THE SPRUE-NIK PRESS
Published by the Tri-County Celiac Sprue Support Group,
a chapter of CSA/USA, Inc. serving southeastern Michigan
Volume 6, Number 9 December 1997
**********************************************************************
..................................................
: What's Inside Search For :
: ------------- ---------- :
: Miscellaneous Notes . . . . . . . . . -1- :
: The New Shopping Guide . . . . . . . . -2- :
: AARDA Conference Highlights . . . . . -3- :
: CSA Conference Highlights . . . . . . -4- :
: ACS Conference Highlights . . . . . . -5- :
: Anthropologically GF Cookbooks . . . . -6- :
: Recipe Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . -7- :
:................................................:
Disclaimer
Miscellaneous Notes:
---------1----------
Recent Conferences: Elsewhere in this newsletter you will find
write-ups of the 1997 CSA/USA and American Celiac Society conferences.
These are in no way "complete"; the only way to really gain all you
can is to attend these conferences yourselves. Cost, travel, school,
and time off of work are all factors that make attendance difficult;
but it is really worthwhile attending one of these yourselves.
Much of what you pick up at a conference comes from the atmosphere and
the other people as much as the speakers and formal sessions. There
are cookbook authors who both make presentations and mingle with the
crowd during breaks. There are always new food products and the
opportunity to meet the people behind the companies that make them.
For example, this year Sam Wylde of Energy Foods brought donuts
directly from his factory in Seattle. They were so warm and fresh
they steamed up the windows in his car and perfumed the auditorium.
No matter how thoroughly we write up our experiences, there is always
going to be much that we will miss. Make it a point to find the time
and money for a celiac conference next year!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Zithromax Is GF: Zithromax (Z-Pak) is a new antibiotic from Pfizer
Co. TCCSSG member Claire Coyer called and confirmed that in both
tablet and capsule forms this antibiotic is gluten-free (GF). For
more information call (800) 438-1985.
Return to the Table of Contents
The New Shopping Guide
----------2-----------
All USA members of TCCSSG should have received a copy of our
newly-updated shopping guide. It is similar in format to last year's
guide. It contains no information dated prior to May 1996, and much
of it was gathered within the last six months. Additional copies can
be obtained by mailing a $10 check ($15 Canadian funds), payable to
TCCSSG, to: TCCSSG Shopping Guide, 34638 Beechwood, Farmington Hills,
MI 48335.
Often we are asked about brands that don't appear in the shopping
guide. Are these brands not gluten-free (GF)? We don't know. You'll
notice the shopping guide does contain a section with specific brands
that are not GF, according to the manufacturers. If a brand does not
appear in that list, nor in the list of products that are GF, it means
either: 1) the company failed to respond to our inquiries (half of
them don't), 2) we didn't write to them or the address was bad, or 3)
the company responded to our inquiry, but was unable or unwilling to
give us a list of GF products.
Note that the focus of the shopping guide is products which can be
purchased in grocery and health food stores. We do not include
products which are strictly sold via mail-order. A list of mail-order
GF vendors is included in each new member packet that we give out, and
was recently updated in the Aug./Sep. 1997 issue of _The Sprue-nik
Press; you can contact these companies to get their current catalogues
and price lists.
Here are some other common questions we get about the shopping guide:
Q: Why is there no information from Kraft or General Mills?
A: Kraft only recently began providing a short list of GF products;
this was included in the Aug./Sep. 1997 issue of The Sprue-nik
Press. You can call them about any other products. General Mills
does not consider any of their products to be GF, due to
cross-contamination possibilities. They are listed in the section
under "Companies with No GF Products".
Q: If a product is in last year's guide, but isn't in this year's,
should we not use it?
A: Not necessarily. It could be that the manufacturer didn't answer
our letter this year. If the information was dated prior to May
1996, we would have discarded it. Or the manufacturer might have
decided not to provide GF information for publication. In that
case, you may wish to contact the manufacturer or look at the
ingredients and judge for yourself if the product is safe; or you
may wish to play it safe and avoid the product.
Q: Should we throw last year's shopping guide away?
A: Absolutely. It is old information, and there are products that
have been intentionally removed from this year's guide because
they are no longer GF.
