OMG have I just spoilt Christmas by eating some pickled walnuts along with pate and home-made g/f bread??!!

[Malago]

Just had a quick lunch to test out my home-made g/f bread with pate (g/f), red wine and pickled walnuts; the traditional brand (Opies) I buy every other Christmas or so. They were as good as ever, possibly a bit sweeter than I remembered so checked the ingredient list. Then HORROR ..... discovered that they include 'malt extract' !! I've already contacted them by email. I know there's nothing much I can do now.

I am however very cross with myself because I did not check; I believed that the product was a simple old fashioned pickle with no need to add extra (hazardous) ingredients! I use so few processed foods and never those which are more 'fashion' than 'traditional' so I shall have to wait to see if I've been glutened; likely to be about 3am Christmas Day !

So until then on with the prep .... time to pick more holly before the light really fades.

Merry Gluten a Free Festivities to all Guerrillas

[Maggiet]

Oh gosh, hope you are OK. This is my first GF Christmas - can't believe some of the things that contain gluten - HP brown sauce! However, I am getting my head round it. Off to visit family this weekend so taking gf food with me. Hope you escape being glutened. Happy Christmas xx

[Malago in reply to Maggiet]

Hi Maggiet

Best wishes for your 1stG/F Christmas ..... I was there last year!

I'm possibly too savvy about gluten and often miss the obvious; last year it was a Lindt Chocolate (just the one) that find it for me. Maltodextrin in a runny-caramel type choccie!

Successfully Enjoy your Festive Fooding

Maggie (Bristol) xx

[1stgls]

I just recieved a hamper from a G/F company as a Christmas gift-- bought by my son, he not got much of a clue as he lives away so went for the safest option, and upon checking the chutney it actually has gluten iI !

[taffy]

Uh oh! I too got glutened the other night making sweet and sour pork using malt vinegar in the sauce......oops. Was ill for 3 days. However, I just ate my gluten free Xmas pudding................... lovely! Merry Xmas.

[Malago]

Hi festive Gluten Free Folk

Re my pickled-walnut incident; NOT glutened thank goodness, possibly mildly or still getting over previous cross contamination which I've not been able to identify.

However am really impressed by the pickle company Opies..... I did email them before you guys yesterday and there was the MD still in the office and he replied !! Only to offer apols and to say he had passed it on to another person. I had expected a reply when they re-opened after the festive hols not in a million years within an hour or so on Christmas Eve.

Just now almost snoozing by log fire after a successful Christmas Lunch; I made it all so no gluten horrors lurking about.

Taffy was the malt vinegar in your sweet'n'sour dish possibly 'enhanced' by caramel; that could be the source of your hidden gluten?

Maggiet there is a brown sauce called Oxford Sauce which is gluten-free but mainly for sale in the Oxford area. It's very good indeed and I've been OK with it.

1stgls will you make a robust comment/complaint to the hamper co? I would be interested to know about their reply. Give yourself a pat on the back for being so alert whilst receiving a lovely gift from your son.

Now time to begin leafing through all the lovely books I've been given and sip a little more champagne .... must be drunk up so before the fizz goes.....

[urbangirl]

I had a similar experience on Sunday. I ate something that had gluten for lunch and was so freaked that I was going to be glutened. What a weird experience it was waiting for the action to happen! Curiously this never happened or maybe it did a little bit but not so much that I was affected badly. I was so relieved. I had a lovely Christmas lunch and ate scrummy food and got the GF pickle recommended by people to accompany the cold turkey yum yum!