Questions:
1. Your cookbook instructs both the novice and a person experienced in the kitchen on how to make delicious, wholesome meals for people who have multiple food allergies. How many foods have you had to eliminate and which ones were the hardest to find a substitute for?
• Cookbook eliminates key food allergens: gluten (wheat, rye, barley & usually oats), sugar of all kinds (natural, chemical, corn syrups), dairy, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and all alcohol based or fermented products.
• Elimination of sugar includes fruit sugars (fructose). Experimented with baking with agave, but turned to mush in 3 days; sugar has volume and sweetness—baked goods frequently failed as a result.
• Milks troublesome—most are either grain based or nut derivatives
• How we dealt with discovery of each new food sensitivity
2. Both you and your mom don’t have the same food issues, correct? So, what has it been like to live with or have multiple food allergies and sensitivities?
• Kitchen has clearly labeled gluten and non-gluten products
• Eating out in restaurants
• Danger of cross contamination - bad sign is if the waitperson’s eyes glaze over when you mention food allergies; a good sign is if manager or chef comes over to speak with you. In some chain restaurants, manager actually prepares the food and delivers it.
• Business cards listing allergies
• Grocery shopping
• It’s like “water, water everywhere…” feelings of discouragement and hopelessness to realize most of the processed food is really junk or contains things you shouldn’t eat.
• Areas of store to avoid
• Farmer’s markets for non-gmo and organic foods
• No quick solutions or snacks—good to bake ahead and keep foods in freezer
• Social events at other people’s houses
• Bring a dish to eat that can be shared
• Respectfully decline invitation
• Use it as a platform to gently increase awareness. Many people have or know someone with food sensitivity or allergy.
3. With all these food issues, you’ve really had to think outside the box! What are some of your creative or memorable moments as you’ve developed these recipes?
• We had fun doing this--goal was always to design an excellent dish, but secondary goal was to have fun and make cookbook fun. Each recipe has a back story, ingredients listed in the order they’ll be used, detailed directions even a novice cook can follow.
• Story about field mouse incident with the granola and how that rolled into the back story of another recipe
• Chicken Piccata inspiration from trip to VT during Hurricane Irene in 2011
• “Garbage Soup” (home made broths)
• Recipe disasters that turned into a great recipe of a different food
• Creative brainstorming session and thinking outside the box (Chocolate Mousse recipe from taste bud memory); (early Strawberry Ice Cream had to be microwaved and chiseled out of container until we got flavor and texture right—much more than just adding fresh strawberries.)
• Tested recipes on people with allergies, and people who didn’t eat like us so foods would appeal to all people. |