Figs and Lavender

I have moved...

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:53:00 +0000

I have jumped ship and started a brand new, sparkly site dedicated to gluten free eating.

Naturally Gluten Free will be packed with reviews of books and restaurants, interviews with gluten free champions, and taste test of gluten free foods. Come see us!

Stir Up Sunday Christmas Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:02:00 +0000

I rather enjoy tradition. Even more so when it comes to Christmas. As children my brother and I expected to open our stocking on mums bed, eating posh chocolate biscuits for breakfast. Even at 18 years old. Nowadays, I am creating new ones for our little family. For example, Jack and I both LOVE chipolatas wrapped in bacon and feel they are lost alongside the turkey and trimmings. So last year decided to make a feature of them in the Christmas meal with our chipolata starter and dips to whet our appetite for the main event.

That's the beginning covered, but to end our meal this year, I wanted something we could all eat together. A rich fruit pudding that was free from wheat, barley, rye, oats, eggs and dairy is what's required. I can’t imagine creating a Christmas feast for we three and Oliver missing out on my favourite sweet treats - and his first Christmas lunch! So for the first year ever I have made a christmas pudding and it is gluten, egg and dairy free. Our family recipe is laced with stout, breadcrumbs and flour and really doesn’t lend itself to easy adaptation. Luckily I found a great base recipe via BBC Food website. In my usual style I supplemented some of the dried fruits for what I had in the cupboard and on sunday I steamed my pudding for hours after each member of the family had a stir. This new tradition in my home is based on the Christian ritual from the opening prayer for Advent. It called churchgoers to ‘Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord‘ who then returned home to prepare for Advent with making puddings and mincemeat on what is now known as Stir Up Sunday.

I have to admit I didn't go to church. But I did stir things up a lot since I made my Christmas cake as well - also dairy, egg and gluten free. It now sits along side the maturing pudding waiting for its weekly glug of brandy.

Dairy, Egg and Gluten Free Christmas Pudding

(based on the BBC Food recipe)

DRY INGREDIENTS:

100g raisins

100g sultanas

50g cranberries

50g prunes chopped

50g dried apricots chopped

25g dried mixed peel

50g flaked almonds or, if you cannot eat nuts, sunflower seeds

150g fresh pear, puréed in a food processor, with the skin on

1 level teaspoon each of ground ginger and cinnamon

25g vegetable or meat suet

2 heaped tsp baking powder

WET INGREDIENTS

100ml apple juice

50ml brandy

FLOUR

50g gram (chickpea) flour

50g rice flour

METHOD

Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry fruit and mix well.

Fold in the flours very thoroughly

Spoon the mixture into a pudding basin and cover with 2 layers of greaseproof paper and secure with string or rubber band,

Put the basin in a deep pan, pour in water to halfway up the bowl, cover the pan tightly and simmer for 4-5 hours, checking the water level periodically.

Remove the basin and allow to cool. Replace the greaseproof paper and store in a cool larder.

To serve re-steam for 1-2 hours or microwave for 3-5 minutes.

Bambuni Deli and Coffee Shop, Nunhead

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Before I had my boy, we lived in the top of a victorian house between Nunhead and Peckham. Technically we were Queens Rd Peckham, but like some “borderline’ areas it depended who we were talking to as to where we admitted to living. I loved urban living though, being only 6 minutes on the train from London Bridge with direct access to Borough Market, Tate Modern and the lovely Monmouth Coffee.

I used Monmouth at Borough Market like my local coffee shop. Extreme I know, but the establishments of East Dulwich were so inaccessible by public transport, that ten minutes door to door seemed reasonable. This is the logic of living in London I think? Anyway, we didn’t have a local cafe and Jack and I both LOVE coffee, so it was a good solution for the three years we lived there.

But had we stayed a little longer we would have had something within walking distance. Up on Evelina Rd in Nunhead, Bambuni has just opened. A cafe and deli stacked with well sourced products and running the seasonal coffees from Volcano, its a great addition to the independent Nunhead mix.

It’s quite a way from my new home in East Dulwich. However a brisk walk will be had to select from their range of Kent and Fraser gluten free biscuits, refill wine, olive and rapeseed oils, plus the scoop section of loose ingredients such as rice, ground nuts and popping corn (and for the gluten consumers there is a great selection of flour including 00). I love the lack of packaging with refilling bottles and loose food, plus of course the financial savings. Friendly staff make up a mean flat white so we can top up the caffeine levels for the return via Peckham Rye Park. It sounds like a nice way to do some rather boring food shopping. And I am always up for that.

Temptation of Brockley Market

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:04:00 +0000

Me, back in the day at Acton Farmers Market

I am a stay at home mum. I am saying this out loud. It has taken some getting used to, but I am much more comfortable with how it sounds. My son recently turned one, and I am lucky not to have to return to work. It was always the plan, however my answer to the inevitable party question “what do you do for a living” fills me with dread. But, the up side to this (I am a half full kind of person) is that I get more time than most to potter around in the kitchen cooking things from my Cooking Project List and batch cooking family meals.

It isn’t the idyllic picture I paint though. Constant washing up, emptying the dishwasher, refilling the tupperware drawer that my little man has emptied for entertainment has a certain repetitiveness to it. But I am growing to enjoy this new rhythm. I spend a lot of time at home and locally then escape for precious me time at the weekend usually to a food market.

As a past employee and longtime customer of London Farmer’s Markets, I am extremely loyal. As one of their auditors I know how strict the standards are for stallholders and find the loose definitions of ‘local’ at some farmers markets only serve to confuse the already confused public. Where can you grow olives in the UK? But any weekend we are in London I love to take time out from being a mum and immerse myself amongst the stalls of seasonal goodness. This is a time I like to get my brain going thinking about what to eat in the week and choosing a seasonal application for my Cooking Project List.

Normally, I make a beeline for the heaving stands of Blackheath Farmers Markets, heading straight for staples from known stallholders. However I have been tempted away. A little closer to home over in Brockley a new food market has sprung up in Lewisham College car park. It’s closer and it’s on a saturday. I used to do my market shopping on a saturday back when I ran Acton farmers market and then spent most of the sunday cooking, braising and baking. It was my natural rhythm of the week. But there is no decent farmers market in South London at the start of the weekend so I have shifted my shopping and cooking to a sunday. But the temptation of a new bunch of food businesses to peruse closer to home excites me and so this weekend I am going to see what it’s like. I am expecting great things and hope to be roasting, baking and slow cooking for the rest of the week. As well as picking up the tupperware from the kitchen floor a few times too.

The Cooking Project List

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I am forever tearing recipes from magazines, scribbling them down from websites and bookmarking recipe books, adding to the already massive collection of things I want to cook. So, a while ago I decided to bring a little order to my cookery wish list and created the Cooking Project List.

The search for a gluten, egg and dairy free birthday cake for my sons first birthday was my first project. He has dairy and egg allergies and I am coeliac. Luckily, Daddy can eat whatever he likes. He is also at the mercy of my food fascinations and was chief free from cake taster (since he was the only one in the house who knows what real cake tastes like).

