News & Notes: November 2, 2018

Green Giant Fresh has expanded its fresh vegetable offerings with its new gluten-free Vegetable Meal Bowls, available in the refrigerated produce section at grocers nationwide at a suggested retail price of $3.99 per bowl. Each bowl includes a 100% fresh vegetable base with sauces and seasoning packets, The line includes six varieties:

• Buddha Bowl: featuring crumbled sweet potato, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, roasted chickpeas and tahini sauce
• Burrito Bowl: containing crumbled cauliflower and ancho-chipotle pepper black bean sauce
• "Fried Rice" Bowl: featuring crumbled cauliflower, carrots, onions, broccoli and teriyaki sauce
• Pad Thai Bowl: featuring carrot noodles with peanut-flavored sunflower butter sauce
• Ramen Bowl: containing butternut noodles, crumbled cauliflower, carrots, onions, broccoli, roasted edamame and ramen seasoning
• Rancheros Bowl: featuring crumbled sweet potato, cauliflower, kale and green chili sauce

California Pizza Kitchen has added two new gluten-free cauliflower thin-crust pizzas to its line of frozen pizzas. One is Artisanal Style Cheese, the other an Uncured Pepperoni, Mushroom and Sausage pizza. Speaking of CPK, the restaurants are phasing out the rice-flour pizza crusts but are still offering five certified gluten-free cauliflower pizzas. (Thanks to Baltimore Gluten Free for the tip.)

I'm still searching for the new Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake ice cream from L.A.-based Coolhaus. The seasonal flavor made with pumpkin and cream cheese ice cream and a gluten-free graham cracker crust swirl. The company's website has a downloadable coupon.

Cheesecake Factory at Home is a new line of gluten-free refrigerated puddings that will hit stores early next year. These layered puddings come in four flavor combinations:

• Vanilla Fudge Duet: creamy vanilla bean pudding over dark chocolate fudge sauce
• Chocolate Black-Out: rich Belgian chocolate pudding over dark chocolate fudge sauce
• Salted Caramel Delight: creamy salted caramel pudding over rich caramel sauce
• Cake Batter Strawberry Royale: creamy cake batter-inspired pudding over a sweet strawberry puree

Mi-Del has two new gluten-free seasonal cookies: Snowflake Snickerdoodles and Snowman sugar cookies.

Trader Joe's is always adding new gluten-free products. Among the latest are blueberry and everything bagels, as well as a pie crust.

The Philadelphia area has seen lots of gluten-free-friendly restaurant openings of late. Today is the debut of Eddie V's Prime Seafood in King of Prussia (670 W. DeKalb Pike, 610-337-7823). The kitchen has a gluten-free menu that includes many traditional seafood and steakhouse options.

In Fairmount, the new Thirsty Dice (1642 Fairmount Ave., 215-765-2679) is a board-game cafe featuring more than 800 games to choose from. The menu is designed by the good folks at Fox & Son and includes gluten-free corn dog lollipops, French bread pizza and mac-and-cheese.

News & Notes: July 28, 2017

Better-burger chain Johnny Rockets has introduced Udi's gluten-free buns at all U.S. locations, including the two in this area: the Society Hill section of Philadelphia (443 South St., 215-829-9222) and Atlantic City at Bally's Casino (1900 Pacific Ave., 609-340-0099).

With the recent closure of Paesano's in the Italian Market, another gluten-free cheesesteak option in Philadelphia is Campo's in Old City (214 Market St., 215-923-1000), which prepares gluten-free orders separately.

The new Museum of the American Revolution in Old City (101 S. 3rd St., 215-253-6731) has several gluten-free salads and a soup available at its Cross Keys Cafe, as noted on the menu.

The Greene Turtle has opened its newest sports bar and restaurant in Middletown, Delaware (416 S. Ridge Ave., 302-376-7800.) There are now six locations in Delaware and one in North Wales, Pennsylvania, all of which offer a gluten-free menu.

Hot Dog Tommy's in Cape May (319 Beach Ave., 609-884-8388) offers gluten-free hot dogs with buns and fries.

