<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> I just returned from Kazakhstan where I stayed healthy and happy - and gluten-free - for four weeks. In the city, faced with hotel restaurants, etc., it was a bit tricky, but for three weeks we lived in a tiny village of 200 houses, no running water, horse drawn wagons, etc., Really interesting. The people kept asking if it was like living in the USA in the 1930's. In fact, it was probably more like living in the USA in the 1830's! In the cities it was more like 1930's. Anyway, I duplicated the Russian language page of celiac forbidden foods, and gave that to our hostesses, who were doing my cooking, and they were marvelous. My husband was working as a volunteer in a buckwheat processing plant. One day I had the translator read me the Russian list and was horrified to find buckwheat on that list. I am one of those celiacs who has no problem with buckwheat, (and the list has repeatedly included scientific evidence that buckwheat should not cause problems for celiacs). You can imagine the relief for my hosstesses when they learned they COULD feed me buckwheat. I was at fault for not reading over the English language list and just assuming that the JAX book was accurate. It may be accurate for some people, - those who are also sensitive to buckwheat - but not for me. So if you are relying on that book and it's marvelously helpful list of no-no's, just make sure the list is correct for you. By the way, our Russian/Kazak hosts and hostesses were the most friendly, outgoing, loving people we have ever known. We had a great time and would return with no hesitation. Midsummer heat and winter cold (we were on the Russian border and on the south edge of Siberia) might lead me to limit travel to spring and fall. If you get a chance - go, eat borscht and peeled cucumbers and take a water filter...and sprouting seeds so you have something green to eat! In Ithaca, our current song is Spring has spring, the grass is riz - I wonder where warm weather is... Gayle Kennedy