silly yaks

isto · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 4:27 pm Post subject: silly yaks

I think I'd rather be a silly yak than a celiac. i get a puzzled look no matter WHAT I say i am! if 1 in 150 people have this thing, WHY are most people ignorant about it?!!! in restaurants, servers look at me like i'm a gf fruitcake for requesting food i can actually eat! after i explain my dietary limitations, my husband makes sure the server understands what i need. they nod, say they completely understand, repeat back what we said...and bring my gf dinner with a roll sitting on top of it!!! URGH!!!! Mad

my husband says the only safe place to eat is my kitchen - he's right! thanks for letting me rant!!!

Danita

It's Patrick · Guest

Hi Danita!

It's Patrick, the site wouldn't allow me to log in.

One great restaurant is The Outback Steakhouse. They have a GF menu. I am not sure if you have one near you; if so .. it's worth a visit.

The one we have here in Omaha has seperate GF servers. They specialize with the proper way to treat GF orders. It's quite nice.

Give them a call.

Take care!
-Patrick

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10971 Location: WI, USA

Judy · Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 235 Location: Massachusetts

Danita, we all know what you're talking about. Its almost understandable that wait staff don't have much of a clue, but my horror comes when you go into the hospital and the dietitans don't really know what is involved in a GF diet. Hubby had problem with his last hospital stay in June. She "kinda sorta" understood, but he finally just told her PLAIN FOODS. He just avoided the crackers AND the soup. Most likely the soup was probably loaded with gluten - most commercial soup bases are. Its a tough fight so when it comes to eating out - we just don't do it often. Its not worth it to my hubby to be sick and its certainly not worth it to me to see him that way. It breaks my heart.
_________________
Judy

isto · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:14 pm Post subject:

Thank you, Al for the card recommendation. I went right over to the travel section and printed out your allergy card. It is much more thorough than the one I have that just says no wheat, rye, barley, etc.

Patrick - Thank you for recommending a specific reestaurant! Our Outback has a really bad reputation for lack of cleanliness. We had a real problem there a few years ago and my husband has never wanted to go back. Maybe we should give in and try it again!

I don't mean to sound like I'm whining - after all, dining out is a bonus in life, not a requirement. I just always enjoyed Sunday afternooon lunches out with my family. It was my day off from the kitchen, and cooking for 7 people three meals a day really warrants a day off! Smile

Danita

Professor · Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 757

We ALL know only too well the standard reaction to celiac. I'm always shocked at where I get it though -- places where I SHOULDN'T get it.

1) I was in the hospital for a few days, and I told them I have CD and can have no WRBO. White bread, crackers, etc, came with my meals. I asked to see the dietician -- even more shocking when she showed up. "You said no wheat -- this is white." ARGH!!!!! "YOU'RE A DIETICIAN AND COULD KILL SOMEONE WITH ALLERGIES, WITH THIS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE!"

2) At the health food store, I happened to have on my "Wheat Sucks" t-shirt. The clerk said, "Oh, me too -- I only like white." Now, one might not be too concerned, until considering that this woman gives out samples (I will now CHECK the label myself, instead of just asking if there's any wheat in whatever it is!), reads the labels at the deli to me, advises customers, etc. DOUBLE-ARGH!

3) Oh, let's not forget the gal behind the deli counter -- I found some GF deli cuts I wanted, and asked her to wash down a slicer with a clean cloth, etc, so I could have some meats -- she asked my concern and I told her gluten. "Glue?" "No, gluten." "What's that??" Argh! ARGH! ARGH!!!

BUT, I did have a wonderful experience last month at my brother's wedding (no, they didn't make the cake GF for me!). I spoke to the caterer a month ahead, 3,000 miles away, to discuss my safely eating at the wedding reception. "Sure, no problem." (Right. Where have I heard that before? Oh yes, that's right -- everywhere!) So, on the morning of the wedding, which was a sit down dinner (so I couldn't just fake it and pretend I'd eaten at the buffet, which I often do -- fake eating, that is!), I asked to speak to the chef. He came out, and let me tell you, he was well-versed in CD. Has a separate prep area, staff prepared to make my meal safely (changing clothes and aprons, washing well, and so on), separate dishes and tray so no mix-ups, etc. Then, while we were waiting for the first course, a server came out to ask me to see the chef again. He had one spice in the coating of the prime rib that he couldn't verify as safe (he had thought that would be ideal for me), so he wanted to know what else I wanted -- the sky was the limit. I settled on a nice big hunk of fresh haddock, wrapped in foil with some fresh lemon juice, baked, and served still sealed in the foil -- ditto for my baked potato. And when my salad arrived (wrapped while it was carried from the kitchen on a separate tray!) with my own special oil and vinegar cruets, the bottles too were sealed in plastic wrap after they had been filled, so no one handling a bread basket or similar would contaminate my things, etc. The entire day was like that -- I felt SOOOO safe and happy!

Long story -- sorry! It was just SOOOO good!

Lexi