Gluten-Free Overhaul

After I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease I knew a lot of changes had to be made, and not just to my personal diet. My family owns an inn and restaurant and, I swear, irony follows me everywhere. I was working at the restaurant one night and realized there was something terribly wrong with the menu. Under the pasta options there it was, "Anna's Pasta" and I couldn't even eat it. My brother had named the pasta dish after me about a year before when he was managing the restaurant. Of course then I ate it to my hearts content, but now one bite of it and I would be miserable for hours, not to mention the damage that it had already done to my small intestines. 

Yes, changes had to be made. I brought the menu to my father and asked if he found anything wrong with it. We were quickly doing everything we could to find gluten free pasta in bulk to offer in replace of regular pasta.

At first I was the only one who ordered it, and I'm sure it drove the cooks crazy, but as soon as word got out that we served gluten-free alternatives for pasta we were surprised to find that a few of our regulars were on gluten-free diets. They were thrilled.

It didn't stop there. The inn is known for our pancakes at breakfast so I went right to work to find an equally delicious gluten-free substitute. The chefs started to catch on and began ordering gf alternatives for other items on the menu, I was the official taste tester, if it didn't taste good we weren't serving it. Thankfully, however, there are many gf products that do taste good!

Since the first pasta substitute we have added many more alternatives to our menu. We now offer pasta, pancakes, croutons, cookies for our 3:00 snack time, brownies, and wheat-free granola (it still has oats in it). I'm still trying to work with the staff to make sure they are completely knowledgeable in gluten-free allergies and finding more alternatives for our summer lunch bar. 

Going out to eat is one of my least favorite things to do because of the hassle of finding gf items on the menu and dealing with waiters and chefs who have no idea what I'm talking about. I can't tell you how many times I have stressed to a waiter/waitress I am allergic to wheat, I cannot have anything with flour in it, all the while they are nodding their heads, writing it down, and then come and plunk a basket of bread right in front of me. Thanks. Or they ask me, "Would you like something to replace the potato?" 

"Does your potato have flour in it?"

"No." looking at me like I'm crazy for thinking potatoes have flour in them. 

And, I am not kidding, a cook has laughed right in my face for asking for a burger without the bun. 

Thankfully I am in the position to make it easier on other people with celiac disease, giving them a place to stay and a restaurant to eat at, worry free.

Visit www.wildflowerinn.com to learn more!