Gluten Free Dining Card - English & Mexican Spanish

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8094 Location: WI, USA

I used this on a recent trip to an All Inclusive Resort in Mexico. It worked well.

Edit 9/26/05 - Note: AztecPrincess was truly being a Princess and kindly cleaned up some of the wording of my original translation. What you see below, is the updated version. Thanks again AP"

I have an allergy to gluten. I cannot eat ANYTHING made from wheat, oats, rye, spelt, or barley. (Semolina is also wheat.)

Gluten items include:
Bread/dough/crusts, pastas, croutons and bread crumbs
Sauces or soups thickened with flour
Beer, processed cheeses, malt or malt flavoring, Hydrolyzed Vegetable
Protein (HVP) from gluten grains

I cannot eat foods that have been deep fried in oil that's also been used for breaded or floured foods.
Boiling water used for cooking pasta is not safe.
Some bouillon contains HVP that's not safe for me.
Natural and artificial flavors can be a problem.

I CAN eat plain rice, brown rice, rice noodles, cornmeal/polenta, corn tortillas, corn starch, arrowroot starch, potatoes, quinoa, poultry, sea food, fruits, vegetables, salads without croutons, eggs, milk, butter, olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs, most cheeses, and wine.

Please be sure that anything made for me is cooked in a separate clean pot or pan, or grilled/broiled on clean aluminum foil, and that separate, clean utensils are used -- I can get quite sick from only traces of gluten, including crumbs.

I welcome your suggestions for a delicious meal that I can safely enjoy. Please feel free to ask me any questions about this diet if you need to.

Thank you for your special attention to my needs.

----------------------------------

Estimado Chef:

Padezco de una alergia al gluten. No puedo comer NADA que contenga trigo, ni integral ni salvado, avena, centeno, malta o cebada. (La sémola también es de trigo).

Alimentos que contienen gluten incluyen:

Pan/harina/masa para pan/costras, pastas, crotones y migajas, así como tortillas o antojitos mexicanos de harina de trigo.
Salsas y sopas espesadas con harina o sopas de pasta.
Aderezos, adobos y vinagretas para ensalada comerciales y/o mayonesa con proteína vegetal hidrolizada.
Cerveza, quesos procesados, malta o saborizante a malta, proteína vegetal hidrolizada (PVH) de granos con gluten.
No puedo ingerir alimentos que han sido fritos en aceite en sartenes que también ha sido previamente usadas para freír alimentos empanizados o enharinados.
Mole al que se le ha agregado migas de pan para espesar.
Tampoco puedo ingerir el agua o caldo en los que se ha hervido pasta.
Tampoco puedo comer sopas o guisados preparados con consomé de pollo en polvo.
Los colorantes y saborizantes artificiales pueden significar un problema.

ALIMENTOS QUE SI PUEDO COMER:

Si PUEDO comer arroz al vapor, blanco o rojo sin consomé en polvo.
Arroz integral, pastas y tallarines de harina de arroz, fríjol, soya, papa y maíz.
Enharinados y capeados solamente con fécula de maíz (maicena) y/o huevo.
También PUEDO comer carne, pollo, puerco, pescados y mariscos.
Todas las frutas y verduras.
Ensaladas SIN crotones con vinagreta casera (aceite y vinagre), vinagre balsámico y hierbas de olor.
Adobos para guisados caseros.
Huevos, leche, mantequilla (no margarina), aceite de oliva, la mayoría de los quesos y vinos.
Antojitos mexicanos hechos unicamente con harina de maíz

Asegúrese de que mis platillos se preparen y cocinen separados de otros clientes, en tablas, ollas, sartenes y utensilios limpios y los que se preparen a la parrilla, se cocinen en una hoja de papel aluminio. Me puedo enfermar seriamente si tan siquiera restos de gluten o migajas contaminan mis platillos.

Acepto sus sugerencias de otros platillos que pueda disfrutar con confianza de no provocarme malestar. No tema a preguntarme cualquier duda que tenga con respecto a esta dieta.

Le agradezco de antemano todas sus atenciones y preocupación especial a mis necesidades.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

skbird · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 245 Location: California

Great card, Al! I am going to modify and use that even in English speaking restaurants. I always forget one aspect of food prep.

Smile

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Stephanie

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8094 Location: WI, USA

Thanks - I think the text is from this site actually.

Sounds good!! What mods are you going to make? If you want...post it back out here.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

skbird · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 245 Location: California

Oh, things like no potato for me, stuff that is more specific to me and my special dietary needs. Really great info though - I think I'm not yet totally assertive enough. That's in part why I decided to go with getting tested through Entero Lab - because with those results, assuming they show that I can't have gluten, I'll feel a lot more confident about pressing the issue. At this point and time I don't eat out hardly at all, I have a sushi restaurant I go to every other week (get rolls and sashimi only, BYOB - "bring my own Braggs"), Round Table salad bar once or twice a week, and the local health food store BBQ - they know what I want when they see me, turkey patty with provolone and avocado - no seasoning, clean the grill, no bun. I've got them so trained at this point I'm not sure I should change my order. For now I am sticking with that. I have eaten a couple of other places and done ok at some, not ok at others.

