News & Notes: October 26, 2012

The Saint James, the just-opened New American bistro in Ardmore (30 Parking Plaza, 610-649-6200) from the owners of Rouge and the chef and Sampan, has several gluten-free options, including the raw bar, salads and entrees. Estrella Damm Daura beer is also available. (Thanks to Bethann S.)

In Old City Philadelphia, Spasso Italian Grill (34 S. Front St., 215-592-7661) offers gluten-free pasta that is prepared in new water in a clean pot.

Reader Anna A. recommends the baby-back ribs and sausage bites at Stogie Joe's Tavern in South Philadelphia (1802 E. Passyunk Ave., 215-463-3030). The owner is familiar with gluten-free options on the menu.

Also recommended, from Molly K., is Talula's Garden, the highly regarded farm-to-table New American spot in Philadelphia's Washington West section (210 W. Washington Square, 215-592-7787). Most of the menu is either naturally gluten free or can be adapted, and gluten-free bread is available with notice.

I finished my southern California Road Trip series in Tuesday's post, with the last segment covering Los Angeles and Santa Monica.

Two new gluten-free cookbooks have just been published. First is Anne Byrn's Unbelievably Gluten-Free, whose The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free book is frequently used by my wife to prepare fancy desserts. Anne's new cookbook contains more than 100 dinner recipes. Blogger Nicole Hunn's second book, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring: Quick and Easy, has dozens of quick-prep and make-ahead recipes for breakfast, dinner, breads, snacks and baked goods. (If you purchase these or other items from Amazon.com using the aforementioned links, you'll be supporting Gluten Free Philly.)

The Chester County chapter of the Gluten Intolerance Group is GIG hosting “Gluten-Free: Out and About” on Monday, November 12 at Wegmans in Downingtown (1056 E. Lancaster Ave.) from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Schӓr USA's Director of Nutritional Services, Anne Roland Lee, will be speaking there, and there'll be food samples, a tour of the store's Nature Marketplace section, as well as tips and resources for dining out and traveling. RSVP is not required.

As always, have a great weekend!

- Michael