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I am attempting to summarize the many e-mails I got in response to my
question.  I realize that this has taken a couple of weeks but I hope
that those who asked for this can forgive me.  I still have a bit more
to go through and will attempt to get that summarized within the few
days.

There is a book called Living Healthy with Celiac written By Wendy Wark.
It is my bible as I have only been diagnosed a short time.  I suggest
you get yourself a copy.  The recipes are great and I couldn't live
without the short shopping list in it. You can get it through Gluten
Free Pantry.


Hidden gluten:  Hydrolyzed vegetable protien (HVP), Hydrolyzed plant
protien (HPP), Glue on postage stamps that you have to lick? Anything of
that type can contain gluten...., Toothpaste, Medicines and over the
counter medications and supplements, Brown Rice syrup (often has a
barley origin), Barbeque sauce (HVP), Tomato paste, tomato puree (in a
list of ingredients they don't mention if they were GF), Some baking
powder, Spelt is primitive wheat, Icing sugar, Malt - malt flavoring,
malt extract, malt syrup,malted milk, Soy sauce,Chocolate and candies
since many places dust them with gluten substances so they don't stick.
Hershey products are GF though, French fries, if they are dipped in hot
fat where breaded or battered food, is cooked.  Glazed carrots or other
things, Coffee and decaf, especially most instant versions.  Folgers is
safe for both.

MEXICAN RESTAURANTS:

Watch for salsa. If the salsa is in a thin transparent liquid, I don't
have any problems. But if the liquid is thicker and opaque, it hits me
hard: I think maybe they've used canned tomato paste or puree, and it's
not likely to be GF. Enchilada sauces and other gravy like sauces often
have wheat thickener.

FOR EATING IN CHINESE RESTAURANTS:

Here are varying opinions from different people on Chinese restaurants:
When I eat in Chinese restaurants I always tell them to use only broiled
chicken, no broth or flour. When I explain to them why I can not eat
anything containing flour, etc. have never had a problem.  When i go
chinese, i ask for my food cooked in water only with fresh ginger and
garlic.  Soy sauce in the restaurants almost always has wheat.  Don't
eat the fortune cookies, and the noodles goes without saying.  Despite
being fairly fluent in Mandarin (and therefore able to communicate
particularly well with wait staff), I won't eat in Chinese restaurants.
It's been my experience that the Chinese put soy sauce everywhere and
that most of their dishes are inedible without it.

Following are some of the suggestions I received:  (this from Dr. Mamel,
very competent Tampa-area gastroenterologist) cheap brands may contain
wheat flour to increase the weight - in general, be wary of anything
processed places that do baking on the premises - might not matter to
all of us or at all stablishments, but flour does travel in air
production lines coated with flour, particularly regarding rice
crackers, corn crackers, candy here are two real hidden ones... charcoal
briquets can be loaded with gluten... smoked fish from the bricks and
chopped garlic in a bottle has some gluten preservative...

When I eat in Chinese restaurants I always tell them to use only broiled
chicken, no broth or flour. Also, that I can not have any of their
noodles.  When I explain to them why I can not eat anything containing
flour, etc. I have never had a problem in their restaurants.  When i go
chinese, i ask for my food cooked in water only with fresh ginger and
garlic......mmmmmm. [Ed. note]: I assume this means as opposed to
mixtures of ginger and garlic?

One thing to beware of:  manufacturers change their ingredients and/or
suppliers constantly.  So what is GF (gluten-free) today, may not be GF
tomorrow.  That is why it is difficult to have any permanent list of
acceptable foods by company names.

Two + years ago I was in the same boat.  Now I know for sure, and have
developed the habit of avoiding all sauces, gravies, salad dressings and
anything that even looks like it may contain vinegar.  There are some
exceptions, Hellman's mayo is OK, as is Heinz ketchup. Everything else
is at least suspect for me.  I only eat Hillshire Farms Brown Sugar Cure
hams (the only ham I can find locally that I know is GF). Coke is OK,
both diet and regular. Watch toothpaste, I use Crest. Watch mouthwash,
may contain alcohol derived from grain, again, some are OK because they
get their alcohol from corn, but check the ingredients, and call the
mfg.

While eating out, always take the "plain" option when ordering meats and
salads.  Plain meat (Steak, chops, fish, etc.) plain salad (no croutons,
dressing - lemon wedge OK), baked potato w/o sour cream - butter OK., no
bacon bits. Watch out for desserts, even ice cream can contain gluten.
Don't buy luncheon meats sliced on a common slicer in your grocery store
- cross contamination from non-GF lunchmeats sliced before your GF
lunchmeats.

One thing I wish someone had advised me to do was to buy some very good,
very plain rice pasta.  Sounds silly, but good rice pasta is great for
quick, simple meals.  (For years, I thought I didn't like pasta, because
my body rejected  wheat pasta almost immediately -- within about 5
forkfuls, I lost my appetite.  My body certainly knew what was going on,
even if my doctors didn't!)  Since I tend not to like brown rice pasta,
I bought EnerG White Rice Vermicelli, which is very much like angel hair
pasta.  It's great.  And it's very easy to make one's own pasta sauce.
Also, all of the Newman's Own line of pasta sauces are gluten-free.  I'm
sure others are also; I like Newman's because all of the profits go to
charity.

Another thing I wish someone had encouraged me to do right away was to
order the Sample Pack from Kinnikinnick Foods in Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada.  Every single thing the company makes is gluten-free, and it has
a huge selection, including wonderful breads, bagels, donuts (!), and
cookies.  (Am I guessing correctly from your email address that you live
in Canada?  You can order Kinnikinnick's products through its web site;
also, an increasing number of stores in Canada and the US are carrying
them.)  I waited a year-plus before I heard people at a support group
meeting praising Kinnikinnick's products, after which I ordered the
Sample Pack.  And I just about danced around my apartment.  Now I eat
sandwiches for lunch several days per week.