Make Your Own Gluten-Free Pizza at this Delicious Dinner Party

There are so many awesome gluten-free events in New York City in the next few weeks and months, I can barely keep up. I try to post all of the event I find to the NYC Celiac Meetup calendar, but there are some events that just need the extra love. This gluten-free pizza making party with Karen of Free Bread, Inc. is one of those events.

I first met Karen last summer when she opened up her home for a Free Bread tasting party for the NYC Celiac Meetup group. We gorged ourselves on her delicious, gluten-free rolls. Over the past year, I have been so impressed with Karen's drive and passion for her gluten-free business. She is a gluten-free force to be reckoned with! Karen has now taken her bread-making expertise and is making pizza with the gluten-free community. Her first two pizza making classes have sold out, but you have another chance to join this dinner party in September. Here are the details:

Make Your Own Gluten-Free Pizza Dinner Party

Indulge in a start-to-finish gluten-free dinner including wine after learning how to craft the perfect pizza pie.

• Karen Freer is the founder of Free Bread, a gluten-free baking company
• Make and bake a tasty dinner with the freshest local ingredients
• Enjoy a feast of pizza, salad, dinner rolls, and wine, all gluten-free

The benefits of eating gluten-free sound pretty good to us: weight loss, a boost in energy, improved sleep, the list goes on and on. When we think about giving up pizza to go gluten-free though, that list suddenly holds less weight. That’s why we’re psyched that someone like Karen Freer has come along and saved us from making the decision between a good night of sleep and a stuffed crust pepperoni pie.

Karen was diagnosed with Celiac in 2007 and quickly realized that a life without bread and pizza wasn’t going to work out for her. She hit the kitchen and worked for months until she’d created a flavorful, gluten-free loaf of bread that finally satisfied her cravings.

On this experience, Karen is walking you through how to fulfill your own cravings with a gluten-free pizza-making night. From shaping the dough to “dressing” your pie with a wide variety of delicious topping choices, you’ll sit down knowing that the pizza in front of you is not only safe to eat, but also just as good as it’s gluten-filled counterpart. During dinner, Karen will serve up her famous Free Bread dinner rolls, a crisp salad, and the second most important component to any pizza dinner: the wine.

Buy your tickets today!

Thursday, September 13, 2012
7-9pm
Long Island City, NY

Domino's Controversy Continues in NYC

Yesterday, the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University released this statement:

 "Recently ABC News had a piece on Domino's Pizza presenting a supposedly gluten-free item. This is not a product suitable for those with celiac disease and highlights the need for strict regulation of gluten-free foods. Apparently, Domino's Pizza received advice from the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) on how to present this product. This also highlights the need for regulation at a government level rather than the food industry turning to lay groups. 

During this presentation, Dr. Peter Green was highlighted discussing the limitations of a gluten-free diet. This piece was a segment from an interview taken one year earlier and not related to discussion of the current "gluten-free" pizza issue.

Last night, Dr. Peter Green and nutritionist Suzanne Simpson from the Celiac Disease Center here in New York City appeared on Fox 5 News. While I feel the timing of the email statement and then the video is a little bit strange and delayed, it is nice to get some feedback from a usually quiet research center. For some reason I can't view the last 30 seconds of the video, but it is interesting to see this topic discussed so close to home.

Domino's Pizza gluten-free crust controversy

http://www.myfoxny.com/story/18431115/dominos-pizza-gluten-free-crust-controversy 

Domino's Pizza is creating a buzz about gluten-free pizza crust it is now offering. However some critics say if you're allergic to gluten, you can't go anywhere near it.

Suzanne Simpson, a nutritionist, has celiac disease, which means she cannot eat gluten. If she does, it causes gastrointestinal pain, rashes, headaches and joint pain. She says the problem with Domino's is that the gluten-free pizza crust is made right next to the regular pie crust and there is a risk of cross-contamination.

If you order gluten-free online from Domino's, a warning pops up telling you that if you have celiac disease, don't eat the gluten-free crust. The company also issued a statement saying that "...while the crust is certified as gluten free, current store operations at Domino's cannot guarantee that each handcrafted pizza will be completely free from gluten."