Return to the Table of Contents
AARDA Conference
-------3--------
summarized by Suzanne Gentilia and Mary Guerriero
We attended a conference put on by the American Autoimmune Related
Diseases Association (AARDA). This was a very well done conference,
with good keynote speakers. Of particular interest were Robert
Phillips, PhD, psychologist, founder and director of the Center for
Coping, Long Island, NY; and T. Stephen Balch, MD, medical director
at Jacquelyn McClure Lupus Center, Atlanta, GA.
The one thing they both expressed was empowerment: Empower yourself
to take charge of your life. Learn as much as you can about your
disease. Controlling your disease is a combined team effort with you
and your doctors. The way you think can be your best friend or your
worst enemy. The way you deal with the problem makes the difference,
not the problem itself. They stressed relaxation techniques as one
means of coping. They also recommended a book by Harold Kushner:
_When Bad Things Happen to Good People_. (It is about $6 at Borders.)
Listen to your body. When you feel tired, rest. Don't let your
disease rule you or dictate who you are. Life is a journey, not a
destination.
There were also six breakout sessions, each dealing with different
aspects of autoimmunity such as the gastrointestinal tract, thyroid
function, arthritis, and dermatology.
Everyone should try to attend at least one of these conferences in the
future. We all have different combinations of autoimmune disorders.
From one of these conferences you will come away with a more positive
attitude about yourself.
This conference was organized by Virginia Ladd, executive director and
president of AARDA; and Pat Anderson was the conference coordinator.
Our thanks go to both of them for a job well done.
Return to the Table of Contents
1997 CSA/USA Conference Highlights
----------------4-----------------
summarized by Tom & Carolyn Sullivan and Jim & Vicki Lyles
General Comments
----------------
The conference seemed less intense this year. There were no major new
items to announce or discuss. It was a catch up on whats happening
type of event.
Attendance was interesting: about 25% new (67 out of 269) with 1-2%
(4) being walk-ins. That means, as it should, that those who have
been there before heard some of the same old stuff. But thats good
because it means that everyone is then reading off the same page. It
just means that some people got there a little faster than others.
The format was primarily general sessions with only two concurrent
session times where choices had to be made. Sufficient people were in
attendance to make the choices no problem.
The sessions included the hotel chef, food vendors, bread machines and
regional meetings.
The food was excellent. The recipes used will be published in future
issues of Lifeline, CSA/USA's quarterly newsletter.
Genetics of CD--What's New in Research
--------------------------------------
Martin Kagnoff, MD, UCSD
[This section also includes comments from Bob & Jane Meehan of the
Midlands support group in Nebraska, and includes some text from Dr.
Kagnoff's talk at the 1995 CSA conference.--ed.]
Three factors contribute to celiac disease (CD): your genes, the
environment, and your immune system.
In discussing the genetic predictability of CD, Dr. Kagnoff said that
CD may be inherited from one parent with the right genetic makeup or
from both parents who together combine the necessary genes. In
families with one celiac, there is a 10% chance of additional members
developing CD. With certain DNA combinations, there is a predictable
rate of 30-40% of the family members developing CD or dermatitis
herpetiformis (DH).
Active CD, which causes damage to the digestive tract, creates a
malabsorption condition. Researchers do not know whether 1) stomach
acids change the gliadin peptide so that when it passes through, the
small intestinal molecules reject it, causing an inflammation of the
small intestine, or 2) if earlier gluten has traumatized the small
intestine, alerting the molecules to react to further invasion from
this irritant.
"Gluten" is somewhat of a misnomer, because corn and other "safe"
grains also contain a kind of gluten. However the term gluten-free
(GF) has come to mean "free of grains toxic to celiacs". The actual
proteins that are the problem for celiacs are called gliadins (wheat),
secalins (rye), hordeins (barley), and avenins (oats). [Should our
diet be called "SHAG-free" (Secalin, Hordein, Avenin, and
Gliadin-free)? How about "GASH-free" or "HAGS-free"? You think not?
It was only a suggestion--ed.]
This irritation caused by gluten produces an immune system reaction,
which increases the production of T-cells, which in turn break down
the surface projections of the small intestine.
The endomysial antibody test, which uses either monkey esophagus
tissue or human umbilical cord tissue, is very specific to CD with a
90-99% accuracy rate.
The prevalence of CD traditionally was thought to be 1:3000 or less.
Now studies indicate a prevalence of 1:350 or more, both in Europe and
in the USA. This means that for every diagnosed celiac in USA, there
are many more that are undiagnosed.
