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Hi Everyone,

This summary has been awhile in coming and I apologize for the delay.

Does anyone have any experience using Double Houses Brand flours from
the Asian Market?  They are distributed by J & A Importers from Vernon,
California.  I have been unable to find a website or contact information.

Following are the comments that I received to my inquiries (original
message shown below):

1. " I use the red & green trim ones with success and I dont have
symptoms. I like them as they are way finer, not gritty at all.
Mireille"

2. "I found this on www.switchboard.com, by searching J & A Importers in
Vernon, CA, but specifying to check within a 50-mile radius of Vernon:
J & A Importers Inc
4398 Ayers Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90023-4706
Phone (323) 780-3998

You might want to call and see if it is the right place.  Pacific time.
-Vicki"

3. "You need to ask if they are ground in a gf facility. Some of the
asian products we got they could not answer where it was processed
because it was imported.
Paula in Pa."

4. "Wish I could really help answer your specific questions, but I can't. I
will say, however, that I use packaged starches from a large Chinese
store, without problem. I rarely use any legume starch, however, because
beans give me a problem without soaking and I assume the beans used in
their making would not be soaked.

I use sweet potato starch for coating before frying and it works well.
Haven't seen black rice flour, but I'd be intrigued to experiment with
it as black rice bread is one bread I purchase that has never given me a
problem.

Karen V."

5. "We have used many different brands of flour from the Asian markets
without incident. I do only buy those that list ingredients in English.
There are also many varieties of rice pasta to try as well as rice
wonton wrappers. Shopping at the Asian market is always an adventure.

I have not found a good use for the green bean flour, black bean or
acorn... There are some others I have not figured out a use for either.
But I really like the fine-ness of their white flour. It is so much
better for baking than the American brands--probably more starchlike.
But, today I used it for making cookies and people didn't know the
difference--no grittiness.

Another thing you might look for at the market is fufu flour, it's
African and used for dumplings, also very interesting :) Teresa in AZ"

6."I've never used Asian flours simply because I don't frequent Asian
markets. But I have a celiac friend who married a Japanese man. She
shops & eats almost exclusively from the Asian section of Tacoma. She
says the Asian flours are more economically priced than "health food
store" varieties.

I found an inexpensive source of rice flour at Walmart. It's in the
Mexican food section next to the masa harina. It's a little coarse in
texture, but I mix it half & half with Mexidan corn starch & it makes a
very nice all purpose baking mix. I've been using it for about a month
now & I haven't had any trouble with it. I didn't call the manufacturer
because it's in Mexico & no hablo espanol!

Valerie in Tacoma"

7. "In response to your query on Maelstrom St. Johns...I cannot speak
directly to the brands you mention... HOWEVER...A BIG, SERIOUS WARNING.

I live in NYC on the edge of Chinatown, and have access to hundreds of
tempting products, many labeled as "rice" or "bean" or whatever flour,
noodle, etc. etc. Often, often, these products contain a percentage of
wheat in them...they are not so labeled because the requirements for
labeling in Asia (including Vietnam, Taiwan, China, etc.) are not US
requirements. I have discovered this through bitter experience. I would
advise extreme caution in using these products."

8. "How about rice paper sheets for spring rolls, sushi or jasmine/basmati
rice (usually cheaper at these markets than at the supermarket), gluten
free chili/chili garlic sauces, canned lychees, coconut milk, FRESH
renkon (lotus root) a yummy starchy veggie which you can peel, mandoline
into thin slices and then sautee, 100% soba (buckwheat flour) noodles IF
they have it- read label carefully as most contain wheat as well, sesame
seeds, peanut oil (for chinese stir fries and great fried rice), sesame
oil (we like the japanese varieties), abure-age (Deep fried tofu) (if
you have refrigerator), umeboshi plums (japanese pickles plums,
delicious cooked with rice in a rice cooker with furikake (sprinkled
rice flavoring, i like sesame seeds and salt).. Oh, you could see if
they have bottled green or oolong tea from Japan without any sweetener-
it's good stuff!!, mirin (sweet rice wine), rice vinegar... mochi
(pounded rice, often filled with red bean paste-read label carefully).
Just some ideas off the top of my head of things i often get."



Disclaimer ---  I am a volunteer and not a medical expert, but I can share with you information that I have found helpful.  Please contact your medical professional for medical advice regarding your situation.  Please verify the gluten free status of products often for your own protection.

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