For the past week I’ve been living out of a suitcase and ordering off of a menu. From the five double-double (animal style) cheeseburgers at regional burger chain IN-N- OUT to the bacon, egg, avocado and cheese wraps at Joni’s in Montauk, I’ve indulged in food that I usually avoid at home.
Monday night when we pulled into my driveway, I had a supersized food hangover. (The multiple Mint Juleps chased with a half bag of ‘organic’ popcorn that I consumed during and after my friend’s wedding put me over the edge.)
Now that I’m back in State College, I’m planning a month-long gluten detox. I’ve eaten gluten-free off and on for the past few years, and as I’ve experimented with the diet, a burgeoning gluten-free market has developed in my backyard.
It seems everyone, including the ENT who is treating my sinus infections (the very reason I tried the diet), knows someone whose health problems have been minimized or completely cured by eliminating gluten from their diets. Those in the food business have taken note of this new market, which is filled with customers eager for options that at least resemble the staples of their old way of eating.
The following is my list of go-to places for eating gluten-free in Happy Valley. It isn’t exhaustive and it’s completely subjective, so feel free to leave a comment about your own favorite places. Hopefully I can write the same column next year and it’ll be twice as long.
The point is that a gluten-free diet doesn’t have to mean a life without satisfying food. Apparently you can have your cake and eat it, too.
Dining Out
Otto’s Pub and Brewery, 2235 N. Atherton St.
Otto’s isn’t exactly a gluten-free paradise. The place makes its own beer, which like all good beer, ruins my sinuses. But I like eating at Otto’s for two reasons: The salads and French fries are amazing. Plus, it recently started offering a gluten-free beer (not its own).
Corrinado’s Pizza, 114 Hetzel St.
Sometimes you just want dinner out of a cardboard box. The hardest part of a gluten-free diet is the elimination of convenience from the act of eating. If I get hungry, I can’t just grab a slice of pizza or a sandwich (ruling out roughly 80 percent of the food options in this town). But I can order Corrinado’s Pizza. The rice crust is tasty, albeit a bit chewy, and it’ll satisfy your pizza craving better than anything you’ll find in the gluten-free freezer case in your grocery store.
The Enchanted Kitchen, 127 S. Pugh St.
Just what your body ordered: smoothies and gluten-free wraps. Since the Enchanted Kitchen buys from area farmers, some of the menu items are seasonal; right now you can expect wraps stuffed with spinach and mustard greens. Have a sweet tooth? A smoothie mixed with blueberry juice, mango, apple, coconut and banana should keep it happy.
Café Lemont, 921 Pike St., and Cool Beans Coffee and Tea, 141 W. High St., Bellefonte
I can’t imagine a world without dark chocolate, wine and coffee. Fortunately, those items are still allowed. But eating gluten-free has meant that I’ve had to give up one of my favorite weekend-morning rituals: coffee and baked goods. Fortunately, there are plenty of gluten-free baking recipes, but it’s a bit harder to find a café with gluten-free baked goods. So on behalf of all gluten-free eaters, I thank the owners of these two cafés for making it a little bit easier to get out of bed on a Sunday morning.
Spats Café, 142 E. College Ave.
Spats has an entire gluten-free menu available upon request.
Retailers
Nature’s Pantry, 2331 Commercial Blvd.
When I first started eating gluten-free, I spent a lot of money at Nature’s Pantry stocking up on quinoa flour (who knew?), gluten-free waffles, bread and pasta. According to the owner, the store’s gluten free sales have increased about 30 percent since last year. Its most popular products are Udi’s breads and its new hamburger and hotdog buns.
Wegmans, 345 Colonnade Blvd.
If you can’t find it at Nature’s Pantry, you can probably get it here. I’m a huge fan of Pamela’s Products Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies and Boulder Canyon Natural Foods Rice & Adzuki Bean Snack Chips.
Fasta & Ravioli Company, 129 S. Fraser St.
Stay tuned pasta lovers: Fasta is currently working on a gluten-free recipe.
Farmers Market Vendors
Liz Spielvogel, State College Farmers Market
I found out about Spielvogel after a friend mentioned that she recently pre-ordered five of her gluten-free chocolate-chip banana breads. Spielvogel also makes gluten-free cookies – her flourless peanut butter are popular – and muffins. She turned to a gluten-free diet about four years ago due to health problems, and discovered Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free flours, which she uses exclusively in her baked goods. (Bob’s is an Oregon-based company that has a separate facility dedicated exclusively to gluten-free products, so there is no risk of cross-contamination.) In addition to selling at the farmer’s market, Spielvogel takes orders via e-mail, (lizspiel@comcast.net).
Bell & Whistle, State College Farmers Market
In my last column I featured Bell & Whistle, a mobile gluten-free bakery that will soon be selling its gluten-free cookies, whoopee pies, muffins and soft pretzels at the Tuesday State College farmers market and the Saturday market on North Atherton Street. What I love most about these products is what they don’t contain: additives and fillers common to gluten-free good. Be sure to try her hallmark macarons (not to be confused with the macaroon).
