Friday Information Round-Up

News of note: 

In addition to their gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free and soy-free bread offerings, EvaRuth's Bakery in Middletown is now offering YEAST-FREE BREAD! Here's a link to the ingredients label: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByxePbK9bdxnaG9NX2NBRnR1SzA Don't forget: you can check out EvaRuth's on FaceBook or Twitter!

Blackie's Bulldog Tavern, in Smithfield, is now offering a gluten-free menu, and I have a copy of it available at this link: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByxePbK9bdxnRW8wSjg2U2VoSTA

Happy 5th Birthday to A&J Bakery! This Friday, July 20, A&J will be hosting a two-hour party from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., in celebration of their expansion and birthday. They will be having give-aways throughout the night. Rumor has it that they'll be offering samples of new products.

 The Wall Street Journal posted an interesting article online about the Melting Pot restaurants, and their approach to handling gluten-free customers and orders. If they are as serious and effective as this article is describing, I would commend them! Here's the link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303768104577460464180837748.html

Usually when I'm in the supermarkets, unless it's Whole Foods, I don't really pay attention to the people handing out free samples of food, because  – let's face it – nine times out of ten, it's not going to be gluten-free. But last week in Stop & Shop, I overheard one of these demonstrators telling someone that some of their products were gluten-free, and my ears perked right up. Aidells, advertises an all natural, no MSG, no nitrates, product with no added hormones. Not all of their products are gluten-free, but I bought a package of pre-made meatballs to try. Now anyone who knows me, knows that I prefer to cook/bake my own food from scratch, as close to organic as I can get. But there are those nights, when you've been on turbo speed all day, and all you want to do is eat and crash – in that order. That's why I'm trying this product – for those times. If you click on the above link for Aidells.com, you can scroll down to the bottom of the website and select "allergen info" to access their nutritional chart specifying which products are gluten-free.

From the "Food Notes" in the Providence Journal: Pane e Vino Ristorante in Providence offers a gluten-free menu, as well as a fixed price, gluten-free Trattoria menu with a dessert. Here's a link to their GF menu: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByxePbK9bdxnaWJaT2hOY3NOclE

Not to be outdone, Potenza Ristorante/Bar in Providence has added three pizzas to its GF menu: Chef's Favorite (topped with tomato, prosiutto, Asiago cheese, artichokes and spinach); Central Italy (tomato, Gorgonzola cheese, mushrooms and arugula); and Traditional Margherita (with tomato, basil, Mozzarella and fresh herbs). Okay, now I'm officially hungry! Click the restaurant name above to access their GF menu.

Email me your questions, topics you would like to see discussed, and input at celiacgirlri@gmail.com. Don't forget to leave your email address, and I'll take the best suggestion or question and feature it here on CGRI, and the winning suggestion, question, etc. will receive a copy of the amazing Elana Amsterdam's "Gluten-Free Cupcakes" cookbook.