Luckily for Jack one of my more longstanding interests is meat. So project 2 was meat preservation including rillets, pate and duck confit from ’Hugh’s’ (obviously Hugh Fearnly Whittingstall!) meat bible. Jack didn’t protest at this tasting!

So, this is how the Cooking Project List currently stands. This is a hard edit, and suits my seasonal mood. It will evolve for sure as I move onto other food obsessions, but I will endeavor to update it here and hopefully I can gradually work through all those lovely recipes I have drooled over for so long.

Cooking Project List: Nov 2011

Corn Bread

Basmati spoon bread (Phil Vickery’s GF Cookbook pg 44)

Potato farls

Polenta Traybake (Phil Vickery’s GF Cookbook pg 162)

Gluten, egg and dairy free Christmas cake

Gluten, egg and dairy free Christmas pudding

Beef brisket chilli (from Jamie Oliver's summer TV show)

Brixton - the home of gluten free food

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:42:00 +0000

image by popupculture.co.uk

I am lucky to live in the lovely, village-y East Dulwich which has an impressive selection of food shops along it's main street. Two branches of organic butcher William Rose, skilled friendly fishmongers Moxons, jam packed urban farm shop Franklins (who stock WAG’s baked goods), organic bakery Lucas who do a wheat free polenta cake and a mean flat white, plus the grocer SMBS who stock a growing range of gluten free products. These are just a few of my favourite, however, being a stay at home mum, I must admit to getting a little bored of the places right on my doorstep. I love to research and explore what else is on offer south of the river, especially when it comes to finding small shops and restaurants using local and seasonal food that happens to be gluten free.

So, you can imagine how chuffed I was when making my pilgrimage to the dedicated gluten free bakery in Brixton I discovered a stack of such places in the vicinity of 'the village'. I would go as far to say that Brixton Village is the new home of gluten free food. I assume this is because WAG free bakery - the mecca for Coeliacs and wheat avoiders - has raised awareness and highlighted the opportunity to locals business folk. Whatever the reason, who cares? The beauty is that every time I visit SW9 I discover another small, independent restaurant, cafe or shop advertising gluten free options.

One of these places is Ms Cupcake, who I tracked down when researching vegan cakes for my son’s First Birthday. She creates stunning edible showpieces that you wouldn’t believe are totally vegan. Plus she vows always to have something gluten free too. My choice (to share with Oliver of course...) was a Banoffee Cupcake. But to be honest it was too good and too sweet to share with a one year old. Shame. The shop also sells a great collection of bakeware, cupcake accessories and vegan cookbooks for inspiration.

Then, high on sugar walking through the covered market I spotted a Japanese restaurant, a Mexican cafe and a burger joint all advertising gluten free options. Then I was on a gluten free high... excited at all the places still to try. So, I feel it is my duty to the gluten free world to see how good the places are, and of course report back here. In the meantime, I am off to one of my favourite cafes - Homemade - back in East Dulwich for a completely homemade (including the honey roast ham!) and gluten free ploughman’s in the last of the autumn sun.

Free From everything birthday cake

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:06:00 +0000

I take much pleasure in researching. Whether for a trip abroad, birthday presents or even cake... oh the chore! But I have to admit that this challenge took some real investigative work. But, after scouring cookbooks and websites to find the most appealing recipe, then after baking five cakes I found something to celebrate with. A delicious gluten, egg, nut and dairy free carrot cake sandwiched and smothered with a vanilla vegan frosting. Decorated with a giant 1 candle and fizzing sparkler, this cake was ready to party.

I can take no credit for this recipe though as I am not an experimental cook willing to create a recipe. I like the relative predictability of a tried and tested instructions But luckily for the birthday boy and our guests, fellow blogger Mel at Pig in the Kitchen is an alchemist in the kitchen and her site bursts with amazing reliable egg, dairy and gluten free recipes.

Given this was my sons first taste of cake in his life, I don't think he was the most discerning critic, stuffing it into his mouth quicker than we could sing "Happy Birthday"! In the name of protecting my cooking reputation, when the invitations were sent I did ask friends and family to come with an open mind. When I said there would be bubbles and 'cake' it would be a homemade free from cake. However it went down a storm, some came back for more, and there was even a "WOW" from one quiet sceptic.

So, down to the details... here is the recipe, courtesy of Pig in the Kitchen. I made double the amount and baked it in two sandwich tins for a real cake tower. The frosting was just normal buttercream replacing butter with half Trex (solid vegetarian fat) and half vegan margarine such as Pure sunflower. The solid fat helps to make the frosting firmer as with just margarine, it becomes very runny at room temperature.

Happy first birthday Oliver... and here's hoping that next year you'll be free to eat whatever cake you like!

Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free Carrot Cake

Ingredients

2 tbsps ground linseeds (also known as flaxseeds)

3 tbsps rice milk

125g sugar

70ml vegetable oil

1 medium apple grated

175g grated carrots

50g raisins

zest of 1/2 lemon

zest of 1/2 orange

75g brown rice flour

75g cornflour

1.5tsp gluten free baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

a good scraping of whole nutmeg or 0.25tsp

Icing

120g Trex or similar hard cooking fat

120g Dairy free margarine such as Pure / Vitalite

1 tsp vanilla essence

450g icing sugar

Recipe

Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius, Gas mark 4 and line a 19cm (square or round) tin with baking parchment

Mix the linseeds with the rice milk in a small bowl and set aside.

Put the sugar, linseed mix and oil into a large mixing bowl and mix together thoroughly.

Add the apple, carrots, raisins lemon and orange zest into the bowl, and mix everything together.

Mix in the cornflour, rice flour, baking powder and spices.

Scrape into the tin and level off using the back of the spoon.

Place in the oven for approximately 25 minutes. The cake is cooked when it is firm and slightly springy. Leave the cake in the tin to cool completely.

When the cake is cold, remove from the tin make the buttercream by blending together the fats until they are light and fluffy. Mix in the icing sugar and vanilla and use the buttercream to sandwich together and / or decorate your cake.

Flourless peanut butter cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Cooler days and rare hour to spare leads me to the warmth of the kitchen to bake. Whilst I have been relishing the challenge of free from cooking, I wanted to indulge Jack this time round with one of his favourites but also take something to a gathering of our new baby buddies. After sharing the ups and downs of new motherhood over the past year, I felt like we needed something to celebrate. But in the face of my new reality, I ran out of time! Typical - trying to do too much at once. However I did just manage to squeeze in a few trays of quick gluten free cookies, courtesy of one of my favourite blogs 3191 Miles Apart.

Whenever I come across a naturally gluten free recipe - and this is happening more and more - I bookmark it or tear it out and stuff it into my food folder book which is bursting with recipes I want to cook. But these Peanut Butter Cookies are so quick and easy to make, so moreish, and keep for ages that I wanted to share them with my new mum friends (and secretly see if they realised they were free from flour!).

