Gluten free pizza

Ok, so I try not to make this blog too geographically specific, but recently, one of our local pizza places started making gluten-free pizza. So we finally made our way to Lillys Pizza tonight to participate in my first pizza outing in a year. It was pretty exciting.

Well, I had forgotten what a pizza parlor smelled like. But it is good. I was happy the moment I walked in the door. They also started carrying Redbridge to accompany their gluten free pizza. You can't beat pizza and beer. You just can't.

So, we ordered two gluten-free pizzas, cause they're kind of small. They arrived and we just dug right in. There were no formalities at our table. I think that I had an idea that the pizza would taste like regular pizza, only with substitutes that made it gluten-free. So, I was disappointed for a split second. Then I realized that you can never think that a "substitute" could be interchangeable with the "real" thing. My disappointment quickly changed to happiness.

The crust is thin, and it's definitely a rice crust. I'm pretty sure there is no yeast in it, so all of you who have problems with yeast can eat happily. The sauce was pretty tasty, and who can go wrong with a boatload of melted cheese. I know, I'll probably pay for the cheese indulgance, but so far, I'm feeling no pain! I do know, though, that it is possible to go veggie there, so soy cheese is probably an option. You should check on that to be sure.

Either way, I think Lillys has passed the test. It's been about two hours, and I'm feeling pretty good. If you don't count the discomfort of eating a little too much pizza for dinner. If you are in Raleigh, or ever find yourself here, do yourself a favor and check out Lillys. The best thing is that the gluten-free pizza is the same price as the regular. How often does that happen?

Eating Out

It's like playing Russian roulette. Seriously.

There are a few chains that have gone out of their way to create a gluten free menu. And this is a wonderful thing. But honestly, I'm not much of a chain person. So this has created a bit of a dilemma for me. There are a ton of great restaurants here in Raleigh, but I'm pretty skeptical about a lot of them.

My husband and I went to one of the premier restaurants around here... got sick. It was partially my fault, as our waitress didn't know what gluten was. You live and learn. I do better going to Chipotle; never gotten sick there. But yesterday, I didn't take my lunch to work, and so I went next door to a local chain to get a salad. I've eaten it a few times, no ill effects. I was actually pretty excited that I found something different that caused zero reaction in my body.

Yesterday was the day the bullet went off. And I was out from yesterday afternoon until mid afternoon today. It's midnight, and I'm still feeling a little wanky. Yes, wanky. So, what may in itself be a safe food, becomes dangerous because a piece of bread was transported over it and sprinkled some crumbs, or the person handling the food didn't change their gloves, or whatever other possibility you can think of in a busy restaurant.

And that, my friends, is the hardest part of this life. Planning every single thing that you eat, for fear that you get sick. Always worrying when someone else prepares your food that they are being careless.