For Your Amusement

As the area's amusement parks gear up for another season, more of them than ever are offering guests gluten-free options.

At Hersheypark, The Outpost is an entirely gluten-free and nut-free stand location in the Pioneer Frontier section. The menu includes three kinds of flatbreads, chicken Parmesan sandwiches, cheesesteaks, chicken tenders, salads, soft pretzel bites and turkey burgers. Dairy-free and vegetarian options are also available.

Hersheypark continues its outstanding handling of gluten-free requests, with the most options available at Overlook Food Court: hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, pizza, fries and snacks. Pizza is also available at Founder's Way, Hollow and Boardwalk area Famous Famiglia locations; hot dogs can be found at Timber Treats and Country Grill; and chicken tenders are also at Hollow Famous Famiglia. Burgers can also be found at Founder's Kitchen, Decades, Shoreline Grill and the Spring Creek Smokehouse.

The staff is trained to handle allergen-friendly food options: when an order is placed for a specialty item, staff members will wash their hands, put on new gloves, and use all new utensils designated specifically for specialty items.

Saturday in the Park

As the area's amusement parks gear up for another season, more of them than ever are offering guests gluten-free options.

At Hersheypark, The Outpost is an entirely gluten-free and nut-free stand location in the Pioneer Frontier section. The menu includes cheese and buffalo chicken pizzas, buffalo and Southwest chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, grilled veggie wraps, salads, soft pretzel bites and turkey burgers. Dairy-free and vegetarian options are also available.

Hersheypark continues its outstanding handling of gluten-free requests, with the most options available at Overlook Food Court: hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, pizza, fries and snacks. Craftbarn Kitchen also has burgers and snacks; pizza is also available at Founder's Way and the Hollow and Boardwalk area Famous Famiglia locations; hot dogs can be found at Timber Treats and Country Grill; and chicken tenders are also at Hollow Famous Famiglia. The staff is trained to handle allergen-friendly food options: when an order is placed for a specialty item, staff members will wash their hands, put on new gloves, and use all new utensils designated specifically for specialty items.

The ThunderHawk wooden roller-coaster got a refurbishment in time for the 2016 season at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown. These parks accommodate special diets with gluten-free pizza (at Typhoon Treats), chicken tenders and fries from dedicated fryers (at Coaster's and Center Stage Snacks), Chickie's & Pete's Crabfries, salads (at Coaster’s, Chickie's & Pete's Sports Bar and Subway), Dippin' Dots (all flavors except Cookies n’ Cream and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough), ICEE and cotton candy. The kitchens are also able to accommodate preparation requests such as hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken without rolls.

News & Notes: May 1, 2015

Gluten-free Patricia's Cheese Ravioli at Maggiano's

Casual Italian chain Maggiano's Little Italy debuted new gluten-free items yesterday in time for its annual "Eat-A-Dish for Make A-Wish" campaign. The "Eat-A-Dish" menu is available for dine-in or carryout and features the following gluten-free-friendly dishes:

• Shrimp and Avocado Lemonette - mixed greens, smoked bacon with a lemon vinaigrette
• Patricia's Cheese Ravioli (choose this and take a Classic Pasta home for the next day compliments of the chef) - gluten-free ravioli, parmesan broth, spring vegetables and a truffle mascarpone
• Grilled Jumbo Shrimp - sweet corn relish and honey calabrian glaze or Tuscan potatoes, arugula and lemon (available April 30 to June 3) / sauteed spinach, Fontina cheese with a lobster cream sauce (available June 4 to July 8)
• Creme Brulee Trio - chocolate honey, caramelized honey and citrus (available April 30 to June 3) 
• Flourless Chocolate Cake - chocolate cake, mixed berries, hot fudge with vanilla bean ice cream (available June 4 to July 8) 

Information on the kitchen's preparation of gluten-free dishes is posted on the company's website. To participate in this year's "Eat-A-Dish" campaign, guests just need to dine at Maggiano's from April 30 through July 8 and enjoy a gluten-free-friendly feature from the "Eat-A-Dish" menu. In return, Maggiano's will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish for every dish and $.50 for every glass of Wish Lemonade ordered from the special menu. In addition to these giving opportunities, Maggiano's will sell star-shaped cards, which feature inspirational stories of wish children, to guests for a donation of their choice. Guests who donate more than $10 will receive a commemorative star with a $10 coupon to be used during a future visit.

Diners can also get $10 off by joining the restaurant's E-Club. Area Maggiano's locations include King of Prussia (205 Mall Blvd., 610-922-3333), Philadelphia (1201 Filbert St., 215-567-2020) and Cherry Hill (2000 Rt. 38, 856-792-4470).

Morgan's Pier on Penn's Landing (221 N. Columbus Blvd., 215-279-7134) opened for the season yesterday with a new chef ("Top Chef" winner Nicholas Elmi) and a new menu. Both the weekday dinner and weekend brunch menus note gluten-free items. Hard ciders are available on draft and in bottles.

Ticket to Ride

Not only are the area's amusement parks are rolling out bigger and better attractions for the 2014 season, they're offering plenty of gluten-free fare. The major theme parks have beefed up their selections in recent years to accommodate guests.

At Hersheypark, the new Cocoa Cruiser is a family coaster located in Music Box Way. Guests can also enjoy two new family-friendly rides, Tea Cups and a Sweet Swing. Hersheypark continues its outstanding handling of gluten-free requests, with the most options at Overlook Food Court: hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, pizza and fries. Craftbarn Kitchen also has burgers and snacks; pizza is also available at Rhineland Famous Famiglia; and hot dogs can be found at Timber Treats. The staff is trained to handle allergen-friendly food options: when an order is placed for a specialty item, staff members will wash their hands, put on new gloves, and use all new utensils designated specifically for specialty items.

