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Exciting news! Here’s an email I just got from Rockland’s Arlington this morning.

We asked (ok, kind of whined) and we shall receive! A perfect addition to go with a heaping plate of meat laced with sensational smokey fall flavors.

From: Deborah
Date: Wed, Oct 6, 2010 at 10:38 AM
Subject: Gluten Free Beer Now at Rocklands Arlington

Rocklands Arlington [map] now carries Lakefront New Grist Gluten Free Beer.

Our address is 3471 Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201.  (703) 528-9663.

Debbie
ROCKLANDS Barbeque and Grilling Company
2418 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20007
www.rocklands.com

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Tags:   arlington · New Grist · rocklands · Washington DC144 Comments

Recently, my parents were in town and my dad suggested we get some BBQ for dinner. I jumped on Yelp to find some local establishments serving savory meaty treats, and was reminded of Rocklands in Arlington, near the Virginia Square metro stop. Before my gluten-free days, and when I was in my 20s, I often enjoyed some Rocklands BBQ for a quick dinner when I was slugging beers at Carpool. (Rockland’s used to be inside of Carpool but they have since moved to their own free-standing building on Washington Boulevard.)

I wasn’t 100% sure any items on Rocklands menu were gluten free, but we ordered just about one of everything: brisket, chicken, ribs, potato salad, corn pudding, baked beans, coleslaw, apple compote, collards, beans and rice, and mac and cheese. I risked it – trying everything but the corn pudding and mac and cheese and it was all very good – the smoky flavors of the meat (particularly the brisket) had such good depth and the cool potato salad was a perfect foil to the tangy BBQ sauce. Truth be told: the coleslaw could be better.

However, even after electing to eat all the food, I remained curious about just how GF Rocklands’ food really is. I Googled a bit but didn’t find much. I did however, find a very intriguing recipe on Washingtonian’s Best Bites blog from Rocklands proprietor John Snedden…the recipe for the corn pudding; the same corn pudding I so coveted that first night we got Rocklands take-out with parents. And what to my wondering eyes should appear? A recipe with no wheat flour to be sure. Too good to be true? Let’s see about the creamed corn first…

To write this post, I spoke to Rocklands directly and here’s what I learned. Turns out the Rocklands ORIGINAL BBQ sauce is gluten free and the corn pudding is made with creamed corn containing modified food starch which did not indicate any wheat ingredients. The best news? Rocklands is entertaining the thought of putting a gluten-free beer on the menu after my gentle nudging. Be sure if you go, to inquire about that – there’s strength in numbers!

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Tags:   arlington va · barbecue · corn pudding · gluten free · gluten free beer · rocklands · rocklands bbq · virginia squareNo Comments.

So, by now most of you may have heard the news. Chef John took “The Next Food Network Star” title, but it was a good run. Thanks again for all of your support!

While the Food Network may have chosen me for the top 15, there were a lot of critics out there who weren’t sure how a salad could make the cut. I promised a video as I made this pizza, but we lost power, and it wasn’t meant to be. Even though I don’t have a video, I can provide the recipe! It’s heavy, so it makes a better appetizer than main course. I might serve with a light arugula salad on the side. 

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

In a pinch, you can turn to any frozen pizza crust out there, but it’s best to start with a dough-based frozen crust (not a pre-baked crust). You will want to press the dough out to form a thin crust for this recipe. I used Gillian’s, available in the freezer section of the Clarendon Whole Foods.

Here is a link to another pizza recipe from our site if you have time to make some dough from scratch.

Blue Cheese Sauce:

1/4 lb of blue cheese (try to find one with a good balance of veins and cheese – it will melt more evenly)

1/4 cup of butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

Toppings:

1/4 cup of fig jam

1/2 cup of chopped, dried figs

1/4 cup of chopped, cooked bacon

PREPARATION

Press the dough out into a pan to the thickness you prefer (I recommend a thin crust for this pizza, but choose your poison). Bake according to crust directions for 10 minutes, until crust is firm, but not cooked through. Remove from oven.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter. When the butter is melted but not yet bubbling, add the garlic. Slowly crumble the blue cheese into the butter and stir constantly until melted. The cheese should be smooth, not separated. If it is separated, add more cheese until the texture evens out.

Mix chopped figs and jam in a small bowl. Spread the blue cheese on the pre-baked pizza crust and drop dollops of the fig mixture on the pizza. Sprinkle bacon across pizza.

Bake for 15 minutes, until cheese begins to brown. Let stand for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

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Tags:   blue cheese · figs · food network · gluten free pizza · Next Food Network Star · whole foods51 Comments

Remember when we said:

“We’re extremely excited to announce that founding DC Glutie, Brandi, has decided to vie for a coveted spot as The Next Food Network Star.”

WELL, WE CAN HARDLY CONTAIN OUR EXCITEMENT NOW AS WE LET YOU KNOW BRANDI MADE IT TO THE TOP 15 CANDIDATES FOR THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR YOUTUBE CHALLENGE!

With messages about the joys and great flavors of simple, homegrown gluten-free food, Brandi is giving a voice to people with food allergies everywhere.

Wouldn’t it be bliss to regularly watch a nationally televised show that focused on bringing attention to the gluten-free good life hosted by our very own glutie?

Please, please, please visit the Food Network site right now and vote for her. Vote as many times as you can and spread the word!

Voting continues all this week through Friday, August 16.

Good luck, Brandi!

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Tags:   Brandi · gluten free recipes · gluten-free cooking · grown your own vegetables · Next Food Network Star · organic95 Comments

Hear ye, hear ye -

We’re extremely excited to announce that founding DC Glutie, Brandi, has decided to vie for a coveted spot as The Next Food Network Star.

Brandi’s message is simple: Cooking garden-fresh, allergen-free food doesn’t have to be intimidating – whether you have a dietary restriction such as that required by celiac disease or are just looking for a way to get back in touch with your food. In fact, when you cook with whole foods that are fresh, flavorful and never processed, cooking becomes easier and you’ll benefit from bigger, bolder flavors and shorter grocery lists that harken back to a simpler time.

So consider how great it would be to watch a show that helps you slow down, spend less, stay healthy and connect with where your food comes from. Brandi’s personal experience as an organic gardener with celiac disease would be an amazing foundation for getting out the word about the homegrown,  gluten-free good life.

Watch her entrance video and please leave a YouTube comment if you like what you see. Then be sure to VOTE FOR BRANDI on August 2 when voting begins.

Brandi – The Gluten-Free Guru

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