Do You Know Why You Hate Gluten? These People Sure Don’t
Story Here - Willy Blackmore
http://www.takepart.com/video/2014/05/07/defense-gluten?cmpid=longtailsharehttp://www.takepart.com/video/2014/05/07/defense-gluten?cmpid=longtailshare
As a kid, I loved flipping on the oven light and peering in to watch cookies and cakes and bread as they bakedtheir edges slowly rounding and rising, the tops browningwhich makes the dominant trend of baking bread in a sealed Dutch oven something of a downer. Under the cast-iron dome, I cant see the magic that occurs as the heat kicks the sourdough into overdrive and the gases it produces pushes the dough skyward, resulting in a beautifully burnished, round loaf .
Because I cant observe it, theres always a moment of fear when I go to lift the hot lid. Did the bread fall flat? Will I find a sad, slumping loaf inside? It happens on occasion, but when it does, its more the fault of my sourdough starter and my own baking skills than of our greatest partner in making tall, holey, rustic breads. That partner, a bakers best friend, is gluten. Gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and other grains, is what gives breadand pizza, and pita, and laffa, and focacciaits architecture. Without gluten, leavened breadsanything that has risen with yeast or sourdoughjust dont work.
Despite this magical role in making the stuff of lifeone thats been taking place on the communal hearth of human existence since back when the Great Pyramid was shiny and new gluten is vilified . As Jimmy Kimmel joked on his show last night, Here in L.A. its comparable to satanism. Except a lot of the beautiful people in the City of Angels who avoid gluten like the plague have no clue what it is. At least thats what a very unscientific investigation by the Jimmy Kimmel Live production staff discovered.
The show interviewed gluten-free Angelenos at what looks like Ruynon Canyon (where people go to exercise and to be seen exercising by other people who are out to exercise and be seen exercising), none of whom have celiac disease. Despite proudly declaring their gluten-free status, none of them could say what, exactly, gluten is. Its like a grain, right? one answered. Another said theres gluten in rice; despite what some people will try to tell you, there is not. This is pretty sad, noted one of the gluten-free crowd, because I dont know.
Kimmel admitted that he had to look it up himself and said that he couldnt be anti-gluten because I am very pro-pizza, and you need gluten to make a good air-bubble-pocked crust. So there you have itnever mind the history, the magic of making breadif you hate gluten, you hate pizza, which has to be some sort of crime.
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Are you on the gluten free diet bandwagon? Celiac?
I can't give up my wheat... and I don't want to develop an allergic reaction to pie crust... so... I have to expose myself periodically to keep my immune reaction repressed...
Alternatively, I don't have an immune reaction, which is the best news in the world for me.
I inject my body with gluten at least three times a day with reckless abandon. And sometimes more if the snacking mood hits me.
11 reasons gluten shouldnt be avoided:
1. Pie
2. Pizza
3. Crusty fresh bread
4. Cookies
5. Cake
6. Flour Tortillas (fresh)
7. Doughnuts
8. Any pastry really
9. Any breaded fried food really
10. Crackers (with cheese, soup, salads)
11. Just kidding BF.... everything in moderation after all... and I'm definitely not belittling those people who have a real problem with Gluten... I'm just saying it would really suck if I did.