Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Pot of Gold
Being allergic to both soy and milk leaves two options for margarine, and both hard to find. The first is Fleischman's light in the blue container (made with corn oil) and the second is Mother's Margarine. Not just any Mother's Margarine though - the Kosher for Passover kind. The first option is hard to find because other margarines taste better and sell better, so most grocery stores don't stock it. It's hard to special order, because there are two UPCs, and one of them was discontinued. Rumor has it that they are no longer distributing it at all to half the country. The second option is hard to find because they only make it once a year. That time is now.
The thing is, there is not a huge Jewish population in Portland, so most stores don't carry many K for P products beyond matzah. Martin asked around though, and got a lead on a store that carries a large K for P selection.
So, on Saturday, I packed Chloe in the car, and headed out to the burbs. We were on a mission. I found a huge selection of K for P products, and picked up some safe products for Chloe including apple butter, potato sticks, a gelatin free jello like dessert, and sour gummy bears (OK those are for me). They certainly did have a good selection - a K for P deli, a frozen foods section and a huge area of dry goods. I walked the store three times searching for Mother's Margarine though and didn't see any. I reluctantly headed to the checkout, and decided to ask a worker if they had it. He said, "Maybe - Check by the other deli in the produce department." Note that this is no where near the area where the butter/yogurt/cheese cases were kept, so I was skeptical. I walked over there though, and holy cow - they had it!!! I bought out the shelf. It was seriously like a pot of gold. I felt light on my feet, I wanted to sing. I really did. I was so happy and kept telling Chloe it was her lucky day.
Why is this so exciting? Because it means I can bake something safe for Chloe that might actually be edible to the rest of us. I can't use any milk, wheat, oat, soy, nut, or egg products when cooking for Chloe. Try making cookies, a cake, or any decent dessert within those limitations -- it's not easy. To me, margarine = apple crumble, sugar cookies, icing for gluten free cupcakes, gluten free graham crackers...oh, the list is endless, really.
Not that we need those things all the time. But, when hosting playgroup, a birthday party, or when making dessert on a special occasion...it will be nice to have a Chloe safe option!
Yippee!!!!!!
Now we just need a second freezer to store it in.
The thing is, there is not a huge Jewish population in Portland, so most stores don't carry many K for P products beyond matzah. Martin asked around though, and got a lead on a store that carries a large K for P selection.
So, on Saturday, I packed Chloe in the car, and headed out to the burbs. We were on a mission. I found a huge selection of K for P products, and picked up some safe products for Chloe including apple butter, potato sticks, a gelatin free jello like dessert, and sour gummy bears (OK those are for me). They certainly did have a good selection - a K for P deli, a frozen foods section and a huge area of dry goods. I walked the store three times searching for Mother's Margarine though and didn't see any. I reluctantly headed to the checkout, and decided to ask a worker if they had it. He said, "Maybe - Check by the other deli in the produce department." Note that this is no where near the area where the butter/yogurt/cheese cases were kept, so I was skeptical. I walked over there though, and holy cow - they had it!!! I bought out the shelf. It was seriously like a pot of gold. I felt light on my feet, I wanted to sing. I really did. I was so happy and kept telling Chloe it was her lucky day.
Why is this so exciting? Because it means I can bake something safe for Chloe that might actually be edible to the rest of us. I can't use any milk, wheat, oat, soy, nut, or egg products when cooking for Chloe. Try making cookies, a cake, or any decent dessert within those limitations -- it's not easy. To me, margarine = apple crumble, sugar cookies, icing for gluten free cupcakes, gluten free graham crackers...oh, the list is endless, really.
Not that we need those things all the time. But, when hosting playgroup, a birthday party, or when making dessert on a special occasion...it will be nice to have a Chloe safe option!
Yippee!!!!!!
Now we just need a second freezer to store it in.