The pizza is intended for people who have mild gluten intolerance, not those who have celiac disease.

In fact, Dr. Peter Green of the Celiac Disease Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center said the crust could be a danger to people who have celiac disease. He said feels Domino's is marketing the gluten-free crust because it is a trendy a diet fad.

Scott's Pizza Tours Hosts 1st Gluten Free Pizza Safari

On Saturday, October 15  Scott's Pizza Tours will offer a specialty bus-guided pizza safari of gluten-free pizzerias in New York City. The tour starts and ends in Greenwich Village but our stops will be all over the city. We'll meet with owners, chefs and managers for Q&A sessions to find out more about their preparation methods as we sample a slice at each stop. Not only will the pizza be gluten-free, but each slice will also represent a different historical or geographic style. Neapolitan, Roman and New York slices will all be part of the curriculum on this amazing adventure. Every participant will receive a Pizza Tour Survival Kit, filled with materials to help analyze the day's slices - including gluten free candy! There will also be detailed discussion about the history, culture, chemistry, physics, economics and flavor of pizza.

Purchase Tickets Here

 

$60 per ticket
All pizza is included in the ticket price. The tour will take a bus from location to location.

The tour will be led by Scott Wiener, who has been guiding tours of New York's most significant pizzerias since 2008. He has been featured on the Food Network, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, Daily News and several print and online publications because of his depth of pizza knowledge. Scott also writes for the pizza blog Slice and has a monthly column in Pizza Today Magazine. The tour has been ranked in TripAdvisor's Top 10 for over two years and is currently listed as the #1 tour in New York City on Yelp! This Gluten Free Pizza Safari is being offered as part of National Pizza Month along with several other specialty tours. October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so $1 will be donated to the Karen Mullen Breast Cancer Foundation for every pizza tour participant throughout the month. 

Purchase Tickets Here

$60 per ticket
All pizza is included in the ticket price. The tour will take a bus from location to location.

What is not included?Beverages are not provided at most of the tour stops. It is strongly suggested that you bring a refillable water container. A wedge of lemon will aid digestion!

Meeting LocationDowntown Manhattan (New York, NY)
Exact meeting location details will be provided immediately upon purchase of ticket.

Yoga Pizza Party for Celiacs in NYC

Yoga Pizza Party for Celiacs

Elyse Sparkes has been living gluten-free for 7 years. As a personal trainer, yoga teacher, and Thai massage practitioner, she advocates health and wellness in NYC through SparkesWellness. Elyse loves to discover new naturally gluten-free restaurants in NYC and abroad.


CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Join yoga teacher and fellow celiac, Elyse Sparkes (www.sparkeswellness.com), for a one of a kind Meetup event: Yoga Pizza Party for Celiacs!

Have you ever been accidentally gluten-ed and wished there was something you could do to feel better? Or felt like you might lose your temper at that waiter who thought you were on a fad diet? Want to know more about the connection of your mind and your body? This event is for you!...

In this yoga class you will discover helpful hints to live healthily with celiac disease. You'll experience physical postures to promote healthy digestion, improve your immune system, and stretch & strengthen your body. You'll practice mindfulness meditations to encourage acceptance, calm your nervous system, and relax your mind.

Then you'll get to meet other like-minded celiac's over GF pizza (and gf beer!) at Pie, right across the street.

Yoga Class @ CRS (Center for Remembering & Sharing)

WHEN: April 30th, 1:15-2:45pm

WHERE: CRS (Center for Remembering & Sharing) 123 4th Ave, 2nd FL (between 12th & 13th streets), New York, NY 100

HOW MUCH: $22, must pre-register before April 23rd

*Limited to 10 people. Reserve your spot NOW*

Gluten Free Pizza Party @ Pie

WHERE: Pie, 124 4th Avenue, New York, NY 10003-4903

WHEN: April 30th, after yoga class 3pm-??

HOW MUCH: Free to attend, buy what you eat.

