Let’s talk vegetables. If you have followed this blog for a while, then you know that I gravitate more towards buttercreams and brownies.
Because, frankly, those are the things I desperately missed when I went gluten-free.
But there is this whole other world of food — one filled with a rainbow of colors and textures. And it has its own type of creamy rich stuff you can put on everything.
But these. Oh, these pancakes. They were fluffy clouds of breakfast heaven. I have a sneaking suspicion that they might have been cooked in bacon grease (aka magic flavor dust). I might have used the incredibly descriptive term "amazeballs" when a friend asked how they tasted.
I really can’t believe that I have been at this for two years already. I also can’t believe that it has only been two years.
The second year of FrannyCakes has provided me with so very many opportunities, found me an amazing group of new friends and given me a voice to share my story.
I wrote my first ebook. I had my heart broken. I almost gave up on blogging, but I shared my secret and fought back. I spoke at a blogging conference. I taught a baking class at a gluten-free expo. I gave another talk on blogging. I crossed something off of my culinary bucket list. I started a new regular feature here.
I made 537 cupcakes. Read 28 new cookbooks (yes, like they were novels). Reviewed a few. I got to meet some pretty awesome bloggers.
And it was all because you stuck around and kept reading. And wanting to know more.
So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! Thank you for reading! Thank you for your support! I love you all!
Year 3 is starting with a bang. I have a giveaway. There is a recipe for macarons tomorrow. A new ebook in less than 2 weeks. And so much more exciting stuff headed your way!
To enter, you must like FrannyCakes on Facebook, and then there are bonus entries for commenting here and liking some of my good friends on Facebook too!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Relish is a compendium of things to enjoy greatly and that add a little flavor to your gluten-free life. Because really, life is all about the awesome sauce.
February is the month of love, and even without a gentleman caller in my life, I got to spend it in style. (In case you missed it, I went to San Francisco and ate at The French Laundry and spilled the beans on their gluten-free brioche). Erica, Charissa and Alison also wrote about our visit to the San Fran. (On an unrelated note, the power point that I made for the presentation is available to download)
Speaking of the month of love, Gluten Dude started a series of Gluten-Free Love Stories. There are some truly awesome stories. Read them. Be jealous of how lucky they are.
This month, the internet was filled with delicious new recipes that I can’t wait to make. Like this incredible (01) Roasted Carrot & Quinoa Salad from A Girl Defloured. Since that is a little healthier than my fruity pebbles filled diet allows for, I think I should make up for it with (02) a Chocolate Raspberry Tart from With Style & Grace. Weekend mornings can be perked up with these (03) single-serving buckwheat waffels from Oh, Ladycakes. And we can wrap it up with another recipe featuring my favorite childhood vegetable (04) Ginger & Tamarind Glazed Carrots from The Tomato Tart.
Erica wrote a post about being human, getting glutened and powering through. I wrote a post in reaction to a comment from a friend that turned into a peptalk that I needed. There was anger over a NickJr. skit. Joy the Baker wrote some sound advice on blogging. This month was pretty epic, a certain Sassy Celiac even made a music video.
February was pretty great. But just you wait – next month I am going to start contributing to a new site, will have a new ebook out and frannycakes will be 2 years old!
Were there any gluten-free highlights that I missed?
Life is about more than cookies and doughnuts. It is about hope. Positivity. Friends.
Life is full of things. Big things. Little things. Job things. And even cat things. Life can always use more cat things.
This is a story about one of those things.
The big thing. In my reality, it is the one thing. The sick thing.
Sometimes, the fact that I am sick comes out to play. But, more often than not, it seems to catch people by surprise.
I am not the kind of sick that has treatments that cause the loss of hair. I am not the kind of sick where my disease will shorten my life expectancy. I am not the kind of sick that will get you sick (as long as you don’t count this nasty cold that I have just about kicked).
And maybe sick is not the right word. Disabled isn’t any more accurate.
But I promised I was going to fight harder this year. So I am doing ketamine infusions.
And while I spend today in a hospital room, IVs beeping, a resident hovering and the groan of the blood pressure cuff as it auto-inflates every five minutes, I want you to see.
I want to come out of hiding. Sure, I’ve told you I am sick before, that one time I had to defend myself and my decision to use Western medicine as my main form of treatment.
I have never read so many kind words.
