Gluten Free PSA #9 - Raisin Rack: If You Haven't Been, GO

New York City was recently named the most gluten-free friendly city in the country. I admit, such a declaration left me a little heartbroken. 

I miss New York. I miss every person, every cab, every jewelry stand. I miss the 200 year old buildings and the great glass structures that sweep up to the sky. I miss the museums, the bridges, and the food. Dear god, I miss the food. Among its amazing gluten-filled establishments, NYC is home to S'mac, Slice, and the Rissottoria - just a few of the many restaurants that aren't just GF friendly, but GF focused. Even if the City weren't home to the Columbia Celiac Disease Center, New York would still top the list of ultimate places to lead your gluten-free life. 

That said, I wonder if those who bestowed such an honor on New York have ever been to Canton, Ohio. 

With it's quaint, country architecture and it's throngs of local businesses referencing the steel and rubber industries that once thrived in this part of the country, Canton is very much your typical town in the heartland. Flat and family oriented, it's is one of those places that are postcard perfect examples of Ohio - for further proof, look only to the fact that Canton is the home of The Football Hall of Fame. And while it may not have prada knock offs or punk rock roots, Canton, Ohio happens to have something New York City does not: gluten free heaven...otherwise known as The Raisin Rack. 

Sure it may look like any other health food specialty store, but as the shelves and shelves of vitamins and other familiar organic products give way to the designated gluten-free section, something absolutely magical happens, and you realize you're standing in the shadow of gluten-free greatness. Home to 3,500 gluten-free products, the Raisin Rack really is the place for gluten-free shopping. Need further proof? Ohioans don't just love the Raisin Rack, in fact, this gluten-free oasis regularly gets consumership from Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and even California! Take that, New York. 

But what really makes - and keeps - this place special is a lovely lady named Denise. A nurse diagnosed with Celiac Disease roughly eight years ago, Denise doesn't just work at the Raisin

Rack, she doesn't just order, personally test and approve all of the products sold, or keep a watchful eye on what sells and what doesn't (if it doesn't sell well in 3 months, the product is tossed, to make room for something better suited to the celiac communities' tastes and taste buds), she also regularly holds office hours at the store Monday thru Friday, personally counseling the newly diagnosed on their celiac lifestyle and helping them with their first (of many, I'm sure) gluten free shopping trips at the Raisin Rack. 

Denise came to meet me armed with a packet celiac disease information ranging from a basic blue print of the condition and it's statistics in the general population to coupons for the store, to a free copy of a new, beautiful gluten free magazine called Delight. Did I mention that Denise is also the founder of the Canton-Alliance Celiac Support Group (they meet the first Saturday of the month)? Unlike the ones in the Cleveland/Akron area,  Denise's group is

associated with the Gluten Intolerance Group, which is a great organization I happened to be somewhatfamiliar with, as they did a lot of the work in organizing such fantastic gluten-free information in New York City. 

While it may not have The Met, Central Park, or CBGBs, Canton, Ohio may just be on it's way to becoming a destination onto itself. (For those culture starved celiacs looking for a little art to go along with the gluten free NY style bagels or angel food cake the Raisin Rack offers, be sure to check out the Canton Cultural Center for the Arts and its ABSOLUTELY ASTONISHING exhibit of Itchiku Kubota's Kimono's as Art. It's breath taking, really.) 

If weren't enough, let's not forget all of the celiac friendly events the Raisin Rack regularly hosts. Still upcoming events in March alone include workshops on celiac disease held at 1pm on Saturday the 21st and 28th on the topics of shopping and label reading, and dinning out at celiac-friendly restaurants, respectively. (Preregistration is required, please call 1-330-996-1515.) In addition, March 28th will also be home to an exciting gluten free donut hole sampling. I mean, gluten-free donut holes, do I really need to say more?

Easily accessible from the highway, home to approximately 30 gluten-free friendly restaurants (just ask Denise, she's got a list in her head!), and with perhaps the greatest gluten-free grocery store this side of the Atlantic (that, by the way, offers rewards points when you shop, resulting in gift certificates for you) that carries fresh breads, pies, and cookies from Kathy's Creation's Bakery in Alliance, Ohio AND has a number of KOSHER gluten-free selections (yes, they actually carry many Shabati Gourmet products throughout their in six over-stuffed freezer cases), it is fairly safe to say that if New York City is the number one city for gluten-free living, Canton, Ohio ranks as a pretty close runner up. 

We also don't have to tote our groceries back home by riding packed, smelly subways, which is always a plus. 

Nicole's Italian Restaurant - Albany, New York

I've been a a gluten-free on the go girl for a while now. 

If I'm not in Cleveland, I'm probably traveling to Ann Arbor to visit the boyfriend, or if I'm really lucky, I'm in or around my real love, New York City (...and won't the boyfriend be thrilled to read that! hah!) I know these two cities well. I rarely get lost, I know what's fun to do, and I know what to eat. I'm comfortable in these places, but as far as going somewhere new? Well, that always brings about some trouble. 

I wasn't just going somewhere new, I was going to Albany, New York - not exactly a strong hold of alternative eating. And as we tried to coordinate with my family there on finding a gluten free restaurant, I remembered why I so like having my own kitchen and my own familiar places to eat. (Not to say my family was anything less than stellar in trying to find a place, it's just, you know hard to be the new gluten-free kid in town.)

