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New Orleans Food - Anything?

cdog7

By cdog7
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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cdog7 Contributor
cdog7
Posted

Ok I was watching the Travel Channel, and couldn't help but notice that Every. Single. Dish. in this show about Louisiana cooking was either battered or cooked in a roux. At some point the host even said you can't cook anything here if you can't make a roux.I admit it, I cried. I was entertaining this fantasy that some day I could visit this land and eat some great seafood gumbo, at least. It's a roux. Am I wrong? Can celiacs get any good local dishes there? Is there a culinary point in visiting? Or would I just have to live on PF Changs and hurricanes? Just hoping I'm overreacting.

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lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

You're overreacting, although there is a lot of gluten. Gumbo is probably out, although you can ask. There is a version thickened with file. Jambalaya made the right way will not have gluten or roux. Some restaurants fry with cornmeal only. And you can always get steamed, broiled or boiled (pronounced "berled") seafood. N.O. also has large numbers of fine restaurants with chefs who know about gluten.

richard

cdog7 Contributor
cdog7
Posted
  • Author

Richard, thank you for soothing me and talking me off the ledge, so to speak! That's awesome news. I love all of those things - jambalaya, cornmeal, and seafood on its own. Hooray!

srall Contributor
srall
Posted

We were just there last week. It was the first time in two years I didn't get one tiny bit sick on the road. HOWEVER, my food always came out with no flavor. I don't even think they salted my food. But it did mean they took a lot of care with prep which was more important to me. One server had a mom with celiac sprue so she literally stood in the kitchen and watched over our order (my daughter is gluten-free too)

I did have jambalaya and red beans and rice and those were my only tasty meals.

So, for New Orleans I will say a lot of restaurants were good at accommodating someone with celiac, but I didn't get to partake of the food that makes New Orleans New Orleans.

I could not wait to get home and make some food that had some flavor though.

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

I forgot that red beans and rice should be gluten-free.

I'm sorry, srall, that you didn't get any flavor. Most Cajun or New Orleans-style spices are completely gluten-free and nobody should be afraid to use them. For instance, Zatarains is gluten-free. I've had some absolutely delicious stuff down there. One of my favorite spots is Commander's Palace. Expensive, but, hey, you're in N.O. Time to eat!!

richard

cdog7 Contributor
cdog7
Posted
  • Author

Wow, good to know! Yeah I am a spicy-food addict. I'll have to tell people not to be afraid to spice it up! So long as all their spices aren't pre-blended with flour or something odd, I don't see why that should be a problem. But yeah, it's one of those things you don't even think you'll need to tell people, seems so obvious to us! I've had people tell me I can't eat something because it has rice in it - sometimes people are just trying to cover all the bases, and they add a few extra bases in there I guess.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

Just so you know, you can easily make a roux using gluten-free flour. And if you go to a high-end restaurant, call ahead and they may be able to accommodate you. There are plenty of fine dining places in NOLA. Don't settle for Outback! This is a time to treat yourself. At least one really good place.

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ShannonA Contributor
ShannonA
Posted

Yes I live in Louisiana & food is my passion as it is for many people here. But just made my first gluten free roux & gumbo came out awesome!

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