Right at Home

I've recently joined a website called Right at Home, which shares tips for cleaning and organizing and offers coupons and trials of new products. However, I didn't sign up for any of those reasons (though I do love me some cleaning and organizing, just ask anyone). I signed up because of this article, which is currently headlining their website (link to full text at bottom):


Welcoming the Allergic Guest
Here's how to make sure guests with allergies are as comfortable as possible in your home.

Entertaining guests with indoor allergies? Try these tips for throwing a great party that's literally nothing to sneeze at!

Communicate: While some people are open about their allergies; others are more reserved, requiring that you, as the host, ask the right questions to get the information you need to make them comfortable.

Talk well in advance. If you're inviting guests to a party, ask well ahead of time if they have any indoor allergies. Communicate clearly—and allow for an open-ended discussion.

Chat about pets. Fluffy the cat may be an important member of your family, but try to inform potential guests about your pets before they show up. Some people are extremely allergic to animals—so much so that even a thorough cleaning may not stop an allergic reaction. So don't let them show up and be unpleasantly surprised when Fluffy comes over to give them a big welcome. Putting your pets in a separate room away from the festivities might work well, but if your guests' pet allergies are severe (bothering them even when a pet is in another room), it might be best to leave pets with a friend or a neighbor for the evening.

Prepare: Now that you're armed with details about any of your guests' allergies, here's how to prepare your home for the evening.

Find the full text of the article here.

Thank you, Right at Home! Always nice when attention is paid to an allergic issue. It makes those of us who suffer feel a little less alone...
Your Allergic Diner

Supporting a friend.

My goodness, how time flies. I've been meaning to post since Rosh Hashanah about my very first turkey and our lovely dinner, but that post will come in a few days. I need NAH to upload the pictures from our camera. Yes, I took a picture of the very first turkey I cooked. Problem? Didn't think so.

Anyhow, I wanted to share with you the website of a start-up company of the wife of a friend, Wellspring Trading. They sell a lot of neat organic, aromatherapy, and massage-related products, but I'm a big fan of the bamboo and hemp shirts. Interested? Click here.

In the meantime, I wish you no allergic reactions,

Your Allergic Diner

Rosh Hashanah Wishes

To all of my Jewish readers, L'shana tovah! Wishing you a year of good health, peace, and happiness.

~your allergic diner

A & J and a bakery named Red Carpet Cakes....

Well, I have to learn to take pictures before people start putting their hands all over things, but I wanted all my bloggy friends to see this. In a post this past January, I showed you a picture of a wedding cake. You can access it here, if you'd like a peek again. What I didn't tell you is that the cake was lovingly made for me as a wedding gift by a good friend who owns a bakery. Every layer was covered with cream-colored M&Ms.

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to throw a bridal shower for a very close friend. We shall call her "A." A is getting married to a wonderful man often referred to in this blog as the allergic fiancee (ergo, he was a shoe-in to be liked). I contacted the bakery, asking my friend to do something special. Boy, did she come through. We ordered a black and white mousse cake for A's mom's birthday (the lie by which we lured her back to NJ), 50 rose-topped cupcakes to fill a cupcake tree, and these little jewels, shown above (again, sorry, everybody was fascinated by them and kept poking at them). She did a tray of petit fors iced with the married couple-to-be's initials. The kick? Not only did everything look gorgeous, but it tasted even better! Don't tell on me, but I squirreled a few away to take home for a snack later.

The thing is, my baker friend has no idea that this blog exists. I want to share her creations with you. She is an immensely talented woman, with a skill and level of creativity which rival anything I've seen on the food network (and yes, I might be biased, but so what?).
Think I'm joking? Take a look at her menus and photos of her work via the link below, and judge for yourself. And if you're ever in New Jersey, she's worth the trip. You're just going to have to take my word for it until you get to try one of her creations (after which, you'll probably just move here)! Oh, a word of caution, this is not a menu to read if you're in the least bit hungry...

Congratulations A on your upcoming wedding, and thank you, Red Carpet Cakes,
Your Allergic Diner

Allergic Girl Resources hits the big time!

Congratulations, Allergic Girl!!

Link to her prominent CNN article mention here.

Way to go!

The Unexpected Birthday Celebration

I apologize for the sporadic posting of the last week or two, but as usual, work is busy. This is one of my favorite pictures taken by NAH. We actually have a whole series as the boat passes in front of the sunset, which I'm hoping to frame and put up in our house.

Let's discuss my birthday, shall we? As luck (and perhaps some skillful planning on the part of my family) would have it, I got to celebrate in Hawaii. What better place for a party? When we got to Hawaii, my parents handed me a list of restaurants, a laptop computer and simply said, "Go to work!"

We have an unwritten code, my parents and I. They like fancy food. I don't. However, we agree that birthdays will be the exception, and I promise never to make them go to McDonalds, if they promise not to make me go to a restaurant where the waiter refolds my napkin on my lap while I'm sitting there (it just irks me, ok?). Especially when they use a knife to take your crumbs off the table while you're still sitting there. I make a lot of crumbs, and I know they're passing judgement on me, I just know it... Every year my mother and I have our annual argument in which she insists that what I really want is a fancy meal in a nice restaurant, and I insist that I don't, and we go back and forth for days. In the past, we've compromised and gone to a steakhouse, and all enjoyed delicious, allergy-proof, and simple yet upscale meals.

This year? Well, I had my work cut out for me. I believe I researched 30 restaurants, and discarded just about every one of them as the result of dishes with macadamia nuts, Italian seasoning, or just too many items with barbecue sauce. I gave up, convinced that my birthday was going to be served by Mr. Sub or his daughter. NAH and I went walking up to Whaler's Village one evening, and I stopped at every restaurant on the way to read their menus. One restaurant, the Rusty Harpoon, had something that was somewhat rare for the area. Chicken dishes. As in plural. As in more than one! I read more closely, and discovered "Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki."

I have had decent luck with teriyaki sauce in the past, though I know sometimes it has unforeseen tomato spices in it, and decided to take the chance. We made a reservation.

At 7:30, on the evening of my birthday, I had one of the best meals I've ever eaten in my life. NAH felt the same way about his prime rib (Sorry, Town & Country Diner!). The restaurant, despite it's name (Rusty Harpoon? Really?), was one of fancy tablecloths and fresh, warm bread on the tables. You could see the ocean, and they had an open kitchen! The allergic parents had a great meal, NAH and I had a great meal, and I was quite content to return to the hotel for the birthday cake (which I've recently re-discovered after years of not eating).

Thanks allergic mom, dad, and NAH! It was a delicious birthday to remember.

Don't judge a book by its cover, or in this case, food by the decor of a restaurant....

Another fantastic NAH picture. We met this little guy on our last day on the island!

When I left you last, NAH, myself, and the allergic parents had heeded the warning of Mr. Blue Lagoon waiter, and we were off searching for another restaurant in Lahaina. To attract customers on weeknights (because there are more restaurants than people, or at least it felt that way), a lot of hostesses would stand at the street entrance to their restaurant.

A young woman of about 16 looked at us and said "Come to Cool Cat's. Voted best burger in Maui 5 years in a row!"

SOLD!

So up we went, to Cool Cat's Cafe, the deck-located restaurant that overlooked front street in Lahaina. The menu was very impressive. You can link to it here, should you ever want to go to Maui. The decor was less so, but I got the feeling that on a busy night with a few cocktails, no one would notice the chipping paint. Cool Cat's had a full bar, with Christmas lights over it, a wealth of tables on the deck in the restaurant section, and inside was an arcade for children. It just seemed a tad overdone, and a bit tired-looking.

However, the food was fantastic. While allergic dad opted for a very spicy seasonal fish, NAH had "Chubby Checker," a grilled chicken/bacon/barbecue-sauced concoction on a bun. It was enormous! Allergic mom had a "La Bamba Burger," on grilled bread and smothered in Maui onions. As for me? Well, I played it safe and had the "Johnny Angel," turkey on sourdough with mayo/lettuce/tomato (hold the tomato!). Everything was delicious, and we were stuffed after eating. Too much so to go for ice cream!

