You know those food pyramids and food groups you learned about in school?
Well I have my own food groups….not quite the same but they have served me well.
• Tanqueray Gin
• Good Red Wine (oh who am I kidding I will drink cheap red wine too)
• Ice Cream
• Chocolate.
• Mediterranean Olives (you know w/ all the goodies with ‘em)
My Food Groups have shrunk considerably now that I have to eat Gluten free.
If I was on a desert island I could live there forever if I had Mediterranean olives, crusty Italian bread, wine and of course a piece of good chocolate daily.
Ah, how I miss bread. I miss it so much I could cry…and actually I have.
Please don’t tell me that I can have gluten free bread…..I know, I’ve had it.
Not quite the same and if I must have bread I can eat it but honestly it’s not a great thing.
I had a dinner last year with 2 sets of neighbors and they have asked to do this again.
I told them I’d think about it and I did for 5 minutes.
I really didn’t want to do it again to be honest.
It was a lot of work but mostly because I can’t eat any of it.
Then I spent a week trying to figure out how I’d say no to them.
It all started last year because they were outside on their patio one Sunday afternoon.
I had doors and windows open and they could smell my sauce on the stove.
They asked what I was cooking that smelled so great.
I told them I was simmering (spaghetti) sauce.
They said they had never had homemade sauce or pasta. (really? not even out?)
They asked if they could come to dinner sometime, they’d bring all the wines.
Yes they said plural, wines. C'mon ya gotta love that.
I said okay way too quickly and I must admit I should have thought about it more.
We set a date and I got crackin’ on the work that had to be done.
I then asked the neighbors on the other side of us to join us all as well.
We might as well make this a party. 6 is just as easy as 4.
I made a damn feast of different dishes and I couldn’t eat a friggin’ thing.
Because I made everything I took the easy way out for dessert.
So when the last invited neighbors asked to bring something I told them desert.
They bought tiramisu. Everyone said it was yummy. (not gluten free so I don’t know)
I did make some gluten free pasta for me on the side so I could at least have that.
But it wasn’t the buffet of lasagna or the gnocchi in a creamy sage butter sauce, and it wasn’t the stuff shells that I so love.
But all of that was easy to omit for me for some reason but NOT THE BREAD.
Oh my God the crusty Italian bread, for dipping it in the sauce on your plate, to dip into the olive oil with herbs and cheese, spreading sweet roasted garlic on the bread like butter, having a bread stick dipped into tapenade. OH MY GOD the bread.
I enjoyed the company, the wine and my insalata caprese (caprese salad w/tomatoes that Rick and I grew no less). I enjoyed watching everyone enjoy the meal, the oohs, the aahs and the moaning.
That was nice. But not as nice as being able to have the bread!
So for this year when they asked I suggested instead we all go to Ciro’s.
They do offer some things that I can eat so I will be fine there.
It is a really great Italian restaurant.
I suggested that everyone come over to our place for dessert and more wine or cappuccinos whatever. Knowing my neighbors it won’t be coffee it will be more wine or some cocktails.
Everyone was very nice about it. Whew!
I can make the dessert and I can handle everyone eating that without me.
It’s just not easy to not have the bread.
I wish they had a 12 step program for this. Bread Anonymous.
Maybe I should start a chapter here in my city.
We can serve Gin Martini’s.
7 comments:
ok first, this post made me really hungry. my former roommate used to make homemade sauces from recipes passed down through her family. they were AMAZING....as i'm sure yours are.
i don't get the whole bread thing though. i've never been a huge bread eater. but i am sorry that you can't have it and that you miss it so :(
i love bread too and if i couldnt have it, id be thinking about it all the time.
along these lines...have you seen the cookbook babycakes? its filled with gluten free recipes. i made a lemon/poppy seed tea cake yesterday and it was really good. even jay and the kids ate it!
i agree with you about ducky..who does she think she is not caring for bread!?!
:)
i have a friend who doesnt like any type of cheese. im always like " what is wrong with you?"
omg i was just joking, i LOVE bread. ok, that's a lie. i don't hate it or anything, but i could live without it. and i agree with peggy, i couldn't go for long without alchol.
seriously tammie? i have never heard of anyone not liking cheese. i love love love pretty much all milk products...but i can't stand to drink milk.
That must be terribly hard resisting all those foods like bread(another bread lover here...I can get carried away with a fresh loaf of Sicilian bread from the bakery and not know when to stop...)and creamy pasta dishes. I admire your resolve not to cave.
and I guess you know it's best for your health, anyway)
How can someone not have ever made their own red sauce(or "gravy" as they say here)?!
Well, at least you get to enjoy the company of friends and neighbors (who like wine).
Have a great night,
Tina(sipping on some Cabarnet that came out of a ...box!)
To Tammie...I don't like (most) cheeses. The non-cheese-eaters are out there... ;-)
We say Gravy too but I figured if I wrote that no one would understand what the hell I was talking about.
I went to this fancy schmancy winery in sonoma for a private tour. (they don't otherwise do tours) and the man gave us such an education. Even he said whatever kind of wine you drink from a bottle or a box, just enjoy it and drink it. So you are helping the farmers and grape growers. :-) As long as it's dry and red I'm okay with however it's packaged! Cab's being my favorite.
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