Perfect with a afternoon cup of tea whilst my little man takes a nap in this unseasonably late sunshine. A small sweet indulgence. Quick to bake and even quicker to eat!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2/ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
Chocolate chunks / drops

Recipe
Preheat the oven to 180oC and line a baking tray with baking parchment or reusable bake-o-glide.
Blend all the ingredients together thoroughly.
Roll into 25g balls (about the size of a large walnut)
Bake for 12 mins turning around half way through for an even bake.
Leave to cool for 5 mins on the tray then transfer to wire rack for cooling.

More ingredients = better free from cake

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 23:00:00 +0000

The search continues as the deadline fast approaches for an egg, dairy and gluten free birthday cake. My second attempt has also surprised me. It's long daunting list of ingredients, actually had a simple recipe, as most of the free from cakes seem to do. Mix wet ingredients with dry. Bake.

Today's blueberry & orange cake is from the Chopra Centre Cookbook by Indian health guru Deepak Chopra, although as ever I have amended the ingredients according to what I have in the cupboard. Within reason. I chose this recipe over many others I have found purely because my little boy loves blueberries. He pops them like sweeties, will do anything for them and his very kind grandmother - also known as Janma - sent the whole crop from her only bush through the post as a present for him! He loves them that much.

This healthy, quick to make and bake recipe has resulted in a well risen cake that hasn't sunk on cooling. It's a little chewy on the surface, but I think this is because my oven temperature was too low to start with. It has a really good, cakey texture and even when made with gluten free flour is remarkably cake like. It has quite a strong spice flavour which I may dabble with, but overall I thought it was pretty good. I still don't really believe how good these recipes are (although I must wait for a normal cake eater to give the verdict too since I only eat GF cake now which is not the same).

So this is a very strong contender. I am currently researching vegan frostings for the decoration with fresh blueberries and a candle, but will continue with the shortlist so as to find the best for my boy! And to help me in this research I have also discovered there is a vegan cupcake shop, also in Brixton, home of the free from bakeries. And they always have a gluten free one on offer!

Blueberry Orange Cake

Ingredients
300g gluten free flour (Doves)
120g unrefined caster sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp flavourless oil (vegetable)
120g fruit puree (I used pear, but mango, banana, apple all work)
120ml orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest
Half cup rice or soya milk
Few drops of vanilla essence for taste
80g maple syrup
150g blueberries, thawed if frozen (I used frozen fruits of the forest mix which works well)

Recipe
Preheat oven to 180degrees centigrade and grease a 20cm square non stick cake tin
Combine all the dry ingredients together and whisk to thoroughly mix.
In a large bowl whisk all the wet ingredients, except the blueberries.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and gently mix with a rubber spatular.
Add the blueberries and combine briefly.
Pour mixture into the tin and bake for 30-40mins, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave cake to cool in tin.

WAG Free Bakery, Brixton, London

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:03:00 +0000

Going to a shop or cafe where you can eat everything in sight is absolutely impossible when you are Coeliac. Until now. Head down to Brixton Village, an undercover 1930's market recently saved from desperate times, and nestled amongst an exciting mix of independent shops, cafes and restaurants is the WAG (Wheat and Gluten) Free Bakery.

I discovered their baked goods through their only other stockist, Franklins Farmshop in East Dulwich. A few cakes and pies grace the tables heaving with seasonal produce, but are usually gone by saturday. They are that good. I can't tell you my disappointment if I don't get there in time. So to prevent such situations I dragged my brother over to Brixton to sample the whole package.

I totally underestimated how excited I could be about unlimited food choices. And choices of things I have not had for such a long time. In the past, my sweet tooth has driven me to bake gluten free cakes, puddings and dessert recipes, because I have honestly not missed things like pies, quiches or sandwiches. Or maybe not? I think I has forgotten what I was missing.

Perched on the tottering bar stools with my 11month old son bouncing on the counter, we sampled a toasted cheese and onion sandwich for lunch which was excellent. Good strong, oozy cheese and crunchy tasty bread. But I had to try more, knowing what the sweet goods are like so we ordered two little steak pies, a Bakewell tart, the legendary Wagon Wheel plus a box of pasta from Dialsi which owner David raves about, to take away. And I was being restrained.

Over the past couple of days I have enjoyed the continued sampling (all the in name of research of course) and can honestly say that all the products are excellent. Such high quality pastry across the range, although the pie in particular was excellent as vouched for my "normal" pie eating brother. But then David admits to being a pie man, so no surprise he has perfected his recipe.

What else, can I say? Get down there. Support the WAG Bakery. Enjoy their products whether you are gluten free or not. I would challenge you to know the difference.

Please note - there would have been pictures, but I ate it all then realised I wanted to photograph them. Oh well. Just have to go again!

It looks like cake...

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 19:26:00 +0000

it tastes like cake... so I suppose it is cake.

This is the first attempt at my gluten, egg and milk free birthday cake for my son. A good friend of mine, equally food obsessed sent me a range of free from cake recipes. This had the fewest ingredients and simplest recipe so seemed like a logical place to start, when juggling it with a baby's day.

I am yet to find out the source of this recipe, but all credit goes to its creator and I wil endeavour to find out. It was EXTREMELY easy to make, particularly as I have a a new set of measuring cups. You literally just mix the wet with the dry ingredients then bake for 30mins. And I have to say it tastes alright. I was pleasantly surprised. The combination of dark brown sugar and cocoa give it a lovely, fudgey flavour, and it improves the day after baking.

Given that this is my first attempt, I have big hopes for the more complex recipes I have collected each with rather exotic ingredients, such as tapioca and quinoa flours that I am yet to source. In the mean time, I am off this weekend to sample my most recent find WAG (wheat and gluten) FREE Bakery in Brixton. A complete mecca for Coeliacs where we can eat everything in the shop, I will be sure to try some cake all in the name of research, and let you know the results.

Gluten, dairy and egg free chocolate cake
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour (I used a mixture of rice and buckwheat)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla essence
6 tbsp oil (vegetable, olive or groundnut)

Recipe
Preheat the oven to 180degrees and grease a 20cm square non-stick cake tin.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in all the wet ingredients and whisk to achieve a batter.
Pour the batter into the cake tine and bake for 25-30mins, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cook in the tin and remove.

Note: you may find that you need to add a little more water, depending on the flours used. I added about 4 tbsp extra.

Delicious with fresh strawberries and creme fraiche.

The challange - gluten, egg and dairy free birthday cake

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:00:00 +0000

I have always loved a challenge. I particularly love a foodie one, and it's a good job. My son, who is fast approaching his first birthday was diagnosed with egg and milk allergies a few months ago. Needless to say, I was gutted. However the consultants believe he will grow out of them so I am keeping my fingers crossed that one day we will all be eating "family" food, albeit gluten free of course.