Dr. Kagnoff also discussed the "celiac iceberg". The tip includes
classic celiacs, diagnosed with extensive malabsorption. Under that
is a larger group of "silent" celiacs, with minimal malabsorption
problems and only partial villi destruction. Finally, under that is
an even larger group of "latent" celiacs, characterized by no
malabsorption and no villous atrophy, but with elevated
intraepithelial lymphocytes and elevated IgA antibodies.
Long-Term Management of CD
--------------------------
Richard Driscoll, MD, gastroenterologist, Seattle, WA
40% of treated celiacs have significant osteopenia. Osteopenia has a
higher incidence in celiacs than in any other high-risk group.
Bone mineral densitometry (BMD) is recommended for all adult celiacs.
It should be repeated yearly until bone problems are stabilized, and
also at menopause.
The incidence of asymptomatic CD is ten times greater than expected
among patients with clinical osteoporosis. A decrease in BMD of one
standard deviation (10-12% bone loss) increases fracture risk by 2 to
2.5 times.
Other disorders associated with CD include: DH, insulin dependent
(type I) diabetes mellitus, thyroid problems, selective IgA deficiency
(which causes the celiac IgA antibody, reticulin, and endomysial blood
tests to return false negatives), hyposplenism, Sjogren's syndrome,
mixed cryoglobulinemia, and neurologic disorders.
Separating the Wheat From the Chef
----------------------------------
Melanie A. Smith, Sous Chef, Sea-Tac Marriott Hotel, Seattle, WA
When eating out, nicer restaurants generally have simpler entrees.
They tend to have fresh vegetables, bag rice, fresh meat, fresh
fish-all plain. They usually make sauces themselves [so they can
generally make it with what you CAN have or leave out what you cant
have.--ed.]
Even a good restaurant with 450 degree hot oil cant kill gluten on
coated french fries.
When speaking to a chef, tell them that you are on A very strict
medical diet. Also state that you need to ELIMINATE, not just AVOID,
some items. This helps avoid miscommunication.
Staying Well with a Chronic Illness
-----------------------------------
Anne Marie Arvidson, MD, psychiatrist in Seattle; and Pamela Driscoll,
RN, BSN, nurse consultant in Seattle
Points they stress:
* Education: If I treat you, I help you today. If I teach you, I
help you for a lifetime.
* Exercise: Movement for strength, flexibility, and aerobic
conditioning.
* Stress management: Relaxation/imaging/breathing.
* Pace yourself.
* Keep a journal.
* "Clean" (untroubled) sleep: This is when growth hormones are
released; without this no growth or healing can take place.
* Talk relationships: Talking with others (support groups, etc.)
with a similar problem can be a big help.
Concentrating on Nutrition in the GF Diet
-----------------------------------------
Jean Guest, RD, CNSD, University of Nebraska
Use the RDA's (Recommended Dietary Allowances) found on food packages
as guides only, not as absolute minimum or maximum requirements.
Each RDA will soon be replaced by an RDI (Recommended Dietary Index)
or an AI (Adequate Index).
Use supplements under the direction of a doctor or dietitian. The
emphasis for celiacs should be on fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and
trace elements; and on appropriate calcium supplements.
Don't Loaf Around: A Primer on Making Breads in Your Bread Machine
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Priscilla Brush and Valerie Norris, Gluten-Free Pantry; and Glenna
Vance, Red Star Yeast
All ingredients should be at room temperature for use in baking. To
get eggs from the refrigerator to room temperature, put them in a bowl
of warm water for a few minutes.
Recipes are based on LARGE eggs, not extra large, medium, or small.
If you don't have large eggs, then use other size eggs and measure out
1/4 cup for each egg the recipe calls for.
Notes from Other Sessions
-------------------------
Dr. Mary Lasley spoke on allergic Rhinitis. One item of note: Wash
machine water must be 130 degrees or hotter to kill dust mites. [We
have been encouraged to wash in cold water to save energy. This
unfortunately wont kill dust mites and makes allergies worse.--ed.]
It was noted in the Region I meeting (I wonder by whom) that we still
need state coordinators in five of the seven Region I states. It is
probably not a coincidence that the two states that have coordinators
(Iowa and Wisconsin) also have been holding yearly statewide meetings
for several years now.
