Sad Day For Raleigh Gluten Free Consumers: Rosie's Plate Closing Today

In some very sad news, Rosie's Plate will be closing today after serving Raleigh Gluten Free consumers since 2008. Rosie's Plate was a pillar of the Gluten Free community here in Raleigh and this move takes us back several steps.  See letter below from owner Rose Waring.  Thanks for all you've done over the last several years and best wishes.

March 4, 2011

Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that Rosie's Plate will be closing today. For a number of personal reasons Emily and I have both decided that it's time to move on.

From students at Duke University to patients, visitors and employees at Rex Hospital and all the families in between celebrating birthdays and other special occasions Emily and I, and our wonderful staff, are so gratified to have the opportunity to help so many people.

Five years ago when we concepted Rosie's Plate there weren't many options for people on gluten free diets and even less for those that live with multiple food allergies but today as I look around I see many more choices. So, as I turn off the lights I feel a little better knowing that those with restricted diets are in a much better place today with an abundance of options out there.

We thank you for letting us into your homes these past few years and wish you good health and many, many wonderful meals ahead!

Take care,
Rose Waring

NHL All Star Weekend - Gluten Free Raleigh Style

As you may know, this weekend Raleigh will host the NHL showcase event All Star Weekend.  If you are from out of town visiting Raleigh, see some tips below to help you have an excellent Gluten Free weekend, Raleigh style.

Celiac Research Benefit Tasting @ Rosie's Plate

Friday, October 29 ~ Celiac Research Benefit Tasting at Rosie's Plate

Come from 6pm to 8pm to mingle and taste the new Fall menu and spooky Halloween treats menu.
25 % donations plus 10% all store sales goes toward the University of Chicago Celiac Research Center.
(Suggested Donation $10.00/person).

Please email Rosie's Plate and let them know you're coming!

Gluten Free 101 Class - Saturday 10/23/10

Just wanted to toss out a quick reminder that the next Gluten Free 101 Class will be held this coming Saturday, October 23, 2010 @ 1pm.  The class is normally held at Rosie's Plate but we will be moving venues this time.  The class will be held at the Raleigh Whole Foods Market location in the classroom during the Gluten Free Fair.  Call Rosie's Plate at 833-0505 now to sign-up, there are only a limited number of seats available.  Note: All sign-ups for this class are being handled by Rosie's Plate and not Whole Foods.  Whole Foods was generous to allow us to use their classroom so we could make this class more convenient for those of you who wish to attend the GF Fair and the GF 101 Class - thanks Whole Foods!  They will also allow us to sample some GF goodies during the class that they offer for sale in the store.

Gluten Free 101 Class - September 11th 1pm @ Rosie's Plate

~RESCHEDULED TO OCTOBER 23, 2010~

Just wanted to put out a quick reminder to those of you who are recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease or have gone Gluten Free for one reason or the other. I will be teaching a Gluten Free 101 class on Saturday September 11th at Rosie's Plate in downtown Raleigh. Please call Rosie's Plate @ 919-833-0505 today if you are interested in attending. There are a few spots remaining and best efforts will be made to accommodate all who wish to attend. It is important if you are learning how to be Gluten Free that you attend this class or one like it. The class really fills the void between your diagnosis and beginning to get healthy again. A portion of the class fee will be donated to Gluten Free Week at Camp Kanata for 2011 as well. I have taught more than 70 people in this class over the past year or so and raised nearly $400 for Kanata!

Rosie's Plate Gluten Free Food Now Available @ Earth Fare

Two local Gluten Free providers have teamed up!

Rosie's Plate is now stocking their Gluten Free food in the frozen food section @ Earth Fare.  Check out the http://www.earthfare.com/OurStores/Raleigh.aspx where you'll find items like Blueberry Buttermilk Scones, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cinnamon Rolls, Pita Bread and Sugar Cookies!

Also, be sure to stop by the store this Saturday, July 10th from 9am to 1pm to sample some of these items.

Rosie's Plate 10% This Week

Be sure to stop into Rosie's Plate in Downtown Raleigh this week and weekend for all your Fourth of July Gluten Free food needs.

Rosie's Plate Two Year Anniversary Sale

The last two years have definitely been interesting for me to say the least.  The time has certainly gone by really fast as the Gluten Free Lifestyle (and this blog) dominated my life.  The further you get from your Celiac diagnosis, the easier it becomes and the less dominating it becomes - but your life is truly never the same.  Many of you have heard me say in the past that I have a special connection to Rosie's Plate.  The day my doctor called to give me my Celiac diagnosis, I read an article in the News & Observer about the very opening of Rosie's Plate.  Reading that article gave me a sense of hope that I could find safe places to eat Gluten Free.  Now, two years later as I type my 600th post to this blog, Rosie's Plate is still going strong and always improving.

