Eating Gluten Free at Citizens Bank Park

Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies, has added a number of new features for the 2018 Major League Baseball season, including a wiffle ball field for kids. One new concept from last year, Zoom Food, is where gluten-free options can now be found. Zoom Food, located in Section 126, has a Wawa-style touch-screen ordering system. Gluten-free options at Zoom include cheesesteaks, hot dogs, pizza, chicken tenders, soft pretzels, brownies, cookies, chips, peanuts and Redbridge beer. Additional options will be added throughout the season.

In addition, gluten-free Cobb salads, loaded nachos, vegetarian chili and brownies are now available at Harry the K's, while the Ashburn Alley Chickie's & Pete's Crabfries stand prepares only fries in dedicated fryers. There are several Rita's stands throughout the ballpark serving gluten-free water ice (Sections 106, 116, 132, 208, 220, 316 and Ashburn Alley), and Redbridge beer, Stella Cidre hard cider and Spiked Seltzer are available at various stands, including at Brewerytown (Sections 113, 139, 204, 209, 318, 323, 229).

UPDATED 4/12/18: Due to popular demand, the dedicated stand has returned as a dedicated portable cart on the concourse level (Sections 125/126).

The Eagles' Nest

With the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies once again failing to making the playoffs this year, Philly sports fans are hanging their hopes on the Eagles to end the drought. For the Birds, the 2015 NFL season kicks off on Sept. 14 with a Monday Night Football clash in Atlanta. The season's first regular-season home game is the following Sunday, Sept. 20, against the division rival Dallas Cowboys.

Gluten-free options will once again be available at the home of the Eagles, Lincoln Financial Field. Stand-alone carts offering exclusively gluten-free concessions, located at Sections 120 and 216, will have hot dogs, sausages, buffalo falafel (which is vegan), beer, cookies and brownies.

Gluten & Allergen Free Expo Recap

Not only were there new products galore at last weekend's Gluten & Allergen Free Expo in Secaucus, New Jersey, there was a sizable Philadelphia-area contingent on hand.

The company behind our favorite gluten-free pasta, Le Veneziane, has expanded into the heat-and-serve market with three microwaveable Express dishes: penne with pomodoro sauce & basil, macaroni & cheese and macaroni & mushrooms. Also new from the company is shelf-stable potato gnocchi. All of the products are made in Italy and are GMO free.

California's Second Helping was sampling mini versions of its Corn Puppies, uncured turkey franks dipped in an organic corn meal batter.

Rockin' Rolls

When 18th-century English poet William Cowper wrote that variety is the spice of life, he certainly could have been referring to food. In the early days of our son's gluten-free diet, we'd often serve him a hamburger or hot dog wrapped in a piece of square bread. Today, however, many gluten-free bread companies offer alternatives for different occasions.

Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery has expanded on its original three-variety sandwich bread line with the introduction of multigrain hot dog rolls and hamburger buns. The new products (with four rolls or buns to a package) are made with all-natural ingredients and, like the breads, are certified gluten free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization.

The flaxseed, millet and sorghum flour used for the rolls and buns create a flavorful, nutty taste, with a hint of sweetness from the molasses and honey. Although the ingredients are largely the same as those used in the company's multigrain bread, our son preferred these new products to the bread. Since we stored the buns and rolls frozen, it took about 25 seconds in the microwave to have them ready to go.

Rudi's products are carried by local Whole Foods, Genuardi's and Safeway markets and smaller natural-foods stores. (Check the store locator at Rudi's website for the store nearest you.)

DISCLOSURE: While Mambo Sprouts 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 Mambo Sprouts, Rudi's or its respective parent, subsidiary and affiliated entities, advertising and promotional agencies. Click here for my complete Disclosure.

News & Notes: April 29, 2011

While we had perfect weather last week in Florida, the meals were less so. Not that the food was bad, mind you. It's that with one exception every meal out took well over an hour. Lots of people there are in no particular hurry - not just retirees - and it seems to manifest everywhere from the roadways to sidewalks. You know you're in Florida when you go out to eat for breakfast and emerge from the restaurant at dinner time.