But it was worth the frustration. Why? Because this man, my Grandpa Norman, was celebrating his 85th birthday, and I was determined to be there. Norman is fairly particular about food himself - in a good way. Few people his age are as educated about what they put in their bodies and I for one think it's pretty cool that he shops at health food stores and makes all sorts of health food soups, not to mention the fact that he works out at the YMCA several times a week and has a job, too. My grandpa could totally beat up your grandpa - but he keeps his power in check. A pretty cool guy, right?  

Anyhow, while it was tough to find a restaurant that could satisfy all of our needs (my uncle suffers from a major fish allergy, and he and my cousin are also vegetarians...we're a fun bunch for any waitress, I'm sure) we did finally agree on a lovely place called Nicole's. A charming Italian bistro serving Northern and Southern Italian cuisine, Nicole's is the kind of darkly lit, beautifully decorated restaurant that special evenings were made for. And what's more special than an 85th birthday?

While we'd called ahead so they were ready for my gluten-free needs, I was pleased to find that not only could I order directly off the menu, but I had options! They nicely offered to oblige any off menurequest if nothing on the menu really suited me, but really, who could refuse a Grilled Portabella Napoleon with a side of fluffy rice in olive oil? (I picked that over the Grilled Stuffed Mushroom, or any of the meat dishes I could've chosen, were I a meat eater.)

The waitress was knowledgeable about Celiac and I really felt safe eating there. Everything delivered to us - gluten free or not - was absolutely beautiful. Take these pats of butter for example, who knew sat fat could be that darling? 

They say we eat with our eyes first, and Nicole's really knew how to make food look delicious. My grilled portabella napoleon came to me as two stacks of perfectly grilled vegetables - eggplant, red peppers, spinach, yellow squash, and of course, portabellas - each topped with a thick slice of buffalo mozzarella cheese and drizzled with the thickest balsamic reduction. Perfect. Simple. And something I hope to be able to recreate at home. 

Admittedly, I was jealous while I watched my family enjoy appetizers of hazelnut encrusted brie and fresh tomato topped bruchetta, but once my gorgeous plate arrived, I could hardly remember any of those pesky Ugh, why must I eat gluten free! feelings. 

So if you're gluten free in Albany - either by actually living there or if you're there visiting family and friends - remember to stop by Nicole's for a special occasion or just a treat for yourself. 

Mr. Miceli - Long Island, New York

I've been cheating on Cleveland.

To be fair, the relationship has been strained for years. We've even gone through a trial separation.

While Cleveland will always be home, New York will always by my love - even if my latest visit there reminded me of the pleasures of the great American Midwest, with it's cars and lack of trash on the street. But oh, New York. Seeing the skyline makes my heart ache, and as I gazed at the art deco geometrics of the George Washington Bridge sweep across the Hudson River and into the clear blue sky, I longed to be a part of the city again. 

I could fill volumes on celiac eating in New York. It's successes - the quaint gluten free speciality restaurants - as well as it's drawbacks - the language barriers for one, and the fast pacedness of some suspect places that makes you hope they took you're gluten free request seriously, and then there are the prices. Yes, being gluten free in New York City is a story unto itself. But it's a story for another day. Right now, it's all about my new find, Mr. Miceli in Rockville Centre, Long Island. 

Of all the wonders of finding a great pizza place in the middle of a busy town, the thing that surprised me the most was that Mr. Miceli is a regular, no frills, pizza joint. From it's basic table and chairs, to ordering at the counter, to the tongue in cheek paintings on the wall that depict scenes from classic movies with a pizza twist, it doesn't strike you as a place that would cater to a celiac population. 

Originally, they didn't. It wasn't until the owner found out he had a wheat allergy that Mr. Miceli became an equal opportunity eatery. And while I wouldn't wish such an abdominal restriction on anybody, I'm sure glad I was able to get such a great meal there. 

They have gluten free pasta - good, white rice, tastes pretty darn similar to the real thing gluten free pasta - and can make any of their pasta dishes with it. The pizza takes 35 minutes to make, and honestly we were too hungry to wait. But having an 8 hour car trip to look forward to the next day, we easily justified getting a pizza for lunch on the road (and oh, it was such a welcome alternative to Perkins' potatoes or whatever it is I try to scrape together as food on the highway). 

My huge plate of angel hair pasta arrived full of chopped garlic, fresh broccoli florets, and enough just olive oil to coat the noodles without making my dish needlessly greasy. (Picture not included, as though my camera made it to New York, my memory card sat lonely at home. Had I been able to, I would've snapped a picture of the kind and helpful people working there, too). The pasta was...pretty great. And enough for two meals. 

But, the pizza. Real gluten free New York pizza. Yum. My parents are native New Yorkers and so New York Pizza has always been a big deal in my house (note the capital letters to punctuate the importance). Midwestern pizza, with it's thick bready crust, is simply a paunchy, bloated imitation of it's far superior thin crusted cousin. 

I stowed away a few pieces of Mr. Miceli's pizza in my freezer for a rainy day, and I'm sorry to say it will probably be some time until I go back again. But your fate doesn't have to be mine. If you get a chance, if you're in Long Island, or if you're willing to travel a bit for good gluten-free food (and service!), make sure you stop by Mr. Miceli; I know I will the next time I'm in town.