Email From Cracker Barrel

[glutenfreeheather]

I just got this email from Cracker Barrel in response to my inquiry about gluten-free menu items. This may have been on here before, but I just wanted to pass it along to everyone:

Dear Heather S,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. We appreciate receiving your inquiry and we do understand your concern.

We are aware that some folks do suffer from gluten intolerance. It is our understanding that, depending upon the person, there are many levels, types, and degrees of gluten intolerance and because of that and the risk of cross-contamination in the cooking process, we do not have that information available.

Again, we do appreciate receiving your message. We certainly hope to have the opportunity to serve you again soon.

Sincerely,

Nicole Shaw

Guests Relations Representative

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

[Guest stef 4 dogs]

I just got this email from Cracker Barrel in response to my inquiry about gluten-free menu items. This may have been on here before, but I just wanted to pass it along to everyone:

Dear Heather S,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. We appreciate receiving your inquiry and we do understand your concern.

We are aware that some folks do suffer from gluten intolerance. It is our understanding that, depending upon the person, there are many levels, types, and degrees of gluten intolerance and because of that and the risk of cross-contamination in the cooking process, we do not have that information available.

Again, we do appreciate receiving your message. We certainly hope to have the opportunity to serve you again soon.

Sincerely,

Nicole Shaw

Guests Relations Representative

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

Hi! I called Ragu Sauce last night and got a ration of crap from the guy who answered the phone. He made me feel like I had some kind of nerve questioning their ingredients! I told him to pound sand! If he could not assure me I didn't need an extra roll of TP after using their products, it wasn't worth the risk!

stef 4 dogs

[penguin]

Oh well, their food is mediocre at best, anyway

[jenvan]

Oh well, their food is mediocre at best, anyway

Ha ha! I agree with that--except for the biscuits. Those were damn good! Well, leave it to the down-home country restaurant to keep gluten flying around in their kitchen I'm not surprised honestly...

[tiredofdoctors]

Jen, I have to agree with you -- there was nothing like their biscuits with apple butter! Oh well, another restaurant eliminated!! Don't know if you guys have "Bonefish" restaurants in your area, but they have a gluten-free menu that's pretty extensive -- this is coming from a friend of ours! He's a pharmacist, but now that he knows I need to be gluten-free, he's checking out all the restaurants he and his wife go to!!!!!!!

[bluelotus]

Ha ha! I agree with that--except for the biscuits. Those were damn good! Well, leave it to the down-home country restaurant to keep gluten flying around in their kitchen I'm not surprised honestly...

The gluten free gourment has a good buttermilk biscuit recipe in her books. I've made sausage and gravy to put over them and they are super yummy. If I have about 20min to type it up and send that out in the near future, I'll do that (I also promised someone a Challah bread recipe on here and never sent that out ... oops).

At least CB was honest and considered cross contamination a risk.

[mmaccartney]

I miss cracker barrell. Their red sausage, biscuits, particularly the hash brown casserole...

my guess is that there are items we could eat, if we were willing to take the chance, BUT I'm betting the company is taking the position of stating that there isn't anything they'll call gluten free simply to avoid any of the risk!! (See McDonalds lawsuit).

[lovegrov]

"Hi! I called Ragu Sauce last night and got a ration of crap from the guy who answered the phone."

It's strange that the Ragu guy would give you a hard time. Ragu is a Unilever company and Unilever lists gluten. All you have to do is read the ingredients.

Cracker Barrel has released a gluten-free list at least twice in the past four years but then has gone back to the statement here. I think they're paranoid and I'd also think this is a place where CC would be rampant.

richard

[VydorScope]

"Hi! I called Ragu Sauce last night and got a ration of crap from the guy who answered the phone."

It's strange that the Ragu guy would give you a hard time. Ragu is a Unilever company and Unilever lists gluten. All you have to do is read the ingredients.

Cracker Barrel has released a gluten-free list at least twice in the past four years but then has gone back to the statement here. I think they're paranoid and I'd also think this is a place where CC would be rampant.

richard

Who wouldnt be after all teh stupid lawsuit crap?

[i canary]

I've eaten at Cracker Barrell in Franklin and Murfreesboro, TN. The managers were extremely helpful. One manager at the Cracker Barrell in Murfreesboro (at Old Fort Pkwy) has a grandfather with Celiac so he knew to be careful. I'm hyper sensitive to gluten and had no problems. There are several veggies that are okay, the steak fries are ok and their hamburger without a bun is okay. I think the individual restaurant will work with you. I love Cracker Barrell's food - is it because I'm from the South? I never like their biscuits - I used to make wonderful biscuits that were much much better - a family recipe.

[VydorScope]

I've eaten at Cracker Barrell in Franklin and Murfreesboro, TN. The managers were extremely helpful. One manager at the Cracker Barrell in Murfreesboro (at Old Fort Pkwy) has a grandfather with Celiac so he knew to be careful. I'm hyper sensitive to gluten and had no problems. There are several veggies that are okay, the steak fries are ok and their hamburger without a bun is okay. I think the individual restaurant will work with you. I love Cracker Barrell's food - is it because I'm from the South? I never like their biscuits - I used to make wonderful biscuits that were much much better - a family recipe.

Have you treid any of the ones in Nashville (I actully live in Donolson)? The few that are left that is....

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Do they bake their Steak Fries??

I don't see how those fries can be ok -- they do not have dedicated fryers at Cracker Barrel -- I would double check that.

The only thing I have had there was a cheese omlette and some bacon/sausage...and I still felt a little bad...

[i canary]

Have you treid any of the ones in Nashville (I actully live in Doneoson)? The few that are left that is....

