Relish is a compendium of things to enjoy greatly and that add a little flavor to your gluten-free life. This year was filled with good friends, good times and good eats. But no geese. 

I thought the December Relish was a great way to sum up all the awesome that happened in 2013. Because there was one whole heck of a lot of it.

There were a couple of awesome trips and chances to be g-free and awesome this year.

I travelled to San Francisco, Austin, Chicago (we can call that travel because I stayed in a hotel, right?), Las Vegas and Dallas to spread the GF love.

Jet setting to San Francisco!

Some of my GFFs and a glass of wine.

We went to the French Laundry

We drank wine

and ate fancy pants gluten-free food with more Michelin stars than I can count.

We ate at the freaking French Laundry. It was pretty much amazeballs.

Then, in June, for my birthday present to myself, I trecked to BlogHer Food in Austin where I met some of my favorite bloggers including Sabrina from The Tomato Tart and Irvin from Eat the Love and made new too many new friends to count.

First thing I did? Found a cousin…

and had a cocktail.

I think Austin is the capital of photobooths that make you look awesome.

If you don’t make dopey faces like me…

I met Irvin!

And went to Stubbs, of course.

I saw Sabrina again!

And snapped this one of her being such a photographer.

And I brought snacks for the flight.

I even managed not to die at BlogHer in Chicago where I hung with Erica and Rebecca.

I hung out with SodaStream

Made cool figurines at Wilton

And learned some cool new piping techniques

Found the coolest booth at the conference.

Got some knowledge

Dragged Erica to Little Goat for gluten-free pancakes.

Drank a Malort cocktail at OON

Wine? Free? Yes please.

Then there was the GFAF Expo in Dallas for the launch of the Celiac and the Beast book and filming an epic video for Taste Guru.

Real Celiac Housewives of Dallas. It’s a thing.

Margarita by Rick Bayless in the airport.

My friends are silly.

And I spoke at the Food Allergy Blogger Conference in Las Vegas this year. I’d say I got around a little bit. It was a great year to be gluten-free (and me).

I was a speaker!

And Erica was being awesome.

I didn’t win big.

The best darn GFree grub on FrannyCakes this year.

I knocked the first item off of my culinary bucket list, made brioche that was almost as good as what I got at the French Laundry and came up with a few weeknight staples (in addition to my cupcake addiction).

I made everything from this lovely Honey Lavender Ice Cream (01) to a fabulous Gluten-Free Brioche (02). As a birthday request from my friend Andi, I even was talked into making Gluten-Free Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes (03), and I loved them.

These Gluten-free Petits Fours Fleurs (04) were a huge hit and I still dream about them. I posted a favorite recipe of mine,  Gluten-free Mujaddara (o5). I conquered my fear this year and made some Gluten-free Vanilla Bean Macarons (06).

I celebrated a potential trip to visit a friend in India with Gluten-free sweet potato korma (07). I took a second stab at macarons with Mammacakes’ home made strawberry jam and made Gluten-free Strawberry Macarons (08). A crowning achievement of the year were these Gluten-free Peanut butter-filled Double Chocolate Cupcakes (09).

I tried to get healthy and made Gluten-Free Gingered Almond Apricot Chia Pudding (10). I got crafty and showed you How to make edible roses (11). I took a culinary risk by swapping out the farro with sorghum in this Gluten-free Kisir with Sorghum (12).

I think it was quite the culinary year.

My favorite GF Finds of 2013

Everything from the perfect shades of lipstick, to books from some of my besties, box of the month clubs and cool prints made my lists this year. These are my favorites.

It goes without saying that Cupcake Wars dominator and gluten-free pastry chef Kyra Bussanich’s book, Sweet Cravings (01) tops my list. It is pretty much perfect. Just as awesome? The Celiac and the Beast book (02) by Erica Dermer, and it isn’t just because I am mentioned in it. I put them in alphabetical order by last name so I didn’t have to pick favorites.

If you love good food, the new box of the month club from G-Free Foodie (03) is pretty much awesomeness delivered. Go order yourself a box. I won Christmas by giving out a couple of these delightful tea towels (04) from gluten-free blogger & designer Beth from Tasty Yummies.

I might be obsessed with the apricot chai TruBars from Bakery on Main. I blame Whitney who mans all their booths at expos for this obsession. And it goes without saying that my new favorite lipstick is from Red Apple Lipstick. Barcelona (06) is the best color I have bought in a while.

Thanks for being here this year!

Besides the food, I shared a month of posts all about my health, talked about taking my body back and even launched a new blog where I talked about scars and show you mine (and I won’t ask you to show me yours). I want to thank you for every comment, message and tweet. They mean the world to me. Here’s to another amazing year!

Oh, you wanted to see that video?