Rosie's Plate is currently celebrating their two year anniversary!  Not sure exactly how many times I've been to Rosie's Plate over the last two years, but I know I'll be stopping in this week to pick up some great GF food and say a big THANK YOU.  I encourage you all to do the same thing as well!  As an added bonus, for this week only, stop into Rosie's Plate and receive 15% off all in-store purchases (5/24 thru 5/29).  And be sure to pick up a free "thanks for being our customer" cupcake as well!

Thanks Rosie's Plate, Rose Waring and the excellent staff for all you do for the GF community. 
Happy Anniversary!  The Triangle Gluten Free community is extremely lucky to have you!

North Carolina Governor Declares May Celiac Disease Awareness Month

Media Release

North Carolina Governor Declares May Celiac Disease Awareness Month

• Triangle residents can participate in a gluten-free food drive at various locations or make a monetary donation to help stock the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina
• Bella Monica Italian Restaurant is hosting a six-course gluten-free dinner prepared by Vanessa Maltin, food and lifestyle editor for Delight Gluten-free Magazine
• A top food allergens poster is available for restaurants to download to educate their staff about these items, including gluten

Raleigh, N.C., USA, April 30, 2010 – The Gluten Free Raleigh Blog has announced Governor Beverly Perdue has declared May 2010 “Celiac Disease Awareness Month” in North Carolina. The Gluten Free Raleigh Blog and Pat Berger, leader of the North Raleigh Celiac Sprue Association (CSA) Support Group brought the petition to the Governor’s office regarding the awareness month.

Celiac Disease is a genetic autoimmune disease that affects one in 133 people in the United States. It interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food and can cause gastrointestinal and neurological issues, infertility, skin rashes and cancer. The only treatment for Celiac Disease is lifelong, strict adherence to a gluten-free diet.

“The Governor’s proclamation paves the way to further educate the community on Celiac Disease and helps to create a positive impact on the quality of life for people living with this condition,” said Zach Becker, creator of the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog. “It’s my goal to help raise awareness so those living with this disease can safely eat out at restaurants and have easier access to gluten-free food.”

In an effort to educate, raise awareness and give back to the community, there are a number of gluten-free events scheduled during the month of May.

• A gluten-free food drive will be held on Saturday, May 8 to benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Special discounts at the drop off locations may be available in exchange for your donation. Bins are set up in each of these locations to accept the packaged gluten-free non-perishable food items:
o Rosie’s Plate – N. Person St., Raleigh
o Bella Monica Italian Restaurant – Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh
o ZPizza – Falls of Neuse Rd., Raleigh and Cornerstone Dr., Cary
o Mellow Mushroom – W. Peace St., Raleigh
o Whole Foods Market, Raleigh – Wade Ave., Raleigh
o Earth Fare – Moncreiffe Rd., Raleigh
o Harmony Farms/Café Harmony – Creedmoor Rd., Raleigh

• A virtual Gluten Free food drive will be held all month to benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina with gluten-free food. The link to donate can be located at the top of the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog.

• On Sunday, May 16, beginning at 5 p.m., Bella Monica Italian Restaurant will host a six-course gluten-free dinner prepared by Vanessa Maltin, food and lifestyle editor for Delight Gluten-free Magazine and Corbett Monica, head chef at Bella Monica Italian Restaurant. They will be preparing dishes from Maltin’s gluten-free cookbook entitled The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook: Spicing Up Life with Italian, Asian and Mexican Recipes. Copies of the cookbook will also be included. Tickets are required for this dining event and can be purchased by calling Bella Monica Italian Restaurant at 919-881-9778.

• The Gluten Free Raleigh Blog worked with Sofia Noble of the design firm This Is Beautiful to create a poster featuring all of the top food allergens, including gluten. This poster is now available for download in English and Spanish at the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog. Wake County restaurant owners may use it to educate their staffs about these foods.

“Research indicates there are approximately three million people living with Celiac Disease in the United States and of those, only about 120,000 have been diagnosed,” said Alice Bast, founder and president of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA). “It’s great to see North Carolina working to raise awareness about this disease so perhaps others can be accurately diagnosed by their doctors. Zach Becker and the entire North Carolina Celiac Disease community should be commended for their leadership and successful advocacy efforts.”


About Gluten Free Raleigh Blog
Zach Becker was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in May 2008. He founded the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog in August 2008 and has created similar blogs across the state. He has recruited writers for these blogs so gluten-free information in those communities can be shared. The blogs contain restaurant and grocery store reviews, summaries of national news as well as highlight local companies that cater to the gluten-free community. Becker is an advocate for those living with Celiac Disease in the Triangle and donates his time to educate the newly diagnosed, local restaurants and government leaders on this condition.