So, I thought I ought to follow it up. Since Rare Disease Day is next week. And since I am a rare bird. And my since disease wears an invisibility cloak.
People who I don’t get to see often will comment about how good I look. About how I must be doing better.
But here’s the rub. I’m not. And I may never be. This baby is rare. And it hurts like hell.
Thinking hurts. Being hurts.
Raging, burning, searing pain. Pain that is worse than getting a finger chopped off.
And there is nothing they can do. Well, other than feed me some hallucinogenic drugs after they turned me into a robot. I need you to understand the level of pain I feel on a good day.
Here, dear friends, is where this story begins.
I have lived without real hope of living pain free for a while now. We are working on getting the rapid and vicious swings under control. Implementing coping strategies. Finding a way to live a life that is as close to what other single ladies my age are doing is incredibly important. Things like last weekend’s outings with my gluten-free friends prove life goes on.
But this isn’t about that. It is about an argument I recently had with a friend. An argument about how I shouldn’t bother to hope anymore. Particularly since all we can do is manage some symptoms. I am living without a cure.
You read that right. He said hope was a waste of energy. And on some level, I can agree. Sitting at home, wallowing and wishing is a waste of energy.
I thought maybe we just have a fundamental difference of opinion about the definition of hope. But our argument made me think a rereading of Webster’s definition wouldn’t solve our inability to see eye to eye on this.
No. He really, truly thinks that hoping, believing that there is something better is worthless.
I just can’t go there. Five years ago they told me I might never walk again. I ran a 5k. I sure showed them.
Two and a half years ago, I was given a diagnosis for the knee injury that wouldn’t stop hurting long after the tendons had healed and strength had been recovered. Every treatment option has given me something to look forward to. There was Brutus the interthecal drug pump that I carried around in a giant purse. There was the lidocaine patches. And the sympathetic nerve blocks. And trips to shrinks.
I have made it this far because I have hope. (And an amazing support system of friends and family who give me something to hope for).
Not delusions. Just hope. Because if I don’t hope that this treatment will help, why bother even trying? And if I don’t bother, what is to keep me from utter despair?
Yes, I am sick. And yes, it really effing stinks. But I refuse to be a shell of a person.
I refuse to be defined by the ski trips I can’t enjoy. Or the special rides through the air port on one of those little carts.
I am going to keep finding ways to live my life like your average getting close to thirty single lady.
I am going to surround myself with friends and family.
I refuse to let my disease define me.
This is how I hope. By fighting. And by believing I have something to fight for.
The whole point here, is that there is no reason to give up hope. No matter how black the day. No matter how much you want to just fade away. No matter how much you would do anything to stop the pain. To make it all just go away.
I know how it feels. When the tears come at night because no one understands. When journal articles and research studies show no promise of a cure. When cutting off your leg seems like a sensible solution (FYI it isn’t. Apparently the pain would stay).
You, dear friend are not alone. Whether your affliction shows up on a list of rare diseases or it touches 1 in 3 women (heart disease!), there is hope. And if there is hope, you can be assured you are not walking forward alone.
Sure, it is going to be tough. It is what you are going to do to survive. And you are going to hope (and work towards) more than merely surviving.
That is what the hope is for. Reminding yourself of the possibility of better.
Sometimes, when I start to falter, I turn to cupcakes. And while they are an excellent form of therapy, sometimes it takes a real soul soother. Soup. But not just any soup. Hearty, flavorful soup. The kind of soup that reminds you of the joys of eating.
On Thursday, February 28th, let’s take a stand for rare diseases. The awareness color for CRPS is orange, and I will be wearing it to show support. Will you join me?
This is a tale of the day I took a bite of butter like it was cheese. I blame Kyra.
I spent some time in San Francisco recently for the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo, and while I was there, I had only one day to do something touristy.
And since I was going to be seeing some of the foodie-est people I know, I knew we had do do something incredible. No one-starred restaurant would do. Not when we could get reservations at one of the best restaurants in the world. And one we knew could handle the way we order food.
Going out to the French Laundry has been something of a dream of mine. It is on my list with Aviary here in Chicago. And about a year ago, I had the opportunity to do a little bit of correspondance with Lena, the chef behind the French Laundry’s incredible gluten-free flour blend, Cup4Cup (and no, I don’t get a discount because I love it so much, although that might be kind of nice…). And it was decided. The French Laundry was on my list.
