Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Barely Bread's softness makes an impression

I got some samples last week of bagels, bread and rolls from a company called Barely Bread.

The company says its certified gluten-free bread products are different because they are grain free. The front of the boxes say the breads are made with almond flour.

What really stands out about Barely Bread is how soft the breads are. That made me particularly impressed with the bagels. I don't need to toast them -- I was able to just warm them up in the microwave.

That's significant to me, because it means I can take it with me to have as breakfast when I'm visiting someone else's home. I'm pretty sure you all know the feeling of being unable to eat any breakfast breads on the road, even if you bring your own, because you can't put them in a foreign toaster without getting them contaminated with gluten. I was able to wrap up the bagel in a paper towel and know it wasn't touching any gluten.

The sandwich rolls, which were also soft, held up well with my sandwich. I have to say I was disappointed with the regular bread. The texture was good, but I just didn't like the taste of it.

But I was very happy with the bagels and rolls. According to the company's website, the only store in Jacksonville selling Barely Bread is Earth Fare. So if you're shopping there, you may want to give it a try.

You can read more about the company's products here: www.barelybread.com/breads

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Jumbo Shrimp with Omission

If you go to a baseball game in Jacksonville this year, you'll see lots of shrimp.

Unfortunately, you won't see a lot of gluten-free options.

In case you missed it, our Southern League team was renamed from the Suns to the Jumbo Shrimp this season. Seriously.

Not only will you see Shrimp all over the field in the form of logos, you'll also see various shrimp dishes available at all concession stands.

Some of that shrimp is naturally gluten free, like the shrimp cocktail. But Ernest Hopkins, director of food and beverage, is very aware of cross-contamination issues and advises caution about eating at the ballpark.

And because of his concerns, the Jumbo Shrimp will not offer gluten-free hot dog buns, which is a big disappointment. But Hopkins said he would rather be safe than sorry and not take a chance that a celiac will be served the wrong bun. Remember, the Jaguars did that to me a couple of years ago, which is why I will never get anything to eat at EverBank Field again until they have a dedicated gluten-free stand (maybe this year?).

There will be Omission beer available. That of course is also risky, because there are major questions about Omission's claims that its process for brewing its barley-based beer removes the gluten. I would probably drink it if I went to a game, but not everyone will feel comfortable with that.

I went to the Shrimp's food-tasting event at the ballpark and the only thing I felt comfortable eating was the shrimp cocktail. They have various other shrimp items including coconut shrimp, a burger topped with shrimp and popcorn shrimp in a waffle bowl. None of those work for us.

I also feel compelled to say the most interesting food item is the Bold City Burger Pie, a 16-ounce burger served between two 8-inch pepperoni pizzas. I think I'm glad it's full of gluten because I wouldn't want to be tempted to try it.

Hopkins said there are a couple of gluten-free options available at the ballpark: salad shakers and fresh fruit cups with yogurt. You can also bring your own gluten-free food to the ballpark.

But if I go to see the Jumbo Shrimp, I think I will have to eat before I go.