Feedback from last year’s Yoga for Celiacs class:

"The Yoga for celiacs class was great! Elyse suggested a ton of poses / massage techniques that are great for helping celiacs relieve pressure in the abdomen. We should definitely have another yoga for celiacs class again soon." -Terry

“Just wanted to tell everyone how wonderful the Yoga for Celiacs class tonight was...

Elyse is a great teacher - we went through a sequence of poses to help with digestion, slow down the belly-stress, and help with pain, bloating, and digestive distress, all while stretching and strengthening as yoga does so well.

As you probably know, any kind of stress creates inflammation through our bodies - in our cells & our blood vessels, not just in the gut - and I left Elyse's class feeling relaxed and centered after a very stressful day - further proof that lowering my stress level always seems to improve my celiac symptoms. Really a great class. Thanks to Elyse!” -Claire

Naked Pizza in NYC

Naked Pizza is coming to NYC this spring! The first and only time I tried the gluten-free Naked Pizza was in South Beach Miami last summer.

The concept behind Naked Pizza is to start with a "naked" pie and build your pizza with sauces, cheeses, and toppings. They have some really fun icons on their menu to represent "flora (you know, plants)," "fauna (for the carnivores)," cheese, and crust options. The gluten-free crust is a rice-based crust and in Miami was only available in a medium size pie.

By this summer, there will be not one but TWO locations of Naked Pizza in New York City. You can follow the progress of Naked Pizza NYC on Twitter and Facebook.

Naked Pizza NYC COMING SOON:
954 Third Avenue, NYC, NY 10022
150 East 14th Street, NYC, NY 10003

Stay tuned for some exciting news including an NYC Celiac Meeutp at Naked Pizza as opening day at Naked Pizza NYC approaches.

U.S. Pizza Team Goes Gluten-Free

Did you know there is a U.S. Pizza Team? Neither did I. According to Good Day NY, the U.S. Pizza Team ran it's first gluten-free pizza championship in 2010. In addition, according to the 2010 Pizza Power Report, the National Restaurant Association had a noticeable increase in gluten-free foods at this year's show with more gluten-free pizza crusts, burger buns, pastas, and desserts than ever before. The NRA puts gluten-free food consciousness as the top 9th trend in the culinary world that we should be watching. For us that are already gluten-free, we are way ahead of that trend!

One of the top sponsors of the U.S. Pizza team is Tom Sawyer Gluten-Free Flour. Tom Sawyer All Purpose Gluten Free Flour is a blended flour of rice and tapioca flours, xanthan gum, and kosher approved unflavored gelatin. The flour is prepared in a dedicated gluten-free environment, using gluten-free mixing and packing equipment and is then tested for gluten contamination. It is gluten-free, casein-free, dairy-free, and soy-free.

On Tom Sawyer's website, they give the top 7 reasons restaurants should be offering gluten-free pizza crust to their customers. Some highlights include:

- Gluten intolerance is a lifelong condition (not a fad diet) that translates into a customer base for life!
- A captive audience that has been marginalized by a restrictive diet will become lifelong fans of your establishment!
- Gluten intolerance is the #1 undiagnosed condition in the U.S. This will result in an unexpected surge in those suffering from this lifelong condition!

If Tom Sawyer Gluten-Free Products partnered up with GFRAP to educate those buying their gluten-free flour, I think it could really be a dynamic force in the gluten-free pizza industry. Hey Tom Sawyer, are you reading this?!

Domino's Goes Gluten-Free in New Zealand

It may be very far away from here, but international pizza chain Domino's has introduced gluten-free pizza in New Zealand. I think it will be a very long time before gluten-free pizza hits the mainstream in the United States. Australia, New Zealand, and even Canada have much more awareness about Celiac Disease and gluten-free diets than the United States does; although an article like this about a mainstream company is promising. Hopefully their gluten-free cousins in the U.S. will start learning from their savvy, international counterparts.

Domino’s introduces gluten free pizzas

Domino’s is launching 13 gluten free pizza bases to its New Zealand menu today.

Domino’s GM Ryan Bohm said the introduction of gluten free pizzas bases was a direct response from customer’s who love pizza but are gluten intolerant.

