Archive for April, 2008
Understanding and Implementing Special Diets to Aid in the Treatment of Autism and Related Developmental Disorders, by Lisa Lewis, Ph.D.
(c) 1998; Future Horizons Inc.; Arlington, Texas.
[Order here.]
I can see why this is still touted as THE place to start researching the connection between autism and diet, even 10 years after it was published. This is a remarkably thorough book, well-researched and relatively easy to understand.
Dr. Lewis starts by telling the story of her son, Sam, from his birth, through his diagnosis of autism, through his thank God successful recovery largely due to the GF-CF diet in conjunction with other therapies. She explains the physiological basis of autism a whole lot better than I get it, tells you how to test your child for gluten-sensitivity (and other sensitivities - I’m learning with that autism you rarely get just one!), how to start the diet, how to explain the diet (to extended family, or caregivers), and provides countless recipes for, like, normal food that kids actually want to eat.
She ends with pages and pages of resources, but remember the book was published in 1998, so they’re not current. It’s so cute, she actually has a section at the end where she explains how to buy a modem so you can “surf the web.” She recommends getting Compuserve. Does anyone else remember Compuserve? Am I totally dating myself when I say I’ve even heard of Compuserve?
I guess that’s why people get Special Diets for Special Kids, Two, but my understanding is that most of the second edition is new recipes, and the explanatory part, which is what I really wanted, didn’t get repeated. I like this one. I once read (I can’t quote the source exactly) that when you’re looking for books you should try to find the one that saves you from reading ten others. When it comes to the connection between diet and PDD, Special Diets for Special Kids is that book.
And to quote a review from a fan who agrees, “Special Diets For Special Kids made me feel like I actually had someone there holding my hand the whole way.“
The only recipe we tried at the bakery was the yeast-free bread, but it didn’t work for us. (I think that was our YF#67, the “spongy-pudding.” I’m sure it’s our fault, we have no luck with yeast-free breads.) Anyway, now that I’ve brought the book home, I’m gonna try more, including the one for matza balls. Wish me luck!
Rambam, Rashi, and other Rishonim on Shibbolet Shu’al
Whenever you google “matzo,” or “the five grains,” you’ll read this comment. [They start by naming the grains; wheat, spelt, barley, rye, and then you get;] “oats (according to Rashi) or, two-rowed barley (according to Rambam’s interpretation of Mishnah Kilayim 1:1; Yerushalmi Challah 1:1). שיבולת שועל”
What are they talking about? I asked my husband to show me Kilayim 1:1, and the Rambam there. ['Cause you know: Any actual Torah in these posts comes from my husband, Rabbi Aron Hier. The mistakes, sadly, are all mine.]
Are oats even related to wheat? Or; What were the rabbis thinking?
Some people question what the name shibbolet shu’al actually refers to. No-one translates the term into modern language, until Rashi called it avena (oats in Old French) a thousand years ago and 500 years after the writing of the Talmud. Could he have been mistaken?
Remember the song from Sesame Street?
One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn’t belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?
(Hint: Don’t look at the drawings, or the colors, just look at the plants.)
***
I hope to get back to this (another “series” perhaps), and do Gluten & Jewish Law: the Sabbath issue…. the Challah issue…. the Kiddush issue….. [We'll see how long I can eke this out for.] In the meantime, suffice it to say that if you’re not into esoteric Jewish blah, you should skip this whole series.
If you’re into Jewish blah, Passover is an appropriate place to dive in since this is where we first define the five “special grains.”
From R. Chaim Jachter, Gray Matter volume 1, p. 239 n. 1:
Some question exists regarding the identification of the Gemara’s “shibolet shu’al” as oats. Rav Yosef Efrati (Mesorah 13:66-71) notes Professor Yehudah Felix’s claim that shibolet shu’al could not possibly be oats, and Rav Efrati vigorously disputes this claim. He cites Rav Yosef Shalom Eliashiv as supporting the view that shibolet shu’al is undoubtedly oats (the view accepted by almost all Rishonim). Ezra Frazer reports that Rav Aharon Lichtenstein does not flatly reject Professor Felix’s claims, but he believes that one should continue to treat oats as shibolet shu’al, absent absolute proof that shibolet shu’al is something else. Rav Hershel Schachter has told this author that in case of great need one may use oat matzah at the Pesach seder. In general, Rav Schachter wrote this author that one should try to eat other mezonot foods together with oat products to avoid any doubt regarding the berachot before and after oats.