Gluten-Free Road Trip: Hollywood Nights

Previous: A Whole New World

As famous California roadways go, the Pacific Coast Highway is a top-five candidate. Otherwise known as State Route 1, the famous road runs along much of the coastline and connects the northern San Francisco Bay Area to the southern part of the state. One magnificent stretch runs through Malibu, where we had dinner our first night in metro Los Angeles. Our place of choice was Duke's Malibu, an offshoot of the Duke's family of restaurants well known in Hawaii, where we were able to get an ocean-view booth. Duke's has a gluten-free menu, off which our son ordered a Rocket Salad (arugula, Maui onion, bacon, roasted beets, goat cheese, white balsamic vinaigrette) and ono (also known as wahoo) glazed with a chili and cumin aioli with white rice and black bean salsa as sides.

Before returning to the Sheraton Delfina for the evening, we drove down another famous highway, Wilshire Boulevard, to get dessert at Beachy Cream in Santa Monica. Not just any dessert, mind you, but a homemade ice cream sandwich - two gluten-free chocolate chip cookies with pistachio ice cream.

The next day, we drove to Universal Studios in Hollywood. The production company behind classics like Jaws, Psycho and Jurassic Park runs an hour-long studio tour that's included in the price of  admission to the attached theme park. We took in the amazingly realistic Transformers 3-D ride (a couple times, actually) and Revenge of the Mummy roller coaster before going on the tour.

Among the many highlights of the tour was the King Kong 3-D motion simulator, which made us feel like we were trapped amid a jungle battle between the famous gorilla and a horde of dinosaurs. We also got to see Doc's DeLorean from Back to the Future, the Wisteria Lane exterior set from Desperate Housewives, and the War of the Worlds plane crash scene.

We broke for lunch at one of the CityWalk restaurants, Wolfgang Puck Bistro, where our older son amazingly ordered from the kids' menu for the first time in years. That said, he got two orders of salmon skewers with green beans.

In the afternoon, we conquered the upper level of the park, where we entered multiple dimensions at Shrek 4-D, Terminator 2:3-D and The Simpsons Ride. The best attraction there was Waterworld, a 20-minute live-action rescue adventure featuring lots of stunts and special effects.

The Flintstones BBQ stand was among the concessions listed on the park's gluten-free dining guide, so my son ordered the BBQ chicken platter, which came with sides of baked potato and cole slaw. The boys chased dinner with Ben and Jerry's vanilla soft serve.

With three theme-park days under our belts, we opted to leave the driving to others the next day. We took a 6-1/2 hour guided tour of Los Angeles. The tour took us through several neighborhoods where some of Hollywood's famous make their homes, including Bill Cosby, Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, Jack Black, Will Smith and Jackie Chan. We saw famous sites like Rodeo Drive, Paramount Studios and the Hollywood Walk of Fame (where I got to see the star awarded a few years ago to my favorite band, Canadian rockers Rush).

This tour, like many others, stops for lunch at the Original Farmers' Market. There's a stand there that serves gluten-free pizza, but we weren't comfortable with the preparation. We weren't able to find any other accommodating vendors, so I ended up taking my son to a nearby Chipotle for a rice bowl. As it turned out, we were only a few blocks from fonuts and had time to spare, so we walked over to the shop. We were amazed to see so many varieties of gluten-free donuts. My son devoured the coconut passion fruit donut before we left, and so I ended up buying another flavor - chocolate hazelnut - for his breakfast the next morning.

We stopped for dinner before returning to the hotel at the Santa Monica location of Buddha's Belly. With a large gluten-free menu to choose from, we ordered family style and shared shrimp dumplings, pad thai, fried rice and peanut noodles.

I was nervous heading into the vacation that nine days was too long of a trip, but there was so much to do in southern California that the time flew by. With just a couple of exceptions and a bit of planning, it was extremely easy to find gluten-free options throughout the region.

Gluten-Free Road Trip: A Whole New World

Previous: California Dreamin'

This being a road trip, we couldn't miss an opportunity to catch a baseball game. After we checked into the Sheraton Park at the Anaheim Resort - a short walk to the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks - we had dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. [GF menu] nearby. Son No. 1 got the Accidental Fish & Shrimp, a plate of broiled mahi mahi and grilled shrimp seasoned Cajun-style, and a side of broccoli.

Before we left on the trip, I bought cheap tickets to the Angels-Indians game online. Despite the presence of Albert Pujols, Torii Hunter, Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson on the roster of a team in the thick of the American League wild-card hunt, Angel Stadium was half empty (or half full, if that's how you roll).

The stadium itself is among the oldest in the Majors, although it's been renovated since its mid-1960s construction. Compared to the swanky retro-style ballparks in Philadelphia, Baltimore and other cities, Angel Stadium is dull. Gluten-free veggie dogs, black bean burgers, nachos, sweet potato fries, salads, fruit bowls and hummus are located at Melissa's Fresh For You stands in the first-base and third-base food courts and Redbridge beer is sold throughout the venue.