“We already have a vast majority of ingredients which are gluten free, but until now customers who are intolerant to wheat gluten weren’t able to create a pizza they could enjoy," he said. "Now with the gluten free pizza based, we have 16 pizza varieties which when paired with the new gluten free base are suitable for Coeliacs."

Domino’s gluten free pizza include the following – Chilli Prawn, Garlic Prawn, Spinach and Feta, Toni Pepperoni, The Godfather, Margarita, Simply Cheese, Vengorama, Veg Trio, Chicken and Feta, Chicken Italiano, Chicken Manaco or Creamy Chicken and Cherry Tomato.

Source: Domino’s Pizza NZ

Premier Gluten-Free Restaurant in Marlboro, NJ

Carlo's Gourmet Pizzeria, Restaurant & Caterers
326 Route 9N
Marlboro, NJ (Exclusive Plaza)

Carlo's Gourmet Pizzeria is now serving a full gluten-free menu featuring Stillriding Pizza crust that is used with their vast selection of traditional & gourmet toppings along with a nice variety of Italian delicacies. Although I haven't been there myself, their gluten-free menu is quite extensive.

Visit their website at http://www.carlosgourmetpizza.com/glutenfree.

From their website

Gluten is a special type of protein that is commonly found in rye, wheat, and barley. Therefore, it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of bread. Not all foods from the grain family, however, contain gluten. Examples of grains that do not have gluten include wild rice, corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, teff, soybeans, and sunflower seeds. Please note:"Gluten-free" usually refers only to the type of gluten found in wheat, barley, rye, kamut, spelt and triticale, but unfortunately most oat stock has been found to be contaminated with wheat because of processing methods. Certain brands of oats (usually gourmet brands) may be marked "gluten-free." These contain oat gluten but not the type of gluten that can harm people with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Some people suffer from a disease called celiac disease, which is an allergy to gluten. Individuals with celiac disease must eat foods that do not contain gluten in order to prevent illness. If improperly treated, celiac disease can be fatal. A diet without gluten is very restrictive, since one needs to purchase expensive, specially prepared foods and take extra precaution against contact with food that contains gluten. Dining out presents many obstacles for those following a gluten free diet since there are so many opportunities for cross-contamination with gluten. In any kitchen, shared utensils, common cooking surfaces and inadequate knowledge about storage and preparation methods can lead to cross-contamination and other problems for people following gluten free diets.

Carlo's Gourmet Pizzeria and Restaurant has thoroughly embraced these challenges and offers anyone following a gluten free diet a safe and pleasurable dining experience. We are meticulous about avoiding cross contamination with our gluten free foods. We use separate grills, pots, strainers and utensils when handling any gluten free food. We also trained our staff in the special handling methods that are required when preparing and serving gluten free food.

Gluten-Free Pizza Coupon

As originally seen on BeFreeForMe.com, Uno Chicago Grill is now offering a $1.00 off one of their gluten-free pizzas through May 31, 2009. Please click the image above to download the coupon.

Uno's Gluten-Free Menu

Mozzarelli's Gluten-Free Cookie Bar

As my loyal readers know, I love Mozzarelli's. They are definitely my favorite take-out restaurant in NYC especially for the friendly family staff if nothing else. I think it is the combo of their Gluten-Free Sundays, the innovative gluten-free pizzas, the greasy and DELICIOUS gluten-free zeppolis, tasty gluten-free desserts, and the wonderful staff that keep me coming back for more. Chefs Ronny and Elan are always trying out new things and trying to make their next pizza/cake/pasta dish better than their last.

I stopped in for lunch today and was completely overwhelmed by their new gluten-free cookie bar. They now have close to 30 types of gluten-free cookies for about $4.95 per package. Depending on the type of cookie, there are anywhere from 6 to over 20 cookies per package. There are free samples for you to taste before purchasing the cookies. Be sure to stop in today!

Mozzarelli's New York City
38 E 23rd St
New York, NY 10010
(212) 475-6777

In other Mozzarelli's news...

They are now open on weekends!

They have a brand new website with a complete gluten-free menu and gluten-free photo gallery.

There are gluten-free rumors swirling about gluten-free fig newtons coming soon!

