satay you stay - very best Thai food

I was always fond of Thai cuisine. Sweet, spicy, sweet, tangy, what's there not to love? Since 2007 I have really ramped up my appreciation and consumption. I think I have unintentionally sought it out almost everywhere I have traveled.

Bloomington, Indiana - Esan Thai (best northnern Thai I have ever had)
Chicago, Illinois - Pho's Hot & Spicy Thai Cuisine (best green papaya salad I have ever had)
London, UK - Manorom Too Thai Restaurant (really knowledgeable staff that double checked everything)
Cambridge, MA - Pepper Sky (always a slam dunk, eat in or take out)
Smile Thai closed in Cambridge, which broke my heart. They actually brewed their own gluten-free soy sauce.
Boston, MA - Chili Duck

See what I am saying? And there are just my greatest hits.

It takes a lot for a place to nudge on my list. It takes even more for me to be surprised. Well Krua Thai blew my expectations out of the water. It is a tiny spot that would be easy to miss because there is a giant service bridge overshadowing this small 10 table restaurant. Photos of food don the walls, but don't let you think there is anything cliched about this find. Dishes are made to order, and before I could even snap pictures half of our meal was devoured. We expected greasy, overcooked pad thai, but could not be more wrong. The server was incredibly well versed in the entire menu and understood allergens and double checked ingredients. I don't have anything bad to say - nothing. The food was fresh, interesting, well prepared. I am not even a fan of eggplant and truly could not stop eating the basil eggplant special we ordered. The satay was truly the best I have ever had... and I sure do enjoy me some meat on a stick.

I didn't realize how much I liked this place until I was plotting how or why I needed to be back near Buzzards Bay just to get a chance to eat here again. 

I am not ok

I have written, erased, re-written, and sat with this post in my "drafts" for a while now. It is not my best writing and I didn't feel ready to post this. I didn't want to post this. It really isn't about gluten free stuff... but it is. It is about me. It is about how we silence and shun those with mental health issues - chronic and acute. 


When I was recovering from my celiac diagnosis - and yes, I just referred to the process of dealing with the diagnosis and re-figuring-out-my-life as recovery - I was depressed. The gluten-free community is really great about being supportive with recipe ideas, managing family dynamics, managing work and social parties, but the giant elephant in the room is often the mental health implications of getting glutened and dealing with the recovery process. 

So I decided to post this. I hope that it helps. I hope it helps me, and I hope it may help others who are trying to figure out how to cope and manage these days.   


I am not ok; and that is ok for now.

I woke up on Wednesdays and was crying. I didn't know what to do, but then I called someone because I knew I needed some extra help.

I am an exceptionally lucky person. Everyone I know who was at the marathon on Monday is physically ok.

I work at the site of the Boston Marathon Finish Line. I was at work on Monday when the building slightly shook, twice. We tried our best to work through a 3 hour building lock-down and get information out to friends, colleagues, and loved ones.

I have felt angry, grief, and that I didn't deserve the luck of not going outside to watch and cheer people on. I have hated the images and words of hate on Facebook and Twitter, and the false reports by the NYPost - they all feel like more pain.

I have been filled with lots of feelings about feelings. Am I suppose to feel this way? Why does this feel different than other tragedies. Why is this getting reported differently? I have felt a weird mix of guilt and bile over the fact that I know how disproportionately this is getting media attention and financial aid.

I got so angry I yelled at my computer for people telling others "don't feel fear, if you do, terrorists win". Please stop telling people how to feel.

I am scared. It is scary to ride to work on the T with armed national guards - who I am so grateful are here - but I can also be afraid and worried. I can cry for those I do not know, and it doesn't make me any less.

This past weekend was very hard. I have never been more grateful for social media - allowing for a space for people who were trapped in apartments and homes to let people know how they were doing, and for people to still feel connected.

I am so very lucky and that is why I am writing. There are a lot of us who are "very lucky" who are also hurting and feeling a lot of different feelings right now. There are people who are all over the globe who are affected by this. Please know you are not alone, and please reach out to others.

