Pearadise for Celiacs!

Pearadise Catering was born out of love; the love of food, friends, entertaining, the love of travel, and a love of the land. Born and raised on an apple and pear orchard in North Central Washington and later owning, operating and raising my family on the very same land instilled a natural love and respect for the food we eat and the health of our bodies. Through integrated pest management and an approach to organic farming, the pesticides and chemicals that were used when I was a child were replaced during my operation for both the health of my family and for the consumer.

My love of food naturally progressed from entertaining and cooking for small groups of close friends and family to eventually starting my own catering company built on the values and experiences I learned growing up on that farm in North Central Washington. Through my years of cooking experience I have frequently molded my menus to fit the dietary needs of my guests, i.e. diabetic, vegetarian and most recently gluten-free and dairy-free.

The transition to GFCF cooking wasn’t easy, but it has been a necessary and important step to take to take as I begin my new business venture. A dear friend of mine has an autistic son whose world has opened up because of advances made in gluten-free cooking techniques. His mother and I have researched and refined many of these techniques and dishes so he can now enjoy pizza, spaghetti, “ice cream”, bread and all the foods that make a teenager happy. More importantly, he can eat the same delicious food as everyone else at the table.

Another close friend developed lactose intolerance in his early 20’s before it quickly progressed to a full-blown dairy allergy. Recently, he has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, which made me even more determined to learn about and cook food compatible for yet another intensely restrictive diet. At the time, it seemed overwhelming to him and I to find products in stores that did not have dairy or casein. Cooking for Steven was a scary and time thorough process, but I was determined to make sure he could attend dinner parties and casual get-togethers, enjoy the gathering and especially the food.

What have been my biggest challenges? Before you can cook a quality meal, you need to find quality ingredients. Adapting my cooking to fit GFCF dietary needs has vastly changed my approach to grocery shopping. Not only is finding the actual ingredients you use sometimes difficult, but the stores and markets where you find them in as well. I am now a regular customer at organic and natural foods grocery stores.

Aside from learning the GFCF way of life for friends and family, I needed to completely redefine my own diet and nutritional needs. With my Southern heritage, fat, dairy, white sugar, more fat, white flour, and did I mention fat, were all staples of my families cooking experience. At age 50, though not due to diet, I suffered a heart attack and my life was instantly changed. As those of you on GFCF restrictive diets can attest, my diet required immediate change from the old habits to a fresh healthy cooking style. Getting creative was the key.

Moving from the country life to an urban life 5 years ago helped facilitate that change. The Pacific Northwest offers a plethora of fresh and healthy food from public and farmer’s markets to natural food stores. I’ve always loved fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables but not until I moved to the Seattle area did I marry into the idea that these delicacies could be prepared other ways than being fried or boiled. I have a valued collection of flavored olive oils and seasonings that fill my palate with joy. BUT, and that’s a big word, flavored ANYTHING from olive oil to tubes of crushed herbs often contain “natural flavors.” Until recently, I was not aware that “natural flavors” could mean dairy or gluten. The risk of using a product with “natural flavors” is too great. So my modes’ operandi is, if there is a question…DO NOT USE!

Not necessarily a challenge, but definitely a learning lesson for me was to not only to insure that there was no cross contamination with utensils, serving dishes, and cookware but to also insure all GFCF food I prepare and serve is well labeled and seperated from other food. With this said, the risk of a transfer of a miniscule amount of gluten is always there. In my catering, I do everything possible to minimize and eliminate any of these potentially dangerous situations.

It is important to know that my hands on experience in no way qualifies me as a GFCF expert. I have no official credentials or a degree in nutrition. What I do have to offer GFCF support groups and individuals is a dedicated and sincere effort to research, learn and support dietary restrictions and provide, through my catering, a food allergy diet-modified friendly service. Food is my passion and moving outside the box in creating GFCF recipes to “feed” that passion has been and will continue to be my commitment to my friends, family and clients.

I want YOU to enjoy a gourmet GFCF dining experience with beautifully presented and safely prepared dishes. There is nothing like the joy of the deep dark melt-in-your-mouth goodness of my GFCF chocolate cake, or the fresh light flavors of the GFCF lobster and pear salad in endive.

Everything we do in life has some risks and challenges. I strongly believe that designing a catering service to accommodate GFCF, among other dietary restrictions, is a risk well worth taking. I invite you to explore www.pearadisecatering.com and see what we offer…something for everyone.

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Pearadise Catering and www.pearadisecatering.com were founded in 2008 to provide a wide range of dining, catering and event options. The site offers a range of menus ideas and planning options for the health and/or allergy conscious consumer.

If you'd like more information about Pearadise Catering, or to schedule an interview with Roberta Martin, please contact Roberta Martin at (206) 724-8845 or e-mail Roberta at roberta@pearadisecatering.com

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