free). The cookie mixes expand the brand's established line of all-natural, organic baking mixes that are gluten free, certified vegan and free of refined sugar.

    This month's Gluten Free Delaware meeting has been rescheduled for this Sunday, October 10. It'll be held this time out at the Woodlawn Free Library, located at 2020 West 9th Street in Wilmington (a few minutes from I-95 Exit 7). Those planning to attend can RSVP through this link.

    The next meeting of the Greater Philadelphia Celiac Support Group will take place on Friday, October 22 at Abington Memorial Hospital (1200 Old York Road, Lenfest Building, Classrooms 1& 2). Doors open at 5:45 p.m. with a vendor fair; the meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. Participating vendors include Cookies For Me, Good Eatz, The Grainless Baker, Grandma's Grotto, Main Line Baking Company, Sweet Freedom Bakery and Virago Bakery.

    Enjoy the weekend and go Phils!

    Tuesday, October 5, 2010

    Gluten Free Road Trip: The Diamond of Queens

    An outbreak of Phillies fever hit the Gluten Free Philly household a couple weeks ago, and we had to drive to New York to get some medicine. To help celebrate our younger son's seventh birthday, my wife and I surprised him with tickets to see the Phils play the Mets during their recent series at Citi Field in Queens.

    Knowing that Mutts fans had abandoned their team earlier in the season, I figured it would be a cinch to get last-minute tickets via StubHub. I managed to snag four $30 seats for $10 each online the day before the game.

    Bracing for the New York traffic we usually encounter, we left a few hours before game time. While traffic was unexpectedly light, the weather put the trip in jeopardy. The rain was coming down so hard during our drive north on the New Jersey Turnpike, I exited at one point to turn around, figuring the game would be postponed. Convinced the skies would clear, my wife talked me into resuming the drive. Sure enough, the storm passed and, while the sun never peaked out from the clouds that day, the weather was good enough to get the ballgame in.

    Before heading to our seats, we stopped to get lunch. Concessionaire Aramark added added a dedicated gluten-free food stand at two-year old Citi Field this season. (Hello Aramark? Citizens Bank Park needs one too!) The stand offers hot dogs, sausages, burgers and Redbridge beer, along with puddings and gels from sponsor Kozy Shack. The meats are served on rolls supplied by The Grainless Baker. My older son was impressed with the foot-long hot dog, which he topped with mustard and onions.


    The view from the nosebleed section wasn't bad at all, and we ended up sitting in the upper level with many other Phillies fans who also made the trip. We watched Roy Oswalt throw a complete-game shutout as the Fightins won 3-0.


    We had planned to stop at the Chimney Rock Inn in Bridgewater, New Jersey for dinner, but thanks to my unreliable GPS (and my failure to trust my instincts), we ended up stuck in a traffic jam in Manhattan. I reversed course and eventually righted the ship. With the visit to the Inn no longer feasible, we opted to eat at an old favorite just off of Exit 10 on the Turnpike - Harold's New York Deli in Edison. While the restaurant doesn't have safe bread, it does offer a gluten-free menu with traditional deli and diner favorites like chicken soup, pastrami and corned beef (served on a bed of lettuce), steak fries cooked in a dedicated fryer, and a huge pickle bar. And the portions - oy! Our leftovers needed a seat of their own in the minivan.

    Friday, October 1, 2010

    News & Notes: October 1, 2010

    Hurry, hurry, hurry! Sunday night is the deadline to enter the drawing for a Bisquick Gluten Free prize pack. As part of the loot, the winner gets a box of the new mix and cooking accessories that can be used to make gluten-free pancakes. Just add a comment to the post about what recipe you'd like to prepare with the mix.

    Silvana Nardone, the former editor-in-chief of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, will be signing copies of her new gluten-free and dairy-free cookbook, Cooking for Isaiah, at Appetite for Awareness on October 24. Silvana will also demonstrate and sample some of her recipes there. Don't worry about missing the Eagles game that afternoon: it will be broadcast at the event's Beer Garden, where Bard's beer and Magners and Woodchuck ciders will be served. Discounted early-bird tickets are still available.

    It is Greek to you? Kuzina by Sofia in Cherry Hill (404 Route 70 West, 856-429-1061) has a number of gluten-free items on its menu. Many of the vegetarian and protein choices are gluten free and other items can be modified.

    Here's a twist: NaBrasa, a Brazilian steakhouse in Horsham (680 North Easton Road, 215-956-0600) notes which items on the rodizio menu are not gluten free. Quite a few desserts are safe as well.

    Out in Malvern, Ciabatta Pizza (446 Lancaster Avenue, 610-408-0999) serves gluten-free pizza.

    Two bars in Philadelphia's University City section offer gluten-free libations. City Tap House (3925 Walnut Street, 215-662-0105) has bottles of Estrella Damm Daura, the Spanish beer that I wrote about a couple months back, while Blarney Stone (3929 Sansom Street, 215-222-5340) has Redbridge. Thanks to reader Ezra B. for the info.

    On the weighty subject of Irish pubs, Dublin Square in Bordentown (167 Route 130, 609-298-7100) serves Bard's and Magners. A second location is slated to open soon on Evesham Road in Cherry Hill at the former site of Swanky Bubbles.

    Kinnikinnick's Pumpkin Spice Donuts
    To celebrate the fall season, gluten-free baker Kinnikinnick Foods has launched Pumpkin Spice donuts. Available until November 30 for purchase online, these iced donuts are made with real pumpkin. All donut varieties are 20 percent off until October 8. Kinnikinnick has flat-rate $10 shipping.

    Notice of a couple events this weekend recently came across the wire. First, Nemours Children’s Celiac Center, in collaboration with the Children’s Celiac Support Group, will host their annual Celiac Disease Conference tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington. The event and vendor fair is free and open to all children and families. Call 302-651-5928 extension 1115 or e-mail the support group to RSVP.

    This Sunday is the date for the Southern New Jersey celiac support group meeting. Psychotherapist Nicole Seitz will address attendees beginning at 2 p.m. at the Barry Brown Health Education Center in Voorhees.

    I'll leave you this week with a video segment from "Good Morning America" featuring Silvana Nardone and a few of her gluten-free recipes.

    Have a great weekend!