The game itself was a snooze, with the lowly Indians taking an early lead and ultimately winning the contest. We left early but stopped at an ice cream stand on the way out. I asked for vanilla soft serve in a cup, but the woman at the counter told me that I had to get it in a cone or upgrade to a large sundae in a decorative bowl. I told her that our son couldn't have the cone because he was on a gluten-free diet and that he didn't want a sundae, but she wouldn't compromise. And I wasn't willing to compromise by paying more for a plain sundae just to get it in a bowl. Enter my wife. She nearly jumped over the counter as she told the clerk: "Have some sympathy. My son has celiac disease and he cannot have the cone." With that, the clerk went to check with her manager. She returned with a cup of vanilla soft serve. Ah, the power of persuasion.

We spent our first full day in Anaheim at the legendary Disneyland. The park is much smaller than I expected, having been to the much larger Disney World in Orlando several times. The size made it easy for us to cover the park in a single day. As in Florida, Disney's California resorts are great for gluten-free dining. (The Disney Eats blog, written by a Disneyland employee, has a current list of gluten-free options; the list is also available at City Hall at Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A.) Lunch was in Frontierland, where we ate at River Belle Terrace. Our older son devoured a freshly carved turkey sandwich on a gluten-free roll with a side of cole slaw and baked beans. At dinner he ate a pastrami-topped burger and fries at Village Haus, a Pinocchio-themed restaurant in Fantasyland. At both places, I spoke with managers who oversaw the orders.

Disneyland's Mark Twain Riverboat

The best attractions at Disneyland included Indiana Jones Adventure, the Star Wars-themed Star Tours flight simulator, Space Mountain and Matterhorn Bobsleds. Our park experience was made much easier with the Fast Pass system (which allows guests to come back to more popular attractions at a designated time with little to no wait) and the Disney Parks mobile app that provides up-to-date wait times. The impressive fireworks show capped off an active day.

Disneyland's sister park, the 10-year-old California Adventure, was our base the much of the following day. The park just debuted a new section called Cars Land, home of the fantastic Radiator Springs Racers. Other rides we liked were Soarin' Over California, Toy Story Mania and Goofy's Sky School.

Restaurants at the Paradise Pier Boardwalk had many gluten-free options. At lunch, our older son had chicken skewers with Moroccan chili sauce at Paradise Garden Grill; directly next door, Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta serves gluten-free versions of their namesake foods.

By far, the most popular attraction at California Adventure is Radiator Springs Racers. I managed to snag four of the last few Fast Passes around 10 a.m.; the return time on the tickets was 10 p.m. After covering most of the rides we wanted to see, we walked back to the hotel for some poolside relaxation and I picked up pizzas from the zpizza location in neighboring Santa Ana. (The entire chain is GREAT Kitchens-trained through the NFCA.)

At night, we returned for seconds (and thirds) on several park rides and caught the majestic World of Color light-and-water show before finally experiencing Radiator Springs. The journey takes riders through familiar scenes from Cars before the vehicles rev up and race through the faux mountains.

Before we left the Anaheim area, we sought out two other culinary finds native to California: Pinkberry and In-N-Out Burger. Pinkberry was among the originators of the tart frozen yogurt craze in the U.S. All of the yogurts and fruits and some of the toppings are gluten free. In-N-Out, a West Coast chain, pioneered the fast-food drive-through restaurant concept. The chain's fries are gluten free, as are the protein-style burgers wrapped in lettuce. The yogurt is worth returning for; the burgers are just fair.

Next: Hollywood Nights (coming soon)

News & Notes: August 24, 2012

I'm back from a great family vacation to southern California, where among my favorite gluten-free finds were a donut shop in Los Angeles and a pan-Asian restaurant in Santa Monica serving dumplings. With a couple of exceptions (and a bit of research), it was extremely easy to find gluten-free options. I'll be writing about the trip in an future "Road Trip" post.

I attended Tuesday's Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park and got a first-hand look at the dramatic improvements that Aramark has made since the Celiac Awareness night last month. Various concession stands clearly advertise gluten-free options and there's increased signage throughout the ballpark. I sampled a terrific gluten-free cheesesteak that was at least a foot long and overflowed with meat. If all goes according to plan, there'll be a dedicated gluten-free concession stand next season.

The modern American restaurant Sbraga in Center City (440 S. Broad St., 215-735-1913), helmed by Top Chef Season 7 winner Kevin Sbraga, offers a gluten-free prix fixe menu that changes frequently. (Thanks Kristin V.)

Out in Reading, the menu at Jimmie Kramer's Peanut Bar Restaurant (332 Penn St., 610-376-8500) notes gluten-free and gluten-free-available options, including chicken tenders and pizza. The restaurant's new executive chef is Andrea Heinly, who appeared on Season 5 of Fox's Hell's Kitchen cooking competition show. The Berks County Gluten-Free Meetup Group is planning dinner there on Thursday, August 30.

The Cocco's Pizza locations in Primos (540 Oak Ave., 610-622-4147) and Downingtown (261 Norwood Rd., 610-873-2088) have gluten-free pizza made with separate sauce, cheese, utensils and bakeware. (Thanks to Dana M. for the tip.)

Gluten-free sandwiches at Center City's Brodo (31 S. 18th St., 215-977-7766), which is now GREAT-trained, can be made with Taffets bread. Many soups and salads are also options there. Brodo will be participating in Appetite for Awareness next month.

I posted a review of Rex 1516 on Tuesday. The South Street newcomer has house-baked gluten-free burger buns and a sinful a la mode dessert.

