GIG 2002 Annual Convention

Wow! What an amazing event! The 2002 GIG Annual Education Conference was a huge success by all standards. The turn-out was fantastic with doctors, authors, dietitians, vendors and of course all of those wonderful people seeking to learn more about Celiac Disease and how to live a better life on a gluten-free diet.

The convention began on Friday, June 21st with 4 amazing demonstrations to include a Celiac clinic - introducing the basics of Celiac Disease and the GF diet, a shopping and product demo - teaching people the secrets on how to shop gluten-free and solve some GF cooking challenges, a cooking demonstration by Bette Hagman, Carol Fenster, and Garren Brannon and of course a fun and lively cooking show by, your’s truly, Glutenfreeda.com - presenting a gourmet gluten-free meal.

Unfortunately we were unable to attend the other demonstrations held on Friday due to the fact that they all occurred simultaneously (a difficult choice, I’m sure for those attending the conference!). We had a wonderful turnout at the Filmhouse where we prepared an elegant gluten-free meal which those who attended were able to sample. Below you will find our delicious menu (all recipes are available in the Recipe File of Glutenfreeda.com).

Five Star Gluten-Free Menu from Glutenfreeda.com

Tuna Tartar served on Crostini

Fresh ahi tuna gently tossed with capers, chives & dijon

Bruschetta with Tomato, Smoked Salmon & Herbs

Crostini topped with Pacific Northwest Smoked Salmon and fresh tomato & herbs

Roasted Asparagus Crostini

Grilled asparagus wrapped in prosciutto layed on a bed of roasted red pepper ricotta & served on a gluten-free crostini

Roasted Red Pepper & Mozzarella Bruschetta

Crostini topped with roasted red peppers and melted mozzarella cheese garnished with fresh basil

First Course

Salmon Stuffed Ravioli with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Homemade gf ravioli stuffed with Pacific Northwest Smoked Salmon & poached srhimp served with a smoky roasted red pepper sauce & garnished with a fresh herb salad

Entree

Garlic Studded Beef Tenderloin Roast with Marsala Sauce

A mouth-watering beef tenderloin studded with roasted garlic, served with a delectable Marsala wine sauce & garnished with pancetta chips

Pilaf with Toasted Pine Nuts & Herbs

A lovely rice pilaf with golden raisins tossed with fresh herbs & toasted pine nuts

Green Bean Bundles with Toasted Almonds

Fresh green beans bundled with fresh chives, splashed with lemon and finished with toasted almonds

 DESSERT

Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Swans

A delicate gluten-free puff pastry stuffed with a chocolate hazelnut mousse placed on a lake of dark chocolate sauce & encircled by a raspberry coulis

We had a great time with our class sharing tips and techniques in both general cooking skills as well as helpful ideas on cooking gluten-free - products, prior preparation and avoiding gluten-contamination were just a few of the topics covered. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the segment on making homemade, gluten-free pasta. The texture and taste of our homemade gluten-free pasta is something that you have to experience first hand. For complete instruction on how to make gluten-free pasta please visit our on-line cooking class archives in our Members-Only section or consider visiting us at our Cooking School. Another highlight was the delicious, naturally gluten-free main course. In addition to the samples served, we gave the main course away to one of our delighted students. The class was full of lots of laughter, fun, good information and wonderful food. Everyone had a great time and we hope that more of you can attend our next show.

Saturday and Sunday everyone enjoyed the conference. There was so much good information and support available to those living with Celiac Disease and a gluten-free diet. The speakers were wonderful - providing a wealth of information. There was an amazing turnout of vendors who displayed a variety of gluten-free foods, services, diagnosis support, and more. There was even a mini-kid’s camp for all the kids to enjoy. Saturday night at the banquet the GIG and the attendees of the conference honored Bette Hagman for her contributions to the Celiac community. All in all, everyone had a wonderful time. We would like to thank the GIG for putting on such a wonderful, informative event. A special thanks also goes out to all the volunteers who helped those of us from out of town find our way around Winston-Salem and experience "southern hospitality" first hand (thanks Howard!).

If you were unable to attend this year’s conference, please consider attending next year’s conference. You will be glad you did. See the GIG at www.gluten.net for more information on the 2003 conference.

– Glutenfreeda