May is National Gluten-Free Month, and it may surprise you to know that many inns across the country are at the forefront of offering innovative gourmet goodness of the gluten-free kind. From scones to pancakes, and hot cakes to corn beef hash, bed and breakfasts have made a dietary restriction into delectable dishes that are enticing to all. Here are a few properties where guilty pleasures are gluten-free.
Breakfast Corn Beef Hash (Gluten-Free) from Inn on Randolph
Inn on Randolph in Napa, CA is known for its innovative gluten-free breakfast ideas, which foodies can find in all their glory on the property's Instagram feed. Owner Karen Lynch decided to have her inn completely gluten-free so that all her guests, especially those with celiac disease, could enjoy their vacation without getting ill. "Some inns offer gluten-free options, but because there is gluten in their kitchens there is always the risk of cross contamination, which for celiac sufferers can be very dangerous," reveals Karen. "With the Inn on Randolph's kitchen being completely gluten-free we have eliminated that risk." Because of this, Karen has also noticed several trends emerging. "I am finding that the gluten-free preferences are starting to veer from people trying to find replacements for wheat products (such as substitute cake mixes that are gluten-free) to people just wanting organic fruits, vegetables, grains and meats that are naturally gluten-free," she says. "Just because a processed food item is labeled as gluten-free doesn't mean that is healthy."
Dried Cranberry Scones (Gluten-Free) from Chestnut Street Inn
"The reason I got interested in gluten-free cooking was because my mother in law was diagnosed with celiac disease the year my husband and I got engaged, in 1997. I was in the process of learning to cook and experimenting with new recipes, and I recognized the difficulty she had not only with finding foods in the stores that she could eat, but also with both going out to restaurants or being invited to parties because she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't get sick from the food," explains Chef Monika Sudakov of Chestnut Street Inn in Sheffield, IL. "I found that to be entirely unacceptable. Nobody should have to stop doing the things they enjoy because they are afraid of getting sick. So when we came to the inn in 2005, it was my mission to make sure that anyone with any kind of allergy would be able to eat here safely. Today cooking and eating gluten-free has become easier as awareness has increased, labeling has improved, and above all, more gluten-free food items are being produced for the mass market."
10 Fitch Gluten-Free Cinnamon Pecan Pancakes with Caramelized Bananas
"This is our eighth season as innkeepers, and since we began we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of special needs diets that guests are requesting, gluten-free being one of them," says Cheryl Barber of 10 Fitch Luxurious Romantic Inn in Auburn, NY. "So, prior to their stay with us we ask guests to tell us about any special needs, dietary restrictions, or allergies they may have. This allows us to work our menus around them. Our goal is to try and serve the same breakfast to everyone, modifying it to accommodate any restrictions. It can be a challenge when you have two or more guests at the table all with different restrictions, then you really have to get creative! But gluten-free is much easier to accommodate now than it used to be as there is an abundance of gluten-free ingredients readily available at the grocery store, and it's so easy to find delicious recipes online."
You can find these recipes and more http://www.bnbfinder.com/recipes.php.