Fresh gluten-free bagels are no longer a dream - at least in the Delaware Valley. Michelle MacDonald's Gluten Free Bagel has plain, everything, sesame, poppy and cinnamon raisin varieties available at Redhouse Bagels in Bensalem (1542 Bristol Pike, 215-244-0776) and at all Green Line Cafe locations in West Philadelphia (4239 Baltimore Ave., 215-222-3431; 4426 Locust St., 215-222-0799; 3649 Lancaster Ave., 215-382-2143). While the bagels are made in a shared facility, MacDonald uses dedicated racks and baking sheets. The gluten-free bagels are prepped in a separate area and aren't made at the same time as wheat versions. Best bet is to call ahead to confirm availability and to place large orders.

On tap this weekend at Beer Cakes Philly (517 S. 5th St., 267-940-7264): Gluten-free strawberry cupcakes made with Dogfish Head's Tweason'ale. Owner Lexi Malmros bakes these separately from her other wares, and she's looking to expand the gluten-free line.

Ardmore's new Tired Hands Brewing Company (16 Ardmore Ave., 610-896-7621) is brewing Nuendo, a gluten-free Saison made with white sorghum and wildflower honey. Some of the gluten-free menu items include locally sourced meats and cheeses, house-made pickles and salads. (Thanks to Kristen B.)

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey (1 Six Flags Blvd., 732-928-1821) has finally made gluten-free food available at the park. Gluten-free (and also gluten-free/dairy-free) pizza, brownies and blueberry muffins are sold at the Main Street Pub, while fresh fruit can be found there and at Granny's Chicken and Ichiban's Tea House. The salads at Best of the West and Granny's Chicken are also safe. Great Adventure is open daily through September 3, then weekends in the fall.

New from Kozy Shack is a line of "Soda Shoppe" puddings. The first two flavors released are Orange Cream Pop and Root Beer Float.

If you're interested in gluten-free cooking, there are several upcoming classes in the area. Check out the Events page at the blog for more information.

I'm planning to take next week off, with posts to resume after Labor Day. I'm always active on Twitter and Facebook, though, so be sure to follow me there. Have a great weekend!

- Michael

For Your Amusement

With the school year winding down, amusement parks throughout the country will soon be packed with kids and kids at heart. In this neck of the woods, HersheyPark had no peer for the longest time when it came to offering gluten-free foods, but now others are catching up.

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown has added gluten-free pizza (at Patio Pizza, Coaster's and Typhoon Treats), fries from dedicated fryers (at Chickie's & Pete's, Coaster's and Just Chicken/Just Tacos), salads (at Coaster’s, Center Stage, Monster Grille, Patio Pizza, Game Day Grille, Clucks & Franks and Typhoon Treats), Dippin' Dots (all flavors except Cookies n’ Cream and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough), soft frozen lemonade and cotton candy. The kitchens are also able to accommodate preparation requests such as hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken without rolls.

At Knoebels in Elysburg, Pennsylvania - advertised as America's largest free admission park - there are several options. The Alamo Restaurant has proteins and salads (without croutons), while you can order hard-shell corn tacos, salads and nachos at the Mexican stand in the International Food Court. Breakfast items at the Food Court include eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns.

The new Merlin's Restaurant at Lancaster's Dutch Wonderland, opening early this summer, will have a gluten-free menu. Ingredient lists for the park's restaurants will be posted at the Dutch Wonderland website.

This season, Sesame Place in Langhorne offers Conte's bake-in-bag gluten-free pizza at Elmo's Eatery and Captain Ernie's Bistro. The park also has allergen-friendly snack packs from Rebecca & Devyn’s Gluten Free To Go at Elmo’s Eatery, the Snack Cart in front of the Dine with Me building and at the Popcorn Cart located behind Elmo’s Eatery.

In the Poconos, Great Wolf Lodge - home of a huge indoor water park - has specially-trained chefs that can offer a variety of gluten-free items. Guests can contact the lodge directly at 570-688-9899 to speak with a Food and Beverage Management team member.

Camelbeach, another Poconos waterpark, has gluten-free pizza by request at the Cammello's Pizza concession.

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey isn't particularly gluten-free-friendly. There's no mention of any safe foods at its website; a rep told me over the phone that guests can order salads and proteins without bread at various locations. [UPDATED 8/19/12: The park's Main Street Pub has gluten-free and gluten-free/dairy-free pizzas, gluten-free brownies and gluten-free blueberry muffins.]

HersheyPark continues to offer many gluten-free choices for the 2012 season, including Famous Famiglia pizza (stands located in the Hollow, Midway and Rhineland areas and at Minetown Restaurant), rotisserie chicken (at the Central PA Kosher Mart), burgers with buns (at Craftbarn Kitchen, Whistle Stop Restaurant, Shore Line Grill, Decades and Minetown Restaurant), chicken tenders (at Shore Line Grill and Minetown Restaurant), chicken sandwiches and grilled chicken salads (at Decades and Shore Line Grill), tacos and nachos (at Tumbleweeds Taco), wraps (at Crustano's Deli) and sandwiches (at SooperDooper Sandwich Shop and Crustano's Deli). The staff is trained to handle allergen-friendly food options with care; when an order is placed for a specialty item, kitchen staff will wash their hands, put on new gloves, and use all new utensils designated specifically for our specialty items. If more information is needed, email Guest Services or call 717-534-3855.

A bit further away is Kings Dominion in central Virginia, where guests can find personal-size cheese pizzas (at Tower Pizza, Victoria’s Pizza and Congo Grill & Pizza), nachos and cheese sauce (at Border Café), hot dogs (at Johnny’s Grove Grill), hamburgers (at Trail’s End Grill), french fries (at Border Café, Johnny’s Grove Grill and Trail’s End Grill), and salads with Honey French dressing, Dippin’ Dots, soft frozen lemonade and cotton candy throughout the park. Ask for a supervisor when ordering gluten-free nachos, hot dogs and burgers.

