What is this Gluten Thing all about, anyway?

Gluten
​
a substance present in cereal grains, especially wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough. A mixture of two proteins, it causes illness in people with celiac disease.


Ok, what is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine.
It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications.
-The Celiac Disease Foundation

In short, 1% of the population of the US is reported to suffer from Celiac disease but studies and levels vary greatly and there are estimates that 95% Celiac disease is misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.

What does that say?
Not a whole lot. The investigation continues and data which supports conflicting claims is everywhere.
To break it down in simple terms:

There are many people that feel better when they do not consume any gluten.
There are many people that are affected adversely by consuming or coming into contact with gluten in any form.
There are many people that do not have a problem with gluten.
Speaking candidly, it really isn’t good for you to eat a whole loaf of bread.
It really isn’t good for you to eat a whole box of cookies, pint of ice cream or bucket of chicken…but we do.
We are genetically predisposed to crave sugary, fatty and filling foods because a long time ago these things were difficult to come by. Starvation was a real thing when the “hunter-gatherers” spent almost all of their time finding food and this is wired into your makeup to eat first and ask questions last.
Granted, this was a long, long time ago but it still remains in our nature.
Discipline has to be developed but binging/overindulgence is the very nature of the beast.
As gluten is a part of most breads, snack foods and craved (not to mention easily attainable) foodstuffs and products it follows that it is seemingly everywhere.

Know this:
Things that contain gluten
All purpose flour
Wheat flour
Anything containing wheat or wheat byproducts.

Things that do not contain gluten:

• Corn
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Quinoa

These are things that can be used, incidentally, instead of flour (which contains gluten) to perform essentially the same function AS flour.

At The Vineyards at Pine Lake we routinely work with glutenous ingredients, but that is not to say that EVERYTHING is “tainted” with gluten.

A chicken breast, pork chop, steak or piece of fish is gluten free. Always has been….
Anything made from scratch (al minute) will only be “glutenated” if gluten is applied via breading, cooking in a pot/pan/fryer that has recently had something with gluten in it (a fryer is a perfect example).
Cheese is gluten free…if it is real and not processed
At The Vineyards at Pine Lake, we attempt to limit the wholesale application of unnecessary gluten whenever possible and endeavor to go a little bit farther in the customer service arena than just handing out a “Gluten Free” Menu.  
If it doesn’t have wheat in it, on it or around it then it is gluten free…so let us prepare you something that is more than what you would find everywhere else.

Hoping this finds you well,
Chef Angus O’Hara and your culinary team at
The Vineyards At Pine Lake