Presents for a celiac

You know what your favorite celiac wants for Christmas/ Hannukah? I'll give you a hint. It is not a strange fake hamster (or a strange live hamster, for that matter).  And while world peace would be great, lets be honest, it's probably not happening for a while.  So. Simple answer: gluten-free food at your holiday party.

The season of parties is upon us and it can be intensely frustrating for a celiac to attend these soirees.  Inevitably, amid the small talk and drinking, the fact that someone is not eating gets attention.  Your celiac will probably tell you that it's no big deal, they prefer to bring their own food.  Not true! What they would prefer is to eat with everyone else.  An equality of food, if you will.  The problem that's inherent in the system (anyone?) is that even if you make a gluten-free option, the likelihood that it will be contaminated is kind of high.  Even people who are moderately aware of the effects of gluten tend to be less than careful about cross-contamination; "aren't you being just a bit too picky?" "can't you eat just a little?"  "it won't hurt you."  Add alcohol to the mix and there's almost zero chance that the gluten-free food will stay gluten-free if it's universally available.  Therefore, the safe celiac will not partake even if there is a gluten-free option. 

So.  The more complex answer to what your celiac wants for the holidays: universal awareness of celiac disease and its restrictions.

Its been a...

It has been almost a month since I put keyboard to screen and let loose.  High time, I say, to get back into it.  November is always a slightly tough month, but now December is here and demands to be celebrated!  As most properly socialized people know, celebrations = food. Therefore...

Most Christmas-y food ever: oyster stew.  Every Christmas eve, my family would load up into the van (there were a lot of us) and, eventually, after Christmas visits and services, end up at my grandmother's house for dinner.  Some of my sisters detested the traditional meal and demanded an alternative, but, to me, nothing smells as rich, tastes as velvety or has such strong memorial resonance.  The oyster stew would be warming on the stove when we arrived, filling the air with a buttery aroma.  I am not going to post my grandmother's recipe because, frankly, it's not mine to give.  But here you can get Madame Paula Dean's, which looks easy, delicious and, best of all, is gluten-free.