I Tend To Avoid Sun, Swimming, Salt, Cold And Water
I was wondering today, if my lifestyle choices have been my problem all along.
As a child I spent endless hours in my bedroom playing with my Meccano, and in most of my working life I was programming alone in my office, often watching the television at the same time. Even today, living alone in East London, I spend a lot of time on my computer, with either the television or the radio in the background.
The difference now, is that I try to get some sun and even today, I’ve had an hour or so in the sun walking around the local area.
But I don’t eat much salt and I’ve never liked it. So could I be that rare person, who doesn’t get enough salt?
Paradoxically, although I’m not a sun lover, I do hate the cold and C used to complain that my office and car was too hot. This winter though, I’ve felt a bit better by deliberately keeping the temperature down to 20 °C or less inside most of the time. My gut, which is usually troublesome, has been perfect all the time.
I am trying to drink more water, but only in the form of tea, lemonade, milk or beer. But all I seem to want to do is pee it down the toilet!
So can I get decent health, by controlling my avoidances?
One conclusion, I’m coming to, is that when I was living with C, she used to drag me out for walks and probably curbed some of my excess.
So does that explain, why my health was better for all those years I was married?
Cooking With Celia
Some of my friends will chuckle at this.
Cooking With Celia
I’m actually cooking the fish with beans and peas, I cook regularly.
Excellent Gluten Free Cake At The ViewTube
I went to the ViewTube today, for a tea and cake.
Excellent Gluten Free Cake At The ViewTube
It was actually mandarin and chocolate cake, but if you didn’t like that, then there was another different flavour.
The View From Hay’s Galleria
I’d gone south from the Angel to London Bridge station, with the aim of walking along the River Thames to see Tower Bridge.
To get to the bridge, I took one of the exits onto Tooley Street, crossed the road and walked through the Hay’s Galleria. I took these pictures.
This is one of the best ways to get onto the walk beside the Thames. There are also a couple of restaurants and cafes, in and by the Galleria, if you want to eat or drink.
Gluten-Free Pizza At Pizza Express
For many years, Sunday afternoons and evenings for C and myself had a rhymn. We would go to the cinema at either the Cambridge Picturehouse or the Cineworld and then we’d go for a pizza in Pizza Express, often at the Pitt Club, where I always had a Capricciosa. This pattern stopped in the early 2000s, when I was diagnosed as a coeliac, so sometimes I would have a salad Niçoise, or more likely we’d go to an Indian restaurant.
But all that has now changed, in that Pizza Express have produced a new very coeliac-friendly menu. This is the gluten-free page.
Last night, I went with two friends to the newly-refurbished Pizza Express at The Angel in Islington. We sat upstairs and for an avid street watcher like myself, it is a great place to sit.
I started with a bottle of my favourite long drink; Aspall Cyder.
Aspall Cyder At Pizza Express
They also have Green’s gluten-free beer, but I do prefer my Celia, when it comes to beer. The cyder is better than both with pizza.
I also had a Capricciosa, for the first time in perhaps ten years.
Gluten-Free Pizza At Pizza Express
It tasted just like it did all of those years ago.
I think a personal tradition of a film followed by pizza is going to be revived. all I need now is an attractive lady with whom to enjoy the experience.
I think too, you can’t accuse Pizza Express of being backward about going forward.
Advertising In Stereo
These two signs were outside.
My only problem, is that near me, there isn’t a Pizza Express with the quality of building of the Pitt Club in Cambridge.
I have a feeling that in a few years time, this will rate as one of the most significant events in dining out for coeliacs in the UK.
I wasn’t diagnosed as a child, but it must be very difficult, for both a coeliac child and their parents, when say at a birthday party, they get invited to a family restaurant. Now they can at least eat pizza.
I think it is going to start a ripple in the various chains of restaurants, as they’ll have to follow suit. After all, Carluccio’s and Jamie’s Italian, already operate a sensible policy on gluten-free food, and I suspect others do.
It’ll certainly make things much easier for me on my travels. It’s already happened in Ipswich, in that the town has two Pizza Express restaurants. It’s just a pity, neither is close to Portman Road.
This will probably mean that the UK, will become one of the most coeliac-friendly countries for coeliacs to visit.
Checking On Pizza Express
I walked past the Pizza Express in Islington this morning and looked at the menu outside to see about the gluten-free offering.
The Menu Outside Pizza Express, Islington
Note the gluten-free beer, although I think, I would prefer the Aspall Cyder.
The gluten-free statement is strong and comes with a NGCI symbol. This apparently means No Gluten Containing Ingredients. This is an accreditation from Coeliac-UK. Read about it here.
As it was early and the place was empty of customers, I went inside and talked to one of the staff. She showed me the serving area and allowed me to take this picture.
Cake at Pizza Express
Note the “contains gluten” sticker.
The whole system they have put in seems to be very professional and as fail-safe as you can make it.
The lady I spoke to, said that all restaurants will be offering exactly the same menu.
It Was Fish Pie Tonight
As I hadn’t cooked pone for some time, I decided to cook one of my version of Jamie’s Oliver’s Fish Pie.
It Was Fish Pie Tonight
I could have perhaps put a few more potatoes on top, but otherwise it was good.
My other worry, is that how long will the remainder keep in the fridge!
Pizza Express’s Professional Approach To Gluten-Free
If they’ve got it right, which I suspect they have as it’s a big pitch, Pizza Express have taken a bold approach to adding gluten-free to their menus. You open their web site and on the right is a large block labelled GLUTEN FREE. Click it and you learn that they talk about 100% taste, risotto, brownies and even gluten-free Pilsner. They even reverse the usual dishes you can have to ones you should avoid.
They also say that their approach has been endorsed by Coeliac-UK.
I shall definitely be trying them out in the next few days.
At least it gives me somewhere to have lunch in Ipswich, when I watch the football!
A German Barbecue
I saw this tent by Exmouth Market.
A German Barbecue
After my experiences in Munich lately, I went to investigate and he could have fed me something tasty and gluten-free.
But he was from Cologne!
The Anonymous Widower 