CeliacChicks

New England Celiac Disease Conference

The Healthy Villi (Boston's celiac disease support group) and Beth Israel Deaconess Celiac Center (Boston) are collaborating to host the first New England Celiac Conference, an event that will support those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. 

The forum will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2009 from 8:00am to 4:00pm at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel in Marlboro, MA.  The conference teams up with 24 other support groups around New England to offer this one of a kind experience.  We expect approximately 600 attendees!

 

The day will include experts speaking about celiac disease, workshops, product sampling and sales on vendor tables, continental breakfast, and buffet lunch.  In attendance will be those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance and dietitians, eager to learn about the gluten free diet and selection of food and beverages available.

 

For those interested in attending, there's still time to register!  Registration before September 17 is $35, and after that is $45, so register now!  For more information and the registration form, see www.healthyvilli.com .

Gluten-Free Shopping in Scarborough, Maine

Here is the latest in our ongoing CeliacChicks Around The World feature. This was sent in by Kat Brooks. Thank you, Kat!

On 9-22-08 I discovered a fantastic store on Route 1 in Scarborough, Maine.  It's called Lois' Natural Marketplace and I felt like a kid in a candy store!  They had loads of gluten free foods - a great variety of manufacturers in all categories.  Quite a lot of it was produced locally by folks with celiac relatives and Lois, the owner, managed to get this huge assortment of foods in one place. 

There is also a sandwich and soup bar, and the chefs there make nearly everything gluten-free.  I got some Greek Chicken Soup and it was so nice to be able to eat something without worrying if the person just told me it was gluten free to brush me off.  Everyone I spoke to was very knowledgeable about celiac disease and they offered to special order anything I couldn't find.  It really was a pleasure to shop there!

The baked goods there are to-die-for! I can't even remember the last time I ate anything with pumpkin in it, which is my absolute favorite, and I was nearing ecstasy with their moist and decadent Pumpkin Chocolate Cake.  Yes, I ate the whole thing!  And this morning I ate the Blueberry-Peach Coffee Cake and that was delicious beyond words as well.  I am looking forward to polishing off my Carrot Cake tomorrow.