As promised I'm going to include the 'Recipe of the Day' and 'Restaurant of the Week', though my plan is when I get a little bit of assistance to have a separate button at the top of the page for the recipes and restaurants, so there isn't too much info in the blog posting. But please be patient with me as I get it all started.
I have been thinking about what restaurant to feature in restaurant of the week and thought I would share a mayhem experience of mine, dining as a coeliac. As those of you who can't eat gluten or indeed have any allergy know, it's all about the attitude of the people at the restaurant, the chef and their understanding of what is gluten or the food your allergic too. I've been to places which actually advertise a Gluten Free Menu, I was very excited! That meant I didn't have to agonise over the menu and figure out what I could eat then go into discussion about it with the waitress. I ordered a risotto at this venue (I won't name and shame just yet), aside from the fact there was way to much in the plate, by the time I finished it didn't even look like I touched the sides, but as we were sitting chatting, my stomach started to gurgle.
The pufferfish slowly reared it's ugly head and I had to unbutton my jeans in the restaurant, then the pains started. By the time we left I really wasn't feeling good, we called in at my sister in laws on the way home, my first stop was the bathroom. Kind of embarrassing.............
So my conclusion was yes there was gluten in the risotto despite the claims that there were not! I figured that the most likely source was the stock as most stock, unless specified (I buy Massel), has gluten in it. Surprisingly I did venture back to eat there some months later, rather reluctantly and I did voice my concerns to the chef. What annoyed me was her attitude, she may not have even been working there when I had the reaction, but she was so defensive claiming that it was the Parmesan cheese that had gluten in it! (never heard of that before). But to mean the most appropriate response is to apologise and reassure the customer.
Restaurant of the Week
I've had a few thoughts as to what would be the first restaurant to feature here and I'm going with something that I only ate yesterday. The Argyle Inn in Camden. I had lunch with a girlfriend yesterday, a $10 steak with chips and a salad and the deals on weekends too. Admittedly there wasn't that much I could eat on the menu but I decided on the steak. All the sauces that go with it have gluten in it, so the waitress and chef were very accommodating and made me some mushrooms, and put them on top of the steak. The meal was massive but most importantly no reaction! I would have every faith that whatever else you ordered on the menu would be prepared with care and ensured that no little bits of gluten were in your meal!
Recipe of the Day
Butterscotch Pudding
Pudding
70g butter softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 1/3 cup flour (combination of rice flour and gluten free cornflour, or other gf flour in the pantry)
2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 tablespoon milk
Butterscotch Sauce
1 cup cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
20g butter
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Cut butter into small cubes and place butter and sugar into bowl/mixmaster etc, mix until pale and creamy. Add egg and mix well. Sift flours into a separate bowl, making sure the flours are mixed well and add flour mixture and milk to to butter mixture and mix until just combined.
Put mixture into a baking dish (I use a small lasagna/baking dish) and bake for 20-25minute (until the skewer comes out clean).
While the pudding is cooking, combine all ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan on medium to low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has slightly thickened.
Cut the pudding into appropriate serving sizes, place in a bowl and drizzle the sauce over the top. Serve with ice cream or cream
Enjoy
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