There is a new GF seafood product coming soon; a GF imitation crab
(Surimi) developed specially for Ener-G. Look for it in the spring.
Dietary Specialties will have GF pretzels in their product line in the
spring.
According to their vice-president, Dietary Specialties' cakes are
supposed to taste better the day AFTER they are baked.
Should there be 20-30 specially-formulated "medical" GF foods, for use
in hospitals and institutions? (This would not affect the majority of
GF foods we have today.) The consensus by the audience at this
session was: "Yes".
Return to the Table of Contents
1997 American Celiac Society Conference Highlights
------------------------5-------------------------
summarized by Tom & Carolyn Sullivan and Jim Lyles
General Comments
----------------
This was more of a doctor/teaching conference than a public/learning
conference like the CSA conference. This made the form of
presentation and technicality of the sessions far more
medically-oriented than public-oriented.
Doctors educated in other countries seem to be made more aware of
celiac disease (CD) in their training. This is one area we need to
improve on in this country. We also need to support the doctors who
are doing celiac studies and seeing celiac patients. And we need to
work together with other celiac groups.
CD in Children
--------------
John Udall, MD, PhD, Louisiana Medical School, New Orleans
Removing gluten from the diet of a celiac child will result in an
improvement in their behavior. [Note from the Sullivans--In a hallway
conversation Dr. Udall stated that the first and most emphatic
comment from parents of CD children when put on a GF diet was
invariably that their childrens behavior improved so dramatically. In
a later session Dr. Fasano said that he also hears that behavior
improvement is common when children go on a GF diet.]
Because the diagnosis of CD is a lifetime treatment, both the doctor
and the pathologist should review a biopsy to ensure it is correctly
interpreted.
Medical Conditions Associated with CD and Affected by GF Living
---------------------------------------------------------------
Nancy Patin Falini, MA, RD, nutritional advisor to the Greater
Philadelphia Celiac Support Group
GF living means that medications and supplements MUST be GF also.
Hidden ingredients include colorings such as caramel color, yeast,
natural and artificial flavors, malt and malt flavoring, natural
seasonings, spices, texturized vegetable protein, flour and cereal
products, vegetable protein, brown rice syrup, vanilla powder, MSG,
vegetable gum, soy sauce, mono- and diglycerides, modified (food)
starch, food starch, dextrin, dextri-maltose, maltodextrin and starch.
The latter two, maltodextrin and starch, when listed on FOOD sold in
the USA MUST BE GF. However, in the case of supplements and
medications, maltodextrin and starch may be derived from a gluten
source. Additionally, in the case of medications, dextrin, dextrate
and cyclodextrins may be from a gluten source while dextri-maltose is
from barley malt.
Dextri-maltose, maltodextrin, starch, dextrin, dextrate, and
cyclodextrin are the ingredients most likely to contain gluten in
medication.
[Note from the Sullivans:
-- "Starch" is defined in the Compliance Policy Guides, Chapter 5-
Foods, Sug Chapter 578, Processed Grains, Sec. 578.100
Starches-Common or Usual Names (CPG 7104.01).
-- "Maltodextrin" is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations,
Title 21, Citation 21CFR 184.1444.
Both can be accessed on the internet at http://www.fda.gov. Click
on the Index, items C-F, and then either Compliance Guides or Code of
Federal Regulations.]
As of August 1997, the following supplements are GF:
1. Puritan's Pride (800) 654-1030: Calcium Carbonate 600 mg. is GF
and lactose-free (LF); Oyster Calcium is GF but not LF.
2. Shaklee (703) 780-5901 or (215) 672-5541: Calcium-Magnesium is
GF and LF.
3. Freeda Vitamins (800) 777-3737 or (212) 685-4980: All of their
supplements are GF and LF.
4. Theragran (800) 247-7893: All Theragran products are GF.
Regular Theragran comes in liquid and tablet form; the liquid
form is also LF. The new formulation of Theragran-M (with 18 mg.
iron, not 27 mg.) is also LF.
5. Poly-Vi-Sol, Poly-Vi-Flor, Tri-Vi-Sol with and without iron, and
Tri-Vi-Flor (800) 222-9123: All tablets and drops are GF.
6. Astra USA (800) 262-0460: Aquasol A and E drops and capsules are
water miscible and GF.
7. Nature's Bounty (800) 433-2990: Vitamin E 400 in a water soluble
base is GF.
