Gluten-free and the Family

My father was sick for two years before discovering the culprit.

In 2006, we took a family trip—of a lifetime—to Yellowstone National Park. We’re not the lay on the beach with a Mai Tai kind of vacationers. And, thanks to my Irish/Welsh heritage that’s out of the question—I’d rather eat a lobster than look like one, after all. No, we’re those lay-around-on-the-couch-when-you-get-home-this-is-an-adventure-for-godssake vacationers. Fishing and hiking top our list. But of all the hikes we’ve taken, Purple Mountain Trail in Yellowstone stands out as our most trying trek.

This particular hike was dotted with stops so that my dad, stomach cramps and all, could use the bathroom. Well, not the bathroom, exactly. Mother Nature forgot to add bathrooms to her list of bountiful blessings. That’s probably too much information—too graphic a description for some. But it’s exactly the graphic nature of gluten intolerance that makes awareness of the illness so important—especially in baking. The utmost care must be taken if you are producing gluten-free products in a combined environment, as even a tiny amount of gluten can make celiacs and the gluten intolerant sick for weeks. And in my experience, it can make them crabby, too! No one likes to be sick.

I spoke with one industry expert who said it is nearly impossible to produce a gluten-free product with flour around. I don’t have to tell you that flour gets everywhere—vents, compressors, etc. It’s a good idea to private label at least one gluten-free product from a baker who is dedicated gluten-free. One of my favorites is Deerfield’s in Chicago.

I still feel bad for my dad when I look back at our pictures of our hike that day. He’s sprawled out under a tree, trying to rest, while my mom and I are taking in the views of the Gibbon valley below—full of greenery and geothermal wonders. Shortly after our vacation, my dad slowly eliminated some of life’s greatest reasons for living from his diet. Chocolate, beer and wheat were the final three foodstuffs to go. “Just kill me now!” was my dad’s response. But after eliminating wheat—and, necessarily, beer—he stopped getting sick. That little protein that is the foundation of baking was causing all of his aches.

Gluten intolerance, like all illness, requires some familial changes. It takes some substitutions in the pantry and a keen awareness of what one puts into his or her body. My mom, much to my chagrin, won’t keep any products that contain gluten in the house. Except, that is, when baking for holidays. But when my dad is on business trips, we sneak away for some pizza or sandwiches on good, gluten-rich bread. Man cannot live on rice flour alone.

Stay tuned for more on my parent’s pantry and the change to a gluten-free lifestyle. What about your customers, bakers? Have you seen a demand for gluten-free products, and how are you handling that demand?

My dad (at right) walks along a mountain lake during one of our many vacation adventures.