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    Jill Schaefer
    Jill Schaefer

    Amalfi Coast: One Couple's Quest for a Gluten-Free Holiday in Italy

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Celiac.com 08/07/2008 - We'd begun practicing basic Italian⎯buon giorno! We'd practically memorized the Frommer's travel guide. We'd scoured multitudes of online travel sites and finally made all the arrangements for our once-in-a-lifetime romantic getaway to the sun-kissed shores of the Amalfi Coast.

    As the date of our departure approached, we grew more excited to spend our first major vacation together, tucked away in cliffside hotels, taking in sweeping views of the Mediterranean from our seaside balconies. We had some lingering doubts, though. Jeff follows a gluten-free diet, and I was concerned about how well he'd be able to eat in Italy, the land of pizza, pasta and bread. I know how difficult it can be to dine out, even in our neighborhood in San Francisco. What could he possibly find that would be gluten-free in Italy? And, with the language barrier, how would we be able to easily communicate his needs?

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    Jeff: I know a little Italian, but solo un po’ (only a little), as the Italians say. So I, too, was a bit worried. At home, I keep tight control over what I buy, prepare most of my own meals and eat out only at select places that I know are safe. I was worried that consuming every meal at a hotel or restaurant for two weeks straight would present challenges. Like so many people with celiac disease, I've lost more than a few days to gluten contamination. That's the last thing I wanted to happen on such a special trip.

    One of the first things we did was to e-mail the hotels several weeks in advance to see what gluten-free options they might offer. We crafted a short inquiry in English, and just in case the staff only spoke Italian, put it through a free online translation service called Babel Fish. We included both versions in our messages. All four hotels responded within a day or  two, most in English. Three confirmed gluten-free options in the hotel and/or its restaurant. One pledged a solution upon arrival, suggesting that Jeff could communicate a preference for breakfast, and the hotel would meet his needs.

    Jill: I was especially impressed with Casa Astarita, a bed and breakfast along the first leg of our trip in Sorrento. The staff at Casa Astarita noted that we could request food without wheat or barley, recommended a restaurant in the square and pledged to help us during our stay in Sorrento. In addition, the Hotel Margherita in Praiano, a charming seaside town off the beaten path, assured us of gluten-free pasta and biscuits (probably what we would call crackers) in the hotel.
    Another step we took about two weeks before our flight was to contact the airline about gluten-free meal options. We wondered if Jeff would be able to eat gluten-free on both legs of the trip⎯from San Francisco to Chicago, and more importantly, the nine-hour haul from Chicago to Rome. Either way, we planned to pack plenty of gluten-free snacks to have on hand as a precautionary measure.

    Jill:  The American Airlines customer service representative told me the airline did not offer gluten-free meals on the short flight from Chicago to San Francisco, and we'd need to bring our own food. However, on the longer flight from Chicago to Rome, they could accommodate gluten-free needs. The representative confirmed a special meals code for the gluten-free food request (GFML is the code) that was entered into the reservation.

    American Airlines also pointed us to its Web site, which lists sample menu options that may vary month to month:

    • Brunch/hot breakfast - Mushroom cheddar omelet with sweet potato hash, yogurt, seasonal fruit
    • Cold breakfast - Yogurt, seasonal fruit, breakfast cookie
    • Lunch/dinner - Sweet chili salmon, green beans, white rice, salad, fresh fruit
    • Snack - Penne pasta  with artichokes, fresh fruit
    The quick and positive responses from the hotels and airline immediately put us at ease. A little online research into gluten-free travel in Italy promised a smooth experience.

    Jeff: It turns out that the Italians are actually at the forefront of celiac disease awareness and treatment. In fact, all Italians are screened for celiac disease before they are six years old. [1,2]

    Those with celiac disease receive excellent support, including monthly payments from the government for gluten-free food, as well as more vacation to offset extra time used to shop for and prepare gluten-free food.

    Italians are also on the vanguard of the gluten-free food movement. The country's robust celiac association, called the Associazione Italiana Celiachia (AIC), the Italian government and several large Italian companies that make and distribute gluten-free foods have joined together to promote awareness and understanding of celiac disease. This makes for knowledgeable restaurant owners, managers, chefs and waiters. [3]

    Italians are among the most expert crafters of gluten-free pastas and baked goods. Italian companies like Beretta and BioLand make delicious gluten-free rice pasta and a variety of other gluten-free food products, while others produce numerous gluten-free specialty items for import, such as chestnut flour.

    AIC has a helpful Web site and convenient 24/7 telephone hotline. Both offer celiac information and support in English and Italian, along with tips on gluten-free food and dining in every region of Italy. [4]

    So, all of the useful information we turned up in our search made us hopeful that our first vacation together just might be a gluten-free gastronomic delight.

