Adventures in Gluten (and Sugar) Freedom from a southern blogger chick!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Pancake batter in my omelette? (A Sunday Mystery)

I guess the Sunday Blessing is that I'm still upright. Today I was glutenated big time. Or as my brother-in-law Ron would say, it was "glutenous maximus."

We went to the IHOP today to meet Aerial and David. I love them. Aerial is a former student and now is an admissions counselor at GCSU. David is her fiancee. Randy is here for Spring break, so we were all in town and decided to meet for breakfast. Jeffrey was with us, too. The gang's all here.

I am naturally leary of IHOP because they put pancake batter in their egg mixture for scrambled eggs and omelettes. Now, with so many folks with food allergies and intolerances, they say it outright on their menu.

I asked our server if they could make me an omelette without the batter. I knew they'd have to do it in a clean pan, and I felt fairly safe. I've eaten plain cooked eggs (over easy) twice with no ill effects. I've also eaten a philly cheesesteak (breadless).

Our server said sure, they could make me an omelette with eggs only and that they always made those in a separate pan. Aerial ordered the same thing, only wanted here with no onions and cheese. I asked for no hollandaise.

When they got there, we had to switch plates, but the omelette was delicious. Fresh spinach, onions, mushroom, tomatoes, and cheese. Jeffrey ate my pancakes. Very lovely. Then I got FOUR BITES from the end and cut a portion, and out oooooooozed what I was sure was the uncooked egg batter -- and it clearly had pancake batter in it. I have been a cook for a long time, and I know the texture. The damage was done. I told our server, and she checked with the kitchen, but as she said, "they could be lying to me. Who knows?" Who knows indeed.

Within minutes, my lips were tingling and I could feel my stomach churning. By the time we got to Big Lots, well, let's say it was rough. Brain fog. etc. By the time I got home I had a migraine. I expect the itching to set in.

Gluten free Steve and I were chatting about how silly it is to put pancake batter in an omelette (why can't they mix them on a milkshake machine like Waffle House?) But it does point out something valid for people like me -- you can never know what is going to show up in your food. I took a chance, and it could have been ok. But it wasn't. Eating out is RISKY.

I did want to post a recipe I tried on Friday.

Crock Pot Corned Beef

One bag cole slaw mix
1/2 c. GF beef broth
I point cut corned beef (I like that better than a flat, and it's cheaper)

Put cole slaw in the bottom and top with corned beef. Pour on the seasoning packing (mostly mustard seeds) and add the beef broth.

Cook on high for about five hour (or longer, if you're out all day, but mine took exactlt 5 hours).

Much love from the glutened-nation
Ging

8 comments:

a kelly said...

Glutenous Maximus! I love it...er, rather I love the phrase, not the condition...
I totally agree, I don't trust servers anymore. I've been lied to too many times. My reaction says it all.
But still we try...so I know how you feel. You can cry on my blog shoulder. As my coworker Liz says "Gluten is the devil". Well for us it is anyway. (She's over at Barren Wheat Field. Check out the vanilla cake...I think even WE non baker types could make this one!)
Hope you're feelin' better real soon.
Alex

Kate said...

They put WHAT in their eggs?

MY GOD - What the ......

Oh, my Ging... I dare not finish this one in public.....

Joy Peterson said...

I never knew they put pancake batter in their omlettes...of course I always get french toast at IHOP.

That stinks...majorly...And I love the non-chalantness of the waitress...surely, you didn't have to pay for your meal, did you?

Hope you are feeling better...

Anonymous said...
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Gluten Free Steve said...

Hope your tumminess is going away. Kate said it best...

Stephanie ODea said...

Ginger, I had no idea that IHOP would do this! Horrible idea!

We don't eat there often, and I don't think I have since my little one was diagnosed, but now we will most certainly stay away.

I'm so sorry you got glutenized.

xxo
steph

Melanie said...

I have heard that some places do this. I'm so sorry you got sick. Anymore, I am really picky about what I order. I just don't trust things. I ate at Boston Market the week before last and was up sick all night. It's not fun. Hope you are feeling better!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the IHOP warning Ginger! I've passed by many a IHOP thinking "I could probably eat there" but pancake batter in the eggs, yikes! You won't catch me ihoppon' any time soon!