A World Without Wheat....The Entertaining List

So here is my list of things to consider when you are cooking for someone with celiac disease.  Remember, this is a severe food allergy, the most severe wheat allergy there is.  Even a few grains of wheat are enough to contaminate a food you are serving.

So, before you even start cooking spend some time cleaning your kitchen.  Make sure the dishes, pots, pans, knives, etc. are all clean and free of any wheat. If you have a dishwasher I suggest you run all things you will cook with and serve on: the dishes, pans, and especially colanders through a full wash cycle.  Colanders are especially tough as bits of the pasta (containing gluten) tend to stick around the colander holes.  I think you should scrub them clean with soapy water and run through dishwasher too if possible.

If you are using a cutting board the same rule is true - you will need to scrub it really, really clean.  In fact, I wouldn’t use your bread board for this meal; if you are serving GF bread you should serve it on a clean dry plate.  Wooden cutting boards are notoriously difficult to clean of all wheat.

It would be smart to pitch that kitchen sink sponge that is likely contaminated with wheat and put out a fresh one.  Ditto for the towels hanging around your kitchen; throw them in the laundry and put out fresh clean ones.

Okay, now that every thing you plan to use is clean, get out the food you are going to cook with.  When you purchased it you should have read every label to check for wheat, flour, bread crumbs, spelt,  barley, rye, whole wheat, white wheat, farro, cous-cous, pasta, semolina, starch (when it just says starch they generally mean wheat starch).   Unless the label says Gluten Free you need to read the label, if any of the above items are in the product you cannot serve something made with it to a celiac.

One odd fact is that all imitation seafood is full of wheat, it does not show on the label but imitation seafood has made many a celiac quite sick.  Other hidden sources are bbq sauce, the coating on rotisserie chicken, flour in frozen French fries used to keep them from sticking together and all batter fried foods unless marked GF on the packaging. 

I would not suggest buying ready made food from a caterer unless they advertize they specialize in making GF food. Caterers are quick to say their food is safe but most times they haven’t a clue as what GF really means.  Your GF guest will likely not eat any food from a caterer, I know I won’t ever again!

So, by now you are wondering what on earth you can serve to your celiac friend/family member.  You can make dishes with no wheat but they can include other flours like rice flour, corn flour, tapioca flour, quinoa, buckwheat (not a member of the wheat family at all) as well as almond flour, sorghum flour, chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, bean flour, garbanzo bean flour.  You can serve them potatoes, corn products like polenta, and rice (not the mixes containing pasta or with seasoning packets unless the box says GF right on it) and any pasta that says on the box that it is GF.   There are mixes you can buy to make GF breads, there are fresh and frozen breads and bagels are in the freezer case in the GF section of your supermarket.  You can buy a mix to make GF cookies, cinnamon rolls, quick breads and cakes.  There are readi-made cookies, crackers and other GF treats available in the GF section.   A great dessert choice is the chocolate flourless cake, easy to make, a huge crowd pleaser and naturally gluten free.  Lots of good recipes are out there for this dessert too!

One thing to be careful about; sometimes things do not have wheat as an ingredient but they may not be safe if the factory or mill where they were created also processes wheat or wheat products.  This is why most celiacs buy oats that are certified wheat free to be sure they are not contaminated.  I get nervous buying tortilla chips unless it says they are GF as they might be contaminated by tiny amounts of wheat in the processing equipment.

You can serve fresh meats, fruits and veggies, all are naturally Gluten free. Most dairy products are GF, one exception being blue cheese, leave that off the menu!  Some processed meats from the deli like baloney can be iffy; check at the deli counter when you buy it as there are brands that are marked GF.  Same goes for hot dogs, some are labeled GF.  Be sure to provide GF buns!  We can drink wine and most mixed drinks but no beer unless you purchase GF beer. Wheat vodka is likely not a good choice.

If you chose to serve wheat products in the same meal you need to put a big cautionary label on them and please do not put GF baked goods or foods on the same tray or plate as foods containing wheat.  It is just so easy to contaminate them, one touch and they are not safe to eat for a celiac patient.  Frankly most people who cook for celiacs just make the meal GF so their visitor can relax and feel safe to eat anything on the table.  I had my sister Elaine check this blog post for inaccuracies and she commented that as one who has served GF meals to guests she never includes anything that might have wheat, all GF is the best way to go for such a meal.

One last thought; you might consider asking your GF guest if they would like to bring some GF bread if they are a baker and to bring the recipe.  People might like it so much that the baker will be asked to share their recipe.  I love the GF French bread recipe found on cook.com.  It is very easy, very tasty and totally GF.  

So, in summary: carefully clean the kitchen, your cooking utensils, dinner wear, silver wear, and serving dishes beforehand, plan for a GF meal with no wheat items, check labels closely when shopping for food, serve only GF foods or foods that naturally contain no gluten at this meal, and feel free to use GF labeled foods including mixes to make a meal quickly.  No one needs to feel deprived or neglected.  Your guest will deeply appreciate your efforts to make a safe meal for them and the other guests will never miss wheat if you create a tasty menu.

I plan to give this list to anyone who is serving a meal to me so they have clear guidelines on what to do and not to do and so I can feel comfortable that I will not feel ill after eating.