Just speaks to the fact that the decor doesn't always speak to the food. A superb meal!

Thank you Cool Cat's Cafe!

Your Allergic Diner

Mr. Blue Lagoon waiter, I sincerely apologize

Another beautiful photograph by NAH. Morning on Kaanapali Beach.

Maui became even more interesting, allergically speaking, the night we went to the Blue Lagoon. Not the movie, mind you, but a restaurant in Lahaina on the main street. It looked inviting, had a decent menu, and was relatively uncrowded, which was a rarity. We sat ourselves near one of the koi ponds (They're everywhere in HI, and these aren't small koi. They look like they could eat you if you fell in!), and read over the menus.

A college-aged kid came over to take our orders. I started. I showed him my med-alert bracelet and said "I'm very interested in having a piece of fish, but I'm showing you this because I need you to understand that when I ask for it to be cooked plain, no oil, no seasoning, no nuts, and not touching any of those things, it's REALLY IMPORTANT. I Have terrible allergies." (I freely admit that I was a tad condescending, but it's my life, my body, and this kid had the party-boy look, and he was young). He looked straight at me, and said, "Before I take your order, let me talk to my chef and make sure we can accommodate you."

Boy, was I impressed (and feeling a tad guilty). I was even more impressed when he came back to the table, extremely apologetic, and explained that his chef didn't speak English as a first language, and he (the waiter) was VERY concerned that the cross-contamination would be a major problem. He even suggested a place or two we could go where he thought I'd be safer eating, AND APOLOGIZED ON BEHALF OF HIS RESTAURANT. I in turn, apologized to him, and thanked him profusely.

Off we went in search of another restaurant (there are probably 50 on the main street alone), but relieved to have heard an answer like that!

Thank you for your honesty, Blue Lagoon.

Sincerely,

Your Allergic Diner

This was the view from our balcony at 7 a.m. I never ended up taking pictures of the food and restaurants I'll be blogging about, so with each blog post I will share with you some of NAH's superior photography skills.

I traveled 11 hours (10 of flying with a 1-hour layover at O'Hare, Chicago) to Hawaii, so for my first post I think I will write to you about Mr. Sub. Mr. Sub (?), I hear you asking, while you cringe...but yes, Mr. Sub. Work with me here.

See, Hawaii food was difficult for this travelling food allergic diner. Everything was macadamia-nut encrusted, or barbecued, and while the restaurants and food were of the highest quality, I was halfway across the country and concerned about allergic reactions and cross contamination problems. So we improvised. I'm not much for fancy food (which I secretly think NAH loves about me) to begin with, so not eating at Maui's finest restaurants was not a problem. One of the days we were there I had the worst hankering for a tuna salad sandwich (sans celery, of course). We walked to nearby Whaler's Village, an outdoor, well, village, which had numerous restaurants and shops. It also had a teeny, tiny food court on the lowest level, and in that teeny tiny food court was a stand that harbored two restaurants at one counter: Mr. Taco/Mr. Sub.

Now, there was a McDonald's (that served Portuguese sausage with breakfast!), and a pizza place (guaranteed death), but I needed a tuna sandwich. I spoke to a woman whom I'm assuming was not Mrs. Sub (she was wearing a "Go Seniors" t-shirt, maybe she was daughter Sub or daughter Taco?), who assured me there was not only no celery in the tuna, but in anything they made. I tasted the tuna salad, which was made with relish! It was very unusual, and quite good. Not only did I like the tuna, they'd given me an idea as to how to put crunch back into my tuna salad. I had my delicious tuna sandwich, no tomatoes, on a freshly-baked onion roll, and then NAH and I walked off to enjoy another spectacular sunset. Maybe tomorrow I'll post one of those pictures. So many to choose from!

Thank you Mr. Sub,
Sincerely,
Your Allergic Diner

The vacation of a lifetime....and another state out of 50 crossed off the list!

Well Allergic Diner fans, I must bid you adieu for a little while, as the Non Allergic Husband and I are heading to Maui, HI!!!

Even though I keep threatening my coworkers that I am leaving, never to return (the idea of no computer and no need for a cell phone is just unfathomable, and yet so exciting), I will be back. I will most likely start posting again at the end of this month. 7 days of multiple meals out will make for quite a few restaurant reviews! Until then, stay allergy-free and healthy!

Oh, and NAH, if you're reading this, Happy EARLY Anniversary! I love you!

~Your Allergic Diner

Sometimes taking care of yourself first can be really difficult...

Recently, I had the following conversation with a friend who has two cats and a dog, who just bought a new place with her fiance.

her:When are you going to come see it?
me: Honestly, I don't know. My allergies are really bad right now, and I may have to wait until the weather cools off....
her: You're still having problems with that?


Seriously? I've known this woman for almost 20 years, and I've always had these allergies (used to be just to cats, but my pet allergies are getting far worse as I grow up). People wonder why I get so gosh darn defensive.

The worst? She really didn't mean anything by it at all. She just doesn't understand. I can't put myself in that position and ignore the fact that I'm going to have a really severe reaction (ah, blowfish syndrome, how I love thee). I also can't have the reaction just to make a friend happy, but she truly does not understand why I haven't seen her new place yet.....Life gets complicated.
Your Allergic Diner

Bears on the beach!

I really like my coworkers. I'm not saying that because I think they read this blog (a few of them found me back during that whole Hannah & Mason's debacle). I'm stating it because it's true. I've been meaning to post the above picture for awhile. A few weeks back, I hosted several of my coworkers and their families for a summer barbecue. NAH and I had wanted to share the house with everyone, but weren't interested in a housewarming party. This seemed like the perfect answer.

I let them know about the party, and was overwhelmed when each of them offered to bring something. Not that I was surprised, they're all good people, but help is always welcome when you're entertaining! The photo above is of the most adorable cupcakes I've ever seen. Bears on the beach! The sand? Graham cracker crumbles. How clever!

As for the allergy-relatedness of this post? Well, outside of the 7-layer dip and stuffed tomatoes, I could eat EVERYTHING at the barbecue (it certainly helps that I was the host). All-beef hot dogs, whole-wheat buns, coleslaw, fruit salad, potato chips, etc. We all had a wonderful time together outside of work (and it was really nice being able to EAT with everyone else!)

~Your Allergic Diner

Dear Anonymous,

Recently I received a question on my blog about Chicago. This woman has a daughter starting graduate school in Philadelphia, and wanted to know about restaurants in which I've had good allergy-free experiences, as her daughter suffers from tree nut and peanut allergies.

I am publishing this list, however I feel that it is important to state that as all allergy and allergy-sufferers are different, this list can only be used as a guide. Every allergic person needs to contact the restaurant and let them know about their individual allergies. These were the places that were not only receptive to the conversation, but were places in which I enjoyed a good meal...

For casual dining:

Reading Terminal Market

Ralph's

Famous 4th Street Delicatessen

Bridget Foy's

White Dog Cafe

Buca di Beppo

Chili's

Anastasi's Seafood

Snockey's Oyster House

For nicer dining:

Hibachi

Prime Rib

Capital Grille

McCormick & Schmick's

Legal Seafoods

Maggiano's

Places I avoid and/or have had bad experiences:

Continental (despite the Steven Starr assurance, I had a bad experience there)

Cheesesteak Places (risk of cross-contamination is too much for me to attempt). I do realize what a bad Philadelphian this makes me. They are delicious and fantastic and not for me!

POD and Moshulu are next on my list of places to try...

I hope that this helps. I enclosed links to the menus of the places that are a little harder to find. I wish your daughter and your family the best of luck! Encourage her to carry an allergy card or wear a med-alert bracelet just to be extra safe!

