Corn Tortillas

I used to love rice tortillas. When they arrived in the city, they were so versatile and we used them all the time. We used them for burritos, quesadillas, wraps and sandwiches, and were perfect for my beloved peanut butter and banana sandwiches. 

But then something happened and these wonderful tortillas became the worst things around; they kept breaking and it wasn’t just us. It seems like it’s been such a long time in trying to track something else down.

Luckily, on a trip to Kingston I stopped in at the Silly Yak. While I don’t buy much baking anymore, I discovered small corn tortillas. I bought a small pack to see what they were like and they were quickly devoured as chicken tacos.

On subsequent trips we picked up more and in larger packages. We have fallen in love with them. Although we use them for tacos, there’s no reason not to use them for other things; just shrink the size of it. Instead on one p.b & banana sandwich, I’ve got two.

 

So far we’ve tried Mission (from Texas) and Calidad (from California) and we’ve been happy with them both. While corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free, these companies have labelled their tortillas as such.

Cat’s Fish & Chips

When I was growing up we had a great fish & chip shop a few blocks away. We would go once in a while and it was a tradition on Good Friday. We never ate there (Well, once. But it wasn’t the same.), take-out was the way to go.

Their fish& chips was perfect – the fish was firm, yet flaky; the batter crispy, but not thick; and the fries were fresh cut. They would wrap the boxes in newsprint and off home we’d go. At home, the fish would be sprinkled with vinegar and then dipped in ketchup. That shop set the standards high and as I ventured into adulthood we ventured further afield; sometimes impressed and sometimes disappointed.

Being gluten-free, fish & chips, let alone good ones, can seem like a dream. There’s Off The Hook in Toronto who make me dream about wonderful fish & chips again. But they’re in Toronto. Thankfully Ottawa has Cat’s.

Located on St Laurent (at Hemlock), this tiny restaurant serves gluten-free fish & chips, and they’re good. I assume their regular fish & chips are just as good because we have been on a weeknight and lucky to get a table. Cat’s also understands the gluten issues as they have a dedicated gluten-free fryer for us celiacs. Service has always been great. The only thing to make it better would be some gf beer to go  along with the gf fish & chips. Magners just doesn’t do fish & chips justice.

Todric’s

Last weekend The Honey had to go into work so we decided to venture to another neighbourhood for breakfast. Someone on the Celiac Facebook group had suggested Todric’s to a query a few weeks prior so I looked it up. We’re not too familiar with the Vanier area and really had no idea where to venture. Needless to say we were surprised by what greeted us.

Todric’s is in an unassuming neighbourhood – a residential neighbourhood with a grocery store on one block and a government building on another. If we didn’t know the address, we would have driven right by. They are only open during the day for brunch on weekends, but otherwise are open for dinner in the evening.

It was a sunny morning and we sat in the front window. While looking over the menu, and until we left, we played ‘Guess that singer’. The 40’s and 50’s tunes were definitely not our era, but we still found it entertaining. Our waiter was attentive and our meal was phenomenal. Walking in we thought we’d be in for some posh prices, but they were what you’d expect anywhere else.

Their gluten-free option was a cheddar muffin served in a variety of ways – as a muffin with breakfast, as French toast, or with poached eggs. They also had gluten-free pancakes. I couldn’t decide between the French toast or the pancakes and finally had to make a quick decision; I had taken up enough time with my flip-flopping. French toast it was and boy, was I ever happy with my choice. I was concerned that the cheddar muffin would be too cheesy, but it was perfect. The French toast was nicely flavoured with vanilla and cinnamon. Overall, it was so light and full of flavour. I was famished so I also ordered a side of bacon, but it wasn’t really necessary because the French toast was enough with the fresh fruit. We were both rolling out the door when we left.

We may have just found a new breakfast place for our rotation.

Fettuccine’s

There’s a pasta shop down on Elgin St that I’ve walked by a million times, both when we lived in that part of town and on lunchtime walks. Being a pasta shop I didn’t really think twice about going in, because really, what would they have to offer me? On a recent walk-by, a friend noticed ‘Gluten-free Pasta’ written in the window of Fettuccine's and we didn’t pause to think twice about it; we went right in.

In the shop there are a few tables and a counter with some chairs at the front window. Seems nice for people watching while having a quick lunch out. There is also a counter running from one side of the shop to the other with a variety of pasta and sauces. For us, since it was late at night, it was choose what you’d like and it was put into a container. For lunch and dinner it may be something different. I was intrigued by the take-out lasagnas with the big gluten-free sticker on the label.

This little lasagna is perfect for two people, or one with a serving for leftovers. It is full of perfectly cooked noodles, sauce, cheese and beef. The instructions on the label were perfect for someone like me. Someone who hasn’t made lasagna in many many years. The Honey even enjoyed it and it was a lovely dinner with a side of salad.

I had also picked up a container of a vodka tomato sauce. At the time I remembered the vodka tomato sauce I used to make. A delicious recipe an old colleague gave me. I couldn’t wait to try it; and unfortunately I was disappointed. Compared to the lasagna, there wasn’t much flavour or anything really and there was a ton of mushrooms. Great, if you like mushrooms, but I do not.

Buying this little lasagna put me in the mood to try one on my own, mainly due to the price. Although this little guy was good, I don’t know if I’d pay the price again. Maybe if I couldn’t cook, sure. I was a little put-off because nothing was priced and it was quite a guessing game then some sticker shock at the cash register (Is it that price all the time or only because it’s gf? Hmmm). I did find a recipe later that week and pulled out some lasagna rice noodles a friend had given me and put something, informally, together. It was good, maybe just as good. Hmmm, maybe I’ll do another one later this week.

Lentil Crackers

Lentil Crackers by Mediterranean Baked seem to have appeared out of nowhere, yet they now seem to be everywhere. These have become a favourite of mine and can satisfy many types of cravings. 

The picture on the box is a little misleading as I was expecting big crackers (like those Premium Plus saltines) when they are actually much smaller (more like Nabisco’s vegetable crackers). The size makes up for the taste as they have a nice flavour. There’s a nice crunch to them too. They also come in different flavours – sea salt, cracked pepper, and rosemary. These crackers also hold up to some cheese without breaking under the weight or pressure of lathering on a nice soft cheese.

So far I’ve found Bulk Barn to be the best place to find them (and with the best price too) as they always have them, whereas other stores only have them now and again.