Expo East 2016 Recap

What do functional water, cold-brewed coffee and sauerkraut have in common? Those products were among those trending at the annual Expo East natural-foods show in Baltimore last week. The show features new and emerging gourmet, natural and gluten-free products from across North America whose manufacturers are seeking wider distribution in supermarkets and grocery stores.

This year's show was larger than ever, with more than 1,450 exhibiting brands and more than 450 first-time vendors. In no particular order, here's my list of the top five gluten-free products I tried at this year's event (not all items are currently available in area stores), along with information about some other noteworthy items:

New Pop: The Original version of this skinless popcorn, one of three flavors from a New York-based upstart, reminds me of a less cloyingly sweet Sugar Smacks cereal made with corn instead of wheat. The skin on the corn kernels are peeled before being pressure popped, so there's nothing to get stuck between your teeth. A cup serving size is just 32 calories, but you'll want more - it's addicting. Each serving has 4 grams of fiber, zero grams of fat and just 3 grams of sugar. New Pop can be found at a few area markets, but mostly in the New York City area. The company also takes orders online.

Tucson Tamale: This Arizona mini-chain of restaurants has begun to expand distribution of its delicious gluten-free tamales east of the Mississippi River, though they can also be ordered online. They are super easy to make and taste great. There are several vegetarian and vegan varieties, and well as dessert and breakfast versions.

Smashmallow: The creator of Krave jerky is behind this new line of premium snackable marshmallows. The treats are made with organic sugar and all natural ingredients, and range from 70-90 calories per serving. Smashmallow bites come in seven flavors, including Cinnamon Churro, Strawberries & Cream, Espresso Bean, Mint Chocolate Chip, Toasted Coconut Pineapple, Meyer Lemon Chia Seed and Root Beer Float.

The Curious Creamery: Coming this week via Amazon is The Curious Creamery's new make-your-own ice cream - no machine is needed. The gluten-free, neutral base can be used to customize your flavor. All that's needed is a hand mixer or stand mixer, freezer, and liquid (tea, juice or milk) or fruit puree or yogurt of your choice. The prep takes less than five minutes, followed by freezing time. I sampled a yummy pumpkin flavor that's perfect for fall.

Pasta Oggi: This Montreal-based start-up got a mention in this space last year for its gluten-free ravioli, but this year its certified gluten-free pizza took center stage. The hand-tossed, stone-baked frozen pizzas have a crisp, tasty crust. Alas, these are only available in Quebec at the moment but the company is seeking U.S. distribution.

News & Notes: February 5, 2016

Ruby Tuesday is now offering gluten-free burger buns for a $1 upcharge. The traditional American chain, with 24 locations in the Delaware Valley, has more than 700 restaurants throughout 44 states. The full allergen guide is posted at the company's website.

Contemporary Thai BYOB Circles has opened its first New Jersey location in Collingswood (8 Powell Lane, 856-869-0001). Gluten-free and gluten-free-by-request items are noted on the menu and include all soups, salads and curries, as well as many entrees and noodle and stir-fry dishes. Be sure to request gluten-free soy sauce. These items are also available at the restaurant's Philadelphia outposts in Northern Liberties (812 N. 2d St., 267-687-1309), Society Hill (429 South St., 267-639-2396) and Point Breeze (1514 Tasker St., 267-687-1778).

New York City macaron purveyor Woops! is expanding into the Philadelphia area with kiosks at Cherry Hill Mall (2000 Rt. 38, 856-874-6793) and Christiana Mall in Newark (132 Stanton Christiana Rd., 302-593-1670). All of the macaron flavors are gluten free, though the French pastries are not produced in a dedicated facility.

Goodies Giveaway: Canyon Bakehouse

If you're near a Target store, you're near Canyon Bakehouse's flavorful gluten-free breads. But don't look for them in the frozen section there. The Mountain White and 7-Grain breads are in the packaged breads area and can be kept on the kitchen counter for several days, yielding fresh slices for sandwiches. (Download a $1-off coupon here.)

Canyon Bakehouse's newest products are brownie bites and bagels, in plain and everything varieties. The company is offering three lucky Gluten Free Philly readers a sampling of its entire product line - full-size versions of each of its 10 products, from rosemary & thyme focaccia to deli-style rye to burger and hot dog buns.

