Irresistible Gluten Free Food Show

The Irresistible Gluten Free Food Show is held annually in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and we have attended each of the Melbourne events.

Originally created by Sue Shepherd, although now run by others, the show is a showcase for manufacturers and local distributors of gluten free products.

Highlights
For us, the highlights have been:

• Discovering gluten free products that are about to hit the market or are already there, but we didn't know about.
  
• Watching celebrity chefs creating great gluten free dishes.
  
• Best of All: Sampling many of the products. From beer to bread, chocolate to ice cream. (Don't have a big lunch before going to this show!)
  

Show Schedule

• Sydney 20-21 November, 2010
  
• Brisbane 14-15 May, 2011
  
• Melbourne 24-25 September, 2011
  

More information at http://www.glutenfreefoodshow.com.au/

Our Show Reports

• 2010 Melbourne Irresistible Gluten Free Show Report
  
• 2009 Melbourne Irresistible Gluten Free Show Report
  
• 2008 Melbourne Irresistible Gluten Free Show Report
  
• 2007 Melbourne Irresistible Gluten Free Show Report
  

Report: 2008 Irresistible Gluten Free Wheat Free Food Show

The Irresistible Gluten Free Wheat Free Food Show held over two days during October, 2008, no doubt, was a great success for the organiser Sue Shephard and her team. Congratulations Sue!!

We were there and here are some of the items that caught our eye and that we will be on the look out for in our local shops:

• Lockton Farm Gourmet sausages
  These are a very nice looking range of gluten free and low fat sausages including: Italian Pork and Fennel, Pork Pumpkin and Leak (Not good for fructose malabsorption people), Chicken Spinach and Pinenut, and many more.
  Shop 13 66-74 Brice Terrace
  Mooroolbark, Ph 9727 3200
  www.locktonfarmgourmet.com.au


• Healthy Feast Pies
  A range of nutritious delicious meals in a pie bursting with tantalising flavours
  Dairy & Egg Free, Gluten & Wheat Free, yeast Free, Preservative & Additive Free.
  
  • Australian Beef & Vegetable
    
  • Vegetable Tagine & Chicken Pie
    
  • Lentil & Potato Curry Pie
  
  Phone 02 9818 6333
  www.healthyfeast.com.au
  (Website under construction. Check back)


• La maison de Patisserie - Gluten Free Pastry Sheets - Delivered!
  This is a business that produces pastry sheets that are gluten free, wheat free, soy free, dairy free, low in fat, preservative free which is delivered directly to your home!
  By the time we visited them they had sold out of stock. Word is that the chocolate pastry is delicious and that the savoury pastry is great for pizza bases.
  More info on their website at www.glutenfreepastry.com.au
  Haven't tried this yet, but it sounds like something that I need to have in my freezer.....Just in case.


• Billabong Brewing - Gluten Free Beers
  Its great to see some more gluten free beers hitting the market. Billabong Brewing are based in Western Australia and produce a range of gf beers:
  
  • Australia's Pale Ale - 5.1% alc/vol
    
  • Blonde - 4.5% alc/vol
    
  • Ginger Beer - 4.5% alc/vol
    
  • Apple Beer - 5% alc/vol (No good for fructose malabsorption people)
  
  Phone: 08 9317 6099
  www.billabongbrewing.com.au


• Well and Good - Chocolate Mud Cake Mix
  I shudder to think of how many samples of this one cake we had!! We tasted, then said: "Are you sure this is gluten free and dairy free??" Then we had to try another piece. (Repeat this cycle several times!)
  The mix is:
  
  • Gluten free
    
  • Wheat free
    
  • Dairy free (Apparently this mix was available in the past but did contain dairy)
    
  • Nut free
    
  • Soya free
    
  • Fructose free
    
  • No Trans fat
    
  • GMO free
    
  • No artifical colour
    
  • No artifical flavour
  
  This mix was not yet released at the time of the show but I have found some at Sunnybrook Healthfood shop. (December 2008)
  We might get to try some of their other products if we can stop eating this cake for 5 minutes.
  13 Tower Court
  Noble Park, VIC 3174
  Phone 9769 1515
  www.wellandgood.com.au


• Tobie Puttock - Celebrity Cooking Stage
  We really enjoyed watching Tobie cook some great dishes from his latest book: "Italian Local"
  Thanks to Sue Shephard, Tobie is very aware of food allergies/intolerances and it is a joy to watch a professional at work. He made it all look very easy.

