Guest post! Courtesy of Mel Daggett, our favourite blogging "babydoll"

Appreciation day

I'm the foodie equivalent of that weird dribbly chick on the bus who wears a superhero cape and cowboy hat, and shouts into her bag every time the bus turns a corner.

My flavour of weird, however, comes down to my dietary requirements. I’m a wheat-intolerant vegetarian. And no, this is not just a modern-day version of natural selection. I refuse to be weeded out by a type of grain.

A couple of years ago, my housemate commented on my nutritional needs: “If I were you I would’ve killed myself by now”. Fair comment really, since we were going to get pizza at the time, which I can’t eat. In fact, I can’t eat anything with flour.

Maybe I’m already dead inside.

At home it’s not so bad. Gluten-free alternatives do exist for bread, pasta, and most importantly, crumpets. However much they resemble an undercooked version that salt dough you made in Year 1, life without crumpets doesn’t bear thought.

The worst thing about combining my veggie ethic and crappy GI system is eating out. Phoning ahead to pre-warn a restaurant would only be cruel. Requesting a menu that’s wheat-free and meat-free is enough to give Chef night sweats. And Chef doesn’t sleep well anyway.

9 times out of 10, then, I’m overjoyed to be brought anything other than a plate of dust.

However, eating like a loon has made me appreciate a number of things.

1.      Peanut butter goes with EVERYTHING

2.      Baking without wheat largely resembles a Year 5 science experiment. Thank Science for xanthan gum

3.      M&S deserve a collective knighthood for their wheat-free Caramel Crunch Squares

4.      Hugging the staff is never appropriate, even if a restaurant stocks gluten-free bread.

A week or so ago, I challenged Ben to come up with an interesting dish that wouldn’t harm my stomach or morals. The fact that he managed is a pretty legit megaphone for this dude’s skills. Appreciate him.

But more than anything, next time you’re enjoying a nice doughy focaccia, say a little prayer for me. I will know.

Mel

meldaggett.wordpress.com