Williamsburg, Virginia's Busch Gardens advises guests to speak with a supervisor at meal facilities to determine a meal that will be safe. The park offers several allergen-friendly prepackaged items for special dietary needs, including Conte's gluten-free pizza. For inquiries in advance, email Guest Services.

News & Notes: April 27, 2012

Peter McAndrews just keeps 'em coming. Not long after opening Popolino in Northern Liberties, the chef is about to debut his fifth Italian concept - the first outside of Philadelphia. La Porta in Edgmont (1192 N. Middleton Rd., 610-358-5104), due open on May 1, will have pizza sensa glutine prepared and baked in a separate area.

Lots of additions in the First State this week (the home of tax-free shopping, you know). FireStone in Wilmington (110 S. West St., 302-658-6626) has a gluten-free menu with appetizers, salads, entrees, bunless sandwiches and sides.

Mad Mac's in Newark (801 S. College Ave., 302-737-4800) has gluten-free mac & cheese, prepared separately from other kinds. Living Social is currently running a deal for Mad Mac's: $10 for $20 worth of mac-&-cheese delivery or $15 for $30 worth of dine-in fare.

The PureBread chain of cafes, with locations in Wilmington (500 Delaware Ave., 302-421-9866; 4801 Limestone Rd., 302-239-9866), Greenville (4001 Kennett Pike, 302-426-9866), Newark (1309 Churchmans Rd., 302-455-9866) and Glen Mills, Pennsylvania (100 Evergreen Dr., 610-358-9866) has gluten-free bagels and lists gluten-free soups and salads on its menu.

To promote a greater level of food safety, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is introducing a tiered credentialing system for restaurants that will enable gluten-free diners to understand restaurant practices through a voluntary and transparent disclosure process. The GREAT Kitchen's Green Designation means that a restaurant has verified ingredients and has undertaken comprehensive training and strict cross-examination controls. An Amber Designation means that a restaurant has verified ingredients and undertaken basic server training, but kitchen practices may vary widely.

Toté in the Italian Market (1024 S. 9th Street, 215-551-5511) has been renamed Taffets, as chef Omer Taffet and his wife are now co-owners of the bakery.

Free Is For Me Desserts (609-920-3086) bakes gluten-free cheesecakes exclusively, out of Hainesport, New Jersey. Delivery is free within Burlington County, with a $1 charge to Camden and Gloucester counties.

On the other side of the Delaware, Sensational Soiree in Bensalem (215-964-3805) specializes in gluten-free wedding cakes (and wedding planning). The cakes are made with coconut flour.

Crocodile Catering in Wayne (610-971-9993) can prepare gluten-free salads and other meals for events in Philadelphia and the western suburbs. (Hat tip to Molly H.)

Sesame Place in Langhorne (100 Sesame Rd., 215-752-7070) offers Conte's bake-in-bag gluten-free pizza at Elmo's Eatery and Captain Ernie's Bistro. The park continues to have allergen-friendly snack packs from Rebecca & Devyn’s Gluten Free To Go at Elmo’s Eatery, the Snack Cart in front of the Dine with Me building and at the Popcorn Cart located behind Elmo’s Eatery.

This May, in honor of Celiac Awareness Month, Davio's in Center City Philadelphia (111 S. 17th St., 215-563-4810) will be offering a special four-course tasting menu. Executive Chef David Boyle will be serving up this gluten-free menu all month long for $65 during lunch and dinner (tax and gratuity not included). Here's the menu:

Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes, Baby Basil and Balsamic Reduction

Gluten Free Pasta, Applewood Smoked Chicken, Spinach, Sundried Tomatoes in a Walnut Cream Sauce

Grilled Fillet Mignon, Jumbo Sea Scallops, Barolo Sauce, Shellfish Butter

Vanilla Panna Cotta

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and the NFCA are sponsoring an educational event on Wednesday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the hospital. Dr. Anthony DiMarino, the director of Jefferson's Celiac Center will be speaking about causes and treatments, and Chef Gregg Ciprioni of Garces Trading Company will be conducting a food demo and sampling. Call 1-800-JEFF-NOW or register online.

As I reported on Tuesday, the long-awaited return date for the NFCA's Appetite for Awareness is on the books. Tickets are now available for the event, which will be held in Center City Philadelphia on Sunday, September 23.

I hope to see you at the Celiac Awareness Tour tomorrow - I'll be at the NFCA table from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Have a great weekend!

- Michael

News & Notes: July 15, 2011

¡Hola, señoras y señores! I dusted off my high-school Spanish while spending some time last week in Riviera Maya, Mexico. The beach at our resort was beautiful and the water - so blue! I can't remember the last time I did so much . . . nothing. In this day and age, with e-mail, cell phones and the like, it's extremely hard to unplug and relax, but I largely succeeded.

Thanks to everyone who voted for the Readers' Choice Awards over the past two weeks. I'll announce the top choices in a post later this summer.

Ravioli - gluten-free duck ravioli, to be exact - was the subject of Tuesday's post. The new product comes from Berks County-raised ducks and is made at Conte's Pasta's gluten-free facility in Vineland, New Jersey.

Speaking of pasta, the Romano's Macaroni Grill chain of Italian restaurants now serves gluten-free penne pasta. Local spots are in Montgomeryville/North Wales (29 Airport Square, 215-368-4210), Oxford Valley/Fairless Hills (640 Commerce Blvd., 215-949-9990), Princeton/West Windsor (3569 Rte. 1, 609-520-9700) and Wilmington (4157 Concord Pike, 302-479-1800).