I didn't sleep much last night because I had nightmares of people being injured again - memories of Thursday night and Friday morning came to life in my dream. I know this is not ok.

Not being able to "handle" or "process" this by your self ok. But we need to process this. We need to do whatever we can to get some of this pain, sadness, fear, grief, relief, exhaustion, tension, anxiety out of our bodies. Writing, talking, crying, getting a bit of exercise, meditating, and self care are crucial right now.

I knew I wasn't ok this morning, and I called someone for help. I am not cured, I am not better, and I am still  trying to wrestle with thoughts, feelings, emotions, and images. And I know I am not alone.

And hopefully soon, cooking and baking will be back. And I am excited because tulips are blooming and it means ramps will be ready to dig up.

Resources:
For persons or family members who were injured
City of Boston has set up a special number: 617.343.1373

Resources and information for Copley/Boylston residents and business owners

Boston Acupuncture Trauma Relief

Your place of work may have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or OMBUDS office that can also help you access resources.

Peace Vigil Tonight, Boston Common

There is a peace vigil being planned for tonight on the Boston Common, 6-8pm.

Facebook invite 

The American Red Cross of MA notes the generosity of so many has them not needing additional blood right now. 

Boston round table

If you are in the Boston Area and are looking for a group chat, all I can say is that Melinda is AWESOME and this looks pretty great.

Living with Celiac Disease: A Round-Table Discussion

Date: 2/10/2011
6:30PM - 7:30PM

Celiac Disease Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
East Campus, Dana 601
330 Brookline Avenue
Boston , MA 02215
617-667-1272

This is the first date of our 2011 informal “Round Table” Discussions on living with celiac disease and the gluten free diet hosted by the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

This event is open to our patients and the public. It will be held in the Reisman Lecture Hall on the second floor of the Rabb Building.

Your questions will form the framework for the evening.

Bring your questions on diagnosis and screening, symptoms, manifestations of celiac disease, associated complications, novel advances in research, hidden gluten, nutrient needs, appropriate follow-up with your medical team, and anything else you’d like to ask.

The Q & A will be hosted by one or more of the following providers:

• Ciaran Kelly, M.D., Medical Director
• Daniel Leffler, MS, MD, Clinical Research Director
• Melinda Dennis, MS, RD, Nutrition Coordinator

Registration is required and limited for this event. Please call in advance to confirm your seating. Significant others are welcome but, again, space is limited. We will call or email you back to confirm your space.

To register: Call 617-667-8186 or email mdennis@ bidmc.harvard.edu and provide your full name, phone number, email, and number of people in your party.

There is no cost for this event. Regular parking fees apply to the lots surrounding the Medical Center.

Refreshments and samples of gluten free products will be served.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Dr. Ciaran Kelly
Medical Director, Celiac Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

To learn more about the Celiac Center at BIDMC, please visit their website at: http://www.bidmc.org/celiaccenter or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/bidmchealth

MIT Fab Lab - Gluten Free gets Lasered

I cohabitate with gluten eaters. We have worked out a pretty good system: I have a separate cabinet for pantry items and I have separate pots, pans, tupperware and utensils. I use a Sharpie to mark things "Gluten Free" so everyone knows what's what, but it rubs and washes off pretty quickly.

A friend of mine has been going to the open-to-the-public hours at the MIT Fab Lab in South Boston and mentioned that they had a laser cutter. My first idea was to customize a mixer... something that's going to take a little bit more planning, but I got to wondering if I could use it to mark things as "Gluten Free."

Here is my first attempt.

Here is the back of the wooden spoons that I keep having to re-mark:




I sanded down the front of the handle (to create a flat surface and remove the "Chefsmate" that was burnt into the handle.

Using OpenOffice Draw, and with the great assistance of said Fab Lab friend, I did this:



Try number two shows why you should always run a practice run:


Third handle came out pretty much perfect:


I am proud and excited!