I Said "gluten", Not "cheese"

[BethM55]

We had out of town guests this weekend, and consequently ate several meals out. Twice, after discussing gluten free with the servers, they came back and questioned me about cheese. "The chef says you can't have this item because there is cheese on it." "OMG, there's cheese on your salad! Is that ok???" I'm pleased they are asking and alert, but they are alerting to the wrong foods. What is this? I'm ok with dairy, fortunately. It's the gluten, people! Has anyone else experienced this strange phenomenon?

[kayo]

Oh yes, all the time. Well meaning friends will ask, can you have carrots? rice? I just look at them puzzled. People really don't seem to understand the differences between vegetables, fruits, dairy and grains so expecting them to understand what gluten is like asking them to speak Chinese. Unless you deal with food intolerances yourself I find very few people are educated about what they put in their mouths. I've always been someone who cooks and someone who enjoys trying different recipes, foods and cuisines so I feel like I was lucky in a way. I had a leg up when I had to give up gluten (and soy, and foods high in fructans and fructose) because I could adapt the foods I already knew how to cook.

My sister, who was recently diagnosed celiac, went to a restaurant and told her server she was gluten free. The server proudly boasted that everything in the restaurant was gluten free. My sister asked, even the bread? The server said yes. Knowing this was not true she asked the server to check. The server came back, apologized, and admitted she had no idea what gluten was.

So many restaurants are trying and yet there's still a long way to go.

[ElseB]

I was in France last summer and while I don't speak a lot of French, I was able to say "pas du ble" (no wheat). Unfortunately some waiters kept thinking I meant "pas du lait" (no milk)! I don't really think it was my French but rather that the idea of someone not being able to eat wheat was incredible to them!!!

You're so right about people having no idea what they're eating. I overheard a hilarious conversation on a train once in which a woman was telling her friend about how she was trying to eater better, and so she was eating whole wheat rice (who knew there was a wheat-rice blend!). She also talked about how someone she worked with had a wheat allergy which meant that she couldn't eat whole wheat bread, only white bread. Hmmmmm, what did she think the white bread was made with????

[K-Dawg]

Kayo - your post made me laugh so hard -- "yes, everything is gluten free, even the bread" O.M.G. That is usually my sign to run out the door because you KNOW that even if you order a gluten-free meal, somewhere down the line someone will gluten it via cross-contamination, etc.

I just can't get over it...even the bread is gluten free. awesome funny (and, of course, terrible)

KDawg

Oh yes, all the time. Well meaning friends will ask, can you have carrots? rice? I just look at them puzzled. People really don't seem to understand the differences between vegetables, fruits, dairy and grains so expecting them to understand what gluten is like asking them to speak Chinese. Unless you deal with food intolerances yourself I find very few people are educated about what they put in their mouths. I've always been someone who cooks and someone who enjoys trying different recipes, foods and cuisines so I feel like I was lucky in a way. I had a leg up when I had to give up gluten (and soy, and foods high in fructans and fructose) because I could adapt the foods I already knew how to cook.

My sister, who was recently diagnosed celiac, went to a restaurant and told her server she was gluten free. The server proudly boasted that everything in the restaurant was gluten free. My sister asked, even the bread? The server said yes. Knowing this was not true she asked the server to check. The server came back, apologized, and admitted she had no idea what gluten was.

So many restaurants are trying and yet there's still a long way to go.

[GlutenFreeManna]

We had out of town guests this weekend, and consequently ate several meals out. Twice, after discussing gluten free with the servers, they came back and questioned me about cheese. "The chef says you can't have this item because there is cheese on it." "OMG, there's cheese on your salad! Is that ok???" I'm pleased they are asking and alert, but they are alerting to the wrong foods. What is this? I'm ok with dairy, fortunately. It's the gluten, people! Has anyone else experienced this strange phenomenon?

Is it possible the chef thought you couldn't have cheese on your salad because it was bleu cheese or a commercial shredded cheese with flour dusted on it? I have heard some shredded cheeses have wheat flour put on them, but I have never seen it in the store so I don't know if it is true. Or perhaps their cheese is cross comtaminated. I went to a pizza place with a gluten free pizza crust option and I asked if I could have one of the specialty cheeses other than mozarella. The server went to check and came back to tell me only the mozarella was gluten free. What that meant was they kept some moz out of the regular prep area to prevent cross contamination, but all the other cheeses were probably cc'd from being used on regular pizzas.

[BethM55]

Is it possible the chef thought you couldn't have cheese on your salad because it was bleu cheese or a commercial shredded cheese with flour dusted on it? I have heard some shredded cheeses have wheat flour put on them, but I have never seen it in the store so I don't know if it is true. Or perhaps their cheese is cross comtaminated. I went to a pizza place with a gluten free pizza crust option and I asked if I could have one of the specialty cheeses other than mozarella. The server went to check and came back to tell me only the mozarella was gluten free. What that meant was they kept some moz out of the regular prep area to prevent cross contamination, but all the other cheeses were probably cc'd from being used on regular pizzas.

Good point. I'll keep that in mind and ask next time. I'm fortunate not to be as sensitive as some to CC, but I'd like to avoid it anyway. So far so good today...

I asked for and the server brought a plate of dipping oil, so I could dip the bread I brought with me. We left a nice tip for her. She was pleasant and helpful, worked to be sure my dinner was ok for me.