Uno Chicago Grill Rolls Out Gluten-Free Pizza Nationally

Last week, Uno Chicago Grill sent out this press release to announce their new gluten-free pizza.

UNO CHICAGO GRILL® ROLLS OUT GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA NATIONALLY
Positive Consumer Response Prompts Earlier Introduction

Boston, MA (January 13, 2009) – Following a highly successful market test, Uno Chicago Grill® will offer its new, gluten-free pizza nationally. Uno® is the first national casual dining chain to offer a gluten-free pizza and received very positive feedback from guests who suffer from celiac disease, which affects approximately one percent of the population1.

In fact, word-of-mouth reaction from the gluten-free community during the northeastern market test prompted the company to advance the timetable for a national roll-out.

“Food allergies are a very serious, sometimes life-threatening, issue for many Americans,” notes Uno CEO Frank Guidara. “Pizza is our signature product, and we wanted to offer a gluten-free pizza so all of our guests could enjoy it when dining at Uno.”

“Consumer reaction was so positive, and the chatter so strong on gluten-free blogs and websites, that our restaurants began receiving requests to carry the new pizza,” noted Richard Hendrie, senior vice president, marketing, Uno Chicago Grill. “Because the demand was so strong, we decided to pull out all the stops to get the gluten-free pizza into our 200 plus locations as quickly as possible.”

Recently lauded as America’s Healthiest Chain Restaurant2, Uno has added gluten-free cheese and pepperoni pizzas to what is already one of the most extensive gluten-free menus available for a casual dining chain. This is good news to the estimated three million Americans diagnosed with celiac disease, as well as an additional seven million Americans who have a wheat intolerance or allergy and rely on gluten-free foods. While awareness of celiac disease is rising, an estimated 97 percent of those who have it remain undiagnosed3.

Guidara explained that it took over a year of research and development to find just the right recipe for a brand that is known for its iconic pizza. “While we want to meet the needs of guests with allergies, we never forget that we are about great taste and choice, and that means developing new dishes that are healthful without sacrificing great flavor.”

The company that was the first to develop deep-dish pizza in 1943 is still full of innovation. Uno Chicago Grill works closely with its Nutrition Advisory Board, which meets quarterly to discuss trends and solutions to improve the quality and nutritional value of its menu. The board includes world-class physicians with expertise in coronary disease, weight management, and other food/health related issues. Guidara oversees the Advisory Board and brings his expertise as a member of the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Roundtable.

The gluten-free pizza was originally tested at Uno Chicago Grill locations in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts (excluding Worcester and Springfield/Holyoke).

According to the Gluten Intolerance Group, surveys show that about 15 to 25 percent of consumers report looking for gluten-free products, far more than need to.

Uno boasts a number of healthy firsts, including being the first national restaurant chain to eliminate artificial trans-fats and to increase menu and nutritional transparency via nutrition information centers located in their restaurants. The company’s gluten-free menu has 20 items ranging from entrées, salads, sides and desserts. For guest convenience and safety, Uno clearly labels menu items with ingredients that are linked to the most common food allergies, such as fish/shellfish, soy, tree nuts/peanuts, egg, milk and wheat/gluten. Diners can also preview the menu and nutritional information online via the company’s website at www.unos.com.

The company has invested more than $2 million in nutritional advancements since 2005 and, according to Guidara, will continue its commitment to providing delicious, fresh and healthful menu options for its guests.

About Uno Chicago Grill:

Based in Boston, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes more than 200 company-owned and franchised full-service units located in 29 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Honduras, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The company also operates a consumer foods division which supplies airlines, movie theaters, hotel restaurants and supermarkets with both frozen and refrigerated private-label foods and branded Uno products. For more information, visit www.unos.com.

Gluten-Free Pizza Round-up

Glutenfreeda.com put together an awesome list of gluten-free pizzas, pre-made doughs, and mixes. Here is a round-up of their suggestions.

