There, I've said it. The thing that every Chinese person knows and what every non Chinese person is shocked to discover.
It is one of the few national cuisines that has been manipulated, adapted and exploited by non Chinese eaters. We have become accustomed to demanding a different quality of Chinese food, and in some extreme cases (such as Fortune Cookies) a type of Chinese food that doesn't even exist in China!
Such was my state of disdain with Chinese food two days ago when, in the back alleys of London's China Town, I stumbled across the quaint, green-trimmed establishment of Mr. Kong's. Its very unassuming name certainly didn't draw me in and since I was in China Town and couldn't tell from which restaurant which smell was coming, it wasn't that either.
Call me superstitious, but at one point in my life (well, a recurring point) the word carbonara makes me cringe. Something that tastes this good, how can it not be bad for you?! Carb is in the name! That's a snippet of the conversation I have with myself whenever I see carbonara on a restaurant menu. Incidentally, I normally flip a few pages back to Insalta, trying to (unsuccessfully) trick my palate into believing it doesn't want carbonara at all.
I'm sure you can figure out who wins the contest between palate and waistline.
You know how sometimes you just get a mood for a certain food?
The first chilly day of Fall and I get nuts for homemade chicken noodle soup, or if I'm sad and want to a wallow for a bit, a rich and decadent cheesecake is my pity party companion. Mood can dictate our food and food can certainly dictate our mood. It's so fascinating how the two are related. It's been said a million times, "You are what you eat," which is true. So that makes me a potato. And quite happily so, I might add.
What the hell am I waffling on about?
Well, comfort food. Nothing can lift my spirits or make me feel safe and comfortable the way a piping hot potato can. I don't care if it's a good ol' American Idaho Russet Burbank potato with its odd elongated plumpness and thick skin. Or it can be one of my personal favorites, the lesser-known South American Adirondack Blue Potato, chock full of antioxidants with a slightly sweet and crisp taste. Even a traditional Irish potato, which, although it may seem blasphemous, tastes a lot better than an American potato any day. I'm not sure if it's the fact that Irish potatoes grow deep in the rain-cultivated, chilly Irish earth or what, but they taste heartier, have a subtle sweetness and an undeniable potato taste. Much more tasty than their English neighboring crops.
One of the things I love most about Gmail is that it comes with this launchpad type homepage thing called iGoogle. On iGoogle you can customize your gadgets to see what you're interested in before you get to checking your emails. On mine, I have areas dedicated to the weather, previews of my inbox, a calendar, these really cooky googly eyes that follow your cursor around the page and, of course, I have various poetry and literary-related things.
Today, underneath my Daily Literary Quote section is this quote from Giorgos Seferis:
Don't ask who's influenced me. A lion is made of the lambs he's digested and I've been reading all my life.
Pretty powerful, if not a bit odd and a tad bit graphic, no?
The beautiful thing about this quote (other than the fact that every avid reader and writer is probably nodding their heads after having read it {and after having scribbled the quote down on a Post-It Note}) is that it is a perfect reflection of the best components of a Seferis poem.
This classic Australian dessert is a cinch to make and is perfect served with fruit.
Feeds 2 adults
For a good bulk of my TV-viewing life, I've been a fan of domestic shows. IE: cooking shows, decorating shows, buying, selling or flipping property ... . When I'm in America, my TV is constantly tuned to TLC, Home and Garden and the Food Network. Here, in England, it's a bit of the same. Recently, I've been indulging in foodie shows such as "Come Dine With Me" and "MasterChef," and "Cook Yourself Thin."
In addition to being shows about making and or serving food, there has been a common denominator amongst all three of these and that is the classic Australian dessert, pavlova. I had never eaten a pavlova but it looked easy, yummy and I've been wanting to improve my dessert-making skills. So, on a whim, I went out on Thursday and purchased the ingredients necessary to make a pavlova, per Delia's recipe.
