A Few Words From Europe

[marghe]

Hi there! I've accidentally found this site while looking for some info on gluten-free products and I would like to hear something about gluten intolerance in the States. I'm a girl from Italy (sorry about my English!) and have been on gluten-free diet since the age of 11 or 12, when the doctors discovered my intolerance by blood exams and invited me to have a biopsy of small intestin done. I've never had any kind of symptoms and even now I feel good and don't have disturbs after eating grain, even though I try to avoid it. I've been told I need to keep apart from gluten in order to prevent future diseases and that's what I'm trying to do. Actually I don't eat much dietary food and just avoid eating bread, pasta, cakes and everything that contains gluten, preferring naturally gluten-free products. The fact is that a lot of gluten-free products taste good and sometimes you can't distinguish it from "normal" ones, but this doesn't work for example with gluten-free bread that should be properly called plastic. Toasting it is not a valid solution. By the way, being on a gluten-free diet has never been a problem for me and most of my friends don't even know I have this "disease" (for me it's just something some doctors told me, since I've never "felt" it), because when I'm out I just order something that I can eat, and the problem is restricted mainly to first courses (except risotto) and desserts. I think I've written more than enough and simply wish to hear from other people who maybe have something to say to this Italian that doesn't eat pasta and pizza! Ciao!

[Rachel--24]

The fact is that a lot of gluten-free products taste good and sometimes you can't distinguish it from "normal" ones, but this doesn't work for example with gluten-free bread that should be properly called plastic. Toasting it is not a valid solution.

So true about the bread!! It tastes like cardboard to me.

Actually I've had some that were decent but nothing like "real" bread. You just cant even compare the two....I was a big bread eater before I got sick. It was my favorite part of going out to eat...getting the breadbasket before the meal. They would end up sending like 4 baskets to my table.

Welcome to the board! I'm in CA....only been gluten-free for a little over a year.

[marghe]

Welcome to the board! I'm in CA....only been gluten-free for a little over a year.

Wow, it's nice to see that someone replies!..

[tarnalberry]

The fact is that a lot of gluten-free products taste good and sometimes you can't distinguish it from "normal" ones, but this doesn't work for example with gluten-free bread that should be properly called plastic. Toasting it is not a valid solution.

I'm curious why you say toasting is not a valid solution (at least for things like sandwhiches).

(I don't eat bread anyway, so eh!)

[Nancym]

but this doesn't work for example with gluten-free bread that should be properly called plastic.

LOL! I loved this. You have a good way with words.

[Rachel--24]

I'm curious why you say toasting is not a valid solution (at least for things like sandwhiches).

(I don't eat bread anyway, so eh!)

Tifanny, have you ever tried gluten-free bread?? Most brands I wouldnt even think of eating untoasted because they just taste so bland and well...cardboard like. Toasting does seem to help somewhat in making them more edible but still...nothing like real, gluten filled, melt in your mouth bread. . Not even close....the texture is all wrong. gluten-free bread is more dry and crumbly....definately not moist. I suppose home-made bread would be moist but my first attempt came out somewhat glue-like. Havent tried again. My new breadmaker is still in the box.

[tarnalberry]

Tifanny, have you ever tried gluten-free bread?? Most brands I wouldnt even think of eating untoasted because they just taste so bland and well...cardboard like. Toasting does seem to help somewhat in making them more edible but still...nothing like real, gluten filled, melt in your mouth bread. . Not even close....the texture is all wrong. gluten-free bread is more dry and crumbly....definately not moist. I suppose home-made bread would be moist but my first attempt came out somewhat glue-like. Havent tried again. My new breadmaker is still in the box.

Yeah, I've had about seven different varieties of pre-made, store-bought, gluten-free bread - all untoasted because I don't have my own toaster. Yeah, they don't taste as good. They're no substitute; they're their own thing entirely. I heat the stuff I have up in the microwave to soften it, and usually have it with peanut butter, so who can taste it! You're right, it's not the same, but there are plenty that are more edible than cardboard! gluten-free stuff doesn't, for the most part, have the chemistry to make a real "substitute". Eh... it's just bread. I think you're right that homemade, a couple day shelf life, stuff is about the only way to go if you do want bread, but I doubt there will ever be a good substitute for a good baguette.