Gluten-free pasta is also served at Via Napoli in Northeast Philadelphia (2500 Welsh Rd., 215-934-7700) and Spampinato's in Conshohocken (16 E. 1st Ave., 610-825-3151). Thanks to reader Toni B. for the tip on Via Napoli.

Hat tip to reader Jaime L. for news that Maple Glen Pizza (641 Welsh Rd., 215-542-7720) serves gluten-free pizza.

The Institute gastropub in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia (549 N. 12th St., 267-318-7772) has gluten-free pasta, fish tacos, hard cider and other items, including an apple crumble for dessert. Co-owner Heather Derussy tells me that the kitchen takes dietary requests seriously.

Some info that is "shore" to please on Long Beach Island: Reader Susan A. let me know that Boulevard Clams in Surf City (2006 Long Beach Blvd., 609-494-9494) offers gluten-free crab cakes and other items, while Buckalew's (101 N. Bay Ave., 609-492-1065) in Beach Haven - which has offered gluten-free pasta - now has pizza as well. Calabria Ristorante in Beach Haven (1901 N. Bay Ave., 609-492-8001) also has gluten-free pizza and pasta.

In Ocean City, Bongo Cafe and Grille (1050 Bay Ave., 609-938-0680) serves sandwiches on gluten-free bread.

Purely Sweet Confections is a home-based bakery out of West Chester (610-883-3997) offering baked goods free of many common allergens (gluten, dairy, soy, egg, yeast and peanuts).  Products include cakes, cupcakes, cookies and pies.

Reader Ramona A. wrote on Facebook that My Little KupKake in Collingswood (685 Haddon Ave., 856-240-1097) now has gluten-free vanilla cupcakes.

Doylestown's A Taste of Philly (8 W. State St., 215-340-1575) scoops locally-made Sweet Pea ice cream served in gluten-free sugar cones. Thanks to reader Rich S. for the tip.

Warminster's BRE Bakery, which sold gluten-free cookies and other items, recently closed.

"Chef Moni" of Center City's 10Arts tweeted that Delaware's Dogfish Head Brewery recently tapped its new gluten-free Tweason'ale, a sorghum-based beer made with fresh strawberries and honey. For now, it's available only at Dogfish's Rehoboth Beach brewpub but by year's end may be packaged for wider distribution.

Delaware's Grotto Pizza now serves gluten-free beer at its locations with a bar, including those on Main Street in Newark and on Concord Pike and Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilmington. As I mentioned in March, nearly all its First State locations serve gluten-free pizza.

Sesame Place in Langhorne (100 Sesame Rd., 215-752-7070) now offers three gluten-free, allergy-friendly snack packs from Rebecca & Devyn’s Gluten Free To Go. The variety packs can be found at Elmo’s Eatery in the coffee café area, the Snack Cart in front of the Dine with Me building and at the Popcorn Cart located behind Elmo’s Eatery, across from Cookie Mountain.

Kozy Shack has added several gluten-free desserts to its product line. The new Coffeehouse Blends pudding comes in three flavors: caffe latte, cappuccino and caramel macchiato. The company's SmartGels - in orange and sugar-free orange, strawberry and sugar-free strawberry, tropical and sugar-free tropical and cherry flavors - use a vegetarian-based ingredient as an alternative to gelatin-based desserts.

On Tuesday, July 19, GREAT-trained chef James Harris will lead a gluten-free cooking demonstration at the Cape May County Library in Cape May Court House (30 Mechanic St., 609-463-6350). The 1 p.m. event is open to library members.

The Bards Irish pub (2013 Walnut St., 215-569-9585) in Center City is hosting a Gluten-Free Day on Sunday, July 24 starting at 3 p.m. There will be pizza, burgers, chicken tenders and traditional Irish stew (made with Bards beer), Shepherd's pie and fish & chips. The owners are considering a permanent gluten-free menu - they're installing a dedicated fryer in time for the event - so come out and show your support.

Have a great weekend!

News & Notes: May 13, 2011

Imagine dining out and being able to choose from 25 varieties of gluten-free pizza. Hold that thought until June 29. That's when the California Pizza Kitchen chain will begin offering gluten-free pizza nationwide. (Local outlets are in Philadelphia on City Line Avenue, and at the King of Prussia Mall, Plymouth Meeting Mall, Cherry Hill Mall and Christiana Mall in Delaware.) The company has been test-marketing the new crust in Alabama, where only five pizza options aren't gluten-free because of gluten in other ingredients: Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Tostada, Thai Chicken, Roasted Garlic Chicken and Artichoke & Spinach. I'm told that the gluten-free versions are made using separate ingredients and on dedicated pans to avoid cross-contamination. At least in the test-marketing phase (and hopefully for the nationwide roll-out), diners do not incur an extra charge for the gluten-free crusts. There's a email-list option on CPK's homepage that gets you a $5-off coupon.

Several Lamberti's-owned restaurants in the tri-state area have gluten-free choices. Tutti Toscani in Cherry Hill (1491 Brace Rd., 856-354-1157) serves pasta, while the menus at Lamberti's Italian Grill & Bar in north Wilmington (514 Philadelphia Pike, 302-762-9094) note acceptable options. Several readers have mentioned that Lamberti's Cucina in Feasterville (1045 Street Rd., 215-355-6266) can accommodate special dietary requests.

Christine's, an Italian BYOB in Yardley (385 Oxford Valley Rd., 215-369-2930, has gluten-free penne and fusilli pasta.