The invites have been sent, so the next priority is the food. I have never catered for a party before, so I am enjoying browsing through my cookbook stash for inspiration. However my collection does not stretch to gluten, egg and dairy free birthday cakes. I have raided the library, trawled the internet and now have a collection of cakes to try. Not that I think you can call them cakes, since they are missing flour, eggs and butter - ingredients I imagine the judges of the brilliant Great British Bake Off would be keen to debate.

So for the next couple of weeks we are going to be eating a lot of cake round here. I am going to attempt to find the best free from everything cake and will report my findings here. In the meantime, if you have any pearls of wisdom to share on egg replacers, the use of margarine over butter or any excellent recipes, feel free to comment below.

Wish me luck!

Things have changed a little round here

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:06:00 +0000

It has been over a year since I last showed my face on this page. I can't believe the changes that have taken place in that time, and how I have been gone so long.

But life took over - as for so many bloggers - and I needed to life an off-line life for a bit. When I wrote my last post, unbeknown to me I was pregnant. Well actually, I think deep down I knew but was letting the reality of the situation sink in. In addition to this totally exciting news we decided to sell the Peckham Palace and rent in the lovely London village of East Dulwich. Less urban and much more yummy mummy. We decided to be one of those mental couples to do everything at once.

So forgive me for my absence. In a way all the chaos was a blessing as the pregnancy totally killed my passion for food. I was STARVING all the time, and remained that way until just a few weeks ago when I stopped breastfeeding, but couldn't face cooking. I was gutted. But it spared me the agony of not having anything to say here.

Summer, a whole year later and our little family of three are firmly settled in our new home, with I am glad to report, a much bigger kitchen and our own garden which is already brimming with different varieties of tomatoes and herbs. And this week, I am kick starting my return to the food world by giving a short talk on living a gluten free life at the vegetarian Blue Brick Cafe in East Dulwich. Its this Thursday (21st July) at 7.30pm is free to attend and there will be some goodies to sample, so come along and say hi.

And I promise to return sooner this time with tales of how much has changed, including introducing my new fella.

Graze on nuts, seeds and fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

As a Coeliac I rely heavily on fruit, nuts and seeds to fill me up and give texture to dishes where wheat would normally do the job. Naturally gluten free and super healthy, my current favourites are walnut pieces on my stewed apple and yoghurt breakfast, a snack of whole skin on almonds with plump raisins and I always have a stash of blanched almonds ready for cake making moments.

However if you don't feel the inspiration to make your own mixes there is always Graze. I am not one to promote specific companies, however I was so impressed with a response to my gluten free enquiry that I wanted to share them here.

Graze send through the post a weekly snack box with your personalised choice of fruits, nuts, seeds and snacks for just a couple of quid a week. My friend Pip has been raving about them, so thought I would give them at try. Looking at the selection, there are many gluten-ous snacks, some with soy sauce but there is no mention of Coeliac friendly options on the site... for now.

They are currently working on a list of gluten free options, and can remove the gluten containing snacks for you. So snack away...or make your own!

Gluten Free Cherry Clafoutis - Recipe of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:23:00 +0000

I am still eating my way through my preserved cherries. Two years after a mammoth cherry picking and preserving session I have two litre kilner jars of hand stoned Kentish cherries in syrup and one litre of cherry brandy. So with my super cool pal Sophie and her hubby coming for dinner I decided to make a cherry clafoutis.

The french batter pudding has been something of a fascination for years, and I assumed that it was a no go gluten free pudding, but I was wrong. I recently came across two recipes for clafoutis that were naturally gluten free and with plump cherries waiting to be used I had the perfect excuse and recipe.

I ended up using a recipe from The Cranks Bible as it was the most straightforward and included a scant 50g of Coeliac friendly potato flour. Make sure you have an oven proof dish big enough for all the liquid (something I failed to do), but thankfully it turned out perfectly, just cooked enough and browned on the surface.

Cherry Clafoutis
Ingredients
A knob of butter to grease the dish
500g stoned cherries (preserved or fresh)
50g potato flour
A pinch of sea salt
60g golden caster sugar
4 organic eggs beaten
300ml whole milk
300ml double cream
2 organic egg yolks

Method
Preheat the oven to 180degrees
Butter a shallow baking dish, sprinkle with a tablespoon of the sugar and put the cherries in the dish
Make the batter in a large bowl. Sift the flour and mix with the salt, sugar and gradually beat in the whole eggs. Mix in the milk and cream followed by the egg yolks to make a smooth batter the consistency of single cream.
Pour the batter over the cherries and bake for 40minutes until the batter is risen and golden on the surface.
Serve warm.

Recipe of the week - gluten free florentines

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:12:00 +0000

I love Florentines. The simplicity of their fruit and nuttiness with or without a chocolate bottom, but the shop ones are rarely gluten free for the miniscule amount of wheat flour they contain. Their implied simplicity led me to quickly throw a batch together one afternoon in anticipation of a visit from my mother. Impending guests are now used as an excuse to bake otherwise I bake too much and eat too much cake.

On this occasion I had already made a tropical lime, mango, passion fruit and coconut cake making embracing the lack of English fruits and ripe tropical ones (shipped and not air freighted I have you know which I actually find improves their flavour) in my fruit box. A clipped magazine recipe from I don’t know where, the Florentine recipe looked straightforward and allowed me to bake at the same temperature.

A simple recipe of weighing, melting and mixing I saw little room for error, but my gung-ho approach to gluten free cooking soon changed that. Looking back the mistake came at measuring. I try and limit my collection of kitchen paraphernalia but sometimes this hampers my cooking making a de-cluttered kitchen irrelevant. My huge measuring jug being a case in point since 90ml of cream in this recipe represents just a dribble on its base. This in turn created a thinner toffee base and meant that my piles of nuts, fruits and seeds soon resembled a pool of caramelised Florentine tray bake.

Tasty nonetheless, and not one to waste anything, the Florentine tray bake was broken into bite size shards and still accompanied the intended coffees on my mother’s arrival. Just in shards. So this week’s recipe of the week comes with a reminder to measure your ingredients properly, and embrace those cooking mistakes... it’s the only way to learn.

Florentines (makes about 12)

Ingredients

25g butter

90ml cream

60g golden caster sugar

75g flaked almonds

75g crystallised ginger

25g sultanas

5g gluten free flour

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C and line 2 large baking sheets with non stick parchment paper

Heat the butter, cream and sugar in a small saucepan on a low heat and bring to the boil so that the sugar dissolves.

Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the remaining ingredients gently but thoroughly.

Place 12 tablespoons onto the baking sheet spacing them about 3” apart to allow for them spreading

Bake for 8-10mintues or until golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes and slide them onto cooling rack.

Please note - I only wish my florentines looked as good as the ones in the image above... but this pic is courtesy of Fudges Bakery.. but I don't think they are gluten free. Try baking your own!

A choice of dessert for a change

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:56:00 +0000

Since I was a baby I have had a sweet tooth, to the point where my mother would feed me my pudding before my main in order to get me to eat everything. If I had the choice I would do the same now, or even forgo the formalities of main course and just have three courses of puds. Heaven.

