Tuesday, May 13, 2008

The Measuring Cup - Menu for May 12th - May 17th



Available TUESDAY after 6 pm:
-Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies-Rice, potato, tapioca flour blend, egg, chocolate, butter, xanthan gum
-Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Butter Cream Frosting-Rice, potato flour blend, chocolate chips, sugar, butter, eggRye-less Rye Bread- rice and potato flour, corn starch, milk, guar gum, yeast
-Buttermilk Cake Donuts (these can be made plain and kept frozen)- rice, potato, tapioca flour, buttermilk, almond meal, eggs, butter
-Herbed Olive Bread-Montina, bean, millet flour blend, egg, milk, xanthan gum, sugar, yeast, rosemary, olives

Available THURSDAY after 6 pm:
-Corn Cakes (Arepas)- corn flourSmore’s Brownies-Rice, potato, corn flour blend, sugar, egg, low-fat yogurt, marshmallows, cocoa
-Rhubarb Coffee Cake- rice, potato, tapioca flour, buttermilk, almond meal flour, eggs, butter, xanthan gum
-Deep Dish Pizza Crust- tapioca, rice, buckwheat, sorghum flour, yeast, eggs, milk, xanthan gum
-Sweet Coconut Mini Muffins- butter, eggs, sour cream, xanthan gum, rice, potato, tapioca flour

Available SATURDAY before noon:
-Cranberry White Chocolate Scones- Rice, potato, tapioca flour blend,, chocolate, xanthan gum, milk, eggsHamburger Buns- rice, potato, tapioca flour, yeast, egg, milk
-English Muffins-Rice, sorghum, corn, tapioca, potato flour blend, xanthan gum, yeast
-Soft Sorghum Sandwich Bread- rice, sorghum, tapioca, potato flour, xanthan gum, yeast, milk, eggs

*** We have had requests to develop a pricing list, we were in the process, but until I really sat down with a calculator, I had been estimating. So here’s a more accurate list.

English muffins/Corn Cakes: $1 each
Other muffins: $1.50 each
Cookies: $10/dozen
Frosted Cupcakes: $10/ half dozen
Doughnut Holes: $5/dozen
Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts: $5/ half dozen
Brownies: $1.50 each
Pizza crust (med): $6 each
Coffee Cake: $8/loaf
Wraps: $2 each
Breads: $8/2-pound loaf
Scones: $2 each

If you are interested in anything, please give us a call at 590-8112 or reply to this email. We are in Fishers near 116th and Allisonville. 121 Northland Street. I will send directions if needed.

THESE ARE ALL GLUTEN FREE, MADE WITH GLUTEN FREE PRODUCTS. IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO ANYTHING ELSE, PLEASE BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW! WE CAN MAKE SUBSTITUTIONS FOR DAIRY, EGGS, CORN. . .NUTS CAN BE OMITTED. CHOCOLATE CHIPS ARE GF but DAIRY FREE & GF can be used.

Brought to you by the lovely people at The Measuring Cup...Pam, Chris and the team.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Gluten struggles led to G.F. Joe’s



Jim Szymanski The Olympian
TUMWATER

Three years ago this month, Joe Spancic's doctor diagnosed him with celiac disease, an intestinal disorder triggered by ingesting the food component gluten, found in wheat, rye and barley.

Unpleasant symptoms can include diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating or skin disorders. Sometimes, people with the disease exhibit no gastrointestinal symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic's Web site. Spancic found it time-consuming and expensive, sometimes traveling to Seattle or Portland, to find gluten-free products to avoid the disease's symptoms. Finally, he decided to start G.F. Joe's, a small Tumwater market that specializes in gluten-free products. Spancic and his wife, Kaylee, offer customers needing specialized diets about 1,300 gluten-free or wheat-free products in their store at 5739 Littlerock Road S.W. in the Tumwater Center. The store does not include a meat or produce department.