Tom Sawyer Gluten-Free Products: GF flour

Still Riding Pizza: Frozen GF pizza crusts

Gluten-Free Naturals: GF mixes including bread mix, muffin mix, cake mix, pizza crust mix, brownie mix, cookie mix, and pancake mix

Better Batter: GF flour

Rustic Crust Pizza: GF Frozen Pizza

Pamela's: GF bread-mix (for pizzas) and many additional GF products

Tastefully Gluten-Free: GF pizza crust mix, and other mixes including chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, bread and roll mix, chocolate cake, all-purpose cookies, and brownie mix

Bob's Red Mill: GF mixes and tons of other gluten-free products

Namaste Foods: GF pizza mix and other gluten-free products

Amy's Kitchen: Frozen GF pizzas including rice crust, rice crust spinach, and non-dairy rice crust (Amy's had always been my favorite pizza but I always found myself eating a whole pie in one serving. Lately, heir prices have been outrageously high at Fairway so I haven't been buying them. It also keeps me from eating a whole pizza in one serving.)

Orgran: GF pizza and pastry multimix and many other gluten-free products

Dad's Gluten-Free Pizza Crust: GF pizza crust

Glutino: various GF pizzas (Currently my pizza crust of choice!

Gluten-Free Pizza in Canada

In late July, we took a family vacation to Canada. Back in March, I had read that the Canadian pizza chain Pizza Pizza was now selling a gluten-free pizza crust at their stores. Imagine my surprise when we stopped at a rest stop on the 401 in Ontario and I saw a Pizza Pizza with this sign. I most definitely NEVER saw a sign like this on the NY State Thruway.

Unfortunately, I did not purchase a gluten-free pizza at that time. First of all, I couldn't eat a whole pie by myself. Second of all, the teenage girl working the counter was CLUELESS!!! She didn't know what gluten-free meant despite the sign 2 feet from her head. I was reluctant to believe she would get the correct dough out of the freezer so I opted against buying a whole pie. I do give major kudos to Pizza Pizza for rolling out a gluten-free option to a nationwide chain.

Have any of you tried the gluten-free pizza at Pizza Pizza?

Here is what the sign says in case you can't read the blurry picture.

NEW GLUTEN FREE PIZZA CRUST
The introduction of our gluten-free crust is one of many healthy options available to our customers..... (Blah blah blah, talking about whole wheat. Not sure why they added that to a gluten-free sign, but whatever.)

Ingredients: Rice flour, potato starch, water, non-hydrogenated canola oil, sugar, salt, methylcellouse (thickening agent), yeast, monoglyerides

If you would like to substitute for New Gluten Free pizza crust on any medium pizza order (including deals) there will be an additional cost of $3.25(CAN).

Gluten-Free Pizza and Pasta Party

When: Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 12:00 PM

Where: Mozzarelli's
38 E 23rd St
New York , NY 10010
212-475-6777

Who should come: Anyone and everyone who loves gluten-free pizza, pasta, and desserts

Why: Mozzarelli's is usually closed on Saturdays and Sundays, but the owners are graciously opening their doors for an afternoon of gluten-free-only dining!

Details:Join us for a gluten-free pizza and pasta party at Mozzarelli's on Sunday, March 30th for an afternoon of gluten-free pizza, pasta, and desserts from 12pm-6pm. Stop in for a quick gf slice or come and spend the afternoon with fellow gluten-free diners. Mozzarelli's is usually closed on Saturdays and Sundays, but the owners are graciously opening their doors for an afternoon of gluten-free-only dining!

The à la carte menu will include:

GF pizza by the slice ($3.95 and up, depending on toppings)
GF pasta dishes ($14.95 and up)
GF desserts ($4.00 and up)
GF pizza pies ($14.95 and up)

Feel free to bring your family and friends for this gluten-free party at Mozzarelli's!

Mozzarelli's
38 E 23rd St,
New York 10010
Btwn Park & Madison Ave
212-475-6777

Sunday, March 30th
12-6pm

The New York City Celiac Disease Meetup Group

Previous Posts:
Need a Gluten-Free pizza for Super Bowl Sunday?
Gluten-Free Pizza Extravaganza

Need a Gluten-Free pizza for Super Bowl Sunday?