Unfortunately, gluten free desserts are usually a little predictable on restaurant menus and if there is more than crème brulee or ice cream its an exciting night! Nowadays I will scandalously be found choosing a starter over dessert just for interest and to avoid yet another crème brulee. But it must be said that every now and again, as I dive straight to the back of the menu to check out the sweet stuff just in case, I am pleasantly surprised. And, never more so than during lunch at Bob Bob Ricard in London’s Soho yesterday with my dear travelling buddy Kate.

Not only were they confidently competent in dealing with my gluten free requests, but they had a total of eight desserts that were gluten free, not including the chocolate truffles. Eight desserts! What a dream? They included my childhood favourite Knickerbockerglory, plus two seasonal jellies, home made gourmet ice cream, passion fruit pavlova, the ubiquitous crème brulee, home made sorbet, and a flour-less chocolate cake for the less sensitive Coeliacs. And for the health conscious one there was a seasonal fruit plate, and truffles for the very full.

Whilst I would normally have gone the Knickerbockerglory route without question, I was so full from probably the best chicken Caesar salad, fries and coleslaw I have eaten outside of the US that I went for ice cream. I cannot resist salted caramel in any form. Part of a gelato trio with valrohna chocolate and simple vanilla it finished the meal perfectly and came wafer free (for a change)!

But tell me, do you bother with pudding when eating out? Any places to recommend that have great gluten free desserts? Let me know...!

What to do with random root vegetables and Recipe of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:27:00 +0000

I have subscribed to a veg box scheme since moving to London nearly eight years ago. I studied the organic movement at university, so supporting local and regional growers and producers who farm without the use of pesticides and in line with the natural world makes complete sense to me. However my motivation to joining Riverford’s Organic Box Scheme we not completely rooted in organic agriculture.

As an eternal student of food, one of my favourite pastimes is discovering new foods, cuisines and ways to cook. However fitting food shopping around a stressful graduate job and long commute I often arrived home from the supermarket (before my conversion to local farmers markets) with exactly the same fruit and veg as the week before, regardless of the seasons. As a result, my meals were the same and even I was bored of them and looked for inspiration that would force me to cook differently.

Collecting my cardboard box of goodies from its secret hiding place after work, I was always very excited to see what the seasons presented me. This challenged me not only to actually use my cookery books (a regular resolution?) but to think in line with the seasons and channel my creativity into quick, evening meals.

The other challenge I discovered after weeks of veg deliveries, and one that veg box pioneers are always conscious of was, and even eight years on remains for me, is waste. I hate to throw curled vegetables away even if it is onto the compost and consciously try to manage my box ordering according to what is in our fridge. However at this time of year after the initial excitement over ugly celeriac roots, bright green cabbages and muddy carrots has passed, I am once again looking for inspiration.

At the end of the week, there is often a collection of slightly muddy and a little tired root vegetables, so this recipe week is perfect to help out with random roots. I mix it up depending on the ones that I have, and have not yet found an unsuccessful combination.

Do you have any inspiration for root vegetables? Do you use a veg box scheme? Do you enjoy it?

Random Root Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp ground cumin (or cumin seeds pounded)

1 tsp ground ginger

450g carrots chopped into chunks

150g parsnips peeled and chopped into chunks

200g celeriac peeled and chopped into chunks

1 apple peeled, cored and cut into chunks

1 litre of veg stock

Yoghurt or sour cream to serve

Method

Heat the oil and fry the spices for a minute then add the root vegetables and fry for 5 minutes to release their flavours.

Pour the stock into the saucepan and bring to the boil, then simmer until the vegetables are soft.

Blend the soup either in the blender or with a stick whizzer to the consistency of your choice (I like this pretty thick and this way it uses more veggies!)

Season and serve with a dollop of sour cream or yoghurt.

Recipe of the week

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0000

As I have commented before, as many self confessed foodies also admit, I have an extensive collection of cookery books. At the end of last year, I decided to start marking the recipes I wanted to cook and kept a master list of recipes (with book, page number and author for convenience) and it really has enabled me to broaden my repertoire which was the aim.

At the beginning of this year, I decided to focus this further and to cook one new recipe every week, particularly basics that I want to crack (including amaranth which I have yet to reattempt!). I plan to cover all manner of goodies including some more from Phil Vickery's Gluten Free Cookbook (I fancy trying the scones on the cover...) and publish some of my favourite naturally gluten free cakes which have yet to grace these pages.

So check back every Tuesday for the recipe of the week...and let me know what you think of the recipes, or if you have any tips or improvements!

Bash it about gluten free pastry

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:08:00 +0000

I am a competent cook, but I have never had the skill or patience to make pastry. The only times I have made it, it has strunk, cracked and crumbled (I was clearly destined for life with gluten free pastry) and to be honest I blame my hot hands. I think there is a real art to pastry making and when I was in Paris before Christmas I gazed in admiration at the Patisserie windows brimming with thin, delicate buttery pastry. It is a skill that I lack.

But it is also a skill I no longer need. Living on a gluten free diet I wholeheartedly embrace the essential skill of problem solving to navigate my foodie desires. It has to be said that there are times when I crave a little pastry case enveloping a thick chocolate ganache, especially the case in Paris. But the time I crave pastry most is at Christmas.

I know this is the most unseasonal of blog posts, however I had such fun using up all my Christmas-y leftovers and such a result with the pastry that I wanted to share it with you now. After all, you can eat pastry all year, especially as quiches which I love and this savoury almost cheesy (without any cheese in) recipe can be found in a new eagerly awaited recipe book in the Coeliac world.

To be honest, I wasn’t waiting for this one. I have one very good gluten free book, but find much more inspiration in my growing and varied normal collection. However having been on the telly with him, and tasted not one but two of the recipes in the book on live tv (thanks for the warning Fern – not!) I thought it would make a nice little memento. To be honest, I was also curious as to what it would contain as he told me on the show how he’d been working on it for more than two years. So my lovely mother bought it for me for

Christmas.

But Christmas came and went and the leftover icing and mincemeat glared at me every time I entered the kitchen waiting to be made into something delicious... mince pies. I no longer get the chance to overindulge in mince pies at Christmas since the gluten free ones are so expensive. But this easy to make pastry provided the flaky base and was perfect for my hot hands and lack of pastry skills. You don’t even have to roll it out... just bash it into the tin.

Based on Gluten Free Pastry in Seriously Good Gluten Free Cooking, by Phil Vickery

Ingredients

110g rice flour

70g cornmeal

45g corn flour

100g butter

1 tsp xanthan gum

Pinch of salt

1 medium egg

Oil or butter for greasing

Method

Preheat oven to 190°C and grease a 23cm round tin

Put all the ingredients except the egg into the food processor and blend into fine breadcrumbs

Add the egg and pulse until the mixture begins to come together. You may need to add a few drops of cold water

Tip out onto the surface and knead into a smooth dough

Shape the dough into a long shape and cut 1 cm thick circles and press into the base of the tin, joining up the circles by pressing them together and up the sides of the tin. Be sure to press it to about ½ cm thick and no thinner and get seamless seals in the pastry as on cooking it can crack and leave holes that leak filling.

