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Hello, ListMates,

I wanted to share with you my very positive experiences with two very
different companies, Canadian Gourmet, which supplies wonderful specialty
foods, and Origins, a skin care and make-up company.

I first ordered from Canadian Gourmet in early December, through the
Gluten-Free Mall web site,
http://www.glutenfreemall.com/cgi-bin/2/webc.cgi/~sadams/home.html?sid=2Qj6cuKsf
The company offers specialty mustards, jellies, chutneys, marmalades
and other condiments.  I was so pleased with the high quality of both the
products and customer service that I have since placed two more orders.
Everything I have tried so far is delicious; one of the mustards, the Chili
and Red Wine Vinegar Mustard, has become the standard in my household, and
the Lemon and Ginger Marmalade is simply wonderful.  Since my diagnosis with
Celiac Disease nearly two years ago, I realized that in making significant
changes in my diet, I would need to expand my eating choices within the
limitations posed by living gluten-free.  The products from Canadian Gourmet
have introduced to me an entirely new way to do that, in part by making the
sandwiches I take to work for lunch (on gluten-free bread, of course) things
I am really able to enjoy eating.  (Prior to my diagnosis, I never liked
sandwiches, in part, I'm sure, because, without knowing why, I never felt
well afterward.)  I highly recommend Canadian Gourmet products.  They are a
great way for us to give ourselves a "treat," something special that I'm
convinced we are always able to enjoy, especially when the restrictions of
living gluten-free get to us.  The direct link to Canadian Gourmet on the
Gluten-Free Mall is
http://www.glutenfreemall.com/cgi-bin/2/webc.cgi/%7Esadams/st_main.html?catid=73
(I have no financial or other interest in the company.)

Origins products may be found in large department stores and in their own
stores in the US; I'm not sure about Canada or other countries.  I've been
using their make-up and skin- and body-care products for a number of years.
Recently, I bought a little container of something completely silly --
"Peace of Mind Gumballs."  They are actually bubble gum with mint and other
flavors.  Since the container listed "natural flavors," I emailed the
company asking about the source of the "natural flavors," figuring that I
wouldn't eat any of the gumballs until I heard back from Origins, and, if
those flavors were derived from wheat or another grain, I'd give the
container of them to a non-celiac friend.  It took a while for Origins to
reply, because the company sent my inquiry *to its chemist,* and the chemist
contacted the supplier directly.  The news was good; the flavors are not
derived from wheat or any other grain.  More importantly, when I talked with
a woman who works for Origins at a local department store, she showed me a
huge ring-binder notebook in which the company lists every ingredient of
every product and what each ingredient does -- why each ingredient is in the
product.  I recalled that someone had posted an inquiry a couple of weeks
earlier about lipstick ingredients, so we looked up Origins various
lipsticks and glosses; none of them contained any wheat or grain.  From the
other ingredient labels I've read, that is true of many of the products.
(Since I don't have DH, I don't always read the lists of ingredients of body
lotions or bath products.)  Origins has a web site,
https://www.origins.com/shoponline/shoponlinemaintoc.html which has on-line
ordering and a link to contact the company directly with questions about
ingredients and anything else.  (Again, I have no financial or other
interest in the company.)

I am impressed with both of these companies; both provide great products and
caring customer service, and I wanted to let people know.


Patricia Shechter
Boston, MA

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