Sincerely,

The Allergic Diner

A hidden gem in Robbinsville, NJ

As seafood lovers, NAH and I often search high and wide for a place that serves excellent seafood, but isn't too fancy. I've written before about Red Lobster, and the good service I always have there, and Joe's Crab Shack, and the great meals I've had there. The tricky part is finding a place that is a little less pricey, and a little less fancy, a place that we could go to often and not worry about the budget. When we were living in South Jersey, Cap'n Cats Clam Bar was our second home. Don't laugh at the name. It was the perfect seafood place. There were plastic fish on the wall, oyster crackers on the table, a plastic menu, and specials for which we would have gladly jumped through hoops. For me, fish has always been a pill-free meal. For those of you who are severely allergic, or lactose intolerant, you understand exactly how incredible that statement is. I could leave the lactaid, benadryl and epi-pen at home, and eat there time and again with no problems. Give me a piece of fish, a baked potato, and some applesauce and I am in heaven. It's up there with stuffing, seriously. Then we moved, and I had a harder time leaving our restaurant behind than our first apartment!

A coworker of NAH recommended a fish market/restaurant several months ago, and we'd been interested in trying it. Unfortunately (as you can usually infer by the lack of posting on this blog), work, schedules, and just good old life got in the way. We hadn't been out to dinner in months, and the other day NAH suggested we go out to dinner (just the two of us! not for a special occasion! YAY!). It was a much needed break. So we decided to drive the half hour and try Shrimp King.

The food was INCREDIBLE (and CHEAP!). You can find their menu here. Everything was delicious, and I think our waitress had a bit of a crush on NAH....he got an extra appetizer! We've now been back twice, and I've had perfect allergy-free meals both times. No seasoning on the plate, and no butter either. They have plastic menus, old tables, and while there are no fish on the wall, there are some great oil paintings that are totally out of the character of the restaurant/market.

I think we have a new place. Worth the drive. What a gem! Thank you, Shrimp King!

Your Allergic Diner

Redstone Delivers!

Well, Redstone American Grill was fantastic. I've finally become one of THOSE bloggers. I had the camera with me for the obligatory family shots for allergic mom's birthday, and I thought, "Why not?"

So a few seconds after we all started eating, I commanded everyone to stop and took a few photographs of mine, NAH's, and allergic mom's plate (they were sitting on either side of me).

I told the waiter that a phone call had been placed about my allergies, and he assured me that they could cook me any kind of fish completely plain. I ordered the catch of the day, the striped bass, and was told that it would come sans oil, seasonings, and dairy, and even requested that the chef hold the parsley (for some reason chefs have this compulsion that food cannot leave the kitchen looking boring). I asked for a baked potato (obviously the sauteed broccolini and tomato and onion marmalade were a no-go) and asked for that plain as well. The waiter, Michael, returned, and was very concerned that the potato had been previously rubbed in salt and that it may have come into contact with oil or butter. I simply requested that it come on a separate plate (as you can see in the first two photos above). My meal was boring, plain, and superb.

Allergic mom, the birthday girl had a cut of prime rib (first photo) with the bacon wrapped asparagus and mashed potatoes. She loved it. NAH had a larger prime rib with the bacon wrapped asparagus, and I quote, "Even that won't trick me into eating asparagus!" He also had what they call the loaded baked potato. I think his meal photographed rather well, don't you. And no, he didn't eat the asparagus.

All in all, it was a delicious meal, and a wonderful birthday celebration. The biggest surprise of the evening? The allergic brother likes calamari! You'd have to have grown up with this kid to understand the leaps and bounds he's made since the years of refusing to eat anything but macaroni & cheese. The family was together. The birthday was lovely. It was one of those nights that we'll always look back on and smile. Happy Birthday Mom!

Redstone American Grill. This has possibilities!

Allergic mom has a birthday on Sunday, and she's selected Redstone American Grill in Marlton, NJ for us to meet for the dinner and festivities. Having never been there, I told her we'd be happy to meet her down there, and while we were on the phone I went online to look at their menu. American grills are always promising, allergy-friendly places.

She stopped me mid-google. "Dad already checked on your allergies," she said. "He called the restaurant and told them one person in our party has severe allergies, and get this, the woman's response was 'gluten-free or multiple?' "

Incredible. Apparently allergic dad (who himself has no allergies but is married to allergic mom, so what the heck) responded multiple, specifically oil and seasonings, and that I would need something made plain. He was told not a problem. I'm loving this already for two reasons. One, I didn't have to do the legwork myself (thanks, Dad!). Two, I already feel like I'll be well taken care of and I haven't stepped a foot into their establishment.

Please expect a review of Redstone American Grill on Monday, and have a VERY Happy 4th of July (and a SAFE one)!

~Your Allergic Diner

Ah, Chicago, How I Love Thee....

Well, I am back from Chicago, safe and sound. Outside of a few airfare snafus, the trip went off without a hitch. Unfortunately, we gabbed for far longer than we thought and never made it to the aforementioned restaurants. Some views from the ferris wheel at the Taste of Chicago for you to enjoy above. What's wonderful about the booths at the taste of Chicago is that they offer their signature dish in a "taste of" portion. It costs fewer tickets, is a smaller size, and it allows you to sample some of Chicago's best restaurants to determine where you might want to eat later. We had previously had a fantastic lunch at Foodlife, the gourmet food court in the Water Tower Place, before heading over to the festival, but that didn't stop us from sampling the goodies!

Mazzone's water ice booth is HIGHLY recommended, should you make it out there. Delicious water ice in several flavors. The Chicago Chocolate Company had incredible fruit kabobs (covered in chocolate, natch) and chocolate-covered strawberries. Dominick's, the produce stand, was offering a "taste portion" of watermelon that was bigger than our hands! Also impressive was the line at the fruit stand. It's always good to see people making healthy choices.

I can wholeheartedly recommend Grand Lux Cafe, as I recommended in last year's post, though we didn't eat there on this visit. Sunday morning (this visit) we did visit Chicago Bagel & Bialy II. The bagels were delicious!

It was a wonderful visit with old friends, and is fast becoming an annual event. Thanks ladies!

Yours in allergy-free travels & eating,

Allergic Diner

update

Hi All....
As my company hits busy season I've had less and less free time in the evenings to post. Please accept my apologies. This weekend I'm having a college-reunion of sorts in Chicago. Upcoming reviews to expect in this column: Berry Chill, a lactose-free frozen yogurt shop! Taste of Chicago, the mammoth food festival that draws millions each year, Orange, a brunch restaurant in the city, and maybe even a review of my trip to the Chicago Green Market. It's a lot to squeeze in one weekend, but we're going to try to do it. I'm packing my comfy walking shoes and I'll check back in with you all on Monday!
Happy Eating,
Your Allergic Diner

Take me out to the ballgame...

Non-Allergic Husband (NAH - as I shall revert to in this blog because some confused people have no idea who Big Guy is. For that I apologize, he shall hereafter be referred to as NAH) surprised me on Monday with Phillies Tickets for the following night. So we raced home from work on Tuesday and made it to the Phillies/Reds game with about 5 min to spare.

I always finds baseball games interesting from an allergy point of view. Just about everything is labelled, but how much could I actually eat? The new Citizens Bank Park Stadium in Philadelphia offers a bevy of options, but I'm not exactly a cheesesteak kind of girl (which, yes, I know is sacrilegious, but they just can't stand my stomach, or vice versa). In my last couple of trips I have scouted out options, and I am pleased to report that I have successfully eaten the following:

A superpretzel

Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade

All-Beef hot dogs

Cotton Candy

It's a surprisingly small list, but given my previously acknowledged love of hot dogs, it works. Better yet, Tuesday was dollar dog night! I, of course, insist on getting the hot dogs from the stand where the sign says "all-beef hot dogs," even though somewhere in my head I have to acknowledge that they are the same hot dogs being sold at the stand next door (which does NOT say "all-beef"). It just tends to ease my nervousness. Or qualifies me to be a crazy person. The jury's still out.

Pat Burrell hit a two-run homer, Ken Griffey (Cincinnati Reds) pinch-hit (and was walked because there was no way Philadelphia was going to let him score his 600th home run on OUR turf), and we won the game! A sold-out crowd and a fantastic allergy-free "all-beef" hot dog evening.