Blogging is so hard for me. It seems slightly blasphemous that this is the reality since 1. I am a writer and 2. I am of the generation in which blogging became a thing. Surely, that should equip me with everything I need to fashion a blogging storm and plug away at my laptop for hours and hours! Alas, it doesn't. I seem to go through blogs the way newborns go through diapers. I'm constantly throwing them out, starting over, blah blah blah. Well, here's to attempt number 288397240174.
I wonder how many people (Lorelai Gilmore not included) automatically think of "Fame" when they read my blog title? How could you not? Cheesy '80s at its best, the hair, the Jane Fonda leggings, that crazy, the world-is-amazing bounce. Oh yeah, you're gonna see me and cry.
Anyway, I was thinking the other day about the word know. About how much its connotation has morphed over time. I mean, in the biblical sense of the word it's about a certain type of physical intimacy, isn't it? In later decades, it became something to which you could attribute something to--ie: I know such-and-such a person. Now? We've kind of killed it.
The comprehensive list of gluten free candy and chocolate from the USA's most popular brands!
Gluten Free Candy & Chocolate
Here's the comprehensive list of gluten free candy and chocolate from top manufacturers in the USA.
Be Advised:
Please use these lists as
guides only--ingredients, recipes and production methods can change at
any time. In all cases, I have only included those products which the
brands and or manufacturers have stated as clearly being free from
gluten. This means they contain no barley, rye or wheat or they contain
less than 20ppm gluten level and are therefore deemed to be safe. None
of the listed products are produced in a factory which handles gluten
products, so there should be minimal fear of cross contamination. Please
also be aware that you download the correct list for your country as
some sweets or candy produced gluten free in one country may not be
gluten free in the other. Ultimately, always check the packaging and
ingredients before consuming any sweets or candy, even if it does appear
on this list.
Gluten Free Ferrara Candy Company
Atomic Fireballs
Boston Baked Beans
Jawbreakers/Jawbusters
Juju's
Lemonhead
Cherryhead
Grapehead
Now & Later
Red Hot's
Candy Canes (Bob's Brach's Lemonhead & Friends, Red Hot's)
Black Forest Gummies
Ferrara Gummies
Sathers Gummies
Trolli Gummies
Gum Drops
Orange Slices
Bob's Sweet Stripes
Brach's Wild N Fruity Gummi Worms
Brach's Cinnamon Discs/Imperials
Brach's Conversation Hearts
Brach's Lemon Drops
Cherry Sours
Ferrara Fruit Snacks Black Forest Fruit Snacks
Trolli Fruit Snacks
Gumballs
Jelly Beans
Jujy's
Leamonheads & Friends Conversation Hearts
Tropical Chewy Lemonhead
Chewy Lemonhead & Friends
Berry Chewy Lemonhead
Gluten Free Hershey's
Almond Joy
Mounds
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Kisses
Hershey's Hugs
1.55 oz Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar
1.45 oz Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Bar
Reese's Fast Break
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Reese's Pieces
Rolo Caramels in Milk Chocolate
York Peppermint Pattie
Hershey's Special Dark Kisses
Hershey's Filled Chocolate Kisses in Milk Chocolate, Chocolate Filled with Caramel, Chocolate Filled with Cherry Cordial Creme, Vanilla Creme, Dark Chocolate Filled with Mint Truffle, Pumpkin Spice, Carrot Cake, Meltaway Milk Chocolates, Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate
Hershey's Nuggets in Milk Chocolate, Milk Chocolate with Almonds, Special Dark Chocolate with Almonds and Extra Creamy Milk Chocolate with Toffee and Almonds
Hershey's Air Deligh
Hershey's Milk Duds
Heath Bars
Payday
Skor
Skor Toffee Bar
All Jelly Belly jelly beans are gluten free
Jelly Belly Candy Corn
Gluten Free Just Born
Mike and Ike Berry Blast
Mike and Ike Italian Ice
Mike and Ike Jolly Joes
Mike and Ike Lemonade Blends
Mike and Ike Original Fruits
Mike and Ike Redrageous
Mike and Ike Tangy Twister
Mike and Ike Tropical Typhoon
Mike and Ike Zours
Mike and Ike Jelly Beans
Mike and Ike Hot Tamales
Gluten Free Mars Chocolate
3 Musketeers
Dove Chocolate
M&Ms -- all except pretzel
Milky Way Caramel
Milky Way Midnight
Snickers
Gluten Free Nestle USA
Butterfinger Bars
Raisinets
Toll House Morsels Semi-Sweet
Toll House Morsels Milk
Toll House Chunks Semi-Sweet
Toll House Chunks Milk
Baby Ruth
Bit-O-Honey
SweeTARTS
Oh Henry!