Rosie's Plate - Upcoming Gluten Free Cooking Classes

There are two upcoming Gluten Free cooking classes at Rosie's Plate - one this weekend and another next weekend.  See below for details.

Gather around our prep table for an interactive cooking demonstration on preparing gluten free meals made with fresh, all natural ingredients.
In each of these classes, Emily will teach you how preparing deliciously healthy meals
really can be quick and easy.
You'll come away with everything you need to do it yourself!

May 1st - Easy GF Meals for Restricted Diets: 2pm - 4pm $50

May 8th - Easy GF Meals Kids Will Just Love: 2pm - 4pm $50

Call Rosie's Plate for more details @ 833-0505.  FYI - There are only 10 seats available for each class.

Gluten Free 101 Class - April 24th 1pm @ Rosie's Plate

Just wanted to put out a quick reminder to those of you who are recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease or have gone Gluten Free for one reason or the other. I will be teaching a Gluten Free 101 class this coming Saturday at Rosie's Plate in downtown Raleigh. Please call Rosie's Plate @ 919-833-0505 today if you are interested in attending. There are a few spots remaining and best efforts will be made to accommodate all who wish to attend. It is important if you are learning how to be Gluten Free that you attend this class or one like it. The class really fills the void between your diagnosis and beginning to get healthy again. A portion of the class fee will be donated to Gluten Free Week at Camp Kanata as well. I am trying to teach this class once per quarter since there are so many new GF folks in the area.

Gluten Free 101 Class
Saturday, April 24, 1 - 4pm $35
If you've just been diagnosed with Celiac Disease or wheat/gluten allergies this class is for you. Learn firsthand from someone who's been there. Taught by Zach Becker from the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog, you'll learn how to easily segue into a gluten free lifestyle.
We'll cover practical topics including:

* How to transition your kitchen into a safe gluten free kitchen
* What every gluten free person needs in their pantry
* How to read labels & find hidden ingredients
* Tips on how to eat away from home
* What to watch for with personal care products & medications

We'll also discuss the many resources available including

* GF friendly grocery stores & restaurants
* GF knowledgeable Dietitians
* GF Support Groups
* GF Cookbooks & Magazines

This is a wonderful introduction to living successfully, and happily, without gluten!

Rosie's Plate - Baked Goods 10% Until April 15th

Just a quick note that I just received from Rosie's Plate.

10% Off All Baked Goods While Supplies Last!

Offer runs Tuesday 4/13 through Thursday 4/15.

Rosie's Plate - Easter Menu

Need a little help with your Gluten Free Easter meal? Then check out the new Easter menu now available through April 2, 2010 @ Rosie's Plate.

The main menu (available until May 1) is here.

Easter Holiday Hours:
Open Saturday
10am - 4pm
CLOSED
Sunday and Monday
April 3rd & 4th

Also, don't forget to sign up for the next Gluten Free 101 Class held Saturday April 24th.  I teach this class at Rosie's Plate to folks new to the Gluten Free diet.  It's a great way to get up to speed on this difficult transition.  The class is highly interactive and includes everything you need to know about being GF (including product labeling demonstrations and more).

Rosie's Plate - Big News Update

I've written pretty extensively on this blog about Rosie's Plate.  You can read all the previous posts here.  Obviously, I hold them in pretty high regard, and it's because they keep evolving and growing to meet our Gluten Free needs.  See below for two more great announcements about expanding services from Rosie's Plate.

1. Rosie's Plate Gluten Free food will soon be available at Rex Hospital here in Raleigh.  Not only will Rex's cafeteria carry some Rosie's Plate food, but safe, Gluten Free food service will also be available to folks staying at the near-700 bed hospital who require a GF diet.  This is simply amazing news and an absolute no-brainer if you are Rex.  In an environment where they have a non-dedicated GF kitchen, why not outsource to a local, trusted, dedicated facility to meet your patients GF needs?  All I can say is kudos to Rose Waring (owner of Rosie's Plate) and her staff for ever-expanding their products/services to more Raleigh area GF consumers.  She is a pillar in the Raleigh Gluten Free community and we are lucky to have this company!  Also a big thanks to the folks at Rex, specifically Jim McGrody, the Director of Food and Nutrition Services @ Rex.


2. Rosie's Plate Gluten Free food will also soon be available in Raleigh's Brier Creek location of Earth Fare.  Beginning on Thursday, April 8, 2010, many Gluten Free items from Rosie's Plate will be available.  There will be a kickoff weekend event (4/10 - 4/11) that will include tastings and more.

Stay tuned for more from Rosie's Plate!

