Gluten Free?

[cobytreadway]

I am just getting back into reenacting, and since my time away I have been diagnosed with Celiac's Disease (Gluten Alergy). I was just curious if anyone else on the forum has a gluten allergy, and if so, what do you do for food at events?

Thanks,

Coby Treadway

[flattop32355]

Re: Gluten Free?

My son has some indicators for gluten intolerance, coupled with Asperger's Syndrome (a mild form of autism) which can be affected by gluten. He doesn't totally avoid wheat, etc, but does limit its intake. He tends to fudge more during reenactments, then returns to limiting intake the rest of the time.

Health considerations trump authenticity, depending upon severity of one's condition. And there are ways to avoid gluten in the field and camp that fit in with period practices. Using corn meal to make pones, fritters, cakes, breads, etc. is easy to do. Making your own supply of gluten free hardtack isn't difficult once you get the hang of making it. Hard boiled eggs, rice, dried fruit, potatoes, carrots and many other foods are gluten free and carry well in the field and on the march for the weekend.

You can eat well at reenactments and stay gluten free. It just takes planning and some pre-event preparation.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Gluten Free?

There are ample period accounts of men with digestive problems carrying whatever they could find to eat that didn't hurt them. I don't have access to my books at the moment, but you won't be in the least non-authentic if you don't eat the hardtack. In a gruesome sort of way, you'll be true to the Boys of '61 by portraying the really PEC sdier with a less than perfect stomach.
I have seen accounts of men looking for lemons, buttermilk (easier todigest, and they understood that), potatoes (cooked for sensitive stomachs, raw for relief of scurvy), rice cooked to gruel, dried fruit, roasted onions and various herbal teas. Bread in milk was a favorite, but you'll have to pass on its dubious delights.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Gluten Free?

I've reenacted several times with a woman who needs to avoid absolutely all gluten, and as a civilian, she managed quite well. She brought her own period food, just keeping it separate, for example her own bag of gluten-free cornmeal. As Bernie and Becky mentioned, she found lots of period foods that fit the bill, it was just a matter of picking and choosing and having them handy. She let those closest around her know, so they wouldn't accidentally do something like dump half their flour in her cornmeal bag to be "helpful" by sharing. She let the organizers know so she wouldn't get any unpleasant surprises like having all her food confiscated by soldiers/bushwackers, and it was just treated as a medical thing and marked the same as a bag with modern medication that wouldn't be confiscated.

Carrying three days' worth of food isn't hard, so my suggestion would be to speak to the organizers of flat-haversack events and explain the situation, and show up with three days of your own chosen rations at the start. For other events, it's simple to bring your own, though you may have to practice saying "no thanks" a lot when people offer to share. I manage to muddle through events consuming no caffeine or alcohol and twice the electrolytes that most folks need, that way. You could either portray someone with a weak stomach who needs to eat carefully, or portray someone who could eat gluten but just doesn't happen to be eating any today.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Gluten Free?

As you know People with Gluten allergies or illnesses, Do not eat anything that contains the following grains: wheat, rye and barley.
At one time, oats were thought to contain some gluten. It has now become apparent, however, that oats frequently were processed in machines that also processed wheat. Most manufacturers no longer do this, although if there are any questions, a person should get reassurance from the manufacturer by mail, email or phone.

The following can be eaten in any amount and contain no Gluten:
Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables; white and sweet potatoes; yams
corn, rice, soybeans, tapioca, arrowroot, carob, buckwheat, millet, amaranth and quinoa. Onion, garlic, leeks, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, chicory root, jicama, dandelion, banana, agave, jams, 100% meat (no grain additives); seafood; poultry (breaded with pure cornmeal, potato flour or rice flour); peanut butter; eggs; dried beans or peas; pork. Butter, margarine, vegetable oil, shortening, lard, Gelatin, arrowroot starch; corn flour germ or bran; potato flour; potato starch flour; rice bran and flour; rice polish; soy flour; tapioca, sago, olives, pickles, relish, ketchup, Salt, pepper, herbs, flavored extracts, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, jelly, jam, honey, molasses, pure cocoa,
Distilled white vinegar. I am sure I missed some.

We limit oure Gluten intake as well but there are always food options.

[Horace]

Re: Gluten Free?

As someone who often finds himself odd man out on rations, I bring a poke of rice and prepare it in my own boiler. It's light to carry, filling to eat and unobtrusive. Crumble some cheese in it while it's still hot and it's actually pleasant to eat. A second option is grits. If you let what you didn't eat congeal in there, you can actually strap on your boiler in the morning, as the contents won't spill out, and eat the rest of it cold.

[thad gallagher]

Re: Gluten Free?

A gluten-free King of Hardtack????

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Gluten Free?

A gluten-free King of Hardtack????

Ha Ha...Not gluten free just reduced when I can, more for the kids than anything...I am looking into makiing some gluten free hardtack. The gluten free flours are pricey. ;)

[lojafan]

Re: Gluten Free?

Very interesting thread. I do not have a gluten allergy, but never really thought about this one. Curious to see what people have come up with.

[cobytreadway]

Re: Gluten Free?

Bernard, do you have a recipe for gluten free hardtack? Do you just substitute all purpose gluten free flour in place of regular flour? At the last event I went to, I brought a ton of Johnny Cakes made of cornmeal and they were good, and filling, but I just did not feel right without hardtack. Rice, grits, and cornmeal are definitely on my list for rations, but I was curious to see what other people suggested.

Thanks to everyone for the responses, you have given me a good many ideas to work with.

Coby Treadway

[cranejaa]

Re: Gluten Free?

Having recently been diagnosed with gluten intolerance myself, I make my own gluten free hardtack. I use a standard reciepe but substitute Bob's Red Mill general purpose baking flour instead. I also add a couple of tablespoons of Bob's xantham gum as well which helps with the consistency of it. It comes out pretty good, no one can tell it's gluten free. Aside from that, everything else is gluten free if you keep it authentic, i.e vegetables meat etc.

Alan Crane
14th CVI