Wednesday

Controversial Facebook Post by Chef Damian Cardone

Damian Cardone is a self described executive chef. He has worked at multiple eating establishments including Sopris Chalet, Restaurant, Aspen, Co Tavern on the Green N.Y.C and Florindo's Italian Cuisine in Glenwood Colorado. He left his job at Florindo's March 15th 2011.


 Mr. Cardone's Facebook bio claims that he has appeared on Regis and Kelli, Project Runway, and numerous PBS segments. It also goes on to make claim that he has personally cooked for celebrities including, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, and Sigourney Weaver. 

He made the alarming post below about Gluten Free Food on  His Facebook Page recently. 
***UPDATE*** It looks as though Damian has deleted his FB page.Probably due to overwhelming outrage. I will keep the link up in case he changes his mind. 


This shameful chef takes another shot with this piece of gold "May god help the Liberal hippie idiot whos going to ask for gluten free pasta this weekend"  he goes on to insult other customers and his boss!







Clearly Damian Cardone is ignorant to many things, not just Celiac Disease. I can't begin to understand his reason for doing this let alone the point of it all. It's malicious and frankly it scares me. I find myself wondering about times I have had a reaction after eating in a restaurant. Was it a mistake by someone who didn't know any better? Was it intentional by someone like Mr. Cardone? Is this a common issue that we clearly do not know much about?  So many questions!!!

 I will be honest with you, there is a restaurant in my city that I will not go to anymore. They have a Gluten Free menu but almost every time I have been there, the server has told me that the chef says my order (from the GF menu) is not Gluten Free. I have been in touch with the establishments head office about this. They said the items on the GF menu are indeed all Gluten Free! They even e-mailed me ingredient listings. This makes me wonder...did the chef just not want to prepare my food carefully and separately? Really makes you think.


File a complaint with Colorado Department of Law Attorney Generals Office Here.

Further discussion of this matter can be found at   Celiac.com. (where I first read about this controversey)

 Thank you to everyone who is helping to spread the word about this very important issue.




***UPDATE*** Here is an article published Thursday March 31st 2011 on the subject. Glenwood Springs Post Independant.
The article states that Mr. Cardone was a waiter at Florindo's......still there are many opportunities for him to intentionally cause harm to diners.







Queijo - An unexpected Delight

Chewy,delicious,and mouth watering are just some of the ways I can describe Queijos  Also known as Brazilian Cheese buns, these treats are super tasty! Be creative and play around with the recipe. You will find that the Queijos (pronounced Kay-Joe) are yummy with an array of flavours. I love baking these! Like most things I bake the Queijos are indeed freezer friendly. They make a great side for hot meals especially if you like to have a "bun" of sorts to dip with. Personally, I love how convenient they are for an on the go snack. Pop one into the microwave and out you go with a delicious treat!






Recipe makes about 8 servings


Preheat Oven to 375

2 Cups Tapioca Flour
1/2 Cup Olive Oil or Butter
1/3 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Milk
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Minced Garlic
2/3 Cup Grated Marble Cheese
2 Beaten Eggs

Additional Options include : Sun dried tomato and basil, Jalapeno and cheese, Cheese alone. You could even    turn the Queijos into a pizza pocket of sorts by filling it with your favourite pizza toppings.

Pour olive oil, milk and salt into saucepan. Place on high heat.When mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Stir in the Tapioca flour and Garlic until smooth. Set aside and let rest for 15 minutes.
Stir in egg and cheese until well combined. The mixture will look chunky like cottage cheese. Scoop out mixture and place on baking pan. I use my hand but you can use anything from an ice cream scoop to a ladle to get the proportion you like.

Bake 15-20 minute on un greased baking pan until slightly brown.

Note: The resting period is necessary to prevent the cheese from becoming a greasy mess in the oven. Trust me, it happens.

Make Ahead Mini Meatpies

For me, comfort food is such a joy. There's nothing like a hot meal when the weather is miserable outside. My favourite thing about this recipe is how simple it is! You can tackle the entire recipe all at once or you can do it in stages. I like to make this recipe in large batches and freeze for future meals. The small size of the "mini meat pies" really is great as they are quite filling.



Feel free to alter filling ingredients to your own personal liking.

Preheat  your oven to 350 (varies depending on oven)


Filling
2 Cups diced cooked chicken
2 1/2 Cups chicken stock
1 Cup Diced Carrots
1/2 Cup Diced Celery
1/2 Cup Chopped onion
1/4 cup Cornstarch or all purpose GF flour
3 Tablespoons Water
1/4 Cup Milk


Season to taste



Pastry
I used 1 box of Gluten-Free-Pantry Perfect-Pie-Crust . You can purchase this online or at the Real Canadian Superstore. If your local store does not carry this item, I would suggest asking them to.  

Bring Chicken Stock to boil in large saucepan (or pot)
Add the Carrots, Celery, and Onions. Cook for 15-20 minutes
Stir in Chicken and frozen peas. Cook for 5 more minutes
Add a few tablespoons of water to flour to make paste . Place in saucepan to thicken stock.  Cook on low for 3-5 minutes. Add Milk and season to taste. 
Pour the mixture into mini pie tins that are lined with pie crust.
Top off the meat pie with a layer of pie crust. 