Bake the pastry blind for about 15minutes and leave to cool, then use for sweet or savoury fillings.

I used sweet mincemeat and a thin layer of icing for indulgent mince pies and also for a leek and mascarpone tart.

Self Guided Walking Tour of Old Delhi Spice Market

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:27:00 +0000

Bleary eyed, sitting in the tiny New Delhi International terminal, I am replaying my three weeks here in my mind, trying to distract myself from falling asleep before boarding my London bound flight. Just like my last trip to India, my absolute favourite experience had to be touring Old Delhi Spice Market. This living, breathing, working market is no show for tourists, and this time I saw how it changes over the seasons, seeing a whole raft of things I have never encountered before.

If you have the chance to visit New Delhi, I really would advise you to contrast it with the Old city, and below is a short self guided tour of Old Delhi Spice Market... but I warn you this is not an experience for the feint hearted. When we lived in India, we didn’t feel brave enough to venture out there alone, so we were guided round the city of Shah Jahan with tour guide Shilpi, who inducted us to the intricacies and convoluted world of Indian life, including weddings, religions, architecture and customs. It totally wet my appetite for this bustling and manic place and found a guide in my cookery teacher Amita. I returned numerous times with visitors from home, and love to spend a few hours amongst the throng of people, smells and of course food.

Whilst I would of course recommend using a knowledgeable guide to show you the area, this sometimes doesn’t work out, and rather than miss out on this integral part of Delhi, you could always follow this guide if you are feeling brave... Use it alongside a detailed map of the area.

Khari Baoli, which is the local name for the spice market, pronounced ‘curry bowly’ can be found at the western end of Chandni Chowk, the main high street of Old Delhi, from which many of the different markets can be found. It is the opposite end to the regal Red Fort (Lal Qila) and the relevant landmark is the Fatehpuri Masjid (Mosque), itself a lovely quiet place to observe daily Muslim life.

Facing the mosques entrance, turn right and follow the corner round to the left walking past rows of narrow shops displaying their point piles of fruits, nuts and seeds. As you round the corner there are a couple of good kitchen equipment merchants. Here you can buy the ubiquitous stainless steel tools of Indian cookery, including the 7 compartment masala dabba (spice box), karhi (Indian woks) and tiffin boxes (stacked lunch boxes).

Carry on this side of the street and the traders will now be selling spices. Cumin, aniseed, Indian cinnamon, cardamom and anything else you could desire. The way these merchant, and actually most shops in India, is you have to ask for what you want. Don’t be shy if on seeing the goods, you don’t want to buy, just politely (in a very English way) move on...more difficult than it sounds I know. The quality of spices from these wholesalers, who mostly trade in kilograms, is beautiful, and they retail their goods for unbelievable prices. For example, I bought 500g Indian cinnamon sticks for 50 Rupees – not even a £1! So this is the place to stock up as many owners speak excellent English and they happily package into sealed bags.

When you get to a break in the shops on your left, and there should be an archway painted bright blue that between the hours of 10am and 12noon is jammed with people jostling for space as they carry sacks of spices on their heads to waiting buffalo drawn carts or trolleys. This is the entrance to the Gadodia Market – India’s largest wholesale spice market built back in the 1920’s by a local merchant. This large square courtyard lined with tiny alcoves each one housing a spice merchant and his pungent spices has air thick with spice, so you may need to cover your nose to prevent you from sneezing, coughing and crying all the way round.

Be brave and take a look around, it’s a beautiful place, if a little tatty. The market is also up on the first floor, but it is only accessible via very dark precarious steps with men balancing sacks as they walk down the stairs. I am just warning you... but in my view it’s worth the trek. When you are ready to leave the market, head out the way you came in and carry on down the road in the same direction past the pickles sellers, all based on secret family recipes. Keep your eye out for cute canvas bags plastered with Indian advertising, natural loofas, gigantic pumice stones, almond oil, mithai (sweets) and even old fashioned toothbrushes – the things that look like lengths of coarse ribbon, all for sale on the pavement.

There’s plenty to see in the area, and for a more comprehensive guide I would recommend 10 easy walks Old Delhi, Gaynor Barton and Laurraine Malone (available from Amazon).

A few notes

Khari Baoli and the spice shops are closed on Sunday. The best time to visit this area is at the beginning of the week, around 10am – 12noon before it gets too chaotic.

I get there on the metro getting off at Chandni Chowk stop, walk past the front of the bright orange temple, through the narrow lane past the fabric bazaar and out onto Chandni Chowk. I then either get up to Khari Baoli on a cycle rickshaw for about 20rupess or the little green CNG bus for 5 Rupees. Both are great fun, and the bus gets jam packed with locals and they ALL stare. It is more peaceful and scenic on a rickshaw. On the return ask for the metro and someone will let you know where to get off.

I would suggest to ask for permission from people, especially the merchants before taking photos, just out of courtesy as you are in their place of work. Saying that, you may also be asked to take everyone’s photo... It can go either way.

If you are feeling really brave and hungry, I would recommend the aloo tikki corner shop at the end of the fabric bazaar lane. The little potato parcels are fried in ghee fresh to order and I have sampled them a couple of times (with a hygiene crazy Gastroenterologists wife) and have been fine after consuming. Avoid the chutney and yoghurt if you are worried.

For a fast paced air conditioned drink, snack or meal, Halidrams near the Sikh Gurdwara is a good reliable stop, and you can stock up on Indian Mithai on your way out.

Gluten Free Places to Eat in New Delhi, India Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0000

Following from my introduction to Delhi eating, I will just mention here some of the places you will find in every guide book. I am often a little wary of restaurants that are reviewed in ink, as you often have no idea of the reviewers tastes, which when looking for a restaurant can skew expectations. And so often I have been to places featured in a guide book, to find that they have become complacent and are riding on the back of a positive review some time ago.

The benefit of the internet is being able to share up to date information, so it must be said that all my reviews for India are based on trips from the summer of 2009. These places do feature in the guide books, so do cater to many tourists, however I have included them here if I thought they were worth visiting.

Karim’s – Food cooked by the family from the blood line of chefs who catered to the Mughal emporers with elaborate, rich Persian influenced food, this place is not for the feint hearted. I went to the Nizammudin branch with some Indian friends on my first weekend, after a late night visit to the incredible sufi shrine. The area is home to the city’s muslim community and has a completely different feel compared to most of Delhi. Accordingly, the food at Karim’s featured a lot of lamb and chicken, but don’t expect succulent chunks of meat... its all on the bone for flavour. We had a great time and sampled the famous byriani, one of my favourite dishes, alongside different dals and paneer tikka. For bread eaters out there, make sure you try romali roti – which translates as hankerchief bread, as thin as filow pastry and perfect for mopping the plate (I am informed!).

