Straight from the Celiac Family’s Website, here is a list of sweet stuff for sweet heart.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Gluten-Free (Safe) Candy and Treats

• 3 Musketeers cherry with dark chocolate mini’s
• Andes creme de menthe Valentine Sweet Heart Assortment
• Albert’s Luv Pops, Sweet Swirl Suckers, and Heart Blossoms
• Almond Joy snack size
• Animal Planet fruit-flavored lollipops (Jan. 2010)
• Baby Ruth
• Betty Crocker Valentine Fruit by the Foot – “Gluten Free” (Jan. 2010)
• Bottle Caps (Wonka)
• Butterfinger hearts – contains peanuts. “Made on equipment that also processes nuts.”
• Cella’s Cherries, milk chocolate covered cherries
• Charms Blow Pops and Valentine Pops
• Charms Zip-a-dee mini pops
• DeMets Turtles – “Contains pecan, milk and soy ingredients. Made on equipment that also processes other nuts and peanuts.”
• Disney Lollipop Rings -Flix Candy (Jan. 2010)
• Disney lollipops packaged with Valentine cards (including Tinkerbell, Cars, and Toy Story characters) The ones I found this year did not have any warning of gluten. Last year’s packages had the following statement: “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and egg products.”
• Dots (including Valentine Dots)
• Dove Heart Promises, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, dark chocolate and cherry swirl, and caramel candy
• Dum-Dums lollipops “Gluten Free”
• Everlasting Gobstopper Heartbreakers (Wonka)
• Florida’s Natural Au’some Sour String, Nuggets, and Stiks
• Fun Dips (Wonka)
• Galerie Candy Jewelry Making Kit (Jan. 2010)
• Galerie Diamond Ring with candy treats (Jan. 2010)
• Galerie Marshmallow Cupcake lollipops
• Ghirardelli chocolate squares, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, caramel and dark chocolate with raspberry
• Hershey Bliss chocolates including dark chocolate, milk chocolate, milk chocolate with meltaway centers, and milk chocolate with raspberry meltaway centers “Manufactured on the same equipment that processes peanuts and tree nuts.”
• Hershey Kisses (includes milk chocolate, filled with caramel, cherry cordial creme, with almonds, Hugs, Hugs raspberry, and Valentine Card Kits) – These appear to be gluten-free, and my family has never noticed a reaction to eating them. However, I have gotten emails and comments from several people who say they have had reactions from eating them.
• Hot Tamales – “Gluten Free”
• Hershey’s Pot of Gold, including Premium Chocolates, Pecan Caramel Clusters, and Truffles
• Hubba Bubba Max bubble gum, and bubble tape (Jan. 2010)
• iCarly Valentine Candy Card Kit (cards and lollipops)
• Jelly Belly conversation beans
• Jolly Rancher candy (including heart-shaped lollipops)
• Juicee Gummee Baby Bears (Feb. 2009)
• Junior Mints Heart-Shaped
• Laffy Taffy, small and long sticks (Wonka)
• Life Savers hard candy and lollipops, including Candy and Card Valentine Pack
• Life Savers gummy candy (including Gummies, Big Ring Gummies, Candy and Card Valentine Pack)
• The Madelaine Chocolate Company milk chocolate hearts
• Market Pantry’s Valentine Fruit Snacks (distributed by Target)
• Marvel lollipops (as found Feb. 2009)
• M&Ms – fun size and mini’s packages, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peanuts and peanut butter. (Do not eat the M&M Pretzel variety.)
• Mounds snack size
• Palmer foil-wrapped chocolate hearts
• Peeps marshmallow shapes, hearts and I?U, including Vanilla Crème, Raspberry, Dark or Milk Chocolate Covered, and Sugar-Free – “Gluten Free”
• PEZ
• Pixy Stix (Wonka)
• Pop Rocks popping candy (Jan. 2010)
• Reese’s peanut butter cups, snack-size treats, miniatures, and peanut butter hearts (but not the individually, foil-wrapped small hearts)
• Reese’s Pieces
• Skittles, including Candy ‘n Stickers Valentine Exchange Packs – “Gluten Free”
• Smarties Valentine Love Hearts candy rolls “Contains none of the following: gluten (from wheat, barley, oats and rye), milk, egg, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts or soybeans.”
• Snickers fun-size and mini’s
• Starburst, including Fave Reds and Gummibursts – “Gluten-Free”
• Sunny Seed Drops candy chocolate covered sunflower seeds – “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts/nuts.”
• Surf Sweets Gummy candy – “Gluten Free”
• Sweetheart Conversation Hearts including chocolate flavored hearts, large hearts, Dazzled Tarts, Twilight Saga New Moon Forbidden Fruits heart packages, and heart bracelet packages (Necco) [The large packages I found looked fine. However, I found some small boxes of these that had cross-contamination warnings.]
• Toblerone
• Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops (including snack bars, and vanilla and cherry fruit rolls)
• Warheads Extreme Sour candy
• York Peppermint Pattie Hearts

Use Caution with the following treats. (May contain traces of gluten.)