-----

Fast forward to this Friday night, when my company goes to a minor league baseball game. Even though we get bracelets to the picnic area as part of our tickets, I will insist on going to the stand and purchasing the hot dog from a place where the sign says "all-beef." Again, crazy, perhaps, but it's $3.00 that goes a long way towards easing my nerves and allowing me to enjoy my food. Besides, how do I know they're not feeding us the cheaper, filler-filled (can one say that?) hot dogs because it's an all you can eat picnic. I'd make that decision if I handled the food ordering for a stadium that ran this promotion. Ergo, I will purchase the food, despite the bracelet.

I will be away this weekend but returning next week with more fun-filled (not filler-filled) stories of my adventures in allergy land. Enjoy the warm weather,

Your Allergic Diner

Ahh, Barbecue

As an allergic diner, I've never uttered the above words. Never. Please don't misunderstand, I love a good hot dog on the grill as much as the next person, but I can't exactly go gallivanting off in search of the best barbecued ribs, pulled pork, and fried chicken. I'm allergic, and yes, as its been pointed out many times, I know I'm missing out. I just can't exactly tell you what I'm missing out on.

Big guy, however, loves all things barbecue, especially fried chicken. He is to fried chicken what I am to stuffing! So when we got allergic fiance's NYC birthday invite that included this restaurant, Rack and Soul, he was ready to go.

Barbecue restaurants always worry me. So much risk for cross contamination. So much tomato and oil and spice everywhere. I was relieved to see that there was salad on the menu. Ah, salad. Safe, non-contaminated, and on one plate. When our party was seated, everyone started ordering off the good part of the menu, and I'll confess to feeling a little bit left out. Collard greens, black eyed peas, crawfish, chicken livers, macaroni and cheese, and home-style mashed potatoes, and that was just to start!. Big Guy had an order of fried chicken, and opted for the macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes, figuring that if he was going to do it right, he was all in. I couldn't bring myself to order a salad to pick at amongst the plates of all this marvelous food, and thankfully, we weren't eating until 8 o' clock at night, so I had passed the hunger period (with a fairly large bag of skittles at the movie!).

Big Guy gave me his restaurant review in typical Big Guy fashion, "Very Good."

And that dear readers, sums up my olfactory experience at Rack and Soul.
~Your Allergic Diner

New Jersey and New York City in the span of 24 hours....

Well, the bad news is that there was no foray into the Cheesecake Factory.

The good news? My non-allergic friend found a sushi place in the area and we went there instead. I highly recommend Mikado (find menus and southern NJ locations through this link). The sushi was excellent, the atmosphere nice and peaceful, and the service attentive. It was wonderful and well worth the long drive! Unfortunately, this allergic diner did not care as much for the movie we saw, Sex & The City. I realize that I may be slaughtered by womankind for this, but it was just "ehh." Ah well, you win some you lose some.









So that was Friday night, and Saturday morning Big Guy and I were dragged out of bed by the alarm to make the train into NYC for allergic fiance's birthday party. We met both our friend and her allergic fiance at the Arte Cafe at 73 & Columbus. We were a little waterlogged. Hah. As we exited Penn Station a grumpy woman to our right remarked that she might as well be waiting in line for an ark! Nevertheless, we arrived, somewhat soggy, to the Arte Cafe, a place where we've eaten before and had spotless service and spot-on food. Not to mention excellent attention paid to allergic detail, of course.



This time was a little different. I'm a big fan of their pizza, and the chef usually makes one for me, sans seasoning, oil, and of course, tomato sauce. It's a wonderful brick-oven thin crust that has cheese, mushrooms, and garlic, and smells better than any garlic bread I've ever had. I was so very crushed when the waiter informed me, up front, that the chef could not accommodate any major special requests today, as he was incredibly busy. He was kind enough to go double check with the chef after I showed my med-alert bracelet, but came back saying "the chef apologizes, but he has already mixed the oil into the pizzas(?)"

Just when I thought the meal was ruined, and by ruined, I thought that there would be no food, so how could I indulge in their endless-mimosa brunch (?), our waiter came to my rescue. "Tell me what you're allergic to," he said, and I did. He pointed to a meal on the menu that was grilled chicken with a salad that has tomatoes. "I can get this for you without tomatoes," he said. "Great! And please tell them no oil, and no spice as well." And with that, we ordered our unlimited drinks and set about enjoying a wonderful occasion with good friends.


When the orders came, and we were all on our second drink, I had Big Guy taste test the chicken for me, because it looked like there was oil on it. There wasn't, and my salad was blissfully dressing free. Interestingly enough, the piece of grilled chicken had been flattened out to look as if it were a piece of pita bread, and the salad was on top of it (where's a camera when I need one?). It was positively delightful. They have fantastic berry muffins that they serve you in place of bread during brunch, and they were snapped up by our table at once. Big guy had eggs and toast, friend had a wonderful brick-oven pizza, allergic fiance had a panini sandwich, and I had my chicken and salad. All because a waiter took the time to help me. It was a wonderful start to the weekend!

~Yours in the quest for safe food,

The Allergic Diner

weekend update.

Well, between my nerves, and a recent comment from an allergic mom (not mine, but the mom of The Allergic Kid), Bahama Breeze has been scrapped. She pointed out that there wasn't a whole lot of allergy information on their website, and that they pretty much say that the eater owns the responsibility. Seriously, no allergy policy in place? How horrendous in this day and age.

Anyway, we're going to the Cheesecake Factory. I've never had a problem there. I've also never received the dreaded eye-roll in the 6 years I've been a customer. Hooray! I will fill you in on the (hopefully) wonderful meal with an old friend over the weekend. The Big Guy and I are also off to NYC this weekend for an allergic fiance's 31st birthday party. Looks to be a good weekend....
~A

Bahama Breeze?

Well, allergic patrons, I'm meeting a good friend for dinner tomorrow night and she's suggested that we go to Bahama Breeze. Places like this are difficult for me because they use lots and lots of Caribbean seasoning.
I just spoke with a host on the phone, and he told me that they could make something plain for me. Actually, the conversation went like this, and now I'm extremely nervous.

Me: Hi, my girlfriend and I will be eating dinner in your restaurant tomorrow night and I was wondering if I could talk to you a moment.
Him: Sure.
Me: I have terrible allergies, and I was looking at your menu and am calling to find out how difficult it is for me to have something made plain for me when I get there.
Him: What do you mean, plain? (ACK!)
Me: I mean, were I to order a piece of grilled fish off the menu, could you grill it plain for me, with no seasoning and no oil.
Him: HOLD ON. (cue hold music)
Him: Yes, we can make you food with no seasoning.
Me: And no oil? (not to belabor the point, but "hold on" isn't the most confidence inspiring term)
Him: Yes ma'am, and no oil either, it won't be a problem.

Now, here's the thing. He said yes, he said they could accommodate me, and he placed me on hold so he could obviously go talk to someone about it, so why am I still nervous? Would you be...Stay tuned. I'll post over the weekend and let you know how it goes.
~Your Allergic Diner

I am a food nerd. I admit it. Consider it a creative outlet and leave me be....

Calling all culinary nerds! You know who you are. You love tweaking new recipes, trying new restaurants, and insisting to people in your party that you can replicate what you're eating at home. You read food magazines, collect cookbooks, and love to entertain.

Check this out....over 1,000 food blogs. Not too shabby for some entertaining reading. Keep an eye on my blogroll, as I have some downtime (ha! I may have to break my cardinal rule of no computer on the weekends and do this then), I will continue to add noteworthy sites that I've found through this, The Foodie Blogroll.

Aren't blogs grand?
Your Allergic Diner

The joys of being truly taken care of...

On the first night of our trip, allergic mom and I went to King of Prussia for dinner, and ended up at Legal Sea Foods, an upscale seafood restaurant that has locations all over the eastern U.S.

I informed our server, Brian, that I had severe allergies, and asked if it would be possible to have my tuna steak grilled with no oil or spices, and so that it didn't come into contact with anything else?