[psawyer]

I have heard some shredded cheeses have wheat flour put on them.

In the years I have been on this board nobody has ever been able to provide an actual case of this. I consider it to be one of those celiac urban myths.

[BethM55]

In the years I have been on this board nobody has ever been able to provide an actual case of this. I consider it to be one of those celiac urban myths.

Commercial shredded cheese generally contains more than cheese, however. Anti-caking agents and other chemicals that, IMHO, do not belong on cheese. Ok, I'm a bit of a purist, and maybe a cheese snob... But I prefer to avoid extra chemicals in my food. Give me real cheese, please!

[GlutenFreeManna]

In the years I have been on this board nobody has ever been able to provide an actual case of this. I consider it to be one of those celiac urban myths.

Hence the reason the rest of my sentence said "but I have never seen it in the store so I don't know if it is true."

[Jestgar]

Hence the reason the rest of my sentence said "but I have never seen it in the store so I don't know if it is true."

Some people have difficulty staying focused through an entire paragraph, especially when newly diagnosed. The important parts are sometimes worth repeating.

[MelindaLee]

We had out of town guests this weekend, and consequently ate several meals out. Twice, after discussing gluten free with the servers, they came back and questioned me about cheese. "The chef says you can't have this item because there is cheese on it." "OMG, there's cheese on your salad! Is that ok???" I'm pleased they are asking and alert, but they are alerting to the wrong foods. What is this? I'm ok with dairy, fortunately. It's the gluten, people! Has anyone else experienced this strange phenomenon?

I had two similar experiences this week! 1. At the Grocery store, they had a marinated roast with sample. They were wonderful and checked the marinate (and I got a list of gluten free meats from the meat counter, so BONUS), then proceeded to offer me a sample, and stuck a pretzel in it! 2. I called ahead to a restaurant to see if they offered anything gluten-free. I was assured they did. When I arrived I told the server I need the gluten-free menu. He attempted to inform me what on their regular menu I could have. "How about the Ruben, though you will have to skip the cheese and the 1000 Island dressing...or...you could have the meatloaf". REALLY???? I did follow up with a call back to the manager of the restaurant to "educate" them. Gotta ove people, sometimes.

EDIT: uhm...that was "Gotta love people"

[BethM55]

I had two similar experiences this week! 1. At the Grocery store, they had a marinated roast with sample. They were wonderful and checked the marinate (and I got a list of gluten free meats from the meat counter, so BONUS), then proceeded to offer me a sample, and stuck a pretzel in it! 2. I called ahead to a restaurant to see if they offered anything gluten-free. I was assured they did. When I arrived I told the server I need the gluten-free menu. He attempted to inform me what on their regular menu I could have. "How about the Ruben, though you will have to skip the cheese and the 1000 Island dressing...or...you could have the meatloaf". REALLY???? I did follow up with a call back to the manager of the restaurant to "educate" them. Gotta ove people, sometimes.

EDIT: uhm...that was "Gotta love people"

I'm SO glad it's not just me!

[mbrookes]

After telling a server that I can't eat wheat, barley or rye, I have been asked if rice is OK. I have also been told in restaurants that the bread is gluten free.

Here is the one that bothers me. If I order prime rib, sometimes I'm told that I can't have the au jus. I thought that was the juice from the roast, which should be OK. What is au jus?

[sandiz]

We had out of town guests this weekend, and consequently ate several meals out. Twice, after discussing gluten free with the servers, they came back and questioned me about cheese. "The chef says you can't have this item because there is cheese on it." "OMG, there's cheese on your salad! Is that ok???" I'm pleased they are asking and alert, but they are alerting to the wrong foods. What is this? I'm ok with dairy, fortunately. It's the gluten, people! Has anyone else experienced this strange phenomenon?

If you eat out and have salad with cheese on it I would say no to the cheese. Most restaurants have pre shredded cheese and they have a powder on them to stop the sticking, this has gluten in it. So please don't know the waitress or the chef for the question.

[sandiz]

After telling a server that I can't eat wheat, barley or rye, I have been asked if rice is OK. I have also been told in restaurants that the bread is gluten free.

Here is the one that bothers me. If I order prime rib, sometimes I'm told that I can't have the au jus. I thought that was the juice from the roast, which should be OK. What is au jus?

From having a restaurant ourselves, yes the au jus should be the drippings from the roast but you will have so many people to feed that you make it bigger. Adding beef base which has gluten in it and maybe a little flour for a slightly thicker au jus.

[psawyer]

Most restaurants have pre shredded cheese and they have a powder on them to stop the sticking, this has gluten in it.

Again, in the years I have been on this board nobody has ever been able to provide an actual case of this.

[Jestgar]

Again, in the years I have been on this board nobody has ever been able to provide an actual case of this.

And gluten/flour would be sticky anyway. It wouldn't be used to keep shredded cheese free flowing.

[anabananakins]

I had cheese last night that had an anti-caking agent, but the ingredients were specified (corn starch and something else) so it was gluten free. I'd heard mention of it here so it was interesting seeing it, especially since it made absolutely no difference to the stickiness of the cheese which was no more or less sticky than other grated cheeses. Seemed really unnecessary and annoying for anyone sensitive to corn starch.