[DingoGirl]

Bienvenuto, Marghe! Nice to hear from you. Me piace molto il tuo paise (my spelling is horrible) e sono andata in Italia 23 anni fa, per sei settemane.....ho domenticato quasi tutti l'italiano..... But welcome to the board, you can learn so much here. And by the way, your English is quite good!

From what I have heard and read, it seems to be quite easy to be celiacha in Italia - is this true? I do eat bread, but only a couple of kinds.

What do you eat, mostly?

Oh, I am in California also.

ciao -

[mamaw]

Hi & welcome

It sounds like you have adjusted very well to the diet.For some it becomes a major challenge & for you it seems fairly clear you did what needed to be done. Congrats to you.......

One thing I just don't know how you do it is--------NOT EATING PIZZA!!!!!! I love italian foods and I truly miss pizza (good Pizza). I have found a couple of crust that pass for okay.Only twice found the almost real deal....

Do you eat pasta much? I hear in Italy there is a good pasta we can't get in the states????? NOt sure where the location is tho>>>>>

Italy is a beautiful country. I have an Uncle buried in Florence since WWII....

blessings

mamaw

[Guest Robbin]

Hi and welcome to the board! I love the way you described the bread too! I noticed when I watch the cooking shows on tv, that there are some really wonderful Italian dishes that do not include pasta. Luckily rice pasta is pretty good. A truly great gluten-free bread is the dream we all are waiting to come true.

[marghe]

Hi everybody! I see this is truly a forum, didn't expect so many comments! Talking about the pizza, I must say that there's absolutely no gluten-free substitute to a real Italian one, first of all because frozen food can't even attempt to imitate it and second of all because even if it's home-made with gluten-free flour, the flave is not the same at all. There are some sorts of restaurants that serve gluten-free plates only, but I've never tried them! They are not on the list of the places I'm going to with my friends, simply because none of them is intolerant to gluten and I can just eat something else in more fashioned places! The only problem with my diet is that the normal plan for a Saturday night includes going first to a pizzeria (where the only alternative to pizza is usually a salad), and I must admit I do eat normal pizza sometimes (it's just too hard to say no when everybody is eating it in front of you!). I can do it without feeling bad (never had any symptoms). However when I'm at home I follow the diet strictly. Just to give the idea, my dad is a doctor and my brother is studying Medicine (I can't escape from it!). Bread...I see you enjoyed the topic! (hehe) Well, you really can't just open the packet and eat it (and bread shouldn't be packed!) and yes, it tastes pretty good after toasting it...but it's still plastic compared to real bread! Home-made bread made with corn flour is a good alternative tough. When I invite my friends for lunch or dinner at home (am living on my own for university), they can't distinguish corn pasta from normal one (I've never told them, they think it's normal). Yes, I agree with rice pasta (except spaghetti..once cooked, you can use them as a glue). I seldom eat pasta anyways (the area where my parents live is the first for rice production in Italy and you can see nothing but rice fields --> that's why I moved to Milan! So I've always eaten more risotto than pasta!) At university, I choose second courses or rice. I've just come back from a trip to Holland, Denmark and Sweden and there was a gluten-free menù everywhere, so it's true what they say about Northern European countries (the products are the same though!). Now, as i said, I don't eat much gluten-free products, but just avoid wheat, rye, barley and oat. Anyways, I've tried lots of products (I've been on the diet for 6 o 7 years) and used to eat lots of Schar and Bi-aglut buiscuits and snacks.

I didn't introduce myself, I'm Margherita (like the pizza..that's life!), 19 years old, student of Engineering in Milan!

To Dingo Girl: your Italian is perfect!

[DSoldano]

Hi Marghe,

I am an Italian who doesn't eat pasta and pizza, unless it is gluten free!! I have had very good pasta and good pizza. The bread, I have found a really good brand, kinnnikkick, they make an Italian white tapioca rice bread. Yes it is better if it is toasted and if you let the bread come to room temputure I can tolerate it untoasted.

Consider yourself lucky to have been diagnosed before you started having symptoms. In the United States the avereage time to diagnose Celiac is 10 years. By then you are well into symptoms and feel like a hypocondriac. Not to mention always fatigued, bloated, gassy and many urgent trips to the bathroom.

