Sensitive Subject

            I haven’t posted about this in a while, but I’ve received some questions about it lately, so here goes. Right up front I just want to be clear, we don’t intend to hurt anyone’s feelings, but those of us with food allergies and Celiac Disease HAVE TO BE EXTREEMLY careful! Holidays and special occasions are not easy for us! There is food everywhere, GLUTEN  containing food!!! And it scares the beggeebers out of us! For a lot of us Gluten doesn’t just cause a little belly ache. For many of us that have the allergy to wheat, barely and rye, along with the genetic factor of Celiac Disease, Gluten is life threatening for us. And we do appreciate the effort that some try to make, when they bring food to our office parties or family gatherings and they think they have made us a Gluten Free recipe and it is safe. And I am fortunate to have a daughter-n-law that has achieved the skill to cook safe Gluten Free meals for me. But most people that do not have a Gluten Free kitchen, and you regularly cook with wheat flour, you don’t realize that you can inadvertently poison us. If you use a bowl or pan that has been scratched or has cracks in it, it can hide Gluten. Which can contaminate the Gluten Free food you are attempting to make. My very first Dr. told me years ago that it only takes 1/64^th of a teaspoon of Gluten to make me sick and cause intestinal damage. That is less than a crumb, its about the size of a pin head.

You can wash everything in the dishwasher and Gluten can still hide in those cracks and scratches, in wooden spoons, bowls, cutting boards, hot pads and kitchen towels, etc. Again we have no intention of hurting anyone’s feelings, and we do appreciate the effort and thoughtfulness, but please understand, It is scary for us! Please understand we cannot make ourselves sick!

Also, when we take our Gluten Free food to gatherings, Please understand when we try to keep it away from Gluten crumbs . I usually try to separate mine even just a little bit. Also please understand when we fill our plates first and set it aside before everyone else gathers. We aren’t being pushy or rude, we are just trying to be safe. I also cut my pies or cakes before I bring it so that someone doesn’t use a knife or spatula that has been used to cut the Gluten foods then use it to cut the Gluten Free foods. Believe me we are not trying to be a Primadonna or over react to our disease. We just don’t want to get sick.