Introduction

In November 2007, doctors were trying to understand my persistent fatigue, anemia and sporadic stomach troubles. I was working at a medical lab which offered free testing for employees, and, on a whim, they tested my EMA & TTG levels, which showed positive for Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder where gliadin, a gluten protein within wheat and several other grains, triggers a reaction which causes the body to attack the villi of the small intestine. It wasn't until February 2008 that the diagnosis was confirmed by an endoscopy and biopsy.

This wasn't good news. I'd worked at a Wild Oats (now Whole Foods) in Portland, Maine which had carried a lot of gluten-free food and even hosted meetings for people with Celiac disease. I had, ironically, at the time thought it to be sort of a fad disease that they were encouraging people to self-diagnose so that they would buy all of this special food. Now, looking at my own endoscopy photos and biopsy results, I was forced to accept the truth- it was not only a real disorder, but one that was causing a lot of damage to my own body. I was frustrated. On one hand, I wanted to feel better. On the other, I really love food. One of my great pleasures in life has been trying different ethnic cuisines and doing my own kitchen experiments. I'd even found that one of the best ways I could lift myself up out of depression was to make something healthy and tasty. The only current treatment for celiac disease is completely avoiding all gluten-containing foods, and the thought of having to limit what I can eat was frustrating.

Despite my inner gourmand's protests, I obeyed the doctors. Grocery shopping became an ordeal, both because I had to carefully read labels and because I was constantly faced with things I used to enjoy that I felt like I'd never get to experience again. Yet things have slowly gotten a little better. I've found resources and places that sell gluten-free products. In a week, however, I'll be moving somewhere that I won't be able to shop at specialty or health food stores save online.

One thing I noticed connecting with other people trying to manage a gluten-free diet was that a lot of people seemed to eat the same things every day or at least eat from very limited menus. Maybe that works for some people, but I'm fond of variety. I've created this blog to try to share some of my own recipes, reviews, and insights on gluten-free food in the hope that I can bring some hope, humor, and good taste to others in the same position.