<<Disclaimer:  Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

> Can anyone on the celiac list answer the following questions:
>
> 1.  What foods contain casein?  Some information says all dairy contains
> casein; some says that milk has casein and cream doesn't(making butter,
> whipping cream, etc. ok)--does anyone have a definitive answer?

Being casein-intolerant myself, I can tell you that the easiest tack to
take is this - if it comes from a cow - avoid it!  Cream has some casein,
butter has even less, but there's still enough to cause a reaction in
sensitive people (like me).  The last dairy products that left my diet
were "triple creme" cheeses and butter.  Ghee (clarified butter) doesn't
seem to cause problems - but make sure the ghee is clear - that scummy
stuff you sometimes see on clarified butter products is casein.

> 2.  Has anyone found a cheese substitute that doesn't have soy?  I thought
> almond cheez would do it, but it has casein.

I can use goat or sheep's milk cheeses - apparently, the casein fraction
is different enough that these do not cause problems (with sheep's milk
cheeses being a better bet than goat's milk cheeses).  Otherwise, the
easiest answer is to find other/different recipes.

> 3.  Are ANY fast foods acceptable on a gluten-free/casein-free diet???
> (Besides the aforementioned Burger King Fries)

Ummm - depends on what part of the country/world you are in... Here in
Southern California, we have a chain called "Pollo Loco" that specializes
in grilled chicken with various fixings, and serves tortillas instead of
bread.  My favorite meal at Pollo Loco is 2-3 pieces of grilled chicken,
corn tortillas, salad, beans and corn on the cob ;-)  Back east, I was
able to eat at Boston Chicken rather nicely ;-)  Check for chains that
specialize in grilled chicken rather than burgers - some adjustment for a
child, but better than nothing...

> 4.  Are there any seasonings that can substitute for soy sauce?

Depends on why you are avoiding soy sauce - if it's wheat, San-J makes
a wheat-free tamari (available at health food stores) that works for
plain/dark soy sauce.  Bragg Liquid Aminos makes a respectable substitute
for light soy sauce in Chinese cooking.

If you are avoiding soy sauce because of the soy content - there are two
approaches - use extra salt (and maybe some ginger/garlic to perk the
flavor) - or find thee a Southeast Asian market and acquire a bottle of
Nam Pla (fish sauce).  Note that Nam Pla is saltier than soy sauce, and
has a slightly different flavor (and must be added *before* cooking is
finished) - but in many recipes, especially things like fried rice, it
will work just fine (giving a vague Thai/Vietnamese flavor to the dish).
I use Nam Pla in my fried rice and stir-fry dishes all the time - a
bottle lasts a year or so, since I use about 1/4 as much Nam Pla as I
would soy sauce...

karen

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Karen Davis of Davis and Associates (818)892-8555
           "Pain is Mother Nature's way of telling us to slow down;
                       Death is her way of INSISTING!"