Sno-Caps
Wonka Pixy Stix
Laffy Taffy
Laffy Taffy Rope
Wonka Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip
Goobers
Nips
Gluten Free Smarties
Most Smarties products are gluten free
Gluten Free Tic Tac Mints
All Tic Tac Mints products are gluten free
Gluten Free Tootsie Roll Industries
Tootsie Roll
Fruit Rolls
Junior Mints
Frooties
Dots
Charleston Chew
Double Bubble
Tootsie Pops
Charms Blow Pops
Charms Super Blow Pops
Charms Pops
Sugar Daddy Pops
Sugar Mama Caramels
Andes
Sugar Babies
Tropical Dots
Crows
Cella's Milk Chocolate Covered Cherries
Cella's Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries
Dubble Bubble
Junior Caramels
Tootsie Peppermint Pops
Caramel Apple Pops
Fruit Smoothie Pops
Tropical Stormz Pops
Child's Play
Zip-A-Dee-Mini Pops
Fluffy Stuff Cotton Candy
Charms Squares
Charms Sour Balls
Charms Candy Carnival
Pops Galore
The comprehensive list of gluten free sweets and chocolate from the UK's most popular brands!
Gluten Free Sweets & Chocolate
Here's the comprehensive list of gluten free sweets and chocolate from top manufacturers in the UK.
Be Advised:
Please use these lists as
guides only--ingredients, recipes and production methods can change at
any time. In all cases, I have only included those products which the
brands and or manufacturers have stated as clearly being free from
gluten. This means they contain no barley, rye or wheat or they contain
less than 20ppm gluten level and are therefore deemed to be safe. None
of the listed products are produced in a factory which handles gluten
products, so there should be minimal fear of cross contamination. Please
also be aware that you download the correct list for your country as
some sweets or candy produced gluten free in one country may not be
gluten free in the other. Ultimately, always check the packaging and
ingredients before consuming any sweets or candy, even if it does appear
on this list.
Blackcurrant
Chewmix
Fruit Salad
Orange
Strawberry
Strawberry and Ice Cream
Vampire Fangs
Xtreme Chewmix
Xtremely Sour Chews
Selection Box
Gluten Free Daim
Daim Bar
Gluten Free Fisherman's Friend
All Fisherman's Friend products are gluten free
Gluten Free Green and Blacks
Dark Collection
Dark Cooking Chocolate
70% Dark Chocolate
70% Dark Chocolate Thin
85% Dark Chocolate
Blood Orange and Milk Chocolate
Burnt Toffee Dark Chocolate
Butterscotch Milk Chocolate
Chopped Almond Milk Chocolate
Milk Chocolate
Ginger Dark Chocolate
Hazelnut and Currant Dark Chocolate
Maya Gold Dark Chocolate
Miniature Chocolate Bar Collection
Milk Chocolate
Milk Chocolate Almond
Milk Chocolate Caramel
Milk Chocolate Thin
Milk Collection
Milk Cooking Chocolate
Mint Crisp Thin
Mint Dark Chocolate
Raisin and Hazelnut Milk Chocolate
Salted Caramel Thin
Sea Salt Milk Chocolate
Spiced Chilli Dark Chocolate
White Chocolate
White Cooking Chocolate
