Luigi Vitelli Gluten Free Corn Pasta

               It’s interesting when you are looking for one thing in a grocery store and end up discovering something you didn’t know anything about.  This is what happened to me when I was looking for Pickapeppa Sauce in the Jamaican row of Cermak’s.  I never found the Pickapeppa Sauce, but I did find Luigi Vitelli Gluten Free Corn Pasta across the aisle.  A friend had told me he really liked corn pasta as a substitute for wheat pasta, but this was the first time I had found it.

                The first time trying a new product is always interesting as we wait to see how it tastes.  I made a dish using the corn pasta linguine with a roasted poblano pepper cream sauce and chorizo sausage.  The pasta tasted as though you were eating a corn tortilla, which went really well with the other ingredients.

                If the Luigi Vitelli Gluten Free Corn Pasta is something you would like to try, it comes in six different varieties: Elbows, Fusilli, Linguine, Penne Rigate, Rigatoni, and Spaghetti.  You can get more information about these products at vitellifoods.com.

                I hope you enjoy this pasta.  It has a lot of possibilities.

MOD Pizza

              There is a new pizza place in town, and it’s called MOD Pizza.  Built on the structure that you pretty much build your own pizza, this restaurant works fast and is tasty, too.  No matter what you decide to put on your pizza, the price will always be the same as the price is determined by the size of the pizza you choose.  A gluten-free crust is available for an additional cost.

                When creating your pizza, you have two main options.  One is to go with the prearranged combinations that are offered.  You can either stick with the exact ingredients listed, or add other ingredients without increasing the cost.  The second option is to completely create your own.  You walk down the buffet style set-up and let the pizza maker know which ingredients you would like.  The list of ingredients you can have is quite lengthy, meaning you can experiment with a new combination each time you come in.  It also means that each pizza ends up being truly your own.

                As good as this pizza is, there is one thing I must warn you about, and the company website does as well.  While the gluten-free pizza crust is an option, it is baked in the same oven as the crusts that are not gluten-free.  For those who have a severe allergy to gluten, this is something to definitely be aware of.

                I am very glad MOD Pizza put out the warning about the baking of the gluten-free pizzas on their website (www.modpizza.com).  It shows that they truly care about their customers.  On their website you can also find nutrition facts and ingredient lists for their other pizza components so you can go into MOD Pizza educated about what you will be eating.  Add this care for customers to the nice staff I encountered (plus the good pizza), and MOD Pizza is definitely a place I want to go back to.       

Burgers and Fries at Stack’d Burger Bar

              Burgers and fries.  How many times a day does that phrase get used in America’s restaurants?  Usually people who are gluten free have things to worry about when they hear this phrase, but at Stack’d Burger Bar that is not the case.

                At Stack’d you can build your own burger (including vegetarian burgers) or choose from their list of Specialty Stacks.  In both cases you can choose to have a gluten free bun or go without one completely.  The fries also have the ability to be fried in their own fryer so they do not come in contact with anything that may be breaded, such as onion rings or pickles.  Just be sure to tell the wait staff about any gluten or other allergy concerns you may have.  They are very well informed about their food and processes as well as willing to find out answers to questions they may not happen to know.

                Located in Milwaukee’s Fifth Ward, I suggest you check out Stack’d for a wonderful burger experience. stackedbar.com

Gluten-Free Mondays and Wednesdays at Transfer Pizzeria Café

              I know I’ve mentioned Transfer Pizzeria before, but I’d like to mention this restaurant again.  This is because of their Gluten-free Mondays and Wednesdays.  On these days, from 4 pm to close, there is not an up charge for gluten-free appetizers and pizza.  Also, Lakefront New Grist Gluten Free Beer is two for the price of one.  This means you can get the bruschetta, a pizza, and two beers, all gluten-free, for much less than you would usually pay.  That sounds like a great deal to me.

                For more information, visit www.transfermke.com.

Edwardo’s Gluten Free Thin Crust Pizza

             We have just had the most wonderful time of the year.  With the holidays we got an array of special dishes we don’t eat any other time.  All of them are delicious and we love eating them, but sometimes we want something simple after all that rich food.  Pizza comes to mind as a great alternative.  Most people can order out or open their freezer door and find a pizza with ease.  That is not the case for everyone. 

               We have tasted a very good frozen gluten-free pizza by Edwardo’s. Their Gluten Free Thin Crust Pizza had a crisp crust with a good sauce and cheese. We had the Spinach, but BBQ Chicken, Cheese, and Sausage & Pepperoni are available as well. Our pizza was purchased at Woodman’s.

Tres Latin Foods Pupusas

                You never know where you’re going to find a new gluten-free product.  This time I have to give Guy Fieri and his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives credit.  If I had not seen him visit a restaurant where pupusas were their specialty, I may not have given them a second look.

                On a Saturday morning not long ago, I was shopping at Outpost Natural Foods and saw one of the special items of the week was Tres Latin Foods Pupusas.  Located in the freezer section, I was surprised to see pupusas at all.  Then I saw they were gluten-free and that was a bonus. 

                I brought them home and found the pupusas were good and easy to make.  Available in five different flavors, the flavor I tried was the Green Chili & Cheese.  It came with a slaw recipe on the box as a suggestion of what to serve with the pupusas.

For the additional flavor options, visit trespupusas.com.

Bruschetta at Transfer Pizzeria Café

                   There is a debate going on over the proper way to pronounce the word “bruschetta”.  Everyone has their own thoughts on the subject and there are good arguments on all sides as to why one pronunciation should be used over the others.  I have discovered, that amongst all this debate, one thing always remains the same.  Bruschetta is tasty, no matter how it is pronounced.

                At Transfer Pizzeria Café there are three different kinds of bruschetta on the menu.  The Bruschetta does not have any meat or seafood on it while the Bruschetta Salami has salami and the Bruschetta Salmone has salmon.  All three can be made gluten-free which makes them great appetizers for the gluten-free pizza.     

                The menu for Transfer Pizzeria Café, as well as information about their gluten-free items, can be found on their website transfermke.com.

Fish Fry at IL MITO East

           Since we have moved into the season of Lent, many people are eating fish in lieu of meat.  There is a gluten-free fish fry option being offered at IL MITO East every Friday in March 2014.  Visit www.ilmitoeast.com for location information and hours of operation.