Serological Testing for CD
--------------------------
Alessio Fasano, MD, Director of Gastroenterology & Nutrition,
University of Maryland, Baltimore
There are three blood tests commonly used to screen for CD:
-- IgG antigliadin test: high sensitivity, low specificity
-- IgA antigliadin test: low sensitivity, high specificity
-- IgA endomysium test: high sensitivity, high specificity
(best choice overall)
The endomysium test has two drawbacks: It misses patients with
selective IgA deficiency (more common in celiacs) and it is not
accurate for children under age two.
There can be many complications of unrecognized CD:
short stature
high-grade T-cell lymphoma of the small intestine
carcinoma of the pharynx and esophagus
adenocarcinoma of the small intestine
fibrosing lung disease
bilateral brain calcification
splenic atrophy
Diagnosing and treating CD is important. Overall, untreated celiacs
have a two times greater mortality rate than the general population.
On the other hand, celiacs on a strict GF diet have no increase in
mortality when compared to the general population.
There are several patient groups with a greater risk of CD:
Type I diabetes mellitus
Asymptomatic relatives
Children with recurrent abdominal pain
Adults with irritable bowel syndrome
Chronic diarrhea
Children with Growth failure
Children with Down's syndrome
Iron-deficient anemia
Crohn's Disease and CD
----------------------
Sheila Crowe, MD, associate professor, University of Texas; medical
advisor to the Houston Celiac Support Group
Dr. Crowe compared the two conditions in her talk, showing ways in
which the two conditions are similar and ways in which they differ.
The prevalence of Crohn's disease in the US is 1:2500; for CD it is
about 1:4762 [diagnosed cases only-ed.]
The treatment and prognosis of Crohn's disease is usually less
satisfactory than CD. Diet changes don't help in managing the
disease, though nutritional therapies are used to supplement nutrients
and calories to allow more normal growth and maintenance. Various
medications and sometimes surgery are used to treat Crohn's disease,
depending on its severity.
Both Crohn's disease and CD have similar clinical pictures in some
cases, but there are significant differences that should allow for the
correct diagnosis.
For CD the small intestine biopsy followed by response to the diet is
the gold standard for diagnosis. For Crohn's disease diagnosis
incorporates clinical, laboratory, radiological, endoscopic, and
histological findings.
Both are autoimmune disorders, and have a genetic basis. Crohn's
disease is less well defined. It is a type of inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD). For IBD patients, 15-20% of family members will also
have IBD.
Crohn's disease can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract.
About 75% of the time it is in the small intestine, usually in the
portion nearest to the large intestine (and therefore not usually in
the area most affected by CD).
Due to the malabsorption problems either condition can cause, anemia
and bone disease can occur in both Crohn's disease and CD. Vitamin
B-12 deficiency is more common in Crohn's disease than in CD.
Lactose Intolerance and CD
--------------------------
Sheila Crowe, MD, associate professor, University of Texas; medical
advisor to the Houston Celiac Support Group
Lactose intolerance is caused by a deficiency in lactase, an enzyme
needed to digest lactose. It occurs in over 90% of African blacks and
Asians; 70-90% of native North, Central, and South Americans; 60-90%
of those of Mediterranean or Jewish descent; 5% of those of Northern
European descent; and up to 25% of other non-Mediterranean Europeans.
In most species, the ability to digest milk is only needed by the very
young; therefore losing the ability to digest milk sugars might be
considered normal. Given the normal course of evolution, those who
CAN digest milk as adults could be considered the exceptions.
If you are lactose intolerant, consuming milk products does NOT cause
villi damage; it just makes you feel uncomfortable.
Lactase is produced on the brush border of absorptive cells in the
villi. When the villi are damaged, much less lactase is produced.
Once the villi heal, lactase is produced again (unless you are
naturally lactose intolerant anyway).
If you are naturally intolerant, then you'll always need to either
watch your lactose intake or take lactase supplements. Otherwise the
lactose intolerance should be a temporary condition in a
newly-diagnosed celiac.
According to Nancy Patin Falini, nutrition advisor to the Philadelphia
support group, Lactaid drops are NOT GF. Lactaid caplets appear to be
okay, but there may be some cross-contamination problems. Nancy
indicated that Dairi-Ease products are GF.