Thanks for indulging me while I ranted a bit there. Now, back to business. Tuesday was National Pretzel Day, and to commemorate that holiday (does Hallmark make cards for that?), I wrote about the gluten-free soft pretzels from Tonya's Gluten Free Kitchen.

New to the Main Line is Bryn Mawr's Bake 425 (1012 W. Lancaster Ave, 610-525-6425), a new organic take-and-bake pizza shop from the founders of the Peace A Pizza chain that offers gluten-free pizza. The in-store preparation for those pies is handled in a separate area to avoid cross-contamination.

Reader Allie P. let me know that Cajun restaurant Bourbon Blue in Philadelphia's Manayunk section (2 Rector St., 215-508-3360) has a gluten-free menu.

Reader Dan passed along info on two suburban restaurants that accommodate gluten-free diners. First is The BRGR Joint - across the street from Bake 425, actually - in Bryn Mawr (1011 W. Lancaster Ave., 484-380-3465). The bunless burgers and fries are gluten free. In Plymouth Meeting, Plaza Azteca (351 Plymouth Rd., 610-940-3906) can prepare and modify menu items accordingly.

Havertown's The Pig and Whistle Deli (1304 Edgewood Rd., 610-853-8399) can prepare gluten-free meals with advance notice, according to reader Jennifer K. The deli also has gluten-free rolls on occasion.

Vader's in Southampton appears to have closed, as the phone number has been disconnected and the website is gone. The restaurant offered a gluten-free menu.

Post's "new and improved" Marshmallow Pebbles cereal, which now has no gluten-containing ingredients, is now on supermarket shelves. My son, who is not a cereal junkie (unlike his old man), scarfed down three bowls in the first 24 hours of my bringing home a box. No doubt the sugar rush had something to do with that, but I was thrilled nonetheless. The older, wheat-laden version is still around, so be sure to check the packaging before purchasing. This is the first gluten-free cereal containing marshmallows on the market since General Mills discontinued the hard-to-find Kaboom last year.

Come this summer, gluten-free shortbread cookies from Amy's Kitchen will be available. The cookies are made with organic almond flour and will come in Classic, Almond and Chocolate Chip flavors. Thanks to Tiffany at Celiac-Disease.com for the heads-up.

Readers Ron G. and Toni B. mentioned at the Gluten Free Philly Facebook page that they loved the new cookies from Moondance Desserts. The new sweets come in Mexican Wedding, Chocolate Crinkle and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar varieties and can be found at Whole Foods.

Also at Whole Foods are the new classic-style (white) and whole-grain hamburger buns and classic hot dog rolls from Udi's. My son tried the classic buns and really liked them. Thanks to reader Donna D., who mentioned this on Facebook.

Local snack-food favorite Herr's has introduced Sesame-Rice Tortilla Chips. The gluten-free chips are made with crunchy sesame seeds and brown rice.

On Wednesday, May 4, The Celiac Center at Paoli Hospital presents "Exploring the World of Gluten Intolerance: Celiac Disease and Beyond." Join in person or online for the presentation and interactive Q&A with Stefano Guandalini, M.D., Chief of Gastroenterology and founder and Medical Director of the Celiac Disease Center, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital. The one-hour event will begin at 2 p.m. at Paoli Hospital (255 W. Lancaster Ave.). For in-person attendance, call 1-866-CALL-MLH; online participants can register here.

Bye Bye, Gluti!, the U.S. distributor of Italy's GlutenOut products, will hosting a free sampling at the Princeton Library (65 Witherspoon St., 609-924-9529) on Tuesday, May 10 beginning at noon. Following that event, you can meet chef Nicolo Angileri of GlutenOut and enjoy a four-course dinner accompanied by regional Italian wines at Mediterra (29 Hulfish St., 609-252-9680), beginning at 6:30 p.m. The cost of the dinner (excluding tax and gratuity) is $65 per person, and reservations are required.