Congratulations again to Sue on a great show!

Usual disclaimer, we have no connection with Sue Shephard or any of the producers listed. We look forward to seeing these products on local shelves and to next years show. See you there!

2008 - The Irresistible Gluten Free Wheat Free Food Show

The Irresistible Gluten Free Wheat Free Food Show returns for the 3rd year at Jeffs Shed (aka the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre) on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th of October, 2008.

Many manufacturers and distributors of gluten free (and related) products will be present, showing off their wares (There are usually samples a plenty!!). We will be there checking out the many products that we may have not heard about yet. (We need to support the producers of gluten free products to demonstrate that there is a genuine market otherwise we'll go hungry!)

Full details of the show (and Sue Shepherd) at http://www.coeliac.com.au/

See you there!!


View Larger Map

Related Links:

• Report on the 2007 Show

"Bitter Sweet" - Article on Fructose Malabsorption

During August, the Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper contained a good article about fructose malabsorption and its contribution to the symptoms of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Melbournes very own Sue Shepherd is quoted.

Related Links:

• Fructose Friendly Dining Out


• Sue Shepherd coeliac.com.au

Uncle Ricks/Patties Gone Missing?

I recently noticed that my favorite Uncle Ricks/Patties Lamingtons were missing from the freezer in my local Coles.

Worried that these might have been discontinued, I called the Patties help line on 1 800 650 069 (toll free) and asked the question.

The very nice lady explained that some items have been deleted from the Coles shelves:

• Apple Pies


• Sticky Date Puddings

She also explained that a recent computer glitch had caused a problem with ordering that may have impacted stock in some stores. This should be OK now.

As with any supermarket, if your favorite products are missing, talk to the manager of the area (freezer in this case) and let them know what you are looking for. This is the way to get the message across.

Patties products are available at:

• Coles.com.au


• IGA.net.au


• COMING SOON to Safeway/Woolworths.com.au

Coeliac Awareness Week - 13 to 20 March 2008

The latest magazine from the Coeliac Society notes:

Around 1% of the Australian population has coeliac disease. Currently fewer than one in five has been diagnosed. Up to 200,000 Australians have coeliac disease and don't know it.

Coeliac Awareness Week runs from 13 to 20 March, 2008 and aims to raise awareness of coeliac disease and the gluten free diet.

More info at:
The Coeliac Society of Australia - www.coeliacsociety.com.au
Coeliac Society Victoria - vic.coeliacsociety.com.au

We've even had supermarket catalogues from both Woolworths/Safeway and Coles that each have specials on various gluten free items in recognition of Coeliac Awareness Week.

Dairy Free Easter Eggs 2008

Last year, I wrote about some of the dairy free Easter eggs that were available.

Well, after a bit of shopping around, here is the list for 2008.

Alpha Confectionery

Once again, Alpha Confectionery, based right here in Melbourne, have their range of dairy free, gluten free & nut free eggs in stores. These are suitable for vegans.

The photo shows their bag of small eggs (each bag contains 7 eggs) for a total of 100 grams.

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, lecithin (322), vanillin.

Cost: $6.49 at Ritchies IGA ($9.95 in David Jones) Made in Australia

I don't just eat these at Easter. I eat these all year round. They have become my special treat. (One egg is perfect with a cup of tea!)



Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate Eggs

The bag is 100 grams in total and the label says that it contains approximately 20 mini eggs.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, natural flavour (vanilla), emulsifier (soya lecithin)

May contain traces of almonds, and hazelnuts.

Cost: $5.95 in David Jones. Made in Italy. lindt.com



Green & Black's Organic

This is a single egg of 110 grams of 70% chocolate.

Ingredients: Organic cocoa mass, organic raw cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, emulisifer (soya lecithin, organic vanilla extract.

Manufactured in a factory that handles nuts, cereal, gluten and dairy ingredients. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Cost: $9.95 Made in the EU.

Green & Black's have some useful nutritional info on their website at www.greenandblacks.com




As usual, I have no relationship with the manufacturers/distributors other than as a customer. If you find other products, please let us know in the comments or send an email to glutenfreevictoria@gmail.com

Related Links:

• Dairy Free Easter Eggs 2012
• Dairy Free Easter Eggs 2007