Not everyone agrees, see R’ Michael Broyde’s comment, made over ten years ago.
This excerpt from R’ Jachter caused quite a stir on a blog called Hirhurim a few years ago - see all 58 comments.
See here for a more complete discussion of Felix’s objections to oats.
R’ Efrati’s argument is explained here. I like his ending:
The response concludes with a quote from Rav Moshe Feinstein …that another 1000 such [logical] proofs [such as those offered by Felix] would not change the tradition. Also Rav Eliashiv decided that shibbolet shual is oats for all laws in the Torah without any kind of doubt.
Good enough for me.
This started off as a letter to a friend, but it you’re reading this, you probably have an opinion on the subject, and I want to hear it! The question is, what is more important, quality or affordability? Because gf-baking reminds me of that old saw, “You can get it good. You can get it cheap. You can get it fast. Pick any two.” Only instead of “fast,” just say “reliably.”
Read the rest of this entry »
My sister-in-law sent this to me this morning, and I had to share. Thanks Esther!
(Vegetarians, close your eyes a moment.)
Chametz Sale!! Passover Cleaning!! Your chance to SAVE!!
All STOCK items are on sale!
(That’s everything on our order form.)
Custom cakes not on sale!
Tuesday April 15th: Take 20% off!
Wednesday April 16th: Take 25% off!
Thursday April 17th: Take 30% off!
(While supplies last.)
Reminder we are CLOSED Passover!
Friday April 18th
THROUGH
Tuesday April 29th
&
REOPEN Wednesday, April 30th.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
Yikes! We have too many products already — I’m thinking of cutting out a couple of muffins even — but we HAVE to make room for a few last things. Please tell us what’s important to you!
1. YEAST-FREE, SUGAR-FREE BREAD - we get a lot of requests for this one, but I think it’s impossible! We can make yeast-free CRUMBS, and yeast-free SPONGY PUDDING, and a few different varieties of yeast-free ROCKS, but gluten-free, yeast-free BREAD seems to be eluding us. What we CAN make, however, is a nice yeast-free flour tortilla. Anyone want a burrito?
2. GF-OAT BREAD MIX, TO SHIP. Ever since word got out that we’re making a kosher gf-oat bread, we’re getting flooded with requests from Orthodox Jewry across the continent. But it’s crazy to fly baked bread to Miami, or Toronto, or even Denver. And let’s be real: Y’all don’t care if it’s baked, you only care that it’s oats! Make it yourself - just add 2 cups water and 2 teaspoons of oil.
$7 for approx 22oz. bag, makes a single 2lb. loaf or 4 mini loaves.
(Includes 4 Novacart mini-loaf pans, while supplies last.)
Ships GROUND, but refrigerate it when you get it.
(Oats have high protein content - treat oat flour like ground nuts.)
3. SUGAR-FREE — ??? Cookie? Tartlets maybe? (Or is that too grown-up?) Does anyone worry about natural sugar in fruit? Should we sweeten with agave, or xylitol, or something new???
Sugar-free gets requested second only to yeast-free. (In fact, that’s usually how the question goes; “Do you have any yeast-free or sugar-free items?”) But we only have room for ONE more thing. What should it be?
Choices, choices, too many choices!! Please click on “comments” to help us decide!
(P.S. I don’t know why, but when you click “comments” you get to another page that starts just like this one! It’s a little confusing & I’ll try to fix it, but I wanted you to know so you’ll SCROLL DOWN FOR THE ACTUAL COMMENTS.)
Make sure to catch gfMeals.com / Your Dinner Secret on The KTLA Morning News tomorrow (Wednesday), between 6:00 and 9:00 AM PST. There will be 10 second teases randomly throughout the show and 3 minute segments around 6:40, 7:50 and 8:40.
KTLA’s remote reporter Gayle Anderson will be broadcasting from the Your Dinner Secret location in Woodland Hills, noshing on their mouthwatering gluten-free food (including maybe also a bundt or two!) and interviewing their team and their customers. In fact, the anchors will be eating their gluten-free goodies in the studio too.
If you do miss it, we’ll post the link to the streaming video on the KTLA web site.
Kudos to co-owner Roni Piterman for getting this kind of exposure & raising awareness
of celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity! Why it seems like only last week they featured YDS in the Daily News — oh, wait, that WAS last week! Keep up the good work, Roni!
We’ll be cheering for you tomorrow over our morning coffees and chocolate-zucchini muffins!
