Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Disneyland Revisited

We went back to Disneyland on Wednesday, May 11, 2011.  We used the complementary tickets that Disneyland Resorts Guest Communications offered us after the less than stellar experience we had last year.  I must say that this visit went much smoother and I was treated wonderfully this time around.

Prior to leaving for our trip I contacted Chef Chris at Disneyland concerning my food issues.  He was very helpful and gave me some wonderful advise.  First, he said that I should visit City Hall as we entered Disneyland to get the current gluten free list.  Second, he urged me to ask for a chef, manager, or lead as soon as I entered any of the many food establishments at Disneyland and California Adventure.  Chef Chris is in charge of the Tomorrowland Terrace and Redd Rockett's Pizza Port as well as being the main contact concerning food allergies at the parks.  He can be reached at (714) 781- 3569.  While we were on the phone I also mentioned that my sister in law really would like to have lunch at the River Belle Terrace to enjoy one of the signature fresh roasted turkey sandwiches.  He let me know that the River Belle Terrace is under the supervision of Chef Tim and put me in contact with him to discuss my options there.  Chef Tim contacted me and after talking about my options he offered to bake off a special turkey breast on the day we would be visiting the park that would be safe for me to eat on one of the parks gluten free buns. 

On the day of our Disneyland adventure the first stop we made was to the Market House to get a cup of the special coffee blend roasted just for Disneyland.  Also, if you save your receipt you can go back and get free refills throughout the day.  We then enjoyed some of the rides and activities at the park before arriving at the River Belle Terrace for lunch.  I asked to speak to the chef or a manager and Chef Tim came out to greet me and took care of ensuring that the special turkey breast was prepared on the gluten free buns.  This roasted turkey breast sandwich was delicious and I garnished it with fresh lettuce and tomato!  I enjoyed the pickle spears and fresh fruit salad as my sides.

For dinner we found ourselves in the California Adventure park and decided to try the Taste Pilots' Grill.  Again I asked to speak to the chef or manager and was greeted by the chef (sadly I can not remember this wonderful chefs name as she went out of her way to help make sure that I had a wonderful dining experience).  I enjoyed a plain grilled chicken sandwich which I garnished with fresh lettuce, tomato, and dill pickle slices.  I also had french fries which were cooked in their dedicated french fry fryer.  As the evening grew cooler, I was able to enjoy a wonderful dairy free espresso drink from the Gourmet Coffee Cart at the entrance to Paradise Pier.  They were able to give me a double shot with vanilla syrup topped off with hot water Caffe Americano style which I enjoyed while we waited for the World of Color Show to start. 

I have to say that Disneyland has greatly improved since my last visit as far as being able to handle people with food allergies.  I was treated with kindness and genuine concern and compassion at each place I ate on this trip which is a great improvement from my last visit.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Dairy and Gluten Free Roasted Cauliflower

I have seen a lot of recipes for Roasted Cauliflower floating around the web.  This is my spin on the classic.  I love the almost nutty flavor that roasting the cauliflower at a very high temperature imparts.

Dairy and Gluten Free Roasted Cauliflower


1 head fresh cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tbs dairy free buttery spread
1 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, grated
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.
Melt the buttery spread and combine with the olive oil, grated garlic, salt and pepper.
Toss the cauliflower pieces with the buttery mixture.
Place the cauliflower in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes stirring once, or until the cauliflower begins to caramelize and brown.
Serve hot or room temperature.