I braced myself for the response. Brian said "Actually, I can do you one better. What we usually do for our allergic patrons (I didn't interrupt at this point and inform him I was THE Allergic Diner, it seemed rude) is place your fish in a skillet as opposed to directly on the grill or our wood planks, and cook it with an herb vinaigrette that contains no dairy. This way it doesn't come into contact with anything you might be allergic to. For you, we can do the fish this way but totally plain so that you don't have to worry about spices or oil in the vinaigrette." Seriously? Would one of you inform me if I was dead and this was heaven? What a weekend this was!

About 10 minutes after we placed our order, a manager, Jeff, came over and introduced himself and asked me to list my allergies (Brian had previously done the same, so it was obvious to this allergic diner that they were double checking for safety and cross-contamination). He spent a minute or two with me to make sure I was comfortable, and then went back to the kitchen to personally oversee the process.

I ate the delicious meal, a medium-rare tuna steak and baked potato, along with some of their fresh bread, without taking A SINGLE PILL. No dairy, no allergens, so why take medicine I don't need?

I thought that was the perfect meal, and as allergic mom and I were squabbling over who was going to pay the check (and lest you think ill of me, we were fighting because we both wanted to pay), Brian came back and offered us dessert. I was so full I couldn't even dream of it, but he insisted that he had a gluten-free option that might interest me, as well as a sugar free option. I thought that was very sweet that he was letting me know that they could find a way to accommodate me. Though I declined, I made up my mind to not only give them an outstanding review, but to forward this post to their customer service.

In a review of their website, I noticed they have a gluten-free menu as well. Here's a link to all their menus. It was the perfect dinner to start the perfect weekend with allergic mom. There was NO allergy alert or allergy problems ALL weekend.

Thank you so very much Legal Sea Foods, for putting this food-allergic diner at ease,

~The Allergic Diner

The Inner Gremlin

I'm writing today's post in support of an entity I never thought I'd eat in, never mind laud on this blog. I'm not necessarily a fan of big business, especially when it closes down local mom and pop shops. However, as an allergic person, I find that a chain has more consistency and knowledge when dealing with allergies than the local mom and pop shop often does. Saturday morning (day 2 of our annual girls' weekend) allergic mom and I arrived at the King of Prussia mall BEFORE it opened. The only place we could have breakfast at the mall was the Starbucks. I shouldn't say THE Starbucks, as I know there's more than one in the mall(s).

On vacation, I must drink tea. I'm not entirely certain as to why, as I don't often drink it at home, and I have no particular feelings about it either way. However, the moment I go on vacation its as if a small tea gremlin enters my brain and begins bugging me. "You're on vacation, have a nice cup of tea," he says. "It will relax you, and it's good for your health." Unfortunately, if ignored, this gremlin begins to bellow "MUST HAVE TEA! FEED ME TEA!" like some sort of toddler. I have discovered that upon having the tea, all is well. Most people have chocolate gremlins or french fry gremlins, but true to form, even my gremlin is abnormal. Ah, well.

I entered the long line at Starbucks, and set upon deciding what to eat with my tea. They do have quite a selection of baked goods. The tea gremlin spied a scone (perhaps its a British gremlin?) and decided that I should eat that, as well. I do love a good scone. At the register, I cringed and asked the very young cashier if there were any nuts in the scone. I was utterly shocked when he replied "no, but I feel it is my duty to inform you it was baked in a facility that does bake other items that contain nuts." Well, the tea gremlin and I could have been knocked over with a feather. I ordered my tea and raspberry scone, and had a delicious, allergy-free breakfast, which not only quieted my gremlin, but gave me plenty of fuel for a morning of shopping. Thank you Starbucks!

~Allergic Diner

The Americana Diner: Never leave unhappy. Or hungry, for that matter...

What a lovely weekend we had, big guy (refer to previous posting) and myself. We had our first house guests! My friend from NYC and her allergic fiance were in for the weekend for what we called the "Jersey Experience." Unfortunately, due to time, weather, and the fact that we hadn't all gotten together in awhile, the Jersey Experience really consisted of taking allergic fiance and friend to one of our favorite diners, the Americana Diner on Rte 130 (recently written up in the Washington Post!).

I've been to this place several times, and in addition to the incredible variety of food (it has a menu that could be considered a book), I'm always pleased with the service and attention to detail. These servers, without fail, answer almost any question with, "I'm not sure, let me go ask the chef." Subsequently, without fail, everything I've ordered there has come to the table allergy-free and uncontaminated.

We had a fantastic meal there, and highly recommend it as a must-eat stop in New Jersey. Big guy had an omelet, allergic fiance a blackened chicken sandwich, friend had a tuna salad sandwich (that came to the table looking like a house...it was enormous!), and for me, an egg salad sandwich, of course. I've had plenty of other things there, but the egg salad is a keeper.

Allergic mom and I are heading out Friday for our annual girls' weekend, so I should have some new and hopefully good reviews for you then.

Until next time,
Your Allergic Diner

What food! What service!

What a lovely evening we had, the non-allergic in-laws, NAH, and myself. When we got to Outback, we were seated immediately. When the waiter came to take our order, I explained that I had called previously, and was told that they could make anything plain to accommodate my food allergies. I then requested the salmon, plain, the steamed veggies, plain, and a baked potato, you guessed it, also plain. To which he responded, "Not a problem, but I'm required to ask about your allergies so I can oversee this in the kitchen." I jokingly said "all of them," and then realized I was going to have to be more specific, so I asked to him to look out for olive oil, dairy, tomatoes, and every spice/seasoning known to man (I can add my own salt & pepper, and it's much safer that way). To my relief, there was NO pity (though there appeared to be a brief look of astonishment at what I was listing), and I was so heartened by the fact that I already felt safe eating there I ordered a drink, too!

I especially enjoyed when they brought out NAH's prime rib, and our waiter handed it to him and said "here, big guy!" (I almost dissolved into a fit of giggles, and had no drink in me at that point). NAH will most likely be referred to hereafter on this blog as big guy. Too funny.

The big guy had a most excellent prime rib, mom-in-law and I both enjoyed our salmon, and dad-in-law had a wonderful strip steak. I can't neglect to mention that the table started with the requisite Bloomin' Onion. My Wallaby Darned (Australian peach bellini), on the recommendation of my mom-in-law, was fantastic, and I'm happy to report that not a single spice, drop of butter, or any other of the dreaded allergic contaminants touched my salmon plate. It was a fantastic meal had in great company! Thank you Outback, we'll be returning soon!

Also, before I leave you for the day, when I looked at the Outback website I was heartened to see that they offer my gluten-free friends a gluten-free menu! A sign of the times. Check it out here, and enjoy your next meal being well taken care of in an allergy-friendly environment!

Yours in the pursuit of anxiety-free eating,

The Allergic Diner

Let's go Outback tonight....

Tomorrow night NAH and I are taking the non-allergic inlaws to dinner at their favorite restaurant, Outback Steakhouse. I was just reading their menu, and grew a little concerned at the amount of seasoned items on their menu. Then I read:

When the worries of the day are too much, Australians say it's time to let go and 'Go Outback.' A place to stop, unwind, and share time with family and friends. So kick back, relax, you're Outback. No Worries!

I thought I'd put this to the test. I remembered reading somewhere that Outback, if you told them upfront about your allergies, would be more than accommodating. I decided to test that theory, and was more than upfront, I called 24 hours ahead of time.

The conversation went like this:
Me: I will be eating dinner at your restaurant tomorrow night with my family, and I'm a little concerned about my food allergies and the amount of seasoned items on your menu. Do you know if it's possible to get something without all the seasonings, or if those spices and marinades are placed on the meat ahead of time?

Outback representative: Certainly! You can get anything on our menu without seasoning except for the Tuscan Ribeye, because that marinates for a long time before we grill it. Everything else can be made to order, as we season each food before we cook and serve it.
(Wonderful! But wait...there's more!) Also, as long as you inform your waiter, we'll have our line chefs switch their gloves and we'll clean the spot on the grill right before putting your food on it to make sure there's no cross-contamination (I almost swooned!). If you're concerned about simply telling your waiter, tell the manager when you come in and if you're specific about your allergies, he will oversee the whole process to make sure it's safe.

