Book of Yum

I was recently contacted on Twitter by an enthusiastic representative of a company called Zeer.com about to release a gluten-free product database, and invited to a complimentary viewing of the site. The company offers “foodies” a variety of means to browse products by interest and gluten-free happens to be one of their most recent product categories. I’m not sure if “foodie” is really the appropriate title for their target market, as most foodies that I know are less excited about packaged, processed food and more interested in the potential of raw ingredients and international cooking techniques. But, since it sounds better than obsessive supermarket shopper, I guess we’ll have to allow them their tag-line.

This is a pay service, mind you, not a free one, so I think it should be held to a pretty high standard. At the stiff proposed fee of $14.95 a month, I would expect it to do your gluten-free shopping AND taxes, so let’s see how it measures up.

When you log into “Home” you see the following categories: Gluten Free Favorites, Popular Gluten Free Food (Random Category), Top Gluten Free Brands, and 89 click-through pages of New Gluten Free Products added this month. There is also a handy “Gluten Free Safety Status Key” with cute and easily recognizable icons that show you the gluten-free status of a product at a glance. Their safety categories include:

* Labeled as gluten free
* Appears to be gluten free
* May contain gluten
* Contains gluten

Some weird things- although categories of types of food (the favorites) are listed and seem reasonable, there are some issues with how things are categorized. Product organization needs some serious help. There are currently 244 products listed under cake, spread out over 12 pages. Fair enough, but what qualifies under this category? Apparently cake decorator sprinkles, Lundberg Lightly Salted Rice Cakes, donuts, and Barbie Edible Cake Decoration are all grouped under cake. Searching by “relevance” gets me cake sugar sprinkles at #1 and Marzipan at #2. Relevant to who, exactly? Not to knock cake sprinkles, but unless you’ve got a killer gluten-free cake UNDER the sugar sprinkles, that’s going to be one disappointed 5 year old at her birthday party. There should be a way to limit search by prepared CAKE (And I don’t mean mochi), CAKE dry mix, and cake accessories. And please, let’s leave the savory items out because when I think gooey gluten-free chocolate cake Lundberg’s dry cardboard fest is simply not going to work.

The beer section also needs more research. There must be at least eight genuine gluten-free beers on the market, and Zeer only lists two, with the rest of their meager selection dedicated to hard cider. I love hard cider, but is it a beer? Really? And where are the other players in the field, please.

There should also be a way to sort products by company name. The drop-down menu allows to sort by “Product Name” but this just gives me a page of the company’s stuff lowest on the alphabet. What if I hate Ener-g Foods but would really like to see all that Kinnikinnick has to offer? Why can’t I easily do this in their menu?

One other drawback to this site that I see immediately is that there is no way to find the product for purchase. I may be very excited by a product and now know almost everything about it after seeing it on this site- except for how on earth I can acquire it. Since this site seems most appropriate for those new to the gluten-free diet, I would have to think this would be a frustrating limitation. Contact info has an address or a phone number- but where is the company web page? Where is a link to a service like Amazon that can actually sell me the product directly? Yes, a gluten-free veteran will probably go straight to Amazon or search for the company web site themselves, but why doesn’t Zeer provide it easily for you? If it is due to concerns over seeming like a commercial site—it is already a pay site so I think hopes of seeming in it for the altruism is out. Let’s make this site more convenient for the user and perform a service from start to finish- from the research stage to the expansion of our diets in a meaningful way.

One other concern I have is that under “New Products” we see 617 Products have been added. This is very exciting. On closer look, it becomes less so. Skittles, lemonade, tomato sauce, and baby formula are some of the exciting new products added. Skittles might be worth a skip in heart rate, perhaps, if you go for that sort of thing, but many of the products are extremely obscure or of questionable gluten-free status (and thus, of questionable worth to the category). If a company has not been contacted to find out about cross contamination on the production lines, but the label