I decided to be a gluten-free tourist in my hometown. While researching local food, I found the Edible Columbus blog and an announcement about the Be Well Tour of the Short North. An email to Carrie Saba and I was reassured that a gluten-free tourist could not only be accommodated, but well-fed on this tour. We started at the North Market vendors right before the market closed for the evening.
A little shot of wheat grass juice at Bubbles.
Followed by a local favorite, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.
I sampled Sweet Corn and Blackberry, Meyer Lemon, Queen City Cayenne and Cucumber Sake.
One taste and you’ll know why Jeni’s has been featured in national magazines and why the line is usually out the door at their High St. store.
Next stop was the Greener Grocer for a little lesson in local food and the nutritional benefits of the freshest produce which is even more important for a celiac who spent years not absorbing nutrients.
The best way to make up that nutritional deficit is loading up on fruits and veggies at their peak of flavor and freshness.
We got a little sample of some Ohio grown fruit and a new appreciation for local farmers.
As we headed off to our next stop, I spied gluten-free signs along the way.
I planned a more leisurely tour on my own soon to explore the vendors with these promising signs.
I also spotted some of my favorite pantry staples.
Next, a chat about the importance of humanely raised, organic meat. I really want to buy my food from people with the passion like Annemarie. While recovering from undiagnosed celiac disease and living with a compromised immune system, I think it is crucial to eat the highest quality, least adulterated food possible. Buying meat raised by small farms with lots of oversight for the health of the animals translates into better food for my healing body that is easier to digest and use to rebuild my strength.
Taking the time to find all these great products can be daunting, but here at the North Market, the work is done for you by people who’s passion is good, clean, healthy food and raised by local farmers with the same commitment to the earth and health.
Once we ventured out of the market and I read this sign, I thought I’d walk away empty-handed.
Then I saw this gal in the apron.
And the words gluten-free immediately caught my eye on the menu. A few questions to Krista Lopez, the owner of Knead and I was reassured that she had been in the restaurant business and feeding celiacs since the 1990s and many items on the menu were GF or could be adapted by a knowledgeable kitchen staff.
We did a little wine tasting at Knead. Gluten free, of course.
The next stop was an old familiar friend, zpizza. This is the kids’ favorite for gluten-free pizza. I tried zpizza the first time at a gf Twitter party last year and blogged about it here. We sampled a caramelized onion version and one with fresh tomatoes and basil.
I got extra mom points for walking in the door with a pizza for the kids at 10:00 just when the teens start foraging for night time snacks. I ordered a pizza to go and it was ready when the tour group was leaving for the next stop.
I keep hearing about Northstar’s breakfasts and biscuits, but never tried them because it didn’t sound very gluten-free friendly. I was wrong and missing out. While the biscuits are off-limits, there are other tasty choices.
We sampled a veggie burger that was gf and out of this world. If you order it bunless, it is safe for celiacs. The knowledgeable staff can help steer you to the gluten-free items.
Our last stop was Sushi Rock.
We sampled a little something that was supposed to be good for menopausal women. I took two.
Amy Marzluff and Carrie Saba didn’t just feed us. They also served up tips, information, and ideas for a more healthful life. We received coupons or discounts at all our stops, including Yoga on High and Phia Salon. But more importantly, we received handy little guides for buying safe seafood, what produce was the safest and when we should buy organic due to the high pesticides. A copy of Edible Columbus and a reuseable shopping bag from Lululemon were included in the tour. The tour was a lively, interesting group of couples and those of us touring solo and we got to chat along the way. Carrie and Amy even had us doing an exercise to map out the areas of our lives to see where we needed a tune-up. We got a 3 mile walk, some great food and plenty of encouragement and tips to live a healthier life. Just what a midlife celiac trying to regain her health needed to stay on the course I plotted with the help of my GF friends and experts in my 30 Days to 50 series.
