Hi there!

Being a Celiac in Vancouver is really not that bad. Vancouver’s probably one of the best places to be in terms of cities that take food seriously. Here, there is a lot of ethnic variety with a strong emphasis on the diverse cuisines of Asia. I basically eat some form of Asian food everyday. Eating gluten free all the time can sometimes find you in a rice-based rut, but honestly there is so much more. Dosas and idlis, anyone?

I’ve always been into food and cooking. Both of my parents are great cooks and taught me my way around the kitchen from a very young age. I was re-diagnosed (I’ll explain later) with Celiac disease at age 27. While it wasn’t the most thrilling news in the world, I put a positive spin on the whole thing by viewing it as a culinary challenge. Several hockey puck-like loaves of bread later, I still haven’t mastered the perfect baguette. But I am close to a good pastry, and muffins and pancakes are a breeze (thank you, Bette Hagman).

Unlike a lot of Celiacs, I imagine, I still go out for dinner a lot. Meeting friends for a meal is one of my favourite things to do. As I was discussing with my good pal Veronica at Habit on Main on Friday night, it must be where all of our money goes. There is always somewhere new to try and so many great old standbys that will never grow tired.

Anyway, I have been meaning to start this blog as a gluten-free guide to Vancouver for ages now. I just couldn’t come up with a name. Pathetic, I realize, and really, Hold the Bun, Please was my first idea. I just couldn’t accept that this was the best I was going to come up with. It is far superior to my boyfriend’s suggestion of Wheatless Freaks, however. This is me, getting on with it. I’m not sure how it’ll go but I hope to update fairly frequently with restaurant and product updates along with various anecdotes and the ridiculous musings of a Celiac in Vancouver.

Later,
Lucy