‘225’: Gluten issues lead some on a search for local alternatives

A protein found in wheat, barley and rye, gluten can find its way into breads, pastas, cakes, gravies, processed lunch meats, beer and other malt-based drinks, many packaged snack foods, and even medicines and vitamins that use it as a binding agent. In 2004 Heather Feierabend’s 4-year-old daughter was underweight and suffering from chronic stomachaches. Her doctor advised eliminating gluten, which quickly helped, so Feierabend decided to make the household completely gluten-free. Her toddler son also seemed to fare better without gluten, a protein that occurs in wheat and other grains, and family solidarity meant the kitchen would be safe from cross-contamination. The lifestyle change could have been a nuisance for Feierabend, an avid cook and food enthusiast. Instead, she took it as a personal challenge. “It was like somebody had double-dog-dared me,” Feierabend says. “My family was not going to be deprived, and I was not going to be defeated.” Since then, the working mother of two has become a trove of information about where to find gluten-free menu items, what new products to buy (or avoid), and how to retool recipes children crave, including king cake, beignets and fried mozzarella sticks. She’s quick to lend a hand to others she finds in the gluten-free grocery aisle. Today, she has a lot of company. Read the full story by Maggie Heyn Richardson in the current issue of 225 here.