GLUTEN-FREE

Since 1969, I have prepared Gerald's favorite meal for his birthday. There has always been lasagna, garlic bread, salad, and German's Chocolate Cake with a few variations for changing tastes. Since 1978, Layered Lettuce Salad replaced a typical salad and I've added rumaki as an appetizer and balsamic glazed mushrooms.

For Gerald's birthday last year, I wanted to make Gerald's favorite meal, but also wanted to accommodate the dietary restrictions of some of the guests. With the variety of food, one can find something to eat!

John, a friend of ours, has maintained a gluten-free diet for some time and whenever he's coming for dinner, I try to have the meal as gluten-free as possible. Last year, I couldn't find any gluten-free lasagna noodles locally or in Wilmington or Chillicothe. Gerald went online and was able to order them. John was able to have rumaki, salad, lasagna, and mushrooms; just no bread or cake. He had ice cream for dessert. At the meal everyone said that the lasagna was excellent. Since then I have used six different kinds of gluten-free pasta for meals.

See the article: 5 Myths About Gluten (CLICK HERE).

I keep finding gluten-related cartoons in The New Yorker and forward them to John. He said he was sorry for being such a problem, but I told him that I was quite adept by now in preparing gluten-free meals. See my two favorite cartoons here.