Nope - I don't know where they are located in Nashville. I'm usually in Nashville for a doctor's visit - then I visit Wild Oats (if I'm up to it) and then it's back home for me. By the way - I really like the Donelson area, it's beautiful.

Do they bake their Steak Fries??

I don't see how those fries can be ok -- they do not have dedicated fryers at Cracker Barrel -- I would double check that.

They may be baked - I don't know. All I know is I have triple checked with the mgrs - not the waitress/waiters. I've had the fries 3 times now - I always ask. Even the mgr whose grandfather had Celiac said the fries were gluten free. Plus I haven't had a reaction - I react strongly to gluten!

[VydorScope]

Nope - I don't know where they are located in Nashville. I'm usually in Nashville for a doctor's visit - then I visit Wild Oats (if I'm up to it) and then it's back home for me. By the way - I really like the Donelson area, it's beautiful.

May I ask which doc?

Crackerbarrel seems to be fadding away around here. The last one I went to was in Franklin, buy some big hotel, cant remeber which, was up there for a confrence. This pre-dates me gluten-free days, but had great service.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

I Canary,

Did you ask them if they were baked or fried in dedicated fryers?

They may be just reading the ingredient labels and then telling you the fries "seem" ok.

Have you asked about cross-contamination with the fryers directly?

Sorry to pry, but I am concerned about what they are checking...

[i canary]

I Canary,

Did you ask them if they were baked or fried in dedicated fryers?

They may be just reading the ingredient labels and then telling you the fries "seem" ok.

Have you asked about cross-contamination with the fryers directly?

Sorry to pry, but I am concerned about what they are checking...

Of course I asked. I also have mind fog - I just don't remember if it was baked or fried. I did explain about cross-contamination. I got the cook and the manager involved. I told the wait staff to bring my food out separately from all the other people's at my table - and they did. I am very very careful. The manager each time came to my table to talk to me about my meal. I eat outside of my home only 3 or 4 times a year, because I am cautious. If I am glutened I have a reaction immediately. I was not glutened at Cracker Barrell. I don't know how to be any clearer than this.

[tiffjake]

Of course I asked. I also have mind fog - I just don't remember if it was baked or fried. I did explain about cross-contamination. I got the cook and the manager involved. I told the wait staff to bring my food out separately from all the other people's at my table - and they did. I am very very careful. The manager each time came to my table to talk to me about my meal. I eat outside of my home only 3 or 4 times a year, because I am cautious. If I am glutened I have a reaction immediately. I was not glutened at Cracker Barrell. I don't know how to be any clearer than this.

That is really great to know! I love that place too!! I have eaten there, just trusting my gut (no pun intended) and got a salad and steak. That was before I knew about CC and just worried about fried stuff. I didn't get sick either. I think it might actually depend on the location, as to how careful they are, and which suppliers they have for the salad dressing and stuff like that. Thanks for the info!

[tiredofdoctors]

I can't believe you got crap from the Ragu guy! I've been e-mailing companies (btw: Unilever won't answer my e-mails) but ANYWAY -- I get the "Hi Lynne! We're SO glad you contacted us!!" prior to the answer -- then they try to push a product on me at the end -- Have you tried our new wrinkle cream? It is . . . . . . Thanks for writing!

I finally wrote one company back and told them that I found it personally offensive that they were so perky when I was asking them questions that not only affected my health, but the longevity of my life. Their reply was a little less perkier than before.

Geesh -- these companies! . . .. Lynne

[shayesmom]

I miss cracker barrell. Their red sausage, biscuits, particularly the hash brown casserole...

my guess is that there are items we could eat, if we were willing to take the chance, BUT I'm betting the company is taking the position of stating that there isn't anything they'll call gluten free simply to avoid any of the risk!! (See McDonalds lawsuit).

The hash brown casserole is most likely not gluten-free. All restaurants use canned beef stock and most commercial stock has wheat flour in it. Then there's the issue of certain seasonings containing gluten as well as dairy. However, I can impart some good news. You can easily make the hashbrown casserole at home. Their recipe is in a book called Top Secret Restaurant Recipes by Todd Wilbur. I've played around with it and even made it dairy-free (used the rice cheese instead). Here's the recipe for you should you want to have your hash brown casserole and EAT it too!

Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole

1 26 oz. bag frozen country-style hashbrowns

2 cups shredded Colby Cheese (recommended)

1/4 cup minced onion

1 cup milk

1/2 cup beef stock or canned broth

2 TBSP butter, melted

Dash of garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Combine the frozen hashbrowns, cheese and onion in a large bowl.

3. Combine the milk, beef stock, half of the melted butter, garlic powder, salt and black pepper in another bowl. Mix until well blended, then pour the mixture over the hash browns and mix well.

4. Heat the remaining butter in a large, ovenproof skillet over high heat.

When the skillet is hot, spoon in the hash brown mixture. Cook the hash browns, stirring occasionally, until hot and all of the cheese has melted (about 7 minutes).

5. Put the skillet into the oven adn bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the surface of the hash browns is dark brown.

FYI ~ when I made this DF, I substituted with rice milk (home-made so it wasn't so sweet) and a combination of rice cheeses (mozzarella and cheddar). My dd really likes it. Personally, I didn't find it too bad, but I am still playing with the cheeses and thinking of trying almond cheese next time. The one thing that I hate about the rice cheeses is that they tend to go sweet when you cook them over extended periods of time. This was especially noticable in the first attempt I made with this because I used store-bought rice milk. I think you could probably just skip the milk part of the recipe and just add more broth in it's stead (perhaps with a small amount of cornstarch or sweet rice flour to thicken). You may also want to add more onion to counter sweetness if using the rice cheeses.