Gluten Is My Bitch: Rants, Recipes, And Ridiculousness For The Gluten-Free (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
My relationship with food has always been difficult. I love to eat good food but I feel sick to my stomach after every meal. Luckily I was not alone in my suffering, my Dad and brother both have the same sensitive stomach as I. Dad’s got so bad that he went on an elimination diet to figure out the cause. Now, if you think that sounds bad you are absolutely right. It meant cutting out nearly every food and keeping a detailed record of the results. Eventually, he found that he felt better avoiding gluten and dairy. I suspected that I too might feel better if I joined him on his new diet. So, I tried it and my stomach issues got better. I hoped that it wouldn’t work and I could merrily enjoy cheese and bread. But, it was not to be. I felt lucky that my Dad had already found what and where gluten free foods are available in Yakima.I have been mostly gluten and dairy free for a few years now. I read a description of Gluten is my Bitch by April Peveteaux and I immediately thought “where was this when I stopped eating gluten?”. Her frank description of life without gluten startled me. But, I totally related to her struggles. The gluten-free books I’ve read neglected to mention that life without gluten is difficult. April reassured me that it’s going to be all right and made me laugh about it. I’d just eaten my mom’s delicious fresh cherry pie (gluten filled) when I started this book. April’s hilarious discussions of the ill effects reminded me how much better I feel when I eat gluten-free. Her recipes include a wide range of food from gluten-free southern comfort to paleo. What I also liked is that she includes a chapter on eating out. Rather than expecting you to grill the wait staff, she recommends politely telling them about your allergies and acknowledging that it’s a bit tricky for their great kitchen staff. She also suggests large tips and not returning if you feel sick afterwards. I feel horribly rude not eating everything on my plate even if it’ll make me sick, but her vivid descriptions of her struggle to learn to be assertive resonated with me. I’ve been inspired to branch out and try some of the new local restaurants.Once you have some experience living gluten-free, buying a copy of 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster is wise. At my house, we now say go ask Carol when we have a gluten-free question. Her book seems intimidating (it’s 700 pages long), but I haven’t made one recipe from it that has failed. I use it so often that I’ve lost track of how many I have made. The recipes include extremely detailed instructions which is why they work. I realize trying recipes from pinterest sounds fun but having one flop is expensive with all the gluten-free ingredients. The introduction provides a great description of all the strange ingredients required for gluten-free cooking and baking. She also includes recommended substitutions for the major allergens if they are included in a recipe. This is very helpful because I avoid dairy as well. Be sure to try one of my favorites the Cranberry-Clementine Scones with Clementine Glaze. 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes helps fills the vacuum left by Betty Crocker’s Cookbook in a gluten-free kitchen. It’s my go to gluten-free cookbook recommendation. But, I can’t think of a better introduction to the gluten-free life than Gluten is my Bitch. The balance of humor and helpful information kept me interested and entertained. I highly recommend this to my fellow gluten intolerant folk or anyone who knows one. I thought this book was cute, sweet, and funny. After a while, the conversational tone of it started to feel a little repetitive, but it had a friendly, honest feel to it. It was nice to read a book about going gluten free that didn't try to make it sound like it was just going to be SOOO amazing. However, I found some of the information in it a little questionable - it's all well and good to admit that she occasionally has trouble standing up for herself and can be lax in certain restaurant situations because she's willing to pay the price for it, but I think that's kind of dangerous advice to give to people for whom this disease can be really, really serious (and given her descriptions of her own health, I wonder if perhaps she needs to be a little stricter herself...). Overall, a good, funny read. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but honestly, I think this book is more about feeling like you have a friend out there who's also struggling to be gluten free than about the recipes.
What do You think about Gluten Is My Bitch: Rants, Recipes, And Ridiculousness For The Gluten-Free (2013)?
This is both laugh-out-loud/snort in public read and a seriously useful book at the same time.
—emily
I love her blog and her humor. I'm so exited to read the book.
—kaye