Me: That sounds wonderful, THANK YOU!

And then I did a little dance...well, not really, but those of you who have food allergies know how good it feels to know you don't have to worry (as much) about the food you're going out to eat.
Check out the Outback menu, and happy ordering! I'll check back Wednesday with a dinner review. I'm off to review the menu to figure out what I'd like to eat, allergy-free.

Thanks,
Allergic Diner

Cookbooks and cookbooks and more cookbooks!

In an earlier post I may have mentioned my love of all things cooking. I especially love cookbooks, and take it as a challenge to try and alter everyday recipes so that they become allergy-friendly. As such, I've started a wonderful cookbook collection, and subscribe to several cooking magazines. I recently found a group for people like me. I'd like to call it a support group, but it's a cookbook book club (like a Doubleday, or a Columbia House).
Check this out!
The Good Cook (and admire my fabulous new hyperlink skills while we're at it. Thanks husband, I love you!)

I have 5 new cookbooks coming in the mail for the low price of $26.00! Oh happy Day!

~Allergic Diner

And for those of you wondering where my top chef recaps have gone, until the show stops being "whiny chef," I am not reviewing. I am watching, and I am enjoying, but I am not going to condone some of the cast members' bad behaviors with a review. They stop whining, I'll start recapping! Should have done the butternut squash soup, though.....

A Mastercard ad in the making.....

Today's shopping list:

2 yams
2 baking potatoes
2 yellow onions
1 red onion
3 stalks of broccoli
1 head of cauliflower
1 zucchini
4 large plums
2 large nectarines
2 1/2 lbs. of bananas


For a grand total of.....$11.57. SERIOUSLY!

NAH and I have been griping about how high the grocery store bill has been lately, which is made even more difficult by the fact that we eat a lot of fruits and veggies. A few coworkers recommended a local farmstand and said I would be amazed at the prices. Amazed is an understatement.
Eating healthy is a wonderful thing. Supporting the local agriculture is also a wonderful thing. Eating healthy, supporting local farms, and saving money in the process? Priceless!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

So it's official. Every once in awhile I take a leap and test one of my allergies (the non-anaphylaxis ones) because these things can and do change over time. I am no longer allergic to pineapple. And it is quite yummy! Right in time for the upcoming trip to Hawaii!

But I want to talk about Top Chef. Actually talk about it, instead of doing a really long recap, because last night's episode had a moment that upset me greatly. At the very end, when the red team was called before the panel of judges and was utterly incensed at having lost, Andrew crossed a line. At least with me. He told head chef Tom Colicchio that the only way he was going home was if "security guards dragged him away." Ok, that kind of enthusiasm could be considered cute. Then he followed, rather emphatically, with the statement, "This is MY HOUSE." Noooo....

He's competing with other very gifted chefs in a competition that thousands of people want to enter and few are very carefully selected (don't know what the heck happened in Season 2, but I digress). You are in front of some of the experts in your field, and you're telling them you're in charge? Don't think so buddy. If I was Chef Tom, I would have stood up, walked around the table, and smacked the guy in the head (a la the V8 commercial). Seriously! No respect at all for seasoned professionals who are the stars of the culinary world? No respect for your competitors? I remember watching Hung (Season 3) become giddy with enthusiasm when he got to meet some of the guest judges, especially upon learning he'd be cooking with Rocco diSpirito in the finale. None of that gratitude was in play here.

Anyway, both teams were lousy. Nikki's (blue team) macaroni and cheese was a mistake from the get-go, and Zoi (red team) was very upset about a pasta salad she felt was beneath her, and then screwed up anyway. The only thing that really looked delectable was Dale's pork skewers with red curry BBQ sauce - and his red team lost (I liked their fare better, but only because it was simpler and I'm a sucker for dips). A Waldorf salad without mayo (?), and then without crunch (?)....ick. Erik's soggy corn dogs got him sent home, and thus ended an edition of what should have been called "adequate chef."

Show a little respect, man.

Top Chef Recap!

My two favorite things in one episode: cooking and animals! Thankfully, they were not cooking those animals.

Let's start with the Quickfire:
A bunch of shots of the chefs running around Chicago's Green City Market, generally displeased with the selections of meat, and getting grumpy remarks when attempting to rummage through the wares of the seller. The Quickfire challenge was simple: Cook a dish with no more than 5 ingredients (though salt, sugar, pepper, and oil were gimmes).
I really liked the look of Erik's dish, the lamb chop, baby carrots, and potatoes, but as I've said in earlier posts, the plainer my food arrives, the better. Wylie Dufresne, the molecular gastronomist and guest judge of this Quickfire, thought it too plain and told Erik it lacked cohesiveness. Grr.
Hyperactive Andrew, whom I can't decide if I'm taking a shine to because of my earlier days as a teacher, or because I'd pay money to see the man given Ritalin (or are these things one in the same?), is called out on his illegal use of balsamic vinegar. Which was ok with me because the whole plate was brown! Probably tasted out of this world, but not as visually appetizing as his end product usually is.
Mark, who we see running around the market unable to decide, purchasing items down to the last minute, and then LEAVING a key ingredient in his dish behind, pulls it out with his sirloin steak with turnips, mushrooms, peaches & butter. Looks like he didn't need the other vegetable after all. Wylie was suitably impressed, and Mark was granted the first immunity pass of the season.

The Elimination Challenge:
They drew knives and matched up in teams according to the animal on the knife: lion, vulture, penguin, bear, and gorilla (this is where the hearts of half the viewing audience stopped: were they going to cook these animals?).
Nope, they were charged with catering a cocktail party at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Each team had to create a menu of hors d'oeuvres that incorporated elements of their animals DIET (phew). Zoi immediately showed a great sense of humor listing what a vulture likes to eat. Just how many ways are there to cook a dead carcass?
The winning team of the night was penguin, with their black-and-white themed canapes, penguin decorations on the table, and Andrew's special edible yuzu glacier. Team vulture came in not too far behind with Mark's marinated anchovy on a quinoa croquette (high in protein and fiber, yum!)
Unfortunately, two of the other teams didn't fare as well: gorilla and bear were called to explain themselves.
When the camera man showed team bear's stuffed mushrooms (Nikki's) I turned to NAH and said, "those look like poop!" The thing was, that's exactly what they resembled. No thanks! Dale seemed to recognize this, and decided to add pecorino cheese to make the color more varied. The downside? After all that work they were too cold too serve at the party. Nikki thought she was remedying the situation by serving them to the chefs, but they appeared to be confused as to why they had to eat them if the other guest weren't. Seriously, they looked that awful. Blueberries and mushrooms is circumspect to me to begin with. Cold blueberries and mushrooms with pecorino cheese were even worse in the judges' opinions. Thankfully (and I'm saying this because I get the feeling Nikki could do well), team gorilla had two lousy dishes as compared to bear's one. Here's where things got tricky.
Gorilla had Valerie's black olive blini (which for the love of god, people is pronounced BLEE-NEE - no extra syllables!! A bellini is a drink!) with slightly-raw rutabagas on top, and Stephanie's pre-salted so it drew out all the moisture crab salad on celery chips that were too soggy to serve. In the judge's eyes Stephanie redeemed herself with the banana bread in caramel sauce (not to mention Antonia's vote that she'd rather keep Stephanie), and Valerie was sent packing.
Until next time!
~The Allergic Diner

101. Who would've thought?

Yesterday I realized that I now have 100 posts. 100 posts! This post makes 101. I started this blog as an exercise of sorts. My job requires far more editing than actual writing and I did not want to get rusty. Plus, I savored the chance to tell some of these restaurants what I think of their treatment (anonymously, of course). I was also hoping maybe I'd make some friends in allergy-land, people with whom I could discuss allergy experiences , and we could learn and share from each other. This is getting a little too Barney&Friends for me, so I'll stop now.