Return to the Table of Contents
Anthropologically GF Cookery Book List
------------------6-------------------
by Susan Lasley
Some of my favorite cookbooks are based primarily on the cuisines of
Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and American Native/Mexican cultures.
A good many or even a majority of the recipes in these books are
gluten-free (GF), but some of them will include wheat flour. Don't
freak out; simply ignore that recipe--or, if you're adventuresome,
experiment by substituting a GF flour mix for the wheat flour. I find
that this works well with most everything but breads....but you
already knew that.
I forgot to mention this: an advantage of "anthropological" eating is
that you don't already have a set idea of what a dish is "supposed to"
taste like. That means the flavors/textures are new and you're less
likely to feel as if you're depriving yourself of something, or that
you're somehow "missing" something.
I've purchased these books in England, New Zealand, Australia, Canada,
and the United States. Try libraries or used bookshops. You can also
try online bookstores like Amazon Books or BH Blackwell's. if you're
having trouble finding them where you are--they ship internationally.
If you can't find these specific books, visit a good bookstore with a
large cookbook section, then browse through the books on African,
Asian, and Native American cookery. Look at the ingredients: the
simpler, the closer to the original food, the better. If you can cook
the majority of the dishes by shopping in the produce, meat, and
herb/spice sections of your supermarket, supplemented by salt, oils,
eggs, unadulterated dairy, and plain packages of ordinary rice, or
beans, then that's the sort of cookbook you're looking for. Here's
the list:
Eastern Vegetarian Cooking
--------------------------
by Madhur Jaffrey, 1990. ISBN: 0-09-977720-7
The 531 pages of recipes are from China, Nepal, India, Korea, Japan,
Indonesia, Iran, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Armenia, The
Philippines, The Middle East, etc. They range from starters/
appetizers to main/entree dishes and desserts. I highly recommend
this book, whether you're a vegetarian or not, as Jaffrey gives
careful instructions, includes line drawings: making your own tofu
[bean curd] or paneer [fresh cheese]; she even tells how to prepare
seitan [wheat gluten used in some Eastern dishes], but you can ignore
that...). She gives the background for traditional menus using the
various cuisines--and the food tastes great, too!
Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Rick Bayless with Deann Groen Bayless, 1987. ISBN: 0-688-04394-1.
The authors of this 384 page book ran a successful Mexican restaurant
in Chicago. Includes recipes for GF tortillas, wonderful sauces,
meats, soups, moles, rice, beans, vegetables. It includes a glossary
of Mexican ingredients and equipment, and gives guidance on how to
find the ingredients. Highly recommended.
American Indian Cooking and Herb Lore
-------------------------------------
by J. Ed Sharpe and Thomas B. Underwood, 1973. ISBN: 0-935741-05-4
This is a little paperback book (32 pages), but very interesting, and
highly recommended. Order it from Cherokee Publications, P. O. Box
256, Cherokee, NC 28719. Amazon Books sells it for $3 plus $2.85
special surcharge. Delicious recipes for vegetables and wild plant
foods, wild meat/game dishes, beverages, soups and broths. There are
two "breads" made by cooking the ingredients wrapped in corn husks: a
GF corn-chestnut bread and a GF corn-shuck bread that's a lot like
polenta. The recipes are deceptively simple--so few ingredients, yet
amazingly delicious (try the baked cucumbers...).
Classical Afrikan Cuisines
--------------------------
by Kudjo (Charles Ritzberg), 1993. ISBN: 1-879164-051.
The book is published by Afrikan World InfoSystems, 256 East 138th
Street, Bronx, New York 10451, and is available in African American/
West Indian bookshops in the USA or England, or directly from the
publisher. You'll forget that there was ever such a grain called
"wheat" with these recipes. Everything, from hot sauces (made from
~serrano~ peppers!), fish, meats, vegetables, casseroles. There are
Ghanaian Dumplings made from rice and cornmeal, or from cassava; bean
cakes/dumplings from Egypt, Ethiopia, and Nigeria... Try the Somalian
Lamb with Rice Casserole, or the Vegetables with Coconut Sauce...
Includes lots of vegetarian as well as meat-based dishes. This book
even includes recipes for wine and for sorghum-based GF beers. The
recipes are from every region of Africa, as well as from the Bahia
region of Brazil, and Portugal. Highly recommended, particularly
since African cuisine is among the most anthropologically GF of all
the world cuisines I've tried.