So, I stalked OpenTable. Reservations open up exactly three months in advance, and I had one day and only one day durring my trip that I could make this work.
I made the drive from San Francisco to Yountville with Brandy Wendler, the gluten-free beauty who is currently Mrs. Northwest 2013, Kyra Bussanich, 2-time cupcake wars winner & owner of one of the best bakeries in the country, Charissa who owns the award winning Zest Bakery in San Carlos with her husband, Patrick and Andrew from Taste Guru. We met up with Alison from A Girl Defloured outside the restaurant.
You can’t get a bunch of food bloggers (or girls for that matter) together without a need to document every moment.
So document, we did. From the first glass of wine until our phone batteries died, we were happily snapping away.
With our party shoes on (well, mine were on once I got them back from Kyra), we descended on one of the culinary industry’s most famed locales. And, with a whole host of food allergies and intolerances, we challenged the kitchen to feed us.
Feed us they did.
I might have even eaten a piece of beet and not wanted to spit it out for the first time in my life. So, Chef Keller, your team must be magic, because that has never happened before.
And it wasn’t just some special sauce on the beets.
You could see the skill in the artfully presented dishes. Flavors danced. Each course was perfectly portioned, just a few bites each. Enough to fully experience the dish but not so much that you would be weary.
My favorite had to be the cauliflower. It was crunchy. Robust. Not at all what I expected. The courses were all like that. Surprises of flavor.
At some point, they must have figured out who Kyra was. Or they thought if they fed us more we might stop giggling.
They were wrong about that. But the surprise courses might have been some of the best. Mango sorbet and champagne granité. A root beer float that was unexpected. Spicy. Bright.
They couldn’t make us the desserts on the menus for us gluten free, so they asked us if we preferred chocolate or fruit.
Really? You have a doubt in your mind what 5 out of the 6 of us chose?
My phone was all out of juice by then, so you will have to take my word for it being divine. And then they served us chocolates. I might have had a peanut butter & jelly one.
At this point, Brandy & I had to run because we were talking to bloggers that evening back in San Francisco, and we were 5 hours into lunch. Our greedy friends didn’t save us any of the doughnuts that they made for us. Something about fried doughs not keeping well.
I tossed my wallet to Kyra and after some disproving glances from the hostess who looked like she thought we were running out on the bill, our experience of one incredible display of food artistry came to an end.
Except it didn’t.
That meal has been following me all week. Those vegetables have consumed my thoughts.
And the brioche.
Oh. the brioche.
They were clouds of yeasty goodness that punctuated an incredible meal. And frankly, I needed more.
I spent 4 days hanging out in San Francisco this weekend – and I can tell you that I saw all the important things: Zest Bakery & the French Laundry. And that gluten-free people are the best people.
I loved seeing all of your smiling faces, answering your gluten-free baking questions and having the chance to meet you all!
Now, on to how it went!
I planned this weekend for months- anxiously texting my dear friends Kyra (owner of Crave Bakeshop outside of Portland) and Brandy (Mrs. Northwest 2013) to coordinate flights & hotel rooms. Trade secret: we all come to these events together so we have an excuse to gather from far corners of the country. And to collect more awesome friends.
To get ready for this trip, I stalked the French Laundry on Open Table for a reservation. I read up on companies visiting the expo so I could make sure that I would have time to see what products we are missing in the Midwest. (And so that I could figure out whose employees might be the most fun to hang with). I gathered a crowd that included Brandy, Kyra, Alison – the sassy blogger behind A Girl Defloured, Charissa from Zest Bakery and Andrew from Taste Guru for a day of feasting.
I’m a food blogger, so of course this trip was all about the food.
So we started our first day like any responsible party that was about to spend $300/person on lunch. We went to our friend’s bakery and ate from the tasting menu. (In other words, we ordered some of every item in the case and stood there and tried them all). I was in gastronomic heaven, and it wasn’t even 10am.
After breakfast, The French Laundry had a pretty high bar it had to clear. And it did. I may never be able to look at vegetables the same way again (and I am ok with that). 10 courses of gluten-free vegetables, a root beer float and a peanut butter & jelly chocolate and a sinful chocolate something or other and I am set for life. I am working on a post just about that meal, but for now, you’ll have to take my word that it was perfect.
