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!!
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Sunday, 28 September 2008
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
"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:
Melbournes very own Sue Shepherd is quoted.
Related Links:
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
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:
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:
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
Saturday, 8 March 2008
Coeliac Awareness Week - 13 to 20 March 2008
The latest magazine from the Coeliac Society notes:
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.
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.
Friday, 7 March 2008
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:
Well, after a bit of shopping around, here is the list for 2008.
Alpha ConfectioneryOnce 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 EggsThe 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 OrganicThis 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:
Monday, 12 November 2007
Fructose Friendly Dining Out
A reader sent the following email to us:
We couldn't agree more. Onion is everywhere and very hard to avoid. We have the same problem and get very disheartened to the point that we would rather not go out at all versus eating something and end up regretting it.
So, we have started a list of the places that we know of. These are places that either adertise themselves as being fructose friendly and/or they are flexible enough with their menu and attitude to enable diners to avoid fructose un-friendly ingredients.
The list isn't large, but with your help, we hope it will become so.
The usual disclaimer applies: Check with the venue first. Talk to the staff and let them know your requirements. We have no connection with these businesses other than as happy customers.
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Please let us know if you try somewhere and would like others to know about it. Email us at: glutenfreevictoria@gmail.com
Related Links:
I am a fellow sufferer of fructose malabsorption. I found myself on Friday night in the middle of the city stuck for places to eat.
Finding wheat free is the easy part, but onion free seems to exclude so much (it’s in so many sauces and the basis for most dishes), that we ended up at Melbourne Central food court with tasteless salads feeling rather depressed.
I’ve managed to modify diets at home with ease, as we tend to cook everything from scratch which is actually a blessing in disguise, but eating out continuously proves a problem.
There is increasing awareness about gluten free at restaurants now, but nowhere is fructose friendly, or able to be modified to fructose free because of the onion. I was wondering if you’d come across or knew about any places in and around the city that you could find a quick, relatively cheap eat without having to worry about onion or simply order a bowl of chips (boy am I sick of ordering chips).
I thought maybe it would make a good blog entry.
If not, and in the future I come across some myself I will let you know.
We couldn't agree more. Onion is everywhere and very hard to avoid. We have the same problem and get very disheartened to the point that we would rather not go out at all versus eating something and end up regretting it.
So, we have started a list of the places that we know of. These are places that either adertise themselves as being fructose friendly and/or they are flexible enough with their menu and attitude to enable diners to avoid fructose un-friendly ingredients.
The list isn't large, but with your help, we hope it will become so.
The usual disclaimer applies: Check with the venue first. Talk to the staff and let them know your requirements. We have no connection with these businesses other than as happy customers.
- Silly Yaks Bakery - 105 High St.,Northcote Phone: (03) 9482 3999
This cafe/bakery will be well known to coeliacs in Melbourne as they sell a large range of GF cakes, bread, pizza bases and even their own range of GF beer. This is a must visit location especially for a great breakfast that goes most of the day.
www.sillyyak.com.au - S.Komatsu Restaurant - 62 Wellington Parade,East Melbourne Phone: 03 9415 7266
We haven't visited here as yet but S.Komatsu advertises itself as gluten free, dairy free and fructose friendly. Some friends have dined there and really enjoyed it.This will be a dinner destination for us very soon.UPDATE: Unfortunately, S.Komatsu is currently closed
www.nexgeneats.com/s.komatsu/index.html - Crust Pizza - Various Locations
This is a new gourmet style pizza chain that also is very aware of food allergies. Gluten and Dairy free pizza bases can be requested and you can build your own pizza using the high quality, fresh ingredients that they have. (None of that pink, processed stuff that other pizza joints call ham).
Crust have been awarded the Heart Foundation Heart Tick for 6 of their pizzas. Reported in "The Age on 12 Feb 2008
www.crust.com.au - Sandbelt Club Hotel - 630 South Road Moorabbin, VIC 3189 Phone:(03) 9555 6899
This hotel was recently renovated and the bistro now offers gluten free options and the staff are very knowledgeable and very willing to please. Dishes such as the roast of the day and fish of the day are my choice as the fish (salmon sometimes) is simply grilled and presented with a good selection of steamed vegetables.
www.sandbeltclubhotel.com.au
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Please let us know if you try somewhere and would like others to know about it. Email us at: glutenfreevictoria@gmail.com
Related Links:
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
The Irresistible Gluten Free Wheat Free Food Show - Report
The Show has come and gone and was definately bigger and better than last year.