Here are excerpts from an interview with Spancic this week.
Question: When did you open and how has business been so far?
Answer: We opened April 12, and business has been fantastic. The community has just been outstanding.
Q: Before you opened the store, what did you find in the marketplace in terms of how well stores are responding to the illness by making products available?
A: Most of the mainstream stores have no clue as to what is really needed out there for the gluten and celiac community. Three years ago when I was first diagnosed, one store had a very limited selection and we have seen that grow. But the issue is that one week they'll have the product and then it will be gone. That's one of the reasons we opened the store. We had to go to so many stores just to find products to have a normal meal.
Q: What led to your diagnosis? Did you have symptoms that encouraged you to visit a doctor?
A: I've been suffering from multiple symptoms of celiac disease my entire life. My conditions ranged from intestinal to joint pains to headaches. I've been anemic my entire life, so my blood iron has been low. What led me to it was I was having chest pains and discomfort through my abdomen.
Q: What is the definition for celiac disease?
A: It's an autoimmune deficiency. It is hereditary, genetic. Most people who have it have family members who had it. It prevents your body from processing gluten found in wheat, rye and barley. It makes the insides of your small intestines completely smooth and can cause gas and bloating.
Q: Why did you say many doctors recommend a "meat and potatoes" only diet if you're diagnosed with celiac disease?
A: Most meats are natural so there's no wheat, rye or barley in them. And potatoes are a root so they are not in that family.
Q: How did you come up with the name of the store?
A: Our twin sons came up with it. Anything we had that was gluten free was G.F. and then it became, that's G.F. Joe. My family has been the driving force behind doing this store.
Q: Because you're a specialty store, are your products more expensive than similar items elsewhere?
A: Yes. Some things in the store are the same as normal products, but others are going to be higher. A lot of it has to do with carrying the organic label.
Q: Are there other illnesses that a gluten-free diet could help?
A: Absolutely. Besides celiac disease, there are wheat allergies.

Big Momma's Boy


This is an illustration from a Big Momma's Boy menu.

GF Toronto - Big Momma's Boy



The last restaurant I am going to spotlight is Big Momma's Boy. This restaurant is in the Cabbagetown district of Toronto I would recommend spending at least a whole day in this area, it is fun, vibrant and you can find many things to do. The restaurant is situated in an old Victorian house and the decor is absolutely beautiful. There is seating indoors and outdoors, but this place is very popular and I would get there early before the rush hits. The staff was very nice and very educated in the GF arts. Being it our first time, we asked for the gluten-free menu and he informed us that the entire menu is gluten-free. Again, Tommie and I just stared at each other. Now that I look back, most of the chefs and restaurant staff we encountered must have though we were a couple sandwiches short of a picnic by the way we reacted in their restaurants. It's not everyday you travel to a city that has countless gluten-free options, unless you live in Toronto of course. Needless to say, this restaurant is the real deal folks, everything (except the spring rolls) on the menu can be done gluten-free and let me tell you, I think we ordered at least half of the menu.
We had spent the day sightseeing and were exhausted and starving by the time we entered Big Momma's Boy. We didn't know the next time we'd be in Toronto so we figured we'd order a bunch of food and take the extra back to the hotel with us for the next day. We ordered pulled pork sandwiches, pizza (again) with Canadian sausage, chocolate cake, ...I don't want to make this blog too long so I'll stop there. Everything was delicious and even though we had managed to not hug or kiss any chefs or wait staff to this point, I couldn't handle it anymore - so I hugged the waiter. He just laughed and smiled, it appears they get a lot of people from outside of Toronto and their website even boast that their pizza is so good, people from other provinces come to Toronto just to eat at their restaurant. I believe it. Our bill only came up to around $65 and believe me, we ordered a TON of food, enough for at least four people (let me remind you there are only 2 of us). Next time you're in Toronto, make this restaurant a 'must' on your list because I guarantee a wonderful time and absolutely fabulous food!

GF Toronto - The Creperie



Now I'm not one for crepes, it's a texture thing really, but you do not turn down an opportunity to go to a GF restaurant. The Creperie is located in the Distillery District of Toronto and when we were there in August it was a little hard to get to due to construction. If you are taking local transportation (such as the bus and subway) I would leave plenty of time in your schedule if you choose to venture to this restaurant. That being said, it is worth it. The whole area was an experience, not only were there restaurants, but art galleries and shops have also made their home in the old Distillery district. The setting is very casual and modern, your order food at the counter and they'll call your name when it is ready. It was lunch time when we got there so we both had a savory crepe and then shared a cinnamon and sugar crepe - which was so yummy! The portions were large and our lunch cost us around $23. I recommend not only The Creperie, but the entire experience of the Distillery District - good food, great art, nice people and an overall great time.
www.lacreperie.ca/

GF Toronto - The Cafe Next Door

Feel Good Food...That is the motto of the Café Next Door, which is exactly the café next door to The Magic Oven on Broadview Ave. When the guys at The Magic Oven sparked up a conversation about gluten-free foods we told them we were from Indiana and that we were amazed by the GF selection they had. They then invited us over to the café to try their breakfast options. Don't you just hate it when people twist your arm? Needless to say the next morning we jumped on the subway and walked into the Café Next Door. I had a yummy fruit salad and multi-grain BLT sandwich, but who cares about what I ate, right? Tommie had a bagel with butter and a 'Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich' with Swiss cheese of course. He absolutely loved the food! He kept smiling the whole time he ate and it, it definitely started our day of touristy fun off on the right foot. Another great GF place to try when you're in the area.