Friday night was also the part that, for me, is the best part of the expo – meeting the smiling faces behind blogs, twitter handles and companies. There were two people I was on a mission to meet- Sabrina from the Tomato Tart (who got away without enough time chatting!) and Erica from Celiac and the Beast. They are as epically awesome in person as they are on their blogs. Funny, kind and gluten-free. There might have been some impressive bear hugs and squeals of delight when we all finally met.
And the there were the bloggers that I didn’t know were going to be there, or I hadn’t come across before – and they are pretty dang awesome too. You should totes check out GF Traveller, East Bay Celiac, The GFree Foodie and Sarah Bakes gluten-free. Because they are totes cool too.
The weekend wasn’t all play – Kyra, Brandy & I all gave talks and shared our passions with the crowds. Erica sold me a pretty dang awesome hoodie.
But I know all you really care about are the goods. So I singled out a few of my favorites.
Top row: Crave Cake Mixes // Freedom Cereal Tropic Os // Red Apple Lipstick
Middle row: Kind Plus Bars // The Good Bean Chili Lime Chickpeas // Taste Guru (box of the month club with awesome stuff inside!)
Bottom row: Schar Lemon Wafers // Blackbird Bakery Bread Blend //
Relish is a compendium of things to enjoy greatly and that add a little flavor to your gluten-free life. Because really, life is all about the awesome sauce.
Want that cake? Come see my presentation at the San Francisco GFAF Expo next weekend and learn how!
[On the left] My dear friend Amie has a gluten-free column on the Glamour Magazine Vitamin G blog.
[On the right] Erica from Celiac and the Beast has some pretty excellent tshirts that she’ll have with her at the GFAF Expo in San Francisco. (Yes, I have one reserved for me)
And then there are things to make. Like (01) the oatmeal toppings ideas (translated with google translate) from J’veux être bonne. Or, (02) Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pudding from Joy the Baker. Um, yes please. There is no such thing as too much oatmeal, and this version (03) with blackberries and sesame seeds sounds like a winner too. Since it is winter, and comfort food is de rigueur, these pear pizzas on Cup4Cup’s new crust look like my ticket to happiness this weekend.
Ok, and there is this gem about the flu shot and its gluten-free status from The Celiac Diva.Because the flu is icky.
Wednesday Wisdom is a series of posts with helpful ideas for getting started with being gluten-free, easy meal ideas and lifestyle thoughts from myself and my gluten-free friends. This week’s post is from Jen Cafferty from the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo.
When it comes to quick and easy dinners, one of my favorite things to make is stir-fry. Asian stir-fry is already really easy to make and I have even simplified this chicken recipe more by using chicken nuggets. I know that may sound gross, but the reality is that you are ultimately just frying some chicken with your vegetables and adding sauce, so why not start out with pre-fried chicken – the nuggets!
If you follow me on social media at all, you have no doubt picked up on the fact that I am going to be presenting at the San Francisco Gluten & Allergen Free Expo next month. I am going to be teaching 3 basic gluten-free recipes to memorize (or at least be comfortable with) so that you have a few items with endless variations.
And while coming to meet me should be enticement enough, there are a few other awesome things happening there that you might want to check out.
February 9-10, 2013 from 9am-4pm
San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront
1800 Old Bayshore Highway
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 692-9100
The best part about this expo is that once you pay to get in to the event, all the presentations and classes are free. That means you can spend an entire weekend learning about cooking, baking and living gluten-free. The cooking and dining sessions range from getting started with gluten-free baking, identifying hidden gluten and some bakers giving away the secrets to gourmet desserts to identifying causes of gluten intolerance, travelling gluten-free and how heart disease and a gluten free diet affect your health. With 3 stages full of presentations, there is no doubt something for everyone to learn. Make sure to check out the full schedule.
Vendors are a huge reason to go to this event. There are companies at the expo that are both local and national and this event provides you with a unique opportunity to try out products (because we have all bought something at the store and been less than pleased with the results). The representatives of all the different brands are all very willing to discuss manufacturing processes, allergens and their passion for eating safely.
This might be the single largest reason to attend an event like this. There are going to be representatives from a number of gluten-free support groups and organizations as well as the faces behind several gluten free magazines, blogs and cookbooks.
Please share this event with any friends or family you have in the San Francisco area and I hope that I have a chance to meet you while I am there!