Gluten Free 101 Class Recap - January 23rd, 2010

I just wanted to write a little follow-up to the Gluten Free 101 Class I taught recently at Rosie's Plate.  The class happened back on January 23rd and was the second time it was held (first time was Oct 2009).  I was very happy to see the class size jump from less than 15 to over 20!  The class is basically an in-depth review of the Gluten Free Lifestyle (I don't like to call it a diet) mostly for those who are new to Celiac/GF but is also useful for more experienced folks as well.  Things in the GF world are constantly changing and the class offers the very latest information. 

The class hits on some key topics like; Celiac Disease/Gluten Intolerance, what exactly gluten is and how much is too much, how to update your house to be GF friendly, an interactive session on how to read food labels, gluten/non-gluten containing ingredients, grocery shopping, eating out a restaurants, GF cooking, GF medications/personal care products and all kinds of resources like health care, support groups, magazines/books and Web sites.  The class is highly interactive - a great place to get your questions answered.  In addition, you'll be able to sample a few Rosie's Plate products and go home with some safe new tasty food from Rosie's.  A portion of the class fee is always donated to Camp Kanata's Gluten Free Week of summer camp for kids (so far the 2 classes have raised $275).

For more information, please click here or call Rosie's Plate @ 919-833-0505.  The next class will be held on Saturday, April 24th from 1:00 - 3:30pm.

Rosie's Plate Winter Storm Sale

A good marketer takes advantage of all opportunities... Threat of an upcoming winter storm here in the Raleigh area has prompted Rosie's Plate to roll out a Winter Storm Sale.

Stop in Rosie's Plate today (1/28) and Friday (1/29) for 10% off of your entire order of in-stock baked goods and deli case items.

Gluten Free 101 Class - January 23rd

Just wanted to put out a quick reminder to those of you who are recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease or have gone Gluten Free for one reason or the other. I will be teaching a Gluten Free 101 class this coming Saturday at Rosie's Plate in downtown Raleigh. Please call Rosie's Plate @ 919-833-0505 today if you are interested in attending. There are a few spots remaining and best efforts will be made to accommodate all who wish to attend. It is important if you are learning how to be Gluten Free that you attend this class or one like it. The class really fills the void between your diagnosis and beginning to get healthy again. A portion of the class fee will be donated to Gluten Free Week at Camp Kanata as well. I am trying to teach this class once per quarter since there are so many new GF folks in the area.

Gluten Free 101 Class
Saturday, January 23, 1 - 3:30 $35
If you've just been diagnosed with celiac or wheat allergies this class is for you. Learn firsthand from someone who's been there. Taught by Zach Becker from the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog, you'll learn how to easily segue into a gluten free lifestyle.
We'll cover practical topics including:

* How to transition your kitchen into a safe gluten free kitchen
* What every gluten free person needs in their pantry
* How to read labels & find hidden ingredients
* Tips on how to eat away from home
* What to watch for with personal care products & medications

We'll also discuss the many resources available including

* GF friendly grocery stores & restaurants
* GF knowledgeable Dieticians
* GF Support Groups
* GF Cookbooks & Magazines

This is a wonderful introduction to living successfully, and happily, without gluten!

Rosie's Plate: 10% Order Until 12/12/09

I received the following email from Rosie's Plate. 10% off all items from now until this Saturday 12/12/09.

Come and Get It...
10% OFF
ALL
In-Store
Deli and Bakery
Items!
Including Some Fun Holiday Treats!
Sale Through Saturday
December 12th
weekdays 10-6:30 p.m.
Saturday 10-4 p.m.

More News From Rosie's Plate

Here are some more tidbits about happenings at Rosie's Plate.

• The brand new December menu is now available. Click here to see the new items.
• Rosie's Plate is now offering Gift Bags for holiday gifts. See the store for details.
• There are some excellent classes coming up as well at Rosie's Plate. Click here for more details on classes like "Healthy Eating and Supplementation" on Jan 16, "Baking Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free" on Jan 9 and another installation of "Gluten Free 101" on Jan 23 (taught by yours truly). I previously taught this class in October and plan to do so on a regular basis to help those new to the GF diet.
  
• Also, you can stop by Rosie's Plate on Friday December 18 from 5-7p for a Holiday Tasting Event.
• Finally, be sure to check out Rosie's Plate at the 2010 Healthy Marketplace event held at the NC State Fairgrounds on Jan 30 - 31. Click here for more information. The Healthy Choice Marketplace is an expo of natural, integrative, and alternative health care professionals and products in the Triangle. Event hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday Noon. to 6 p.m.
  

Rosie's Plate Holiday Menu Survey

Would you like to have input on the menu items offered at Rosie's Plate for the upcoming Holiday season? Click the survey link below for a unique opportunity to get exactly the menu choices you want.

Click here to take the one question survey.