To enter, follow the instructions below. Entries are being accepted through midnight Eastern on Monday, November 8. The winner will need to respond to a notification email and provide a U.S. mailing address. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

News & Notes: June 5, 2015

Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar in Cherry Hill (923 Haddonfield Rd., 856-488-7590) has added gluten-free burger buns as an option. The fries are prepared separately. (Thanks to reader Michelle M. for the tip.)

Dine-in movie chain Studio Movie Grill plans to open in Upper Darby (53 S. 69th St.) this summer. The theater kitchens offer gluten-free hamburger buns.

Rosa Blanca, the Center City Philadelphia Cuban diner from Jose Garces, closed last weekend and will reopen in the fall with a different concept.

The Market at Cherry Hill's Farm & Fisherman (1442 W. Rt. 70, 856-356-2286) is now selling two kinds of gluten-free cookies from local baker Sugar & Spice: White & Dark Chocolate Chip with Macadamia Nuts and Snickerdoodles.

News & Notes: May 8, 2015

Irish pub Tir Na Nog has opened its first suburban location in Cherry Hill (482 E. Evesham Rd., 856-520-8312), replacing Dubh Linn Square. The gluten-free menu includes burgers, pasta with vodka sauce, and fried calamari. The kitchen maintains a dedicated fryer, but be sure to specify gluten-free orders to your server.

Canyon Bakehouse this week announced the launch of its newest gluten-free products: Plain Bagels, Everything Bagels and Brownie Bites. The suggested retail prices of the Bagels and Brownie Bites are $5.49 and $6.49, respectively. All three products are now available for online purchase and will be available in Target and other natural and conventional grocers nationwide beginning this month.

The J.M. Smucker Company recently debuted Hungry Jack Funfetti Pancake & Waffle Mix. (Locally, Wegman's sells it for $3.49 each.) Also new are four new gluten-free Smucker’s Fruit-Fulls Blended Fruit flavors: Apple Cobbler with Oats, Tropical Fusion with Oats, Pom-Berry with Chia and Strawberry Vanilla with Chia.

News & Notes: April 24, 2015

Sunday marks the grand opening of mostly to-go Waffles & Wedges in Center City Philadelphia (1500 Pine St., 215-309-3222). As the name suggests, the menu will be comprised of "Liège" Belgian-style waffles (the gluten-free versions will be made on a dedicated iron) and baked potato "fries" (all gluten free). Many of the sauces and toppings don't contain gluten either.

Opening this summer in Wynnewood is a second area b.good (280 E. Lancaster Ave.). Ninety-five percent of the menu at this healthier fast-casual restaurant chain - another location is in Marlton - is gluten free, including Udi's buns, all fries and several desserts.

News & Notes: March 13, 2015

This weekend marks the sixth anniversary of my first post here at Gluten Free Philly - that's a long time in blog years. Thank you for your support throughout that stretch! It's your notes, recommendations, product sightings and the like that helps make the blog a joy to publish. If you're attending the CHOP educational event in Philadelphia on Sunday, please stop by the NFCA table between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. to say hello.

To celebrate the anniversary, the Gluten Free Philly restaurant app is on sale all weekend for $1.99 (normally $2.99) at the Apple App Store. (It's also available at the Google Play Store.) With the app, you'll find more than 1,400 curated gluten-free-friendly restaurant, bakery, market and attractions listings covering southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and all of Delaware, with new listings frequently added. Search by name, location or cuisine, view gluten-free-friendly menus and options, get directions, make reservations, and call listed businesses from your phone.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor's Plain Rice Roll
(Photo: Nom Wah)

New York City's oldest dim sum house, Nom Wah Tea Parlor, has opened a Philadelphia location in Chinatown (218 N. 13th St., 267-519-2889). Gluten-free items are marked on the menu, like shrimp, beef and vegetarian rice rolls and tofu skin rolls; request that gluten-free soy sauce be used for these orders. Other items are fried in a shared fryer.

Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar will open at the Moorestown Mall (400 Rt. 38 W., 856-581-0044) on Monday, according to Philly.com. Most items are 500 calories or less and many items can be made gluten free. The Philadelphia location, for example, offers gluten-free pasta and pizza options.

