Butterbeer And The Great Debate

There has been a lot of online banter about whether or not Butterbeer is Gluten Free. If you don't know what I am referring to, let me explain...

Butterbeer is a non-alcoholic, sweet tasting beverage from the Harry Potter novels. It was created as a real drink for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. This top secret recipe was approved by J.K. Rowling herself. Apparently it tastes like a mix of shortbread and butterscotch. This unique drink is sold either cold or frozen (similar to a Slurpee) at a few locations within the Wizarding part of the theme park.

Back to the banter.... I have been trying to find out if Butterbeer is gluten free or not for a litle while now. Some online forums say the drink itself is safe, but the whipped topping  is not. Others, say it is completely safe. Somone even mentioned that the beverage is not allowed to be served without its frothy topping.

Too much confusion for me! I e-mailed Universal Studios yesterday in regards this matter. To my supprise, I received a phone call from Jimmy of Universal Studios Guest Services this afternoon! Unfortunately, I missed the call as I was tending to my sick little one. He was kind enough to leave me a detailed voicemail. In his message he advised that while Butterbeer by itself is gluten free, there have been issues with cross contamination because it's made and developed in an area where gluten items are made.

If you would like to contact Universal Studios yourself, please call 407-224-4233 option 2

As we cannot safely consume Butterbeer without risk, why not make our own version(s) ? I went to one of my FAVOURITE Harry Potter fan sites (yes, I am a huge HP nerd ) www.mugglenet.com to check out some HP related recipes.  Below are two Butterbeer recipes that are Gluten Free, provided all ingredients are checked beforehand.

Update

Thank you for contacting Universal Orlando® Guest Services.



I am delighted to inform you that Butterbeer™ and Pumpkin Juice™ are gluten-free. At this time, all of the desserts sold at Honeydukes™ are flour-based. The packaged candies sold at Honeydukes™ have nutritional labels, including the ingredients, as these products are made outside of our resort. I also recommend that you speak with a Foods Services Manager at each location to help you select the appropriate items.



I have taken the liberty of forwarding your email to our Food Services Department for additional assistance. Please be assured that a representative from this department will respond to your inquiry within the next 48 hours.

Wordless Wednesday - Comfort On A Cold Day

hot chocolate, marshmallows and whipped cream 

The Wait Is Over...

I received a special package via UPS this afternoon. It contained quite a few things (A BIG thank-you to Kellogg's), including a full size box of Gluten Free Rice Krispies! According to the coupon pamphlet, the cereal will be available in Canada beginning this January! Im curious what distribution will be like as the Betty Crocker cake mixes took longer than expected to show up in most retailers. Some stores like RCSS in Oshawa have yet to see the mix hit it's shelves.

Hopefully Kellogg's can pull this off and provide Gluten Free Rice Krispies across Canada quickly and efficiently.

This has been a long time coming. Not only am I thankful to Kelloggs's for the heads up, I am grateful that this product will soon be available to Gluten Free Canadians.

Kick Off The New Year With Kellogg's Gluten Free Rice Krispies

**** Update January 13, 2012 ****
Still no response from Kellogg's regarding my inquiring email BUT....My good friend Jax over at Gluten Free Ontario reports on her Facebook page that these have been spotted in Sudbury Ontario! Complete with French/English labelling you can expect Gluten Free Rice Krispies to cost around $5.29.

A Tenenberry Let Down

Talk about mouth watering! I was so excited when I saw this Gluten Free Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake by Tenenberry  at Sobeys. I Called my mom, who is also Gluten Free due to Celiac Disease and told her about my yummy discovery. 

We decided that this would be OUR Christmas day dessert. We also decided that we were not going to share it with the Gluten Eaters, no matter how much they drooled.

Christmas day came and went right along with my high hopes for this Gluten Free Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake. I wanted to brag to the world how amazing it was. I really did.

As you can see from the side view picture, there was a touch of frost on the side of the cheesecake when I had purchased it. No big deal, I thought. Should have thought again. 

I tried so hard to enjoy a slice of this cake, but I could't. There was an overwhelming gritty / grainy texture. To me, it seemed as though the cake had been frozen and defrosted  multiple times. The Graham Cracker crust bottom was complete mush! Even the taste of the cheesecake wasn't right. Something was very off. WAY OFF.

My mom and I  decided it was best to toss the remaining cheesecake in the trash. Good thing too as we both ended up with some mild tummy troubles. No doubt (presumably) due to the way the cake was repeatedly frozen/unfrozen.

This was a waste of $24.99, but also a learning experience. Perhaps it was just frozen and thawed too many times. I don't  know. What I do know is that I won't be spending that kind of money on a Gluten Free product that I have never tried before, ever again.

All I really wanted was a special treat that my mom and I could share on Christmas day. Something delicious for us, while everyone else at the gathering enjoyed their gluten filled snacks. Next year I'm going to bake an apple pie for our family Christmas. Nothing more heart-warming and comfort filled than apple pie and ice cream.

A Gluten Free Oat Alternative

Have you tried Certified Gluten Free Oats?

I have and unfortunately I cannot tolerate them. I was surprised by how fast I reacted. It really hit me like a ton of bricks.....3 days of lethargy and un-wellness.

If you can't tolerate GF Oats or do not want to take the risk, I have an alternative. A safe and satisfying one. When I bake cookies, I add Quinoa Flakes (Ancient Harvest Quinoa to be exact) to the recipe. Add as much or as little as you like and you will be awed with the texture. Just like a real oatmeal cookie, minus the unruly side effects.

There is a whole world of recipes that you can add these neat little flakes to. All it takes is creativity and  a little a lot of patience. 


Here is some inspiration for adding Quinoa Flakes to recipes:

• Cookies
• Muffins
• Yogurt
• Apple Pie
• Fruit and Nut Bars
• Crusting Meat
• Crab Cakes
• Burgers
• Stuffing