Great Peasant Dishes of the World
---------------------------------
by Howard Hillman, 1983. ISBN: 0-395-32210-3.
Out of print, but worth searching for in libraries and used bookshops.
Appetizers, Soups, Mains, and desserts--with a good selection of
meatless recipes, and recipes for foods that are popular with
children. When I was a meat-eater, this was my favorite cookbook (and
my copy looks like it!), since it has recipes for everything from
mofongo and choucroute garnie, to osso bucco and toad-in-the-hole.
The Jollof Rice (a West African rice dish with chicken and lamb
marinated in lemon juice, then simmered with fresh ginger and thyme)
will make you look forward to "brown bagging" your lunches. You'll be
the envy of your friends! They'll ask how they can get into this
celiac club, too! Just kidding... Even though this book contains
many recipes with gluten ingredients, many other recipes are GF, and
some of those with wheat flour can be adapted by using GF flour.
Highly recommended
Culpepper Guides: Cooking With Herbs
-------------------------------------
(96 pages) 1988. ISBN: 1-85471-057-5
This is an amazing book. Highly recommended. It is British (but I've
seen it in shops in the States), and gives thorough details at the
beginning about the cooking herbs, their properties, their uses. Then
it seduces the reader with recipes so inviting that one can almost
smell their herb aromas in the pages. While technically not
anthropologically GF, at least two-thirds of the recipes are GF.
There are amazing first courses, soups, fish, meat, game, vegetables.
The desserts are amazing. Even more amazing are the recipes for
salads, candies, jellies, and desserts made of edible flowers. If
every you feel that GF dietary restrictions are ruining your life,
treat yourself to a dish of scented-geranium ice cream or blackcurrant
leaf sorbet. Then smile.
These last few books I give honorable mentions. They have recipes
with gluten in them, but one can easily make substitutions...
The Baghdad Kitchen
-------------------
by Nina Jamil-Garbutt, 1985. ISBN: 0-434-98069-2.
Most of the GF recipes here are meat-based, but there are some
vegetarian dishes here, too. While it's OK to salivate over these
recipes, be sure to read them carefully since many of them include
breadcrumbs and flour.
The Complete Book of Chinese Cooking
------------------------------------
(176 pages) 1987. ISBN: 0-671-08255.
Chinese (Cantonese) food is my at-home everyday food, and this book
has a recipe for most of the foods you'll find on a good Chinese
restaurant menu--and more. This book, and another, Chinese Vegetarian
Cooking (64 Pages, 1993, ISBN 1-85501-352-5), are my favorite basic
cookbooks.
The Moosewood Cookbook
----------------------
(220+ pages) by Mollie Katzen, 1977. ISBN: 0-913668-69-9.
This is the original edition of this famous vegetarian book. I've
heard that there is a later edition with a greater percentage of vegan
recipes, but I haven't looked at it yet. Try the Ratatouille, the
Polenta Pizza. You won't feel as if you're missing anything. There
will be no wailing or gnashing of teeth...
That concludes my anthropologically GF cookbook list. I hope you've
gotten some inspiration from it...
[Susan Lasley is a writer from North Carolina. She cooks a variety of
vegetarian cuisines and has eaten GF meals all over the world. This
article first appeared on the CELIAC e-mail list on the internet, on
July 24, 1997. Go to:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/celiac.html
and click on "July 1997, week 4", to view it.]
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Recipe Page
-----7-----
**********************************************************************
Gluten-Free Pretzel Rolls
These really do taste a bit like soft pretzels, but they are shaped
like dinner rolls. Dont let the list of ingredients fool you, these
are really very easy to prepare. Boiling them just before baking is
the secret. It is recommended that these be served warm for best
flavor.
2 cups rice flour
2-1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/3 cup potato starch
1 tsp. dough enhancer (optional)
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp. egg replacer (optional)
1/3 cup sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour)
1/2 cup buttermilk powder
4 1/2 tsp. yeast, quick rising
1/2 to 1 cup water, hot (125-130 degrees F)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter/margarine, melted
1 tsp. sugar
2 eggs, beaten, room temperature
1 tsp. celery seed (optional)
cornmeal, for the baking sheet
Water bath ingredients:
4 cups water
1/8 cup baking soda
1 Tbsp. sugar
Egg Wash:
1 egg white, beaten to blend (for glaze)
coarse salt (optional)
Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Use wire whisk
to mix ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the
wet ingredients, holding back 1/2 cup of the water. (Add remaining
1/2 cup of the water a small amount at a time if needed.) Mix well.