What's New for Passover 2014

There's much to celebrate at Passover if you're gluten free, Jewish or not. Passover, the Jewish holiday commemorating the biblical exodus from Egypt, begins this year on April 14. It's a time when many more gluten-free products are available at supermarkets. This grew out of the observance of certain segments of the Jewish population to refrain from eating any wheat products during Passover. The packaging of many gluten-free products is expressly labeled as such, while others have a "non-gebrokts" notation. (As always, read the ingredient label before buying and consuming a particular item.)

Expo East Recap (Part Two)

In last Tuesday's blog post, I focused on new gluten-free pizzas and sweets that were sampled at last month's Expo East products event. This week, the spotlight turns to baked goods, ice creams and salty snacks.

Baked Goods

Olivia's Croutons owners Francie and Dave Caccavo established a dedicated facility in Middlebury, Vermont to produce its new scratch gluten-free Garlic croutons and Rosemary & Sage stuffing. The bread base for both products is made with millet, sorghum and brown rice and white rice flours. Olivia's products are available for purchase online and in stores throughout the country.

News & Notes: April 26, 2013

If singer-songwriter Don McLean eats gluten free, I'm sure he would consider going to America's Pie in West Chester (323 E. Gay St., 484-947-5115), which has pizza (made in a separate area), bread for sandwiches, cookies and muffins on the menu. There are also chicken tenders available, but be aware that they're prepared in a shared fryer.

Basil Leaf, the 100% gluten-free Asian restaurant in Newtown, has closed. The owner wrote on the restaurant's Facebook page that he hopes to open in a new location.

My annual list of gluten-free concessions at pro baseball stadiums was posted on Tuesday. In addition to the dedicated stand in Philadelphia, several other ballparks have new items for the 2013 season. Also in that post is a list of Celiac awareness nights scheduled for various ballparks this year.

Daiya has unveiled its first frozen food product: gluten-, dairy- and soy-free frozen pizza. The pizza is made with an organic crust and organic sauce, and toppings that include roasted vegetables, Shiitake and Crimini mushrooms, and fresh basil. Four flavors are available – Cheeze Lover’s, Margherita, Fire-Roasted Vegetable, and Mushroom & Roasted Garlic. All Daiya products are vegan and are free of the top eight food allergens including dairy (casein, whey and lactose), soy, gluten, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts (excluding coconut). The pizzas can be found at Whole Foods markets for $9.99 each.

Readers who have tried the rich gluten-free brownies and crispy chocolate chip cookies from Tate's Bake Shop (the latter are sold by Trader's Joe's under its own name) know how delicious they are. On the strength of that popularity, the Long Island, New York bakery will launch a dedicated gluten-free facility next month. Owner Kathleen Tate will expand gluten-free production with new Ginger Zinger and Double Chocolate Chip cookies.

If they're anything like the bakery's gluten-free soft hot dog and burger buns, then Kinnikinnick's new bagels - boiled the old-fashioned way - should be a hit. They come in plain, cinnamon sugar and blueberry varieties and are also dairy free, nut free, kosher and vegan. The bagels will be making their way to supermarkets and natural foods stores soon, but are now available for home delivery via online ordering. Kinnikinnick charges a flat fee of $10 shipping with a minimum $50 order.

On May 8, Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood (100 E. Lancaster Ave.) will welcome a panel of medical experts to discuss the latest news in Celiac disease diagnosis and treatment and the gluten-free lifestyle. The event, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., will be hosted at Lankenau, with satellite locations at Bryn Mawr and Paoli Hospitals. The event is free (lunch is included) and online registration is available.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

New Products Report from Expo East

Yogurt, beverages, and snacks of all shapes and sizes. Those seemed to be the products in abundance at last week's Expo East, a showcase of natural foods that exhibits annually at the Baltimore Convention Center. Gluten-free products were featured throughout the fair, with more than half of the wares on display or being sampled in that category. Some were obvious (water - flavored, sparkling and still - dried fruits, and poultry and meats, to name a few), some were brand extensions, and some set out to improve on existing products. There were no novel items to be found, but many stood out for their creativity and taste.

