Farro: It is *not* gluten-free

Today, while eating at one of my favorite places for lunch, I had an very unfortunate experience.

I go to this place because their menu changes daily and they use fresh ingredients.  Best of all, they clearly mark what items are gluten-free, which is usually a majority of them.  Score!  I have been going here for years, and I trust them when they say something is gluten-free.  It is so comforting to have a place like this.

And because of these reasons above is why today's experience was so disappointing to me.

I noticed on their daily menu that one item contained farro, and it was listed as gluten-free.  I figured I would tell them about the mistake before someone got sick.  The response I received was surprising.  The server assured me they had done research and farro was safe, and the least gluten of all the wheat grains.  I probably had to pull my jaw up from the floor at this point, as I just didn't have words, and of course did not order that lunch item.  The server, who I can only assume does not have celiac himself, was telling me it was gluten-free!

My own crisis was averted when I ordered something not containing any grains, gluten-free or otherwise.

Later, I emailed the owner to let him know about this mistake and that just because something is "low gluten", it is not free of gluten, and should not be listed as so.  This is a place, I and many others have come to trust, and if all the sudden they are marking items gluten-free, when they should not be gluten-free, how can I continue to trust it?

Imagine, if a friend, or a co-worker were to pick up lunch there for you, and since it is labeled as "gluten-free", it is assumed to be safe.  And then you eat it, because you also assume it must be safe.  Only to be sick later.

Farro is an ancient variety of wheat grown in Italy.  It *is* wheat, folks!  It contains gluten!!  And while it may contain less gluten than other commercially grown wheat, it is not free of gluten.  Those with celiac should not eat farro, period.

When I hear back from the owner, I will update here.  Until then, have you ever had a similar experience?  Have you lost trust in a restaurant or company that you felt was a trusted source when labeling their items gluten-free?

Watch out for them eggs!

I recently had an a-ha moment about ordering eggs in restaurants during a field trip with my daughter's girl scout troop. How does this happen you ask?

One of my absolute favorite places to have brunch is Flying Biscuit, right in my neighborhood, around the corner from us. My favorite thing to order is their love cakes (black bean cakes made with corn flour), served with eggs over easy and roasted tomatillo sauce, and a side of mouth-watering cheese grits. However, since I order it all the time, I thought I should venture out, and about a month ago I ordered a smoked salmon scramble. After an hour or so, my stomach felt not so great. I attributed it to the fact that they were scrambled and remembered I have had stomach aches in the past when I have ordered scrambled eggs or omelets, but funny enough I never seem to have a stomach ache with eggs over easy, or fried eggs.

So, the other week when I was on a tour of Flying Biscuit with my daughter's girl scout troop (and trying to stay away from the buckets of flour they use for the biscuits that I miss so much), I saw the menu guides they keep in kitchen, on the wall, for the cooks to put the meals together uniformly every time. Well, what I also noticed was that for scrambled eggs, they use liquid eggs...a-ha!!! I have been getting a stomach ache because there must be something in the liquid eggs causing it. Gluten? I am not sure, but what else would give me a stomach ache, so I tend to think yes. I did not see a package so I cannot say with 100% certainty, but I am glad I now know to think about that before I order eggs and to stick with eggs over easy if I am ever in doubt.

I still love Flying biscuit as much as ever, but now I know what to stay away from.

I know, I have heard that some places use pancake batter in their omelets, but I never thought of a using liquid egg instead of read eggs...well until now.

Happy eating!