Gluten-free Cooking for Kids

I recently spotted a pack of fresh "chick pea" pasta at my local Waitrose and snatched it up quickly.  It is gluten and wheat free and I think it's really tasty.  What most interested me about this new discovery is that it was in the fresh pasta section and seemed to be mingling quite happily amongst all the fresh ravioli, tortellini and linguini.  I rather like this approach as it appeals to my philosophy that gluten free food should be "normal" and not banished to the free from, aka tasteless section of the supermarket.  I was impressed with the integrity of the product.  It wasn't pretending to be fresh pasta, it was fresh pasta made with chickpea flour instead of wheat flour.  I love the nuttiness and the slight chewiness.  I will post a quick and easy recipe for you in the next few days. I really urge you to try it.

Now on to more controversial territory, I have been reading a lot about Sainsbury's new gluten free range.  They have launched a number of "new" products and have increased the amount of shelf space given to their free from range.  Having read lots of glowing reports I made my way to our local branch to check out what all the fuss was about.  Call me cynical folks, but as far as I can see, this is a re-packaging excersise.  Yes there are some new brands on the shelf and yes there are some new products under the Sainsbury banner.  But the majority of what I saw was the same old stuff, packed full of additives, sugar and looking decidely unappetising.  I'd love to get my hands on a range like this and introduce freshness and some creative thinking. 

On this very same shopping trip I had a heart gripping moment. We went past the fresh baked bread aisle and my daughter Ruthie suddenly said, "That smells lovely mummy. Will I get sick just from smelling gluten?".  My daughter was diagnosed at 18 months and has no memory of eating anything approaching real bread.  This made me realise how powerful and universal our instincts are when it comes to a staple like bread.  The smell of fresh made bread can be the undoing of many a coeliac. This basic need for a normal, fresh loaf is the reason behind the phenomenal success of the brand Genius and the proliferation of fresh gluten free breads currently on the market.  These loaves have captured the look of real bread but in my humble opinion,they still have a long way to go on taste.  There is a big "flavour" gap as far as I am concerened.   I ponder about this sort of thing,probably more than I should.  The questions I ask myself are "If I were diagnosed with Coeliac Disease tomorrow, would I be happy with this sort of product?  Would I pay three times the normal price for a loaf of bread that tasted of nothing? " 

It feels mean asking these questions as there is a huge fan club for this sort of product.  It's not my intention to be mean spirited.  I am just interested in understanding the gluten free consumer better. Is it a case of the eyes doing the eating?  Does it really matter what it tastes like as long as it has the appearance of "normal" food?   I'd love to hear your views.