The newest gluten-free product to debut at the show was a line of gluten-free pretzels called Gratify. Made by Israeli food company Osem, the pretzel varieties include sticks, twists, plain, sour cream & onion and sesame thins, and chocolate- and yogurt-coated twists. The pretzels will be available nationwide in early 2013. Glutino's coated pretzels were preferable to Gratify's, but the sticks rivaled Snyder's gluten-free version.

Local favorite Conte's Pasta sampled the consumer version of its new bake-in-bag gluten-free pizza and announced a line of refrigerated gnocchi, ravioli and pierogi, which will cut down on prep time. After a successful test in Minnesota, kids entertainment center Chuck E. Cheese's will have Conte's gluten-free pizza at all locations nationwide as of October 15.

I tried three other gluten-free pizzas at the show. Bold Organics, from New York, is free from gluten, dairy, egg and nuts and comes in Vegan Cheese, Veggie Lovers, Meat Lovers and Deluxe. (Bold is sold locally at natural-foods stores and will soon be at Acme Markets.) Florida's Better 4 U!, which is not yet available in the Philadelphia area, has five flavors on a multigrain crust, including a vegan roasted vegetable pizza. Longtime gluten-free baker Foods By George now has a dairy-free/gluten-free pizza. 

Our favorite cookie at Expo East was the new Chocolate Merry Mint from Dr. Lucy's, one of two new holiday flavors. It came pretty darn close to replicating the taste of a Girl Scout Thin Mint. The company also has new Snack 'n Go Packs and Brownie Cakes, its first non-cookie item.

In general, I prefer soft cookies. Gilbert's Gourmet Goodies and WOW Baking fit that bill with their excellent snickerdoodle cookies. Another great find, although not yet available in this area, was Salt Lake City's Blossom Fine Foods, whose marble brownies were delightful.

Go Max Go makes healthier versions of candy-aisle staples, from Mahalo and SNAP! bars (akin to Almond Joy and Nestle Crunch) to Cleo's Peanut Butter Cups, all gluten, dairy and egg free.

Hilary's Eat Well and Qrunch Foods had convenience in mind when developing their tasty veggie burgers; they can be prepared in a pop-up toaster. Both are millet and quinoa based and are free of the major allergens.

The yogurt marketplace is growing by the day; I'm not sure there are enough cows to keep up. Chobani Greek Yogurt is coming out with 2% banana, non-fat pear and smaller (3.5 oz.) four-packs of Fig with Orange Zest, Caramel with Pineapple, Coffee with Dark Chocolate Chips and Raspberry with Dark Chocolate Chips. These will join the new "Flip" line that pairs vanilla chocolate chip low-fat yogurt with raspberry and honey low-fat yogurt with banana. Wallaby (whose non-fat yogurt I love) has also ventured into the Greek realm with four varieties.

There were a lot of nuts, seeds and other "raw" foods at the show. The best came in spreadable form: The Razzle Dazzle flavor of all-natural PB Crave (one of four varieties) and Nu Life Market's Sun Lite creamy sunflower kernel spread.

Kinnikinnick's products were the first my son ate after his diagnosis, but it's been a while since we've bought them. I'm reconsidering in light of trying the brand's "soft" bread. The new hot dog buns and sandwich bread were indeed soft and moist - not crumbly in the least. 

Udi's Gluten Free debuted tortillas made with tapioca starch, brown rice flour and corn starch, which come in 6" and 9" sizes. My son loved his sample of Udi's new "inside-out" everything bagel. O'Doughs, a gluten-free bakery out of Toronto, had its new 100-calorie bagel thins - plain, flax and apple cranberry - on display.

In the snack aisle, Lesser Evil, whose Krinkle Sticks I crave, has a line of black bean-and-chia crisps - Southern Barbeque, Crunchy Dill Pickle, Feta and Black Olive and Jalapeno White Cheddar. Another favorite, Medleys snack mixes from El's Kitchen, now come in three varieties - cheddar and sour cream & onion, in addition to original. The Real Deal's all-natural veggie chips have been spiced up with the addition of a sriracha flavor. A new product making its way east from Pittsburgh is the Hippie Chips line of baked potato chips.