Join us for a gluten-free pizza and pasta party at Mozzarelli's on Sunday, February 3 for an afternoon of gluten-free pizza, pasta, and desserts from 12pm-6pm. Stop in for a quick gf slice or come and spend the afternoon with fellow gluten-free diners. Mozzarelli's is usually closed on Saturdays and Sundays, but the owners are graciously opening their doors for an afternoon of gluten-free-only dining!

The à la carte menu will include:

GF pizza by the slice ($3.95 and up, depending on toppings)
GF pasta dishes ($14.95 and up)
GF desserts ($4.00 and up)
GF pizza pies ($14.95 and up)

Feel free to bring your family and friends for this gluten-free party at Mozzarelli's!

Mozzarelli's
38 E 23rd St,
New York 10010
Btwn Park & Madison Ave
212-475-6777

Sunday, February 3, 2008
12-6pm

Sponsored by: Meetup

Gluten-Free Pizza Extravaganza

On Sunday, I had the extreme pleasure of organizing and attending the first NYC Celiac Disease Meetup Gluten-Free Pizza and Pasta Party at Mozzarelli's in Manhattan. Mozzarelli's is a pizza place that has been serving gluten-free pizza for a little over a year. Ronnie, the owner, started serving the pizza because his niece has celiac disease. He said that at first there wasn't much interest in the gluten-free pizza. But as Ronnie experimented with different ingredients for the dough and the word of gluten-free pizza in a "normal" pizza place spread around Manhattan, the popularity of the pizza took off. Mozzarelli's sells gluten-free pizza and some gluten-free desserts on a regular day. But Sunday was no regular day...

When I got to Mozzarelli's shortly after 2pm on Sunday I was greeted warmly by Ronnie and Elana, the owners. I had been emailing with Elana for weeks so it was nice to finally meet her in person. There were tons of signs indicating GLUTEN FREE DAY and there were balloons outside to welcome those looking for some gluten-free pizza. When Elana pointed me to the display case of pizza, she said that everything was gluten-free. When I asked her in disbelief "EVERYTHING???", she said YES! This was when my jaw nearly hit the ground. There must have been at least 10 different pies in the case. Pies with cheeses, sauces, veggies, sausage, pepperoni, eggplant, and even chicken Parmesan. Then, I walked to the last display case only to see around 5 pasta dishes and 2 veggie dishes. Of course I had to ask again if everything was gluten-free, which was the question of the day on Sunday. It really was quite amazing to see so many choices. As many of you know, even one choice in a regular pizza place would be shocking. To have this many pizzas, you just didn't know where to start. Elana and Ronnie were too good to me and stuffed me full of gluten-free greatness on Sunday. I think my favorites were the eggplant topped pizza, the spinach pie/quiche, and the carrot cake. (Yes, I ate even more than that!)

I really cannot thank Mozzarelli's enough for making our day such a humongous gluten-free success. The time and effort they put into making the day safe, free from cross-contamination, and fun for all of us was obvious. The support from friends, families, and strangers off the street was also wonderful. I hope to make this a regular event for all gluten-free diners in the tri-state area. Please do yourself a favor and visit Mozzarelli's if you are in town.

Mozzarelli's
38 E 23rd St,
New York 10010
Btwn Park & Madison Ave
212-475-6777

Pictures from above:
1. Mozzarelli's
2. Gluten-Free Dessert Pizza
3. Gluten-Free Pasta Bar
4. Gluten-Free Pizza as far as the eye can see
5. WOOHOO Gluten-Free Day
6. Eggplant and squash gluten-free pizza
7. Ronnie and Elan at Mozzarelli's
8. Gluten-Free Desserts

Jules Thin Crust Pizza

I had the pleasure of ringing in the new year with some delicious gluten-free pizza from Jules Thin Crust in Doylestown, PA. There are hundreds of combinations of toppings with only one topping to avoid (the sausage is not GF). The gluten-free pizzas only come in medium which was enough for dinner and two meals of leftovers. I had a pizza with tomato, basil, arugula, garlic, mozzarella, and tomato sauce which was outstanding!!!

If you are in the area, definitely check out:

Jules Thin Crust
78 South Main Street
Doylestown, PA
www.JulesThinCrust.com