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

[log in to unmask],Internet writes:

>But do any of you fine folks have pointers regarding where GF
>products can be purchased in Paris, Milan, Venice, and/or Florence?

Some info "off the top of my head":

* In Italy, GF products can easily be found in pharmacy stores (it. "farmacia",
you'll find them everywhere). They can be quite expensive.

* GF flours can be found in natural food shops, where you'll also find some
GF products (not the dietetic ones) but I have no address handy.

* There is an Italian Celiac Association, Associazione Italiana Celiachia (AIC).
You can find various information, and their addresses in several Italian towns,
at http://www.nettuno.it/fiera/aic/

* The AIC maintains a list of GF commercial products that are distributed in
Italy, based on official information gathered from the makers. You can find
it at http://www.nettuno.it/fiera/aic/dati/prontua.htm

* In Italian restaurants (when they aren't crowdy, mind this) you'll often
find waiters and owners willing to help and explain, provided that the matter
is clearly explained to them.

* As for Italian "first dishes", it's nearly impossible -of course- to find GF
pasta in restaurants.  Milan and Venice (and in general Northern Italy) have a
rich tradition of rice dishes.  There can be problems with the broth used in
"riso" and "risotto" (some restaurants add cube bouillon, that often contains
small amounts of gluten), and the possibile use of wheat flour, f.i.  in meat
served with the risotto:  ask the waiter.  Polenta is GF, also the polenta
"taragna", made with "grano saraceno".  But you won't have polenta alone, so the
composition of what it comes with should be checked.  Polenta with fonduta (a
cheese-based preparation) might contain wheat flour.

* It isn't impossible to ask the puzzled owner of a pizzeria to prepare a pizza
on your GF pizza base, that you'll have bought beforehand in a farmacia (Schaer
makes an acceptable one, and it is sold with its own disposable pan).  You'd
better ask in advance and explain clearly the need to avoid "contamination" from
wheat flour.

* Ask for "carne ai ferri" to have your meat cooked simply in the pan;
most Italian restaurants are always ready to prepare it for children...

* In general, information for travelling celiacs can also be found at
http://members.aol.com/zoeliak/


Ciao

ep