A national beer producer will be conducting focus groups in the Philadelphia area on the subject of gluten-free beer. The company is seeking male participants, ages 25-45, for a 75-minute session on May 16. The stipend is $100. For more information email Nancy Ginter at the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness with your name, age and phone number.

Have a great weekend!

Eating Well

By the time 2012 rolls around, Gloucester County, New Jersey may be the only area in the country that can claim to source a gluten-free sandwich from top to bottom. That's when Schar expects to have up and running in Logan its first U.S. gluten-free plant, producing bread, rolls and other products. What about what goes in the sandwich? That's where Wellshire Farms comes in. The Swedesboro-based meat processor makes packaged gluten-free, preservative-free cold cuts such as turkey, ham and roast beef, not to mention chicken nuggets, sausage, bacon, hot dogs, hamburgers and even ribs.

The family-owned business dates back to 1993, and in 2001 introduced the first fully-cooked, all-natural gluten-free breaded product now known as Wellshire Kids' Dinosaur Shaped Chicken Bites. (The chicken nuggets are certified gluten-free by the GFCO.) The company's foods are also sold under the Wellshire and Lou's Famous labels, among others, and customers can check the allergen status of all products at its website.

A store-locator feature, also at the website, lists markets throughout the country carrying Wellshire-made products, including all Whole Foods locations. The foods can also be ordered online.

News & Notes: January 8, 2010

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! I wanted to give a shout-out to a couple of places we stopped last weekend while visiting friends and family in New York. We got to sample a great assortment of gluten-free goodies from Brian Fishman's Sweet Karma Desserts in East Meadow, Long Island, including a fabulous Banana Foster Dome. Tuttoriso in Staten Island has gluten-free everything, from french toast and pancakes for breakfast to meatball sandwiches and panini for lunch and dinner.

My first post of the new year introduced the first Goodies Giveaway of the year - a copy of the newly revised Triumph Dining Grocery Guide. You can enter through Sunday, January 10 by adding a comment to the post with your contact information along with the product you most enjoyed trying for the first time in 2009.

On Wednesday, I reviewed many of Schar's gluten-free products. The company's pastas and rolls are among the favorites at home.

Onto the restaurant news. Pop Pop's Pizza and Pasta in Warminster, Pennsylvania (216 West Street Road, 215-441-8217) now offers Still Riding's gluten-free pizza. As a reminder, Still Riding's referral offer continues through the end of March. If you get your local restaurant to carry the company's pizza, you can get a $100 bonus. Be sure to read the details in my November post.

Also on the pizza watch, Seasons Pizza in Cherry Hill, New Jersey (450 Route 70 East, 856-428-4441) opened this week. This is the chain's second location - the other being in Stratford, New Jersey - to offer gluten-free pies. Reader Hellana wrote to say that she ate at the new spot with her family this week and thought the pizza was "fantastic." I'll have more to say about Seasons in a future post.

The Philadelphia outpost of Chima Brazilian Steakhouse (1901 J.F.K. Boulevard, 215-525-3233) accommodates gluten-free diets. According to a manager I spoke with at the restaurant, all of the rotisserie meats are gluten free. The only items on the salad bar containing gluten are the tuna pasta salad, Caesar salad, tabouleh and French rolls, according to a list on file at the restaurant. The other salads, fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats and mousses are listed as safe.

There's a lot of anticipation for the opening of Philadelphia's Sweet Freedom Bakery (1424 South Street, 215-545-1899). The owners are planning to open the doors next Friday, January 15. Incidentally, the gluten-free bakery got a shout-out in a recent article about area gluten-free dining posted at Philadelphia magazine's website.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries is now open in Cinnaminson, New Jersey (127 G Route 130, 856-829-5200).

Asian-influenced Melodia Grill in Souderton, Pennsylvania recently posted a separate gluten-free menu on its website.

GF at PHL? Michael Klein of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported this week that Legal Sea Foods is setting up shop at Philadelphia International Airport this spring. The seafood chain, with its other area location in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has long offered a gluten-free menu. A check with Legal's guest services confirmed that two of the eatery's locations in Boston's Logan Airport have gluten-free options.