• Air Heads “Manufactured in a facility that processes wheat flour.”
• All Brach’s candy I found, including conversation hearts, state “Packaged on equipment that also packages products containing traces of milk, egg, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts and/or soy protein.”
• Bubblicious Bites “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and eggs.”
• Choxie chocolate candy “May contain tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and egg.” (Jan. 2010)
• Disney lollipops packaged with Valentine cards (including Tinkerbell, Cars, and Toy Story characters) The ones I found this year did not have any warning of gluten. Last year’s packages had the following statement: “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and egg products.”
• Dove milk chocolate Rose on a stick – no gluten listed in ingredients; however, it does state “Allergy Information: May contain peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat.”
• Dove dark chocolate raspberry Truffle Hearts – no gluten listed in ingredients; however, it does state “Allergy Information: May contain peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and eggs.”
• Godiva chocolates including the Gems – All Godiva packaged products I have found, as well as the chocolates displayed in their stores, have a warning: “May contain tree nuts, peanuts and wheat.”
• Guylian chocolates – “May contain traces of nuts and gluten.”
• Hershey’s Hearts Assortment, including milk chocolate, special dark, and extra creamy milk chocolate seem to be gluten-free. However, the Reese’s peanut butter hearts that may be in the same package with these, are NOT gluten-free.
• Hershey Kisses (includes milk chocolate, filled with caramel, cherry cordial creme, with almonds, Hugs, Hugs raspberry, and Valentine Card Kits) – These appear to be gluten-free, and my family has never noticed a reaction to eating them. However, I have gotten emails and comments from several people who say they have had reactions from eating them.
• Hollow Milk Chocolate Bear (http://www.barry-callebaut.com/) “Contains milk and soy. Made in a facility which also processes wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and eggs.”
• Jube Jel Cherry Hearts (Brach’s cinnamon jelly hearts) – “Allergen Information: “Milk, egg, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and soy may be present in the manufacturing or packaging area.”
• Littlest Pet Shop lollipops “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat (Jan. 2010)
• Love Duck with conversation heart candy (found at Target) “May contain milk, soy, peanut, tree nuts, wheat and egg.” (Jan. 2010)
• Nerds, boxes and ropes (Wonka) “Made in a facility that also processes wheat and egg.”
• Russel Stover chocolates – Every package I found had a cross contamination warning, whether it had gluten or not in the ingredients. “Products have been produced on shared equipment with peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and wheat.”
• Sassy Hearts treat packs (Brach’s) – “Allergen Information: Milk, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and fish may be present in the manufacturing or packaging area.”
• Spongebob Squarepants Heart Shaped Gummy Krabby Patties – “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, wheat and eggs.”
• Spongebob Squarepants lollipops “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and egg products.” (Jan. 2010)
• Sweetheart Conversation Hearts including chocolate flavored hearts, large hearts, Dazzled Tarts, Twilight Saga New Moon Forbidden Fruits heart packages, and heart bracelet packages (Necco) [The large packages I found looked fine. However, I found some small boxes of these that had cross-contamination warnings.]
• SweeTart Hearts (Wonka) “Made in a facility that also processes egg and wheat.”
• Treat Street Google Critters – “Processed in a facility which also processes milk, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, soy protein, eggs.”
• Whitman’s Chocolates – “Products have been produced on shared equipment with tree nuts, eggs, and wheat.”
• Wonka Valentine Mix Ups – Bottle Caps and Laffy Taffy seem to be gluten-free, however the Nerds in these packages have a cross-contamination statement that states “Made in a facility that also processes wheat and egg.”
• Wild About You Chocolate Decorative Hearts – “Made in a facility which also processes wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and egg.”

Unsafe Candy and Treats (Do not eat the following treats if you cannot tolerate gluten in your diet.)

