Alexandra’s “Gluten-Free” Pizza Not Safe for Celiacs

A few weeks ago, local pizza chain Alexandra’s joined Twitter (and followed our blog). I got extremely excited about their first tweet:

 

I immediately tweeted at them asking for more information. They put me in touch with their marketing consultant, who has family members with Celiac and who seemed to really understand my concerns about gluten-containing ingredients and cross-contamination. Her first e-mail gave some information, including the fact that the dough is made off-site to reduce the chance of cross-contamination.

But then something weird happened.

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Piez Bistro Serves Up Delicious Pizza Pies!

I first heard of Piez Bistro a few months ago, when a Facebook friend liked and shared their page. The picture of a gluten-free blueberry Danish posted one morning was enough to make me drool! Not long after, The Chronicle Herald posted a very positive review. This led to a conversation on Facebook and Twitter about their gluten-free options and practices. The owner’s young daughter has Celiac disease, leading her to create a gluten-friendly bistro. Although their kitchen is not completely gluten-free, everything is made from scratch on-site and they are very aware of cross-contamination.

Last Friday was a dreary day, and I was feeling under the weather due to an impending cold. I decided that some gluten-free pizza was just what I needed! We made the drive over to Dartmouth and arrived at Piez Bistro in the midst of the supper rush. All six tables were occupied, and the tables outside were out of the question due to the weather. There was also a lineup around the counter. However, that gave us time to review the chalkboard-style menu hanging over the order counter/kitchen area.

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Happy National Poutine Day!

I have two pieces of exciting news! One, today is National Poutine Day. Two, Celiacs don’t have to miss out on this delicious dish.

If you’re dining out, there are a few fast food chains that do not use gluten in the preparation of their poutine. (That also means that French fries are cooked in a dedicated fryer.)

• McDonald’s
• New York Fries
• Smoke’s Poutinerie (peppercorn gravy only)

Remember that the possibility of cross-contamination always exists, and to make sure that you inform the restaurant of any intolerances or allergies when ordering.

A safer bet is to make poutine at home. You just need three ingredients:

• French fries (we usually make our own by chopping up potatoes and deep-frying them)
• Leftover roast gravy (from our Market-Fresh Pot Roast or Easy Gluten-Free Roast recipes)
• Fresh cheese curds (we love Fox Hill cheese!)

If we don’t have leftover gravy, it’s easy to mix some up using a gluten-free mix from Maxwell’s Kitchen or Club House! (If you’re using Club House, make sure that you get the package that specifically says gluten-free and has the logo from the Gluten-Free Certification Program on it.)

Happy National Poutine Day!

 

Freeman’s Does Gluten-Free!

Last month, we visited Freeman’s Little New York on Quinpool Road with some family members. (They also have locations on Grafton Street downtown and in Fairview.) I was fairly surprised when we sat down and there was a sign advertising new gluten-free pizzas! When a server came by to take our drink order, I asked about toppings, and was even more surprised when she said they had a gluten-free menu.

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