News & Notes: September 14, 2012

Appetite for Awareness is just one week from Sunday. The first 20 readers to place ticket orders today will get 20 percent off with code 20OFF, and all orders today are eligible to win one of five special Appetite for Awareness T-shirts. The randomly selected winners will be notified by email prior to the event and the shirts can be picked up at the event. All proceeds from the event benefit the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness's education and advocacy efforts. Whether you're there or not, follow all of the action on Twitter that day with hashtag #A4A12. I'll also have an open thread on my Facebook page for readers to post their own finds while at the event.

NFCA founder Alice Bast is a semi-finalist in this week's round of Philadelphia magazine's Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge. You can vote for her once a day through Monday by liking the Be Well Philly Facebook page and then clicking on the Health Hero Challenge logo. The four weekly semi-final winners will move on to the finals in October. For every vote, United Healthcare will donate $1 to the American Heart Association (up to $5,000).

Muse, an New American bistro in Oxford (306 Market St., 610-998-1308), is gluten-free-friendly. (Thanks Bethann S.)

Bridget Foy's on South Street (200 South St., 215-922-1813) has added a gluten-free menu.

David Boyle, the executive chef at Center City Italian steakhouse Davio's (117 S. 17th St., 215-563-4810), has created a seasonal gluten-free pumpkin gnocchi made with rice flour and a spicy pumpkin puree.

Rittenhouse Square's Caffeination (2100 Chestnut St., 215-568-8006) carries baked goods from The Little Bakery. The all-gluten-free bake shop in Blue Bell is the reigning Philadelphia magazine "Best of Philly" winner for gluten-free sweets.

The write-up of the first part of my family's California vacation last month was posted Tuesday, covering La Jolla. I'll share our Anaheim and Santa Monica/Los Angeles adventures in future posts.

Butterfly Bakery, which will be exhibiting at Appetite for Awareness, has a new gluten-free line called Baby Butterfly. The mini cupcakes and muffins should be at Wegmans markets next month. The bakery is offering a $2 mail-in rebate on the purchase of any two products.

Udi's new products include a unique Everything Inside Bagel and quinoa Mighty Bagel, French baguettes and dinner rolls, and two new muffin varieties. The baguettes and rolls will hit stores in October, while the other products will debut in January.

The next CHOP Children's Support Group meeting is set for September 30 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Voorhees Specialty Care Center (1012 Laurel Oak Rd.). The topic is "Surviving School and Siblings," and pizza and ice cream will be provided. Kids can bring their favorite snacks to share. RSVP by September 27 via email or call 215-590-2985.

There's also a children's support group meeting Wednesday at St. Christopher's Hospital in Philadelphia (3601 A St.) starting at 5 p.m. RSVP today by calling 215-427-6538.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

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

Riding the El

Savory snacks come in all shapes and sizes, from corn chips to pretzels to potato chips. What if those favorites joined forces? Then you'd get something like El's Medleys.

A seasoned mix of potato chips, corn chips, pretzels and corn nuts, Medleys - and bagel chips called Bagel Snaps - are new products from El's Kitchen. Both gluten-free snacks are free of gluten, dairy, nuts, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial flavors and cholesterol.

Eleanor "El" Smith, the owner of El's Kitchen, earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia and spent her corporate days working as a planner and consultant before embarking on a new career in the food industry. Now living in Connecticut, El sought out to create gluten-free foods after she learned a friend was diagnosed with celiac disease.

Each production run is sampled and tested to confirm gluten levels do not exceed 10 ppm.

Snaps are available in 3-oz. and 1-oz. individual bags and Medleys are available in 5-oz. and single-serve 2-oz. bags. At the moment, the closest markets to the Delaware Valley selling the snacks are in western Pennsylvania and New York City, but they are available for purchase online.

News & Notes: December 17, 2010

I won't refer to punny headlines like "Merry Cliff-mas" and "Unbe-Lee-vable" (looks like I just did, didn't I?), but with the Phillies' signing of Cliff Lee I am more impatient than ever for the start of the baseball season. As I mentioned last week, the Phillies will have another Celiac Awareness night in July, but I'm hopeful that on the strength of the strong turnout for the one this past season that more gluten-free options will be available all season long.