    Tune in next month to find out how things turned out on the ground. Until then, happy gluten-free travels and, as the Italians say, Mangia bene! Eat well!

    1. Open Original Shared Link
    2. Open Original Shared Link
    3. Open Original Shared Link
    4. Open Original Shared Link
    Co-written by Open Original Shared Link


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    Guest Susanna Neuhold

    Posted

    Hello!

    First of all thanks for always providing useful information on celiac! You sure make the life of many celiacs around the world a lot better! I have read the above mentioned article and I have a few remarks and corrections to make regarding some of the statements that are not completely

    correct. Hopefully you are able to make them public for the benefit of everyone involved.

     

    1. 'Jeff: (...) In fact, all Italians are screened

    for celiac disease before they are six years old. [1,2]' and following paragraph...

    This is not accurate information: it is not true that all Italians are screened before 6 years old. There are many different projects going on and some areas might have had this in place, but it is not a government mandate.

    It is true that all Italian Biopsied celiacs receive government support that goes toward the purchase of Gluten free food (it actually covers it completely), but it is false that they are entitled to more vacations!

     

    2. 'Italians are also on the vanguard of the gluten-free food movement. The country's robust celiac association, called the Associazione Italiana Celiachia (AIC), the Italian government and several large Italian companies

    that make and distribute gluten-free foods have joined together to promote awareness and understanding of celiac disease. This makes for knowledgeable restaurant owners, managers, chefs and waiters. [3]'

     

    This statement is also not entirely correct. The Associazione Italiana Celiachia is the sole promoter of the many initiatives that, through the years, have dramatically increased the quality of life of Italian Celiacs.

    The association works and advocates for the cause with government departments in order to regulate and legally protect its achievements. The restaurant project is entirely funded and run by the association, thanks

    also to the great number of volunteers involved with it. It is true though that the Italian Ministry of health has always shown a lot of support and is a key player in making Italy today the paradise of celiacs!

    The only company that have a similar project in Italy is Dr. Schaer - Dietary Specials with its 'DS Pizza Points'.

     

    Lastly, we don't know the 2 companies mentioned in the articles among Gluten Free producers and they are not listed in the'safe' list of the italian Ministry of Health (You can find this list and other useful information on the Ministry regulations regarding dietetic (gluten-free)

    manufacturers at

    Open Original Shared Link

    =italiano&label=prodi&id=56).

    The association (AIC) provides with a fully detailed list of

    companies that are safe for celiacs. This screening is done through an impressive amount of forms and tests to meet the Italian approved standard of gluten contained in parts per Million (20 PPM). The hundreds of

    companies that appear on this list, called 'Prontuario' available also on line on the

    website at Open Original Shared Link then click on the

    English flag to access the English pages.

     

    I really hope that you will post this correction, it is important to give information, but it is better to give accurate information when available.

    Susanna Neuhold

    Food Area National Manager

    AIC

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    Guest MARY

    Thanks for the great information! My husband and I have been wanting to vacation in either Paris or Italy, but I was afraid Italy would be hard because I cannot eat gluten. Now, we might give Italy a try!! THANKS

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    Guest Tawnya

    Thank-you for an informative article and for the comments with the corrections and additions. When my daughter adopted from India this past summer was recently diagnosed with celiac disease, I was very worried about how I would ever be able to take her to Italy where I had lived during my childhood. I am so relieved to have learned how well persons with celiac disease are able to live in Italy and I am proud of Italy for being such a wonderful role model for other countries. I look forward to learning more about Italian gluten-free recipes that I can use in the USA. Thank-you!

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    Guest Paulina

    Posted

    Thank you so much for the information. I'm going to Rome in a week and worried a lot about what I could eat. I'm really amazed and happy that Italians care and understand about being gluten free despite having so much wheat in their diet generally. I need to be more up front about being gluten intolerant and really look for ways to eat healthy. thanks again for giving me the info to do so.

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    Guest Pat Brown

    Posted

    We are going to Italy in Sept. and I have been dreading it. But now, I am really looking forward to it! Thanks so much for the info!

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    Guest susan
    Thanks for the great information! My husband and I have been wanting to vacation in either Paris or Italy, but I was afraid Italy would be hard because I cannot eat gluten. Now, we might give Italy a try!! THANKS

    I went to Italy and Greece thru Trfalagar tours and the tour director called ahead to restaurants for dietary requirements and breakfasts every morning were buffet, had as much yogurt, fruit, cheese, boiled eggs, etc. as I could eat and took a doggy bag for lunch, was wonderful.

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  • About Me

    Jill Schaefer

    Jill Schaefer is a freelance writer who lives in San Francisco. She has specialized in health and wellness communications for more than eight years.


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