Reader Reyna e-mailed me about her great New Year's Eve gluten-free meal at Philadelphia's Chifa, from "Iron Chef" Jose Garces. She was kind enough to let me reprint her comments here:

I ate there with a friend who is also GF on New Year's Eve, and I can't say enough things about how much I loved it.

They offer yucca rolls with Sriracha sauce and they are so much like real rolls! Plus, even though it was a prix fixe menu, they were able to provide every dish GF for us. They use GF soy sauce as a matter of course. Basically, I think they are amazing and would highly recommend your giving them some love on the blog!

The one downside is that it's pricey . . . but they are one of the featured restaurants for Restaurant Week, so that might be a great time for any of your readers to try it without paying too much.

P.F. Chang's initial Warrior Card loyalty offer for 2010 is 10 percent off the bill for customers when dining in.

A number of people have searched this website in recent weeks for information on where they can buy Paskesz gluten-free chow mein noodles. The product is seasonal and will be available in the weeks leading up to Passover in late March. However, readers can buy the wide and fine noodle varieties directly from the company in the meantime. The minimum order is for three bags ($4.79 each) plus shipping; the noodles have an 18-month shelf life. To place an order, call Saralee at 718-832-2400 extension 109. I tried the wide noodles last year and thought they were delicious, with a nice crunch.

Look for the repackaged boxes of Kix cereal from General Mills, with the labels listing all gluten-free ingredients.

The retail versions of Nathan's Famous skinless beef franks are now labeled gluten free, with hydrolyzed corn protein (yum!) replacing wheat protein. Interestingly, the Nathan's cheddar-flavored hot dogs I spotted at a local Acme had the words "gluten free" on the wrapper crossed out with black marker because they still contain wheat.

The Delaware Celiac and Gluten Intolerant Group is holding a potluck dinner in Newark on Sunday, January 10 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Attendees should bring a homemade or pre-made gluten-free dish for 4-6 people, the recipe and information on whether the meal meets other dietary needs (i.e., vegetarian, nut-free, kosher). RSVP through this link; the exact address will be e-mailed to those who register.

The Whole Foods Market in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania is hosting a gluten-free store tour on Monday, January 11 at 7 p.m. Participants will get to sample items from Whole Foods' own Gluten-Free Bakehouse and other products. To sign up for a tour, call 610-896-8134, e-mail Ruth Harp, or stop by the customer service desk in the store.

For readers that aren't close to Acme, Wegmans or ShopRite - three area markets carrying S'Better Farms gluten-free corn dogs, chicken strips and other products - you can now order them directly from Kosher.com. First-time customers can get 20% off their order of $100 or more using code SuperSaver, while using code ShopSave can net returning customers 15% off on orders over $100. Back in September, I wrote about the corn dogs, which are a staple in our house.

Amazon.com has a sale on few gluten-free items this month:

• Up to 25% off on GoPicnic meals (4-packs): save 10% using code GOPC6725 at checkout and save an additional 15% when placing a Subscribe & Save order
• Up to 25% off on Amy's Organic chilis and soups: save 10% using code AMYS9376 at checkout and save an additional 15% when placing a Subscribe & Save order
  
• Up to 30% on thinkThin bars and snacks: save 15% using code THNK8563 at checkout and save an additional 15% when placing a Subscribe & Save order
• Up to 35% on Mrs. May's snacks: save 20% using code MAYS7438 at checkout and save an additional 15% when placing a Subscribe & Save order

Please show your support for Gluten Free Philly by making your Amazon.com purchases through this fine website, whether it's gluten-free groceries or anything else (um, does anyone need a Kindle?) Just get to Amazon.com by clicking on any of the product links above or on the Amazon.com banner ad on the Gluten Free Philly home page to start your shopping. I get a small commission from Amazon, and there's no cost to you.

I trust this is enough information to make up for my absence over the last couple Fridays! Have a great weekend!