I posted a DVR alert on Tuesday. The December 28th episode of the Food Network's "Cupcake Wars" will feature Philly's own gluten-free Sweet Freedom Bakery will be one of the combatants.

Congratulations to reader Amy C., who was the winner of the recent holiday giveaway hosted by Gluten Free Philly and nine other gluten-free blogs.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but word came on Monday that Ninety Nine Restaurants has closed its remaining Pennsylvania locations in Audubon, Bensalem and Warrington and its outlet in Deptford, New Jersey. The chain was an outlier in that it actually had gluten-free buns for its burgers. Elsewhere, reader Rich S. reports that Cafe Monterosso in Yardley, which offered gluten-free pizza, pasta and desserts, has closed. According to an outgoing phone message, the owner plans on relocating the restaurant.

On a brighter note, Sonata in Northern Liberties has updated its gluten-free menu.

Warminster's new BRE Bakery has picked up several varieties of My Dad's Cookies, which I reviewed last week. The bakery currently is carrying the Black & White, Raspberry Linzer, Chocolate Fancy, Chocolano and Italian Chocolate & Raspberry cookies.

Since Philadelphia is, of course, the home of the soft pretzel, I'm thinking that the new gluten-free Bavarian Pretzels from Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels just have to be sold in this area. The company announced this week that beginning in January the pretzels will debut at select Whole Foods stores, although information on ingredients and manufacturing protocols wasn't mentioned. Thanks to Gwinnett (Ga.) Gluten-Free Examiner Jennifer for the info.

Here's another first-to-market gluten-free product: a lemon-bar baking mix. Introduced by Marion's Smart Delights, the new mix is not only certified gluten-free, but also allergen-free, Kosher certified and made with all-natural ingredients. The mix is not yet available in the Delaware Valley but can be purchased directly from the company for $6.49 per box.

Made with gluten-free oats from Finland, instant apricot oatmeal is the first of several oatmeal products to be introduced by Simpli. The instant oatmeal is certified gluten-free and sells for $4.95 a box, which contains five servings. You can read about the company's harvesting and processing of its gluten-free oats at its website.

More Udi's goodness, spotted at Wegmans: cinnamon raisin bread and bagels and whole grain bagels. These new products will be more widely available in the new year.
 
Fans of Snikkidy snacks can enter to win a product box from the company. Just fill out the form here between now and January 15, 2011 and write in Gluten Free Philly as the referring source. Two entrants will be randomly selected to win, and the blog that refers the most readers will receive snacks to award to a lucky reader. Also, 25 readers from the winning blog will receive a Snikiddy Snack Pack box, which will include three snack packs and a coupon.

Our older son, who turned 10 this week, is a big fan of the Food Network and probably knows more about cooking and baking than me and my wife combined. Among the birthday presents we got him was a brand-new gluten-free dessert cookbook called The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free by Anne Byrn. The book contains 76 recipes, from Caramel Melted Ice Cream Cake to Southern Sweet Potato Pound Cake. The cool part is that all of the recipes call for packaged gluten-free cake and brownie mixes like those from Betty Crocker and Gluten Free Pantry. Using the Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix, he and my wife made the Fresh Orange Bundt Cake drizzled with an orange juice glaze - it was amazing!  Amazon.com has the book on sale for just $8.69, a 42% savings off the cover price.

If you're looking for a fun parent-child activity for some upcoming school off-days, it may be worth a drive to Monmouth County, New Jersey, not too far off of Exit 8 of the New Jersey Turnpike. The Young Chefs Academy in Morganville is hosting allergy-free cooking workshops on January 17 (Gluten-Free National Candy Month) and February 21 (Gluten-Free Famous Dishes of the Presidents). There are other great-sounding workshops scheduled on Monday and Friday nights throughout the winter and spring seasons.

With the holidays approaching, I'll be posting less frequently through the end of December. Look for my year-end roundup highlighting the many good finds from the past 12 months. Keep e-mailing all your great restaurant and product finds and upcoming events. You can also follow me on Twitter @gfphilly, where I tweet items of interest, sometimes before the information gets posted here.

Thanks for joining me throughout 2010! I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season and a prosperous new year.