Raleigh CSA Support Group 9-17-09 Meeting Recap

Special thanks to Gail for taking meeting minutes during the last North Raleigh Celiac Support Group meeting on 9-17-2009. Below is a recap for those of you that could not make the meeting.

North Raleigh Celiac Support Group
CSA Chapter 108
September 17, 2009 7:00-9:00 PM
Rex Hospital Private Dining Room, Raleigh, North Carolina

Our regular support group meetings have resumed after a three month summer hiatus. During this time, Pat Berger was contacted by several companies regarding new, G-F products. This was more frequently than over the previous two years. With Celiac awareness growing, many new food items are trying to get into the marketplace and our group is being offered free samples.

The first samples distributed were GF gravy, sauce, and soup mixes from Full Flavor Foods and are available on-line at forfullflavor.com. These products have been awarded certification by the Celiac Sprue Association and 2% of profits will be donated to Celiac research projects.

A second varied group of mixes was received from Duinkerken. They are available locally at A Southern Season in Chapel Hill and on-line at duinkerkenfoods.com. Group members will give some feedback on all these products in upcoming meetings.

Whole Foods Market is planning another Gluten-Free Fair on Saturday, October 17 from 1:00-3:00 PM. CSA Chapter 108 will have an information table set up and Pat is looking for volunteers to work a 30 minute shift. In order to expand into the community, Pat discussed developing additional volunteer positions. If you would like to contribute, please let her know.

The challenge of eating in restaurants is an ongoing topic of group interest. Several members related their success in dining out by avoiding chain establishments and sticking to locally owned restaurants. “They care” was the main reasoning behind the experience. Others suggest avoiding busy times so the chef or manager will be able to give time and attention to your special order. Another good suggestion for GF choices is dining in Indian Restaurants, since this cuisine usually does not incorporate any wheat products.
This discussion related to an article in the current issue of the Gluten Intolerance Group Magazine entitled ”Walking the Fine Line of Trust” which was distributed to the group. Anyone on a G-F diet must balance trust and non-trust. If we always trust, we are guaranteed to get an unhealthy amount of gluten in our diets. But if we try to be as strict as possible, we will severely limit our options. To minimize risk, it is very important to educate yourself as much as possible and be your own advocate. It is important to read journals, visit Celiac center websites, join e-mail lists, and read labels. A copy of another article encouraging medical second opinion was also reviewed.
Zach updated the group on a new vendor Juno Nutrition. The goal of this vendor is to provide the largest living food database. The service is by subscription. Zach will be teaching GF classes on October 3, 2009 at Rosie’s Plate and presenting his food allergy poster petition to the City of Raleigh at the October 20, 2009 meeting.

A special guest presentation and bread tasting was given by new member Thomas Munn. Over the past ten years he has been exploring and developing new G-F recipes. Of particular interest is that fact that Thomas is incorporating uncommon sources of nutritional ingredients rather than just pure rice flour and starches. He uses a micronizing food mill to produce ultra fine, fresh, and pure flours from such grains as amaranth, teff, quinoa and millet at home. He shared his Amaranth Quinoa Millet Dill Bread with the group. For GF bread, Thomas uses the rapid rise cycle on a bread machine and removes the paddle before the “rise” cycle so the machine will not punch down the dough. Thomas is currently working on an e-book and asked the group if we would test his recipes for ease of use for the home cook.

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, 2009 in the private dining room at Rex Hospital.

Submitted by,
Gail Harris