I simply want to say THANK YOU!
When I started this blog I had no idea that I'd have the faithful readership or the overwhelming support/advice/interest that I have from all of you. It is very much appreciated. I always look forward to posting and to hearing from you, and to reading quite a few of your blogs. Here's to post 200!

I've mentioned in some of my past postings the dreaded tomato allergy, and the latex= death allergy problem that I have. I've discussed my distaste for oregano (a result of the allergic reaction it causes), and explained how I alter recipes. I have seen many allergists, all of whom confirmed both the tomato and the oregano allergies, but could never really give me a reason or a grouping for them. A good example of a grouping in this case would be my banana allergy, which directly ties to my latex allergy because of a similar protein. I need order and reason (to just about everything), so for me, this is important.

Today, on www.msn.com, the main page, there is an article "Unusual Food Allergies." I'd like to cut and paste a section of the article from Dr. Rob, one of the Health & Fitness expert bloggers.

I also need to mention another possibility, the latex-fruit syndrome. While triggering symptoms similar to those of the pollen-food syndrome, the latex-fruit syndrome is an allergic response to specific proteins present in latex. And since similar proteins are also contained in certain fruits, vegetables, nuts and spices, touching or eating them may cause a reaction. These foods or spices include but are not limited to: almonds, apples, bananas, kiwis, raw tomatoes or potatoes, as well as spices such as dill, oregano, ginger or sage.

I finally have my reason. They all tie together! Isn't that crafty? What a wonderful thing to discover for my 101st post. What follows is a link to the article (one day maybe one of my lovely readers will teach me how to link through a word, rather than post the entire link? I'm still a newbie out here). I will post my Top Chef thoughts later.

Thanks for reading!
Your Allergic Diner

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/allergies/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100164460&GT1=31022

Well dear readers, I'm back. How was my vacation, you ask? It was lovely! 5 days in the Florida sunshine with no phone calls, email, or other bothersome intrusions. NAH's parents have a lovely home (at first glance I admit to thinking it was a show home - the one that other people tour before purchasing their own?). It's stunning. We had dinners on the screened-in lanai, NAH went swimming, and I got to do my favorite thing in the world: READ! We did a little shopping, went on a nature walk, but nothing too strenuous. It was VERY relaxing. But back to blog matter.

I also got to do my second favorite thing, eat lots of allergy-proof food without having to think about it. My non-allergic mom-in-law was kind enough to request a list of foods she could stock the house with ahead of time, and I had turkey, fruit, applesauce, cereal, and lactaid milk at my disposal. Yum!

We went out for dinner a few times, but I'd like to tell you about a very memorable meal we all shared at a restaurant in Fort Myers, Florida called The Lighthouse (pictured above). YUM!

The non-allergic in-laws were kind enough to assure me that I'd be able to request anything they made in my allergic diner style (re: PLAIN). I was astounded not only by the beauty of the restaurant (we got to sit overlooking the marina!), but by the menu itself. I could eat almost everything on it, and this was a very nice restaurant (doesn't often happen to me)! I was torn between the steak and the seafood, but decided when in Florida, and ordered a piece of grilled tuna, medium-rare with NO oils/spices/garnish, etc. I even requested that the waitress tell the chef to resist his urge to make it "look pretty." Unfortunately, when I dine out at a nice restaurant, the chef often feels the need to add something to my rather boring-looking plate, and by doing so, renders the dish inedible for me. I also requested a baked potato, plain, and a Caesar salad with the dressing on the side. I was delighted when the waitress asked me if I wanted anchovies. You bet I did!(NAH still thinks I say yes to bother him, he can't stand them)

NAH ordered his favorite, prime rib, with mashed potatoes and a cup of soup. NAmom-in-law had blackened salmon (that looked divine), and NAdad-in-law's NY strip steak came with an adorable topping of frizzled onions. But the best part?

My dish came out perfectly,and I could tell just by looking at it. No oil, no seasoning, no garnish, nothing. The sauces were in little metal containers so as not to contaminate my food, and I was able to eat a full meal for one of the few times I can remember. I was too full to even think about dessert (well, until we returned home!). It's unusual for me to feel comfortable enough, even with medicine to prevent stomach/allergy problems, to eat out at a nice restaurant. This was amazing.

My thanks to The Lighthouse for a truly memorable meal. My thanks to my non-allergic in-laws for a truly relaxing vacation!

Here's the link to The Lighthouse in Ft. Myers, Florida, should you ever make it down there....

http://www.lighthousewaterfrontrestaurant.com/

Stay tuned tomorrow for a Top Chef recap.

~Allergic Diner

I'll be back.....

And for those of you wondering when I'll be actually, well, writing reviews again of food that I'm eating , NAH and I are about to embark on a lovely vacation to Florida with the non-allergic inlaws. I'll have plenty of restaurant reviews when I return!

'til then,

your Allergic Diner

...And we're back

Well, I can breathe a sigh of relief. Top Chef Season 4 has started, and much like Season 3, it appears this one will be about the food and not the drama (I was NOT a Season 2 fan).
The competitors for each season seem to be increasingly well trained with more impressive resumes. A chef from Le Cirque and one from Buddakan? Not too shabby! But I made one interesting discovery last night that I'm wondering if any one else noticed. Did this years casting director go looking for chefs who looked like last year's chefs? Richard bears resemblance to Sandee Birdsong (it might just be the hair, but it's there, admit it!) Stephanie looks like Leah, and is Spike the new C.J.? It's not the looks, but maybe the hat...I'll get back to you on that one.

So let's dissect the quickfire:
Richard's Peach Talleggio Pizza with Sweet Tea Reduction looked absolutely delicious!
Dale's (another season, another Dale?) pizza with sriracha sauce looked beautiful. He pickled his own kohl rabi! (and I write this only because this morning my first order of business was to find out what the heck kohl rabi was (according to Wikipedia it is a low, stout cultivar of cabbage).
Spike's Greek-style pizza was my favorite because it was unique but still sounded delicious. I'm not quite sure how molasses figures into a pizza, but as Rocco di Spirito's blog says, pizza is just bread, there is no blanker slate!
Not sure what a couple of the other chefs were thinking (grapes & bacon, melon & prosciutto? I freely admit to not having an advanced palate, but ick!)
I think Nikki had a great idea for a white pizza (which I am admittedly quite partial to with a tomato allergy) but the crust was, well, a bit much....

On to elimination:
Both Nikki and Stephanie fared far better at the elimination challenge, with Stephanie winning overall with her recreation of duck a l'orange and duck spring rolls. They looked quite tasty! Nikki's rolled out her own pasta from scratch for her lasagna! Impressive!

My only opinion about the elimination is that I think souffle was a set-up. It is one of the hardest things to cook, and predictably, neither Eric's nacho fiesta souffle, nor Zoi's rice pudding souffle were the right take on the idea of light and fluffy. However, in the end, Nimma was sent packing due to an over salted shrimp scampi and a cauliflower "scramble (?)"....


All for now - we'll meet here again next Wednesday for another Top Chef, recap. Leave me your thoughts and opinions!
~Allergic Diner

If only more restaurants and staff would be this open...Hannah & Mason's, continued...

If you've been following the blog chatter on my last few postings, then you know I've left Hannah & Masons employees with my word that I will be trying their new and improved post-Kitchen Nightmares restaurant shortly. I also requested that one of their employees, who responded to my post, fill out an allergy questionnaire of sorts, and return it to me so that I could post both sides of the issue online. I am pleased to report that I did receive the questionnaire back, not only in a timely manner, but very carefully filled out and quite detailed in the information it provides. I'd like to thank fellow blogger, Allergic Girl http://allergicgirl.blogspot.com, for allowing me to co-opt several questions she uses when interviewing staff about the accommodations made for allergic patrons at their locales. I mixed hers with my own, and the result is what follows:

Here are the questions and their responses:

I just wanted you, as well as anyone else out there who has this misconception about our restaurant, to know that we are committed to showing our customers a good meal and whatever special instructions are needed are really not a big deal. Perhaps bringing this issue to light will help us to train our servers to better deal with the situation, because it is really not very difficult to work with an allergic customer.