• Any chocolate candy with crisps is likely to have wheat flour or barley malt, so check carefully.
• Crunch (Nestle) snack-size and hearts contains “barley malt“; “Made on equipment that also processes peanuts, nuts and wheat.”
• Disney Princesses Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.” (Jan. 2010)
• Dora and Diego Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.” (Jan. 2010)
• Ferrero Rocher contains “wheat flour.”
• Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Premium Assorted Chocolates in a heart box – contains “barley malt”
• Harry London assorted chocolates – Contains “wheat flour, gluten”
• Hershey’s Miniatures “Contains malt.”
• Hershey’s Cookies ‘n Crème snack size treats – contains “wheat flour”
• Kit Kat contains “wheat flour“
• Lindt chocolate candy contains “barley malt powder“
• Reese’s peanut butter filled chocolate hearts (this refers only to the small, individually foil-wrapped hearts) Contains “wheat flour.”
• M&M’s pretzel candies contain “wheat flour, malt”
• Spongebob Squarepants Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.”
• SweeTart Hearts Gummies contains “wheat“
• Transformer Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.” (Jan. 2010)
• Twix contains “wheat flour“
• Twizzlers cherry pull ‘n peel candy – contains “wheat flour”
• Whoppers contain “barley malt and wheat flour” and egg products.”

A huge thanks to the “celiac family for putting together such an awesome all inclusive list for this holiday of sweets!

I LOVE ALL OF YOU!

Thank you as always.

Well, after many months of hard work and frustration I finally got the old ice shack up north and on the lake, and with all that hard work who had time for cooking??? Well, that settled it, we had to go out to eat.

Finding somewhere safe to eat up north can be kind of a challenge, especially once we found out that the place we would normally go was way behind and had a long wait.

We decided on a long shot and gave a small little supper club a try called the “Country Inn” up near Silver Cliff, WI. The place was small, quiet and very cozy inside. While it had hints of up north it wasn’t what I would call a red neck dive. In fact the tables were very clean and the staff was very polite and helpful.

We decided we would ask and find out if anyone at the place knew anything about gluten free dining, and it just so happened the bartender was diagnosed with celiac. The waitress (his wife) knew that their poached salmon was gluten free as the only ingredients were “salmon” (of course) and “salt”. And she knew enough to know she cooked it in its own aluminum pouch so there would be no cross contamination issues. She also offered a baked potato with butter and a green salad which would be safe.

The only strange thing is this; she told us here husband (the bartender) got so fed up with the gluten free diet that he has decided to eat gluten again and for good measure takes an Imodium pill every day to offset the symptoms. She said it takes care of all his symptoms if he doesn’t go overboard. While I do think that’s the equivalent of putting a Band-Aid on a shotgun blast we really didn’t want to upset anyone by prolonging this uncomfortable conversation. I hope that somehow, someway he changes his mind and seeks treatment and a gluten free diet before any further damage is done, maybe I’ll write a letter? Of course we do want to eat there again

That strange conversation aside, the food was absolutely delicious. The steak I had was dynamite, just a salt and pepper seasoning and a baked potato side, perfectly, naturally gluten free. All the stakes are put on the grille on their own individual hot plates that come out sizzling hot.

The salmon was also naturally delicious and gluten free as were a few other options, and the waitress was willing to work with us. She also wasn’t the type that was going to say “ah it’s fine just eat it”. She was more the type that would let you go hungry before she let you go sick, which in my opinion is the kind of person you want to work with if you want to be safe.

All in all we had a very nice and comfortable eating experience up at the “Country Inn” and will for sure go back, maybe we can even get the bartender back on the GF train

Country Inn’s Place Page
Thanks as always

I would like to start to expand my “Gluten Free Dining in Green Bay” page soon, I would ask anyone with any information on great places to eat gluten free / shop gluten free in Northeast Wisconsin to please email me with any suggestions.

There is one place in Belleview I have been holding off on mentioning, on one side, it is the only gluten free kitchen in the area, but on the other, their hours, prices and sometimes attitudes makes it tough for me acknowledge them. What I mean by that is this, I work a long week, typically 7am to 6:30pm, and their stated hours are Wednesday ONLY between 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM. 

I think what they are trying to do is fantastic, I think it could be a wonderful thing! But to be honest, if Caffe Naturally is only open when I am at work, how can I enjoy eating there? Debra, please expand the hours for us working folks!

The second part of this equation is price, now at the Caffe I feel like the prices are just right, but in the same building as Caffe Naturally is “Terry Naturally”. Terry Naturally is a “health food” / “healthy living” store. I frequently go to the store to purchase tea and olive oil, I also tend to browse there quite a bit but what I find is that so many of the food products offered I can find at our local Festival Foods for fractions of the price. Now I am all about supporting the local small business, but to be honest, for me, time is money and a bargain is a bargain, perhaps when I win the lottery, which I would actually have to play first to do, I will have more free time and free money to invest in this wonderful place. Until then, I have to remain in reality.

P.S. – When shopping at Terry Naturally, Amanda knows practically every thing you could ever need or want to find out about healthy living, and my personal favorite, tea!
Terry Naturally’s Web Site