The Pickle Barrel goes Gluten-Free

When I was a little girl, every Sunday morning, I would have
swimming lessons and then head over to the Pickle Barrel restaurant for the
most unbelieveable mile-high french toast and potato latkes. Sometimes, we would even return for
dinner, my favorite being the spaghetti and meatballs. It is one of my first
foodie memories and one of the best.

Thirty years later, my family and I still love going to the
Pickle Barrel, but not just on Sunday mornings and not just for the French
toast anymore. Just like our taste
buds, their menu has grown and evolved to keep up with the needs of its
customers. While they do have a
team of unbelievable chefs at each restaurant, there is one woman who has
spear-headed all of this change: cookbook author, nutritionist, and chef, Rose
Riseman.

Rose Riseman has been developing special menus for Pickle
Barrel for the past few years, ranging from healthy family favorites to a new,
healthy spin on kids’ meals.
However, her latest venture is her most ambitious yet: Gluten-Free menu.

I was introduced to this menu a little while ago through a
tasting dinner I was honored to be a part of. Prior to attending the event, I did a bit of research on
what eating “gluten free” involved and have to admit that I was a bit dubious
of what to expect. After all, the
reason I fell in love with the Pickle Barrel was for their breads and pastas,
the exact items that eating gluten-free does not allow.

Or so I thought.

Rose explain how each dish had been developed by sourcing the most delicious breads, pastas, and other
gluten-free ingredients possible.
My skepticism began to fade.
Next she told us how each restaurant that serves this menu will be equipped
with separate equipment and a designated chef to ensure that there is no
cross-contamination between the gluten-free menu items and the regular
menu. The rationale being that for
someone who is intolerant to gluten, even the tiniest amount can make
them feel terribly ill. Wow. That really impressed me. But
does that mean that the only those who do eat gluten-free should eat this
menu? Certainly not, especially
because of how delicious it all was.

Pistachio-Crusted Basa with Arugula and Orange

Grilled Cheese with Portobello Mushrooms and Roasted Peppers

Corn-and-rice rotini with goat cheese, chicken, and sun-dried tomatoes

Beef Enchiladas with Rice and Black Beans

Pulled Pork with caramelized onions and coleslaw

I could go on and on about each individual dish, but a simple sentence wouldn’t do them justice.
However, there are a couple things that each had in common: first of
all, you would never (ever) know they were gluten-free by the way they
taste. Second, none of them are “different”
versions of exsisting menu items; each one is its own unique dish. And finally, one does not have to be
gluten-intolerant to enjoy them. When Rose developed this menu, she made sure
that it was also healthy and diverse enough to be enjoyed by anyone. Especially my favorite, the grilled
cheese. Or was it the pulled pork? Or maybe the enchiladas….

Right now, this new menu is only available at the Yonge and Eglinton location, but it is expected that it will shortly be available at other Pickle Barrel locations across the GTA.