1. Please tell me about your staff training on food allergens. Who conducts your training? How often?

We have no specific training on food allergens. All staff, when trained are told repeatedly that all food is made to order and if a customer has an allergy, they are to write it on their ticket for the kitchen staff. When a customer asks to have something left off a dish, staff is advised to follow the request by asking whether or not the omission is because of an allergy (most people will clarify before the question is asked), that way everyone knows for sure. If a server is not sure whether or not a dish contains an allergen, they are instructed to ash the executive chef. While there is no formal training, the staff is taught a proper procedure for ensuring all parties involved know about the allergy.

2. How do you prevent cross-contamination in your kitchen when dealing with special orders for food-allergic customers?

The majority of the components to the various dishes on our menu are made a la minute. therefore most any request can be granted for most any allergy. It is easy for the kitchen to leave the tomato out of the fennel, olive, and tomato tapanade, since it is sauteed on the spot. If it is not possible, the chef will let the server know. If two of the same dishes are required for one table, and one requires special instructions for an allergy, the two dishes will be made separately. \

3.If a patron needs more allergen and ingredient information than your menu provides, who can they contact at the restaurant?

The number to the restaurant is 609.655.3220 and the caller would want to speak to Chris, Brian, or Nick. The two executive chef's and the front of house manager are all well versed in ingredients and components on the menu. We receive many calls for this exact purpose and we welcome them.

4. Are there nut-free options on your menu?

There are a great deal of nut free options on the menu, and anywhere there is a nut on the menu (barring premade sauces like Romesco, and premade salsa's) it can be taken out. Meats crusted in nuts can be done without the crust, and nuts in salads can be omitted entirely or placed on the side. Nuts are usually crusted in the beginning, or placed on at the end, so there is no real danger of a special order being cross contaminated.

5. Are there gluten free options?

We actually just had a gluten-free diner in the other night who enjoyed her meal very much, and before the server took each course of the order, she came back and asked the cooks if each thing the person ordered was gluten free, which it was. The majority of the menu (except things thickened with flour, and desserts) are gluten free. Meats and fish are safe, as are potatoes, french fries, vegetables, etc. I would say the majority of our menu is indeed gluten free, and anywhere there might be gluten, the food can be removed and substituted with no trouble. Desserts are a tad more difficult, but we always have our delicious creme brulee (as well as fruit cobblers) on hand, 100% gluten free.

6.Are there dairy-free options?

There are also dairy free options as well. Mashed potatoes can not be done without dairy (butter, milk) but other starches can be employed, as well as double vegetables, cooked without butter of course. Meats and fish are always dairy free, and if sauces contain dairy, they can easily be omitted or substituted. The majority of desserts contain dairy, but the server and garde manger could easily (and would be happy to) work with a diner to figure out an alternative.

Ultimately, we are looking to make our customers happy. If that requires a little extra work on our part (which 90% of the time, it doesn't even) we are happy to do it. We just ask diners with allergies to let their servers know about the allergy up front, and we will be willing to work with the customer in whatever way they need. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.

Please don't believe what you hear, special requests take 5 seconds to abide, and we really do not mind. Come see us soon.
Nicole Stanke
Line Cook/Front of House Manager, Hannah and Mason's

In addition to thanking Nicole for such a prompt reply, I would like to offer my solemn promise of not only a visitation with NAH in the next several weeks to try this for myself, but a glowing thank-you on behalf of allergic patrons everywhere. I hope this restaurant's willingness to share on this blog serves to increase their business. To Hannah & Masons, of Cranbury, New Jersey! My favorite line? "....it is not very difficult to work with an allergic customer" On behalf of all of us, thank you!
~The Allergic Diner

P.S. It is important to note that several minutes after receiving the email response, I received a follow-up
"I wrote the wrong thing down there under gluten free :) When I said fruit cobbler, I meant to say fruit and whipped cream. Sorry for that :)"

A friend speaks up...

Well, I decided Blake was right (I may never live this down). That's right Blake, I'm responding to your comment for the world to see. What he, an old and dear friend of mine, wrote in response to my last posting, about my qualms of attending and participating in the taping of a tv show, was the below:

"... this is your chance to bring the world's attention to allergic diners and what do you do but shy away. You should be that person because it will go to show just how far that restaurant is coming and what they really say behind your back in the kitchen. One just has to wonder if all allergic diners get the same treatment. I say go for it. Opportunity is knocking, are you going to keep the door shut or open it and embrace it? Choose wisely and do it for all allergic diners everywhere!"

He's right. So I spoke with the casting people yesterday, determined to let this occur as it may, only to find out that every single available slot had been filled for both lunches and dinners through Saturday evening. Relieved? A little. Disappointed? A little....but very much looking forward to seeing what they found wrong with Hannah Mason's when 'Kitchen Nightmares' airs...I'll get back to you with the time when I know.

So thanks, Blake. Sometimes even yours truly needs a big ole' kick in the you-know-what.
~TAD

Kitchen Nightmares!

The FOX television show "Kitchen Nightmares!" is taping down the street from where I work at a restaurant called Hannah Masons. Personally, I've never eaten there, because the menu is a little too french-inspired to be allergic-diner friendly, but I've heard awful things about the service and restaurant itself. Enter Chef Ramsay!
For a week now, the better part of our parking spots at the public lot have been blocked off. Irritating. This morning, the camera crews were lining the street. Interesting. About two hours ago, I got to help cast extras for the show! Exciting!
A casting assistant came into my office to speak with me about the possibility of sending a few of our staff to the restaurant to be on tv on the 'before' portion of the show. I recommended a few people, and to my delight, all three were accepted. The catch? They had to pay for their own lunch, just as they would in the restaurant. That was ok with them. As for me, I couldn't leave my desk today (inundated with work), but I'm a little concerned to join the show at tomorrow's taping, as I've been asked to do.
I'm petrified of being portrayed on reality TV as that customer...the one who makes special requests, sends things back and is in general, a big ole' pain in the rear. Now, I do make special requests, but I show my med-alert bracelet as a qualifier (which upsets NAH to no end, he insists I shouldn't have to explain, but I think he's wrong...telling someone that if a tomato touches my sandwich I'm going into anaphylactic shock just might make them think twice before they simply pick it off and bring it over).
However, I happen to know that Hannah Masons hasn't always been very gracious about accomodating requests to begin with, so I think I may steer clear. Am I missing a golden opportunity, or am I saving myself from being scapegoated? Rest assured, if I made it onto the show, it'd be edited so you didn't hear me explaining the death-causing problems, just portrayed as upset when the tomato arrived on my sandwich.... I think maybe I'll just watch the show with the rest of the world....
Your Allergic Diner

reviews to come....

Hello all,
Well, usually this time of year work dwindles down (post-holiday slump). However, that hasn't happened. As you can see, yet again I am lax in my blogging. My apologies.
So many things are new in my world...
First off, NAH and I have been attempting to allergy-proof the house. We now own and operate a humidifier for the upstairs. Second, this weekend I am off to my company's retreat! Several fun-filled days of company bonding, lots of eating, and probably some drinking and shopping in addition to all those fun team-building exercises.
I'm excited about this because the people at my company did something for me that has NEVER happened to me before. I've received menus of all the places we have dinners, lunches, and brunches scheduled. I was shown the orders ahead of time, and allowed to order additional food so that I'd be able to eat at each function. For example, we're having dinner on Thursday at a very large, well-known, delicious Italian restaurant to celebrate our 20th anniversary, but we're eating family style. Large platters of baked ziti, chicken parmesan, and olive oil, tomato, and oregano soaked bruschetta. Not so good for your allergic diner. I get to order some plain pasta and a salad sans tomatoes, etc.
My excitement is that not only will I be able to eat, but I work with a bunch of genuinely nice people who know enough about my problems to be concerned and want to help. Very kind! No allergy alert for this trip, and I'll be back next week with a bunch of reviews of restaurants...
Yours in allergies, eating, and traveling,
~Allergic Diner