It’s getting easier to “go gluten-free” when dining out because more restaurants are offering dishes designed for customers with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity.
Whether it’s a menu listing for alternatives such as gluten-free bread and gluten-free beer, or a notation that certain dishes can be made without croutons or breadcrumbs, restaurants are helping to make it easier for these diners.
When dining out, don’t assume that anything is gluten-free.
The chef may have added a “secret ingredient,” for instance, fries or potato skins might be dusted with flour to make them more crisp.
So always let your server know you can’t have gluten-containing products.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and possibly oats.
Oats do not contain gluten but are often milled in a facility that processes gluten-containing grains.
Clues to gluten
Au Gratin: topping of bread crumbs
Battered: coating contains wheat flour
Bechamel sauce: thickened with wheat flour
Bisque: soup often thickened with flour
Croquette: encased in breadcrumbs
Fricassee: stew usually thickened with flour
Marinade: may contain soy sauce or condiments with gluten
Roux: paste of fat and flour to thicken sauces
Salad dressings: can be thickened with wheat-containing ingredients
Streusel: made from flour, butter, sugar and spices
Teriyaki sauce: contains soy sauce
Tempura: fried in a flour-based batter
Carolyn O’Neil, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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