I sent in my test kit yesterday so by the end of the month I should know what I need to know...
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Stephanie

luvscowznh · Joined: 23 Dec 2004 Posts: 294 Location: Groton, MA

I got some of the cards from the Living Without for shopping and dining out. Since some of the OK foods listed are not Ok for me, I simply took a black marker and covered over the foods that I can't have. It's worked pretty well so far. http://www.livingwithout.com/carddetail.jsp?cid=116. They also have Gluten-Free/Casein-Free cards. Not too expensive - 10 cards for $5.00 or $8.00 if you get both sets.
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aztecprincess · Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Mexico City

Dear Al,
Your translation was pretty good actually! Nevertheless, the mexican and translator in me begged for a review and changes accordingly. See, there are items suchs as quinoa that are unheard of much less available in México. We tend to use chicken bouillon a lot in soups, stews and rice, especially what Americans would call mexican fried rice. I added the commercial salad dressings, some barbecue sauces and mayonaisse info. I added the pork, as well as fish since the term "mariscos" refers to shrimp and shell fish only. I honestly don´t think you could find pastas made with other than wheat flour at these resorts but I left them in just in case. (I buy mines at the Asian Food Market). Although in all honesty, there is quite a big selection of mexican snacks including tacos and quesadillas and enchiladas dishes (just watch for croutons added to "mole" dishes to thicken) that you can get at these resorts that are 100% gluten free, nutritious and savory, so you might want to stick to them instead of "grilling" -no pun intended- the chef or cook to fix your food the right way.
Iris (Edys)

Estimado Chef:

Padezco de una alergia al gluten. No puedo comer NADA que contenga trigo, ni integral ni salvado, avena, centeno, malta o cebada. (La sémola también es de trigo).

Alimentos que contienen gluten incluyen:

ALIMENTOS QUE SI PUEDO COMER:

Asegúrese de que mis platillos se preparen y cocinen separados de otros clientes, en tablas, ollas, sartenes y utensilios limpios y los que se preparen a la parrilla, se cocinen en una hoja de papel aluminio. Me puedo enfermar seriamente si tan siquiera restos de gluten o migajas contaminan mis platillos.

Acepto sus sugerencias de otros platillos que pueda disfrutar con confianza de no provocarme malestar. No tema a preguntarme cualquier duda que tenga con respecto a esta dieta.

Le agradezco de antemano todas sus atenciones y preocupación especial a mis necesidades.

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8094 Location: WI, USA

Iris,

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I really appreciate your additions & corrections!

My boss did the translation for me. He came from Costa Rica (many many years ago Smile

). He what he couldn't figure out - he used a translation site called Babblefish (I believe).

So...I can add this to the bottom of the existing Mexican translation...or does this replace it? Please forgive me as I do not know Spanish Smile

We stayed in a resort by Tulum called Club Maeva. It is very beautiful there!! Loved the Chichen Itza ruins!!!! Could've spent more time there! We will be going back!!
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

aztecprincess · Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Mexico City

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8094 Location: WI, USA

aztecprincess · Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Mexico City

Dear Al,
But of course, feel free to do whatever you feel it´s right with the translation.
You are correct, real ethnic mexican food does not contain gluten (wheat was brought to America -Kansas- by the French sometime after the Spanish conquered the Aztecs).
Some people actually prefer americanized foreign foods and so these resorts & restaurants try to accomodate their wishes...
My exhusband came to visit me last week and he was so upset they didn´t have pepper shakers at the street food stands, Confused

among other little things. And when I asked him to try certain typical mexican dishes, he would just go ahead and get a burguer Rolling Eyes

I might as well start writing a traditional mexican cook book that is GF all the way, what do you think?
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An Aztec Princess without a crown...but with all the glory!

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8094 Location: WI, USA

Hi Iris,

Thanks for the permission to post it other places...it will help a lot!! I'll get those posts updated when I have a chance.

I wouldn't think that you'd need pepper shakers with using all of the different chiles Smile

I would've loved to have tried some of the street vendor food when we went in to Playa del Carmen on a shopping trip. But I was afraid of 1) gluten 2) Montezuma's Revenge Laughing

Hey, I think a traditional Mexican GF cookbook would be a FANTASTIC idea!!! I don't know if I've ever seen one (of course I have not looked to hard either). If you've got some recipes you'd like to share...please post them in the Recipe Forum!
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

aztecprincess · Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Mexico City

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 8094 Location: WI, USA

bump
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

woodyzee · Joined: 03 Sep 2006 Posts: 75 Location: Northern Illinois

This is terrific! I have only been diagnosed for 3 weeks now and have a trip to Los Cabos planned in December. It is at a timeshare called Westin Regina.

I am currently stressed and was REALLY stressed about a trip. Hopefully by then I will have a better handle on what I can and cannot eat and certainly this will help with the eating out. I also purchased the Triumph dining cards and plan on bringing snacks.

Does anyone know if it is okay to bring packaged snacks in my luggage being that it is out of the country?