Bake for about 25- 30 minutes








Gluten Free Play-Doh

Play-Doh brings back fond memories of being a child. Both the homemade and store bought kind made their way to my creative little hands. There's something so free spirited about Play-Doh. You can create virtually anything....as long as you have the imagination. The best part is how much fun people of all ages can have together with something as simple as this.


Here is a fun little recipe for Gluten Free Play-Doh. It's simple, quick and easily stored. Place it in a pretty jar wrapped in cellophane and attach some cookie cutters with a ribbon to make a great gift.


(check labels to make sure ingredients are GF)
  • 1/2 cup rice flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 cup water 1 teaspoon cooking oil
  • Food coloring or a package of Kool-Aid (not only does the Kool-Aid add colour, but it creates a nice aroma for the Play Doh too!
Directions:
Mix ingredients. Cook and stir on low heat for 3 minutes or until it forms a ball. Cool completely before placing in an air tight container. Store in refrigerator.




Non Cook Method
1/4 Cup Salt
1 Cup GF Flour
1/4 Cup Water





Play-Doh accessories to keep on hand:
Small rolling pins
Plastic cookie cutters of varying shapes
Muffin tins for shaping
Safety scissors & dull plastic knives
Popsicle sticks
A spray bottle to moisten any Doh that is drying 

Look around your local Dollar Store for these and other fun possibilities




Monday

Walt Disney Dining Celiac Style

Since I am planning a trip to Walt Disney World I would like to share how wonderful a place this can be for Celiac's and people with food allergies in general.

 By contacting specialdiets@disneyworld.com  Disney will email you all of the information you need on safe, Gluten Free dining in their parks. I received attachments with Downtown Disney Menu Options, a Guest Dietary Letter, No Gluten Added Products, Allergy Menus for Operating Participants at Epcot, and Water Park Menu Items. Also included in the e-mail is a Guest Allergy - Dietary Request Form.


When making  reservations for a Table Service location be sure to alert the Cast Member at the Disney's Dining Reservation Center of any special dietary requests. You will also need to confirm  your dietary request  two weeks prior to your trip. Counter Service location's will be able to accommodate you on little to no notice at all. Just remember, patience is key when ordering Gluten Free.  It may be slightly time consuming but it is well worth it to have a delicious and SAFE Gluten Free meal. I would suggest printing the information Disney sends you and taking it to the park. It will help save a lot of time when deciding where to eat.

It's a good idea to research the menu ahead of time so you have an idea of what IS or can be altered to be Gluten Free. Have a look at menus before you hit the park....especially when travelling with children. Some of Disney's kids meals can be quite repetitive. If you have a little one who likes variety, everyone will be happy thanks to some advance preparation.

AllEars.Net has a wonderful selection of Disney Park menu's that are regularly updated. I find this site to be a wonderful source of information for all things Disney. http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm

 Also, don't be shy. Alert both the host and the person taking the order about your food restriction (Quick Service locations usually require a Manager take a special diet order). At table service locations some chefs will even come and speak with you in person. Perhaps this is why I'm so excited about my trip to Walt Disney World - there is plenty of useful information on making a celiac meal (or any other restricted diet) a successful meal! I'm really looking forward to the way Disney "gets" Celiacs.

Below is a list of  Quick Service locations that can accomodate special dietary requests as of February 2011.


MAGIC KINGDOM 
Liberty Square Market
Pinocchio’s Village House (Fantasy Land)
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café ( Tomorrowland)
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café ( Frontierland)
Main Street Bakery


DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM
Restaurantosaurus ( DinoLand U.S.A.)
Flame Tree Barbecue (Between Asia and DinoLand U.S.A.)
Harambe Fruit Market


Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Rosie’s All American Café at Sunset Ranch Market
Backlot Express
Studio Catering Company
ABC Commissary
Toy Story Pizza Planet

Epcot

Liberty Inn (The American Adventure in World Showcase)
Sunshine Seasons (located in the Land Pavilion)
Electric Umbrella

**A special note : Disney ALLOWS people with special dietary needs to bring food that does not need to be heated into it's parks. Just advise the cast member checking your bag(s) that you have a food allergy. Inquire ahead of time to see what types of coolers/bags are admitted into parks.

Disclosure

This policy is valid from 23 February 2013

This is a personal blog written and edited by me. All opinions are that of my own. I am not a healthcare professional or an expert. All information presented in this blog is purely that of my own experience and or opinion. Please consult a medical professional before making any changes to your diet.

I write this blog as a hobby that I am passionate about. From time to time, I may receive monetary compensation for a sponsored post. I only work with brands that I trust and would use in my own home.

This blog accepts complimentary products for review. The opinions I have of a product will never be swayed by a company sending me an item(s) for free. I take into consideration the opinion of family members who are gluten-free due to Celiac Disease and I also value the opinions of non-gluten free family members. Taste is a matter of personal opinion so please use your own discretion and don't take my opinion as a gold standard.

Any ingredient or gluten-free claims should be verified with the restaurant/manufacturer as things can and do change.

For questions about this blog, please contact: sandra@glutenfreedoll.com

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