Knead dough on lightly floured surface one minute to smooth. Using
floured hands, shape dough into an 8-inch long log. Divide log into 8
equal pieces. Form each dough piece into a ball. Place dough balls
on a greased baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly. Using a sharp
knife, cut X in the top center of each roll. Cover rolls with plastic
wrap that has been greased on one side. In a warm draft free place,
allow rolls to rise until doubled in volume, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease another baking sheet and
sprinkle with cornmeal. Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a large pan.
Add baking soda and sugar (water will foam up). Carefully add several
rolls to the boiling water and cook 30 seconds per side. Using a
slotted spoon, transfer rolls to prepared baking sheet, arranging
rolls X side up. Repeat with remaining rolls. Brush rolls with egg
white glaze. Sprinkle rolls generously with coarse salt. Bake rolls
until brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool
10 minutes. Serve rolls warm.
To make the dough in a food processor: Place dry ingredients in
processor, pulse to mix. Add remaining ingredients holding back a bit
of water and add as needed. Remove the dough from the processor just
before dough forms a ball. Turn out on a rice floured surface and
follow the directions above.
To make dough in a bread machine on dough/manual setting: Place
ingredients in bread machine in the order suggested by the
manufacturer. Start machine and allow all ingredients to mix well.
When ingredients are well blended, stop/clear machine and remove the
dough. Turn out on a floured surface and follow the directions above.
This recipe comes to us from Sandra J. Leonard, the editor of _The
Gluten-Free Baker_, a quarterly newsletter ($19.95 per year, write to
361 Cherrywood Drive, Fairborn, OH 45324-4012; phone (937) 878-3221.
She says these are a favorite of her husband Tom.
**********************************************************************
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. white rice flour
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Cake:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups white rice flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine the topping ingredients together and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well
after each. Add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder alternately
with the sour cream and vanilla.
Pour 1/2 the batter into a greased and floured 10" tube pan, add 1/2
the topping, then repeat. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.
This recipe comes to us from Keith Davis.
**********************************************************************
Nestle's Toll House Cookies
Use the recipe on the back of the Nestle's Toll House Chocolate Chips
package, with the following changes: Use 1 cup of the GF flour mix**
and 1 tsp. xanthan gum for each cup of wheat flour, and use half
butter and half butter-flavored Crisco in place of the margarine.
This recipe comes to us from Beth Codere.
**********************************************************************
** GF flour mix:
6 cups white rice flour
2 cups potato starch (NOT the same as potato flour)
1 cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
**********************************************************************
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Tri-County Celiac Sprue Support Group Officials:
------------------------------------------------
Physician Advisor: Thomas Alexander, M.D.
Pediatric Advisor: Robert Truding, M.D.
Dietitian Advisor: Dorothy Vaughan, R.D.
President: Mary Guerriero
Vice President: Sue Gentilia
Past President: Diane Morof
Finance Committee: Maria Montie
Secretary: Denise Parsons
Newsletter Editor: Jim Lyles
Disclaimer:
-----------
All recommendations, information, dietary suggestions, menus, shopping
guide suggestions, medical updates, miscellaneous articles, and
recipes in this newsletter are intended for the benefit of our
members, readers, and the general public. No liability is assumed by
the Tri-County Celiac Sprue Support Group or any of its members.
Information in _The Sprue-nik Press_ has been approved by our
physician and dietitian advisors. Individuals should consult with
their physicians and dietitians before following any medical or
dietary recommendations in _The Sprue-nik Press_.
Original material used in _The Sprue-nik Press_ is placed in the
public domain for the benefit of all celiacs. The information is not
copyrighted to facilitate the easy exchange of celiac information.
Feel free to reproduce any portion of this newsletter, unless it
specifically states otherwise. All we ask is that you indicate where
the information came from.
_The Sprue-nik Press_ is published by the Tri-County Celiac Sprue
Support Group (TCCSSG), a local chapter of CSA/USA located in
southeast Michigan. Members receive this newsletter, a shopping
guide, and a new member packet full of articles and useful
information. Mail-in subscriptions are welcome. For subscription
information, send a note to Jim Lyles.
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