I arrived early-ish and found the food nicely displayed, with lot’s of space between the trays, so I felt that cross contamination would be minimal. I was most curious about the gluten free pizza's and was saddened to see that most of them were already eaten! I did get to try a few pieces that were saved for me and they were excellent! the ingredient label is shown here, and I doubt the photo does this pizza any justice. not only was the crust just the way I like it, thin and crispy, the toppings were superb. this was definitely one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten, except for the margarita pizzas Robyn and I gobbled on our way around Italy when we were younger (pre-celiac). I thought, this people is how it’s done! I have actually become accustomed to thick, doughy, white rice pizza crusts, and have even convinced my husband they are good! so in my opinion the pizza was a big hit, and would not hesitate to order these from Tonina’s again, maybe for my birthday!
I continued along the buffet table to try some of the other goodies, only to find the gluten free cheeses on the same tray as some kind of bun/ pastry? the cheese was being sliced, put on these buns, and being sliced again…whoops, contaminated, don’t touch! ok, let me try the meats. there were two kinds of deli meats labeled gluten free, some ham and some turkey, both of which were very tasty and fresh. they were on the same tray as non-gluten free meats but were separated by wax paper, well done Tonina’s!
the final item that was labeled gluten free were rice crispy squares, which made me excited, however on closer inspection, I could see oats, and corn flakes in the ingredients list, so I didn’t try them, sorry Tonina’s. oats and corn flakes are very tricky to navigate for celiacs. recent research claims that oats are in fact safe for people with celiac disease because it does not contain gluten, but oats are thought to be unsafe due to contamination with barley primarily during processing. it is possible to find gluten free oats (more on this subject soon), and corn flakes. for example, Nature's Path Organics makes gluten free corn flakes but other mainstream labels such as Kellogg's add barley malt to their corn flakes as a flavoring agent.
so would I recommend Tonina’s Catering & Deli Co? yes I would, but with the advice that you must work closely with Jark, or another staff member to ensure that the ingredients are 100% gluten free, and that safe food handling practices are met. plan your event well in advance, and ask questions! I found Jark to be extremely knowledgeable about food in general, and seems passionate about his business. stay tuned for part three where I visit Tonina’s and Jark in person to find out more about how they can provide a safe and enjoyable gluten free catered event. Andrea
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Well, you said it....navigate. Indeed it must be like steering your way through the different possibilities of contamination. I am pleased though, to see the effort made and perhaps with more understanding of cross contamination, an event like this could be catered even more successfully. But it sounds like Jark and his staff are sincerely trying to meet the needs of those who need GF products and perhaps we all don't realize just how serious mixing the two can be. Funny how you noted some of the GF food was gone already. I have the impression that many of us treat the 'GF' label like 'organic'...trendy and healthy. Which, don't get me wrong...tis true...but don't think of it as a life and death situation or a health necessity for others. Anyway...had a fun weekend reading labels in the grocery store again...til the son called on the cell phone and asked if I was EVER going to return home with the few items on my list...guess I got carried away...grin :P
Think it is so cool that you can visit Toninas in person. What a great guy to have you 'check it out'.
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