Gluten-free pasta also is available at Katie O'Donnell's in Northeast Philly (4501 Woodhaven Rd., 215-637-5151).

The gluten-free menu from The Broad Axe Tavern (901 W. Butler Pike, 215-643-6300) is now posted at the Gluten Free Philly Restaurants page.

BRE Bakery in Warminster (700 York Rd., 215-821-8462) is carrying baking mixes from recipes created by Mr. Ritt's. The mixes, which are free of gluten, dairy and egg, include Quinoa Bread and Soft Pretzel Mix, Italian Baguette/Pizza Crust Mix and Buckwheat Bread Mix.

Dock Street Brewing Company in West Philadelphia (701 S. 50th St., 215-726-2337) once again has its gluten-free Sudan Grass Ale on tap. Thank to reader Vic B. for the tip.

Campbell's Place in Chestnut Hill (8337 Germantown Ave., 215-242-1818) serves Redbridge beer and Magner's hard cider.

Kids have more gluten-free choices when visiting area museums and amusement parks. The DEcafe at the Delaware Children's Museum in Wilmington (550 Justison St., 302-654-2340) serves Wellshire Farms' gluten-free chicken bites, which are baked and prepared separately.

Dorney Park in Allentown (3830 Dorney Park Rd., 610-395-3724) has posted a gluten-free food list at its website, while a customer-relations rep at New Jersey's Six Flags Great Adventure (1 Six Flags Blvd., 732-928-1821) let me know that gluten-free food can be purchased at Carnegie Deli (chicken salad, garden salad), Best of the West (grilled chicken sandwich without the bun) and Panda Express (Smiley fries). Fresh fruit is available at Carnegie Deli, Granny’s Country Chicken, Best of the West and Yummy Yummy Café.

My latest snack-food addiction? Bachman's Toasted Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips. Go get them. Now.

Rita's newest water ice flavor is Juicy Pear Ice, and it's gluten free. I'm looking forward to trying that one.

The Gluten-Free Philadelphia Supper Club's next get-together won't be dinner, but brunch instead. Food For All Market in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia will host the group on Saturday, June 11 at 1 p.m. Gluten-free waffles, sandwiches, soups and salads will be available. For more information about the club or plans for the brunch, e-mail reader Adriana Z.

Have a great weekend!

News & Notes: June 4, 2010

It's good to be back after a brief respite - I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday weekend. Big ups to Relish in Allentown, where we stopped recently on the way to the Poconos. Nearly any menu item can be made gluten free. My older son enjoyed his first cheese steak there, and he chased that with a warm waffle sundae. (OK, healthy it was not.) Relish's baked goods are made by sister business Icing, an allergen-free bakery.

On Tuesday, I reviewed several breads from Canyon Bakehouse, another gluten-free bakery out of Colorado. The standout was the company's focaccia.

Oasis Living Cuisine is a vegetarian restaurant in Frazer (134 Lancaster Avenue, 610-647-9797) specializing in raw foods. The cafe offers buckwheat bread and pizza crusts and wraps made with rice tortillas.

Whether you're a nosher or a fresser, there's good news for those looking for an accommodating kosher restaurant. Max & David's in Elkins Park (150 Yorktown Plaza, 215-885-2400) has selections that are or can be made gluten free. Items on the current lunch menu include most soups, salmon nicoise salad, Cobb salad and chicken salad. On the dinner menu, baked buffalo wings, Israeli grilled chicken, hanger and ribeye steaks, burgers, sweet potato hash and risotto are among the gluten-free choices.

Two new items recently were added to Cheeseburger in Paradise's gluten-free menu: Mambo Shrimp Salad and Redbridge beer. Area locations are in Pennsylvania in Exton and Langhorne and in Newark, Delaware.

Pure Tacos, which I wrote about in April, is now open for the season on the Ocean City Boardwalk. The entire menu is gluten free.

Speaking of kosher, Sweet Freedom Bakery's baked goods are now certified as such.

According to reader Patrick, West Philly's Dock Street Brewing Company may not bring back its gluten-free Sudan Grass beer due to insufficient demand. If you're interested in seeing this brew again, e-mail the brewer.

The Wegmans store in Mount Laurel now sells liquor, and among the selections are gluten-free Belgian-style ales from Green's, imported from England. The market also carries Redbridge.

Woodchuck's limited-edition Summer Cider, with a hint of blueberries, is now in stores.

Area Whole Foods markets are now stocking the new gluten-free pretzel sticks from Snyder's of Hanover, a bargain at $2.99 a bag.

An update to last summer's post on HersheyPark: New for 2010 are gluten-free chicken tenders, available at Minetown Restaurant. Trevi 5 Italian restaurant, which has replaced the Fountain Cafe at the Hotel Hershey, lists gluten-free choices on its lunch and dinner menus. At the Hershey Lodge, the dinner menu at The Forebay and the lunch/dinner menu at The Bears' Den also note gluten-free options.

Allentown's Dorney Park has gluten-free foods available. Choices include hamburgers, hot dogs and grilled chicken without rolls, salads, french fries at certain locations and cotton candy.

In Central Pennsylvania, Knoebels amusement park has a few gluten-free items available at two of its restaurants.

At Amazon.com this month, you can save up to 25% off on Annie's gluten-free macaroni & cheese and fruit snacks: Save 10% using code ANNIE736 and an additional 15% with a Subscribe & Save order.

A reminder that the celiac awareness dinner at Susanna Foo in Radnor will take place this coming Monday, June 7. Reservations are still being taken for the event.

Have a great weekend!