Like many hundreds, if not thousands, of others, we were at Jeffs Shed well before opening time of 10:00am on Saturday and lined up. The photo shows some of the eager showgoers who were lined up after us. This line, extended OUT the door and on to Clarendon St! (There were many hundreds in front of us.)
Once the doors opened, we were soon inside and the circulating and sampling began.
Some of the samples we tasted included:
It was great to catch up with Rick & Rhonda of Uncle Ricks (Now part of Patties) We asked if there was any chance of some of our old favourite products turning up under the Patties label? Consumers, like us, will have to convince Patties that there is a market for the products so get your emails, letters etc. in to Patties. That is only the first hurdle though. Then the supermarkets have to stock the product. That can be difficult also. The more people that put in their requests, the higher chance that the product will get into production.
Very similar story over at the Healtheries stand where we asked about their Simple Bread mix that we love as it produces a great tasting loaf of white bread. It has disappeared from the supermarket shelves.
Seems that the supermarkets weren't selling enough and have now dropped the product. Healtheries are looking at maybe selling the mix via their website but that is not a certainty. Again, if you like the product, make sure that you let them know. We will.
There were several producers of pizza bases with their wares for sampling and sale. This was great to see. It has been difficult to find a pizza base that is both gluten and dairy free that has a decent taste and texture. Hopefully that is about to change with all these new offerings. (I still think that Uncle Ricks pizza bases were the best I've ever had. I hope they will bring them back)
This year seemed to be geared more towards manufacturers and suppliers of products, but few (if any) local restaurants and cafes had stalls this year. Which is a shame, as finding somewhere suitable to eat out that is gluten free is both difficult and stressful.
A big Thanks to Sue Shepherd and her team for putting this all together. It must be a hell of a job. We look forward to next years show.
Like many hundreds, if not thousands, of others, we were at Jeffs Shed well before opening time of 10:00am on Saturday and lined up. The photo shows some of the eager showgoers who were lined up after us. This line, extended OUT the door and on to Clarendon St! (There were many hundreds in front of us.)
Once the doors opened, we were soon inside and the circulating and sampling began.
Some of the samples we tasted included:
- Chocolate Soy Milk
- Pizza bases
- Beer
- Biscuits
- Maple syrup. Much like creamed honey
- Several Dips
- Falafel balls
- Spam (Who knew that Spam has been gluten free for a very long time?? The Spicy Spam certainly had a kick to it!! I suspect it upset my stomach though.)
It was great to catch up with Rick & Rhonda of Uncle Ricks (Now part of Patties) We asked if there was any chance of some of our old favourite products turning up under the Patties label? Consumers, like us, will have to convince Patties that there is a market for the products so get your emails, letters etc. in to Patties. That is only the first hurdle though. Then the supermarkets have to stock the product. That can be difficult also. The more people that put in their requests, the higher chance that the product will get into production.
Very similar story over at the Healtheries stand where we asked about their Simple Bread mix that we love as it produces a great tasting loaf of white bread. It has disappeared from the supermarket shelves.
Seems that the supermarkets weren't selling enough and have now dropped the product. Healtheries are looking at maybe selling the mix via their website but that is not a certainty. Again, if you like the product, make sure that you let them know. We will.
There were several producers of pizza bases with their wares for sampling and sale. This was great to see. It has been difficult to find a pizza base that is both gluten and dairy free that has a decent taste and texture. Hopefully that is about to change with all these new offerings. (I still think that Uncle Ricks pizza bases were the best I've ever had. I hope they will bring them back)
This year seemed to be geared more towards manufacturers and suppliers of products, but few (if any) local restaurants and cafes had stalls this year. Which is a shame, as finding somewhere suitable to eat out that is gluten free is both difficult and stressful.
A big Thanks to Sue Shepherd and her team for putting this all together. It must be a hell of a job. We look forward to next years show.
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