Chor Bizzare – Found in many guide books this hotel restaurant is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. A random collection of antiquities make up tables, chairs and furniture representing the thief’s bazaar after which it is named. The food is an interesting mix of dishes from across India but make sure you try their specialities from Kashmir and finish your meal with the saffron infused Kashmiri tea, which is rather lovely.

Spice Route – Representing the ancient spice route that traders took from the coast of Kerala across to Thailand and Vietnam, this is a refreshingly different restaurant in the landmark Imperial Hotel (which is worth a visit in itself and openly welcomes non guests to the many bars). To celebrate Jacks birthday, and our last weekend in Delhi, we sampled the light, fragrant food from South India, cooked to perfection, pushing the boat out with our favourite bottle of Californian wine. Apaams, a ground rice pancake thing, were a wonderful gluten free discovery, which came with an incredible south Indian lamb curry to dunk into. We never wanted any of the dishes to end... Maybe that’s why its considered one of the best restaurants in Asia.

Bukhara - Also considered to be one of Asia’s best restaurants I will tell you now that you can get exactly the same experience at the Sheraton hotel in Agra for a reduced price (book a table so that you can get into the hotel and avoid the awful tourist restaurants that the guides take you to. You’ll thank me for it!). The food is incredible, but simple north Indian food including makhani dal for which they are famous (although I considered the dal at dumphukt to be far superior). A wonderful setting, but it is quite expensive considering the food you get. However saying that on a girly day out to Agra my friend Pip and I were glad of the quiet, clean and air conditioned environment and thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

DumPhukt – Don’t ask me how to pronounce it, but make sure you go to this opulent, classy restaurant also at the Sheraton in Delhi, to sample a whole cuisine which is dum. A very traditional cooking style done over a tandoor in sealed pots, the dishes retain their fragrance and flavour. The dal (actually from the Bukhara menu) cooked dum was possibly my favourite in our whole six months. Another place suitable for a special occasion, we treated my mum to some really good food – forgive me I only recall the dal... what a dal...?!

Gluten Free Places to Eat in New Delhi, India Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0000

As an extension to the London Gluten Free Restaurant guide I have been writing, I decided to let you know about the places I would recommend in New Delhi too, since this has for a time been my home, and food wise still has a warm place in my heart.

Many visitors to the country are forewarned, as I was by my nurse when jabbing me with vaccinations, about the dangers of Delhi belly and all the other horrors of eating abroad, especially in India. I am pleased to report (not something I openly talk about, but feel the need here) to not have gotten sick the whole six months we were living here – for hygiene or gluten reasons. There are of course precautions to be taken, such as drinking only bottled water with a seal broken in front of you (common practice in many restaurants) and use of those bacterial gels or plain old hand washing, since India is a dusty, dirty place. Use common sense, only eat fresh hot food from reputable places and and you should be happy and healthy.

The places below are establishments that I have been to at least once, in most cases a couple of times, since we ate out more than once a week, trying to get our fill of the wide variety of Indian food before we left. I have to say too, that I never got sick of the food, and would happily subsist for the rest of my life on rice and dal!

I will lay these out by area, as if you are a visitor to the city, that (for me anyway) often determines where you eat, unless you are seeking out somewhere in particular, as I habitually do. Beginning in Greater Kailash Part 1, or GK as it is known, this was our home for six months in the south of the city, it had a selection of really good restaurants and is a good shopping area open till late, which we could walk to, dodging the traffic of cars, rickshaws, autos and the odd cow.

Please note that some places do not have their own websites, so the links give their address and info.

Moti Mahal Deluxe – Not the original home of butter chicken, but one of hundreds that are benefiting from using the same name. A good local restaurant with hearty Mughal fare, the chicken tikka and dal makhani were my favourites. This was actually the first place I ever ate in India, alone on my first day when Jack was at work, and needing to grab some lunch. Go beyond the ornate heavy door and sample the straight faced service and hearty food.

Le Cafe – Incredibly more international than Moti, this slick cafe above the even slicker menswear shop which you have to walk through, is a serene and modern serving internationally inspired food often with an Indian twist. Good salads and juices, plus main meals and sandwiches on their own breads are served by friendly waiters. Good if you tire of dal and rice... and fancy something little bit western.

The Turtle Cafe – A time honoured cafe in the Delhi coffee shop scene, this place serves plenty of pasta, sandwiches, salads and cakes with a huge selection of drinks... Their own made seasonal juices are very good. I spent many an hour away working and reading over their good South Indian coffee, as there is nothing gluten free to eat except channa salad. They also have a branch in the more central Khan Market.

Kasbah – The top of three floors of restaurants, the Indian venue serves traditional north Indian food. We became rather known here, as its modern setting and reliable food was a good introduction to Indian restaurants, and was a nice place for a more formal evening out. Good vegetarian offerings, I love the paneer tikka. Their kulfi, the Indian ice cream is completely different to anywhere else I had it, caramel-y without the dried fruit bits I would always insist on sharing one. The other restaurants are Chinese and Italian and have equally good reputation for Indian takes of the cuisine.

Shalom - A dark, atmospheric bar cum restaurant, this Moroccan inspired place was the place we sank a few (very expensive) G&T’s on the rare occasions that we went out drinking. The food is simple mezze and kebabs, with some of the best houmous I have eaten... it has DJs over the weekend and is quite a young and expat crowd.

Big Chill – Not somewhere I would normally recommend based on the very Indian interpretation of Italian food that they serve in, but this place is an ice cream mecca. A place we took every visitor (at least once) for ice cream in those scorching summer days, we would sit in the very kitsch diner style but heavily air conditioned surroundings and eat their homemade ice creams. Seasonal variations are to die for, and I had more than my fair share of the mango sundae. A tiny branch in Khan Market also, where you can get take away and mooch round the shops.

More to come for central areas, and some tourist favourites that we got to try whilst here... But let me know, have you been to any of these.. thoughts, advice for travellers to India... but please no horror stories!

Gluten Free Places to Eat in London Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:30:00 +0000

Continuing on from Part 1 of the best places, in my humble opinion to eat in London, particularly, but not only if you need gluten free meals. Writing this from India, Indian food which is brilliantly and naturally gluten free, is also a good option in London,

Tandoori Nights - One for the south east London crowd, this local tandoori has featured here before... check out why I still love it so much.

Masala Zone – Chain, yes but reliable one and a bit different when you are in the centre of town and want to avoid the grimness of Angus Steakhouses or Pizza Express. They have a range of great regional based dishes based on Indian home cooking and street food and have a handful located conveniently across the city – my regular is just off Carnaby St, perfect when you want to escape the crowds of Oxford Circus.

Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecôte – The original in Paris which is more than 50years old, this no reservation no choice menu restaurant came to London and has had queues round the block since the day it opened. For me this is now part of the charm in going to this restaurant. Crammed Parisian banquettes inside, the curt waitresses tell you the deal - Walnut salad to start, followed by Steak Frites, with a basket of fresh baguette and ask how you would your steak cooked. Never say medium rare – “one or the other” they say as they scribble on your paper tablecloth. Since the only thing being cooked is perfect French fries, and grilled steak, it is perfectly gluten free (without the bread of course). The steak comes with their “signature” sauce, the ingredients they never reveal, but have informed me that is is gluten free. And the best thing about this place... you get seconds. To serve the dish at its best you get half your steak and frites and when you have finished they come round again. No reservations, no choice, just perfectly cooked steak frites... being gluten free ain’t so bad!

The Providores – It’s not even worth trying to keep this place a secret, and like Vinoteca in my last post, is a well know pit stop on London’s foodie trail. We go for brunch, as the New Zealand style breakfast menu caters naturally for gluten free consumers with incredible and creative dishes which is refreshing for breakfast menus. Whilst some of the combinations can be a little perplexing, trust in Peter Gordon’s creativity... his food is divine, well sourced and complemented by the awesome Monmouth coffee. Upstairs now takes brunch reservations to save queueing.

Foyle’s Cafe – Often my place of work amongst other freelance and entrepreneurial souls the cafe at Foyle’s, this brilliant independent bookstore Tottenham Court Road, is where I often spend too much money on food books. The cafe which has expanded serves my favourite Monmouth coffee alongside the odd gluten free cake. Whilst they have always served salads, the gluten cross-contamination is sometimes an issue, but they now stock a range of pre-packed falafel and salads which are gluten free, so I now sometimes stick around for lunch!

Sally Clarke’s – Credited with beginning the focus on uber-seasonal foods in the 1980's when it wasn't so cool, my evening at this stalwart on the London restaurant scene was possibly one of my best meals out, since being gluten free. A real special occasion place, we were treated like royalty...

Canteen – Seasonal British fare with sourcing as much as they can from well known quality British farmers and producers, Canteen is a showcase for how good traditional British food can be. They always cater to my requests competently, know about gluten cross contamination and the poached haddock with mash, spinach and homemade hollandaiseI had on my last visit was the ultimate in comfort food. A couple of branches across the city, they also serve a great all day breakfast menu, perfect when you fancy a bacon sarnie at any time of the day.

Balans – Introducing my friend to the wonders of Soho, one of my favourite areas in London, we nipped into Balans, a place I used to go for brunch when I lived in Chiswick, for a late night supper. A huge modern Brasserie style menu I asked about gluten free options and they demonstrated a good knowledge of the options, even talking about how the chef uses tamari in place of soy to open up gluten free options. I like the one in the heart of Soho in the thick of the action.

So there's plenty more where they came from, but let me know if you have been to any of these... what did you reckon? Are there places I should try out? Are there places, dare I ask, I should avoid? Let me know I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Gluten Free Places to Eat in London Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Kim McGowan) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:34:00 +0000

Living in London for just nearly 8 years, and being as obsessed with food as I am, searching out the best places to eat, I am often asked for recommendations. Having Coeliac disease, as I have mentioned before has caused me to change my approach to eating out slightly, but I still enjoy discovering new places (which can confidently cater to my gluten free needs) and old favourites who I totally trust, discovering some of the best places to eat in the capital.

The list that follows has been built up over years of eating out, hours of research and minutes reviewing menus before I chose to bless them with my presence. I have written before about my approach to eating out safely, however I think I would take the same steps when visiting a new restaurant regardless of my disease. What I look for in a place is good food, cooked with the seasons in mind, complemented by straightforward informative service. I’ll tell you now I am not one for Michelin stars or empire building chefs such as Mr Ramsey, although I have been to many such places and enjoyed the experience. They are just not places I chose to spend my own money. I am looking for an independent spirit, specialisation (as you will see below) and an interesting wine list.

So whether you are gluten free, a plain old tourist or a local looking for a new place to try, have a look. And let me know whether you agree with my brief summary. Did they cater to your requests, gluten free or not satisfactorily? Have you been before? Would you go again? Are there other recommendations for gluten free places that I should try?

Barafina – Limited by the number of seats at the counter, this authentic Spanish no reservation tapas bar is one of my most favourite places in London. We sometimes pop along for Sunday lunch, lazing the day away with small plates cooked in front of us, complemented by stunning all Spanish wines and finished off with a seasonal fruit pudding and a sticky glass of sherry. By no means cheap, this place is a complete treat...and we languish over the meal as long as possible. Most of the dishes are gluten free when they don’t come with bread, I have never had an issue.

Vinoteca – Another one of my favourite places in London, I used to go here the moment they opened after work round the corner and sip from their incredible, unusual wine list and a plate of marcona almonds whilst waiting for Jack to join me. Technically they are a wine bar serving food, so they too have no reservations which I like... only room for the dedicated. Seasonal cooking with spot on wine recommendations, they have confidently modified daily changing menu to my diet and there are often puds I can eat too. If there isn’t there are always the intense chocolate truffles to send us on our way.

Carluccios – Not one I expected to put here, but a recent experience blew really surprised me. When leaving the UK for this Indian trip, Jack and I had dinner before a tearful farewell, and the only decent option was Carluccios. I have often sat at their communal tables for a coffee or rich hot chocolate, but when I asked about gluten free options at the Terminal 5 branch I was given a dedicated menu. Whilst this in itself is not too remarkable, I was impressed by the option of gluten free pasta. So a good one for when you need a value for money fresh cooked bite to eat, I would recommend the parma ham plate to start – far better than any parma ham I have experienced in Italy to date!

Leon – If I am near a branch of this fast healthy food joint, I always have to swing buy for a treat. Their brownies and lemon crunch bar are stated gluten free and are on a par with my own home baked creations. Paired with their well made coffees it makes the perfect stop gap. Their entire menu is labelled for gluten free and vegetarian, and the Aloo gobi with brown rice is a hearty, bargain of a meal.

Le Pain Quotidien – Strange if you consider the name that this bread shop and cafe should feature on a gluten free list, however this French chain operates in the French way of having bread (wheat-y stuff) on the side. This give lots of seasonal salads, mains and even brunch options and there is even a “wheat free” chocolate cake for those less sensitive that Coeliacs. Also found in Paris I use these places when I am looking for a quick, cheap bite or drink... a handy option much better than McDonalds (which I have been reduced to on numerous occasions).

Wright Brothers – Based in the bustling Borough market, this is a lovely place for incredible fresh seafood and oysters served in all manner of ways. Many of the dishes are gluten free, and they have often advised me of suitable dishes on the menu. I like to be sat at the bar where you can catch the action... grilled scallops and a pint of prawns with homemade garlic mayo are a must! Best to book on the weekends!

Tapas Brindisa – Another Spanish restaurant which probably reflects the growth in interest in London, they too are based in Borough market with one or two other branches. Selections of cured meats, small tapas plates and salads make great gluten free things to share... and you can always ask for more. If you want to eat at the market branch book ahead!

Watch this space for part 2 of London’s best (naturally gluten free) places to eat... there is so much more to discover!!!