GF Toronto - The Magic Oven

When Tommie and I decided to go to Toronto as part of our honeymoon we made sure to do our GF homework. The first thing I 'googled' was pizza restaurants and was amazed to find that not only did Toronto offer such a thing, but that it was a franchise and would deliver! The Magic Oven we went to was on Broadview St. and was extremely easy to access since the subway had a stop right across the street! Magic Oven makes a commitment to serve as many natural and organic products as it can, as well as giving their customers a wide array of choices, from vegan to gluten-free. Now I must say that the Oven offers items such as soups and salads...la la la...but we were there for pizza only. We kept it simple, a sausage pizza with some sodas. When the pizza was brought to our table we were amazed; it looked like a Noble Roman's pizza! Tommie and I just looked at it, then poked it, and then picked it up and looked at the bottom. The chef thought we were crazy and asked if everything was okay...we just smiled. When we tried the pizza we were blown away by the texture and the taste. Who would have known that gluten-free pizza could be this good? I thought Tommie was going to run up to all of the employees and give them a big kiss on the cheek. It was by far the best gluten-free pizza we have had to date! Needless to say we returned to the Oven one more time before we left Toronto. I highly recommend for you to try this when you're in that neck of the woods, it is definitely worth it. Next time we find ourselves in Toronto we're definitely stopping by and maybe next time we'll try some of the pasta and desserts. They have a tandoori chicken pasta that sounds out of this world! http://www.magicoven.com/home.php

Other great things about the Oven: "Our restaurants reflect our commitment to respecting our resources.We use bio-degradable packaging wherever possible, our menus are printed on recycled paper, our pizza boxes are made of recycled cardboard, and we use bio-degradable plastic bags.Magic Oven restaurant locations are all reclaimed sites, saved from demolition crews and featuring recycled furniture and fixtures.We are a family-run business with a commitment to the environment and the community."

Monday, May 5, 2008

The Measuring Cup - Menu for May 5th - May 10th


Available TUESDAY after 6 pm:
-PB&J Cookies-Peanut butter, sugar, egg, grape jelly
-Blueberries and Cream Muffins- Rice, corn, and potato flour blend, egg, low-fat yogurt, cream, blue berries, xanthan gum
-English Muffins- Brown rice, sorghum, corn, tapioca, potato flour blend, xanthan gum, yeast


Available THURSDAY after 6 pm:
-Peanut Butter Cup Brownies-Rice, potato, corn flour blend, sugar, egg, low-fat yogurt, peanut butter, cream cheese
-Banana Coconut Muffins-Banana, egg, coconut flour, almond flour, coconut
-English Muffins- Brown rice, sorghum, corn, tapioca, potato flour blend, xanthan gum, yeast
-Montina Bread-Montina, bean, millet flour blend, egg, milk, xanthan gum, sugar, yeast


Available SATURDAY before noon:
-Chocolate Chip Cupcakes-Rice, potato flour blend, chocolate chips, sugar, butter, egg
-Chocolate Donut Holes-rice, tapioca, & potato flour blend, cocoa, sugar, non-fat yogurt, eggs, buttermilk, baking powder -Sandwich Wraps- brown rice, tapioca flour blend, sugar, xanthan gum, yeast, egg
-English Muffins- Brown rice, sorghum, corn, tapioca, potato flour blend, xanthan gum, yeast


If you are interested in anything, please give us a call at 590-8112 or reply to this email. We are in Fishers near 116th and Allisonville. 121 Northland Street. I will send directions if needed.

THESE ARE ALL GLUTEN FREE, MADE WITH GLUTEN FREE PRODUCTS. IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO ANYTHING ELSE, PLEASE BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW! WE CAN MAKE SUBSTITUTIONS FOR DAIRY, EGGS, CORN. . .NUTS CAN BE OMITTED. CHOCOLATE CHIPS ARE GF but DAIRY FREE & GF can be used.


Brought to you by the lovely people at The Measuring Cup...Pam, Chris and the team.