O’ What a Day Café Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie

                 Last week my mother came home with a brand new gluten-free cookie she found at Sendik’s.  At first I wasn’t sure about trying it.  There have been many I have tried that ended up either gritty or with a weird back taste.  Plus I was running off to exercise and I didn’t think eating a cookie right before that would be the best thing.  So I waited and ate my half when I came home.      

                The cookie was really good.  There was not any grit and I did not find any back taste.  This was especially surprising to me because tapioca flour was part of the ingredients.  Usually I can taste tapioca flour pretty easily and it is not something I particularly care for.  I am happy to say that this time I was not able to taste the tapioca flour at all. 

                Even though I don’t need to eat gluten-free cookies, I would seek this one out and eat it again.  What makes this cookie even better is it is made in a local bakery.  Once the cookie is made, it does not have to go far to reach the Sendik’s Food Markets.  However, the bakery, according to the website, is not a gluten-free facility which could be a problem for those who are extra sensitive to gluten.  For more information, visit www.owhatadaycafe.com.

Pizza at Blaze Pizza

              Since pizza is probably my favorite thing to eat at a restaurant, I am always happy when I come across a new place that has gluten-free pizza.  One of the newest places I have comes across is Blaze Pizza in Brookfield.  They have both regular and gluten-free crusts in which you can choose either one of the pre-determined toppings options or you can build your own.  However, according to the website, all the pizzas are baked in the same oven no matter what kind of crust it may be.  This, as well as the use of the same press for both crust types, could be a concern for those extremely sensitive to gluten.  If you have questions about this, ask the staff.  They are very nice.  When my mom asked about the dough ingredients in concern for my food allergy, they made every effort to find out the information she needed to determine if I could or could not eat the pizza (I could).  This is part of the reason why I am mentioning Blaze Pizza.  Not every establishment will go to such lengths to make sure their customers stay safe and healthy (some won’t at all).  Any one that does, I believe is a place worth mentioning.

                For menu options, gluten-free information, and other Blaze Pizza locations around the country, go to www.blazepizza.com.   

Udi’s Gluten Free Soft-baked Cookies Salted Caramel Cashew

                 Salted sweets are one of the current rages in the culinary world. Udi’s Gluten Free is not going to be left behind. They have a Salted Caramel Cashew soft-baked cookie. It is a great combination of sweet with a hint of salt. This cookie was found at Outpost Natural Foods.

Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Rugelech

               Recently my gluten-free relatives came for a visit.  It had been a long time since they had been here and they were quite surprised at the amount of gluten-free items that could be found in the Greater Milwaukee Area.  While they were here we went to a few different grocery stores and they picked up gluten-free items to try as they went.  One of the items they purchased was Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Rugelech.  Unfortunately they flew home before they got around to trying it.  Since the rugelech was still in the freezer, my mom and I ended up eating it instead. 

                The entire time the rugelech was in the freezer I thought it would take a long time to prepare.  It turns out it takes hardly any time at all because there is zero baking involved.  All you have to do is take the rugelech out of the freezer and let it thaw.  Once it is thawed, the rugelech is ready to eat.

                When the rugelech is thawed it is very good.  To me it looks like a mini cinnamon roll without the frosting and makes a great treat.  However, I found that I like the rugelech better when I have warmed it in the microwave for a short amount of time after it has thawed.  My mom and I think about 15 seconds would be a good time.  I tried 30 seconds and that made the rugelech far too hot, and my mom tried 10 seconds which was not long enough.

                So far the only place we have found Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Rugelech is at Woodman’s.                      

Schar Honeygrams

                 What says more about summer than S’mores?  So as to not leave out those who are gluten-free, try Schar Honeygrams.  They have a light sweetness that contrasts well with dark chocolate and marshmallow.  Schar Honeygrams are available at Outpost Natural Foods and Woodman’s.

Bread Knots at Bartolotta’s Pizzeria Piccola

                     One of my favorite things to eat at Bartolotta’s Pizzeria Piccola is bread knots.  They are bits of baked dough covered in olive oil, garlic, and oregano and then topped with parmesan cheese.  Bread knots are an absolutely delicious appetizer that comes with a sauce if you feel like dipping.  I never do because I love the bread knots just as they are.

                For a long time I have seen the option to have the bread knots made gluten-free.  It was something that always intrigued me but for some reason never tried.  Now I have and I think they are just as good as the regular.  In some ways I think they’re better.  While the taste is pretty much the same, I find the gluten-free bread knots to be lighter.  They are filling but not to the point where I feel stuffed.  As much as I love the regular bread knots I will admit that after eating only one I can tell I may not have much room left for my entrée.  They could easily be a meal all on their own. 

          Even though I like the gluten-free bread knots, I will most likely stick with the regular. There is a slight price difference between the two, and I do mean slight, and as I usually share my bread knots there is not much of a risk of getting too full too fast. However, if I happen to be dining with someone who is gluten-free and they want to share a plate of bread knots, I’m certainly not going to pass the opportunity up. pizzeriapiccola.com

Desserts at Eataly

              I took my daughter to Chicago for her birthday.  While we were there we went to Eataly, the all things Italian market.  As we looked through the new two level store we came across the Pasticceria, the section of the market that has a wonderful array of beautiful looking desserts.  We found that many of the desserts are gluten-free.  When we called Eataly to confirm what we had seen, they specifically mentioned that they made gluten-free tiramisu and panna cotta but there are many other options as well.  At the moment there is not an online menu for the Chicago Eataly location, but according to the website there will be one soon.  www.eataly.com