Gluten Free Haribo
Cola Bottles
Fantasy Mix
Fizzy Cola
Fried Eggs
Giant Cola Bottles
Giant Sour Strawbs
Giant Strawbs
Goldbears
Happy Cherries
Horror Mix
Jelly Babies
Milk Bottles
Mini Jelly Babies
Minions
Spooky Ghosts
Starmix
Starmix Minis
Strawbs
Bear Buddies
Chamallows
Chamallows Jammy
Chamallows Jammy with Strawberry
Chamallows Sour
Chick Mania
Chilly Penguin
Crazy Python
Croco
Easter Fun
Fizzy Farm Animals
Fizzy Fish
Frienship Rings
Fruitgom Mix
Fruity Frogs
Funny Fix
Giant Aples
Giant Sour Suckers
Happy Cola
Hearts and Rings
Heart Throbs
Jelly Beans
Jelly Bunnies
Juicy Goldbears
Little Jelly Men
Mega Minis
Mega Party
Milkshakes
Milky Mushrooms
Party Time
Party Tub
Phantasia Fantastik
Rotella
Roulette
Rhubarb and Custard Splats
Selection
Share the Fun
Silly Suckers
Soft Jelly
Sour Cheries
Sour Happy Cola
Sour Suckers
Starfish
Starmix Frenzy
Starmixmas
Strawberries and Cream
Strawberry Softies
Super Mix
Super Mix Minis
Terrific Turtles
The Smurfs
Twist n Stick
Worms
Yellow Bellies Minis
Gluten Free Hershey's
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar
Reese's Big Cup
Reese's Fast Break
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Reese's Pieces
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Kisses
Hershey's Milk Duds
Reese's Nutrageous
Gluten Free Kinder
Kinder Bunnies
Kinder Chocolate Bars
Kinder Mini Eggs
Kinder Schoko-Bons
Kinder Surprise Eggs
Gluten Free Mars
Bounty
Galaxy
Galaxy Bubbles
Galaxy Milk Chocolate
Galaxy Minstrels
Galaxy Ripple
M&Ms Chocolate
M&Ms Peanut
M&Ms Peanut Butter
M&Ms Mint
Milky Way Magic Stars
Snickers
Bounty Dark
Bounty Trio
Galaxy Caramel Eggs
Galaxy Caramel Mini Eggs
Gluten Free Maynards Bassett
Aniseed Imperials
Cherry Drops
Dolly Mixture
Everton Mints
Fruit Bonbons
Mint Favourites
Mint Imperials
Murray Mins
Midget Gems
Pear Drops
Sherbet Lemons
Spearmint Imperials
Sweetshop Favourites
Wine Gums
Gluten Free Mentos
Chewy Dragees
3 Fruit Chewing Gum
Choco and Caramel
Choco and Caramel Filled
Mint Chews
Mint Crumbles
Nowmints
Gluten Free Nestle
Aero
Aero Bubbles
Aero Minis
Caramac Buttons
Milkybar Giant Buttons
Polo Mints
Polo Fruits
Rowntrees Fruit Gums
Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles
Rowntrees Randoms
Rowntrees Pick and Mix
Rowntrees Tooty Frooties
Rowntrees Jelly Tots
Aero Mint
Aero Milk
Aero White
Aero Mousse
After Eight Dark Chocolate Mints
Animal Bars
Matchmakers Orange/Mint/Honeycomb
Milkybar Milk and Crunchy
Polos Original and Spearmint
Polo Clear
Quality Streets
Rolo Share Block
Rowntrees Randoms Tandems
Toffee Crisp Sharing Block
Walnut Whip
I'm Anyonita, an American living in Britain, chasing great meals and beautiful places. After years as a food blogger, I'm taking Anyonita Nibbles on the road. Expect food, travel, restaurant finds and plenty of recipes from the archive.