News & Notes

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving and the December holidays are nearly upon us. I'm sure 2010 will bring even more awareness of celiac disease and gluten-free diets. As I wrote this week, early in the new year the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team will do its part, hosting a celiac awareness night at its January 19, 2010 contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets. On March 26, the 76ers basketball team will hold a similar event at its game versus the Atlanta Hawks. Discounted tickets are available for both events, with a portion of the price donated to support awareness efforts.

On Wednesday, I reviewed several of the many gluten-free options at Sazon, a Venezuelan restaurant in Philadelphia. The restaurant is hosting a fifth-anniversary celebration this Sunday, November 15, with a buffet dinner available for patrons.

Sweeties Pie Diner in Philadelphia (1822 Spring Garden Street, 215-988-0230) has gluten-free options on its weekly menu. Several of their "savory" pies available for Thanksgiving, including the polenta and sweet potato enchilada varieties, are gluten free. I was told by an employee there that the gluten-free pies are cooked separately and safe handling practices are used. Thanks to reader Annsley for the tip.

Casona, a Latin restaurant (and favorite of mine) in Collingswood, New Jersey, has posted on its website a separate gluten-free menu.

Campbell's Soup Company, headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, has a gluten-free FAQ page on its website that includes a link to a list of its gluten-free products. In addition to its namesake soups, the company makes Swanson broths, Pace salsa, Prego sauces and V8 juices.

Vineland, New Jersey's Conte's Pasta "tweeted" this week that the company is working on gluten-free garlic bread and pepperoni pizza that will be available at retail outlets.

Reader Meg emailed me about a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough that is being sold as part of school fundraising efforts. Joe Corbi's sponsors fundraising programs for schools, clubs and organizations, and among its offerings are tubs of gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough. The product can also be ordered directly from the company.

A company called Yes to Cookies has introduced gluten-free cookies that are also sugar- and starch-free and available for online purchase. The cookies come in chocolate and strawberry-banana flavors and can also be made at home with a mix.

According to a message thread recently posted on the Delphi celiac disease forum (registration required), the Great Wolf Lodge, a waterpark resort in the Pocono Mountains, has gluten-free dining options. One message included an email from the resort's food and beverage manager, who wrote that gluten-free pasta, stuffed shells. manicotti, chocolate chip cookies and hamburger buns are available. The kitchen can also prepare grilled chicken and steak with vegetables, according to the manager. Another poster wrote that she spoke with the chef, who advised that gluten-free pancakes and pizza also are offered. If you're planning a trip to the resort, call ahead to confirm available safe dining options.

On Wednesday, November 18, the Whole Foods Market in Marlton, New Jersey will host a Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Tasting and Cooking Class from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The cooking class, which is free, will begin at 6 p.m. in the Cafe but space is limited. To register, contact Jen in Marketing by email or at 856-797-1115.

The Children's Celiac Support Group's next meeting will be on Sunday, December 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at CHOP's Specialty Care Center in Voorhees, New Jersey. Parents and children are welcome, and attendees should bring their favorite gluten-free cookies to share. Although free, registration is suggested by December 3 by emailing the Center or calling 267-426-6822.

Have a great weekend!

Won't You Take Me to Chocolatetown

UPDATE (6/20/11): Fenicci's of Hershey has gluten-free pasta, wings and other items noted on its menu.

UPDATE (6/3/10): New for 2010 are gluten-free chicken tenders, available at Minetown Restaurant. Trevi 5 Italian restaurant, which has replaced the Fountain Cafe at the Hotel Hershey, lists gluten-free choices on its lunch and dinner menus. At the Hershey Lodge, the dinner menu at The Forebay and the lunch/dinner menu at The Bears' Den also note gluten-free options.
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I vividly recall my first visit as a child to Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania - being awestruck by the signature Hershey Kiss street lights, complete with the famous "paper" strips protruding from the tops of the faux foil wrappers. The park, which is about a two- to three-hour drive west from most points in the Delaware Valley, has grown considerably over the years with the addition of new roller coasters, rides and even a boardwalk. Along with nearby hotels and restaurants, the park also has lots of options for guests with gluten intolerance.

Within the park itself, gluten-free hamburger rolls are available at the Craftbarn Kitchen, Whistle Stop, Decades, Minetown Restaurant and Shoreline Grill, while wraps are offered at Tumbleweed's Taco, Crustano's Deli, Minetown Restaurant and the Turkey Hill Ice Cream Parlor. The menu items at Rhineland Famous Famigilia, Midway Famous Famigilia and Minetown Restaurant include gluten-free pizza, and desserts are available at the Craftbarn Kitchen, Whistlestop, Minetown Restaurant and Decades. The ingredients for the gluten-free baked goods are posted on the park's website. The Kosher Mart (located in the park but closed Friday afternoons and Saturdays) also has some gluten-free options, including rotisserie chicken and salads.

At the nearby Hotel Hershey, the Fountain Cafe has safe items listed on its lunch and dinner menus. The Hershey Grill, located at the Hershey Lodge, notes gluten-free choices on its lunch and dinner menus. The other eateries at the hotels are knowledgeable about gluten-free options as well.

A reader mentioned that a local Italian restaurant, Piazza Sorrento, has a gluten-free menu that includes pizza and pasta. There's also a celiac-friendly Red Robin Gourmet Burgers located in Hershey.

As for the chocolate and other candy available throughout the park, Hershey's does not publish a list of items that are considered gluten free but recommends that customers read the product labels. The company does produce a list of common label terms that indicate or may indicate the presence of wheat.

Hersheypark is open daily during the summer through Labor Day and on weekends throughout September.