You didn't say you age now so I can only assume that you have been on a gluten free diet for about 10 years or so.

I was diagnosed about 10 years ago and to be honest, I really don't miss "real" bread and pizza.

Are gluten free foods easy to find in Italy? I am planning a trip to Italy sometime in the future to visit my family who live in castelluccio. My husband is going to send me and my sister who speaks Italian, hopefully by then I will be able to speak the language a little.

Good Luck to you!

Ciao

Donna Soldano

Hi there! I've accidentally found this site while looking for some info on gluten-free products and I would like to hear something about gluten intolerance in the States. I'm a girl from Italy (sorry about my English!) and have been on gluten-free diet since the age of 11 or 12, when the doctors discovered my intolerance by blood exams and invited me to have a biopsy of small intestin done. I've never had any kind of symptoms and even now I feel good and don't have disturbs after eating grain, even though I try to avoid it. I've been told I need to keep apart from gluten in order to prevent future diseases and that's what I'm trying to do. Actually I don't eat much dietary food and just avoid eating bread, pasta, cakes and everything that contains gluten, preferring naturally gluten-free products. The fact is that a lot of gluten-free products taste good and sometimes you can't distinguish it from "normal" ones, but this doesn't work for example with gluten-free bread that should be properly called plastic. Toasting it is not a valid solution. By the way, being on a gluten-free diet has never been a problem for me and most of my friends don't even know I have this "disease" (for me it's just something some doctors told me, since I've never "felt" it), because when I'm out I just order something that I can eat, and the problem is restricted mainly to first courses (except risotto) and desserts. I think I've written more than enough and simply wish to hear from other people who maybe have something to say to this Italian that doesn't eat pasta and pizza! Ciao!

[JEM123]

Hi there! I've accidentally found this site while looking for some info on gluten-free products and I would like to hear something about gluten intolerance in the States. I'm a girl from Italy (sorry about my English!) and have been on gluten-free diet since the age of 11 or 12, when the doctors discovered my intolerance by blood exams and invited me to have a biopsy of small intestin done. I've never had any kind of symptoms and even now I feel good and don't have disturbs after eating grain, even though I try to avoid it. I've been told I need to keep apart from gluten in order to prevent future diseases and that's what I'm trying to do. Actually I don't eat much dietary food and just avoid eating bread, pasta, cakes and everything that contains gluten, preferring naturally gluten-free products. The fact is that a lot of gluten-free products taste good and sometimes you can't distinguish it from "normal" ones, but this doesn't work for example with gluten-free bread that should be properly called plastic. Toasting it is not a valid solution. By the way, being on a gluten-free diet has never been a problem for me and most of my friends don't even know I have this "disease" (for me it's just something some doctors told me, since I've never "felt" it), because when I'm out I just order something that I can eat, and the problem is restricted mainly to first courses (except risotto) and desserts. I think I've written more than enough and simply wish to hear from other people who maybe have something to say to this Italian that doesn't eat pasta and pizza! Ciao!

Marghe Benvenuta!

I am also an italian who has celiac disease. It is an awful curse to take away gluten from us. Our meals are totally based on wheat. Pasta...Pizza...pastries..and the list can go on. I am very surprised that you are unable to find a good gluten-free bread in Italy. Italy is one of the top leading countries that has been diagnosing celiac for years and have a huge product line of gluten-free foods. I lived in Italy and I also was surpirsed at how many restaurants there were that made gluten-free foods. I lived in Milano and there were many places that catered to celiacs. My family is originally from Calabria and even there there were 50 restaurants that catered to the gluten-free diets. (Calabria is in the south of Italy and not very industrialized for those who do not know of the region) Even the pharmacies had gluten-free foods at no charge. Try the Glutino products they are great! Also. remember one thing just because you don't have the symptoms it does not mean you don't have the illness. Try making your own bread and see how you like it. I do not like the store bought gluten-free bread so I make my own. I also have gluten-free/health store near me that makes good bread also. Is it as good as the real thing?? No...but it works for now. The hardest thing I have found to eat is bread. Nothing can compare to a crusty italian bread! E-mail me sometime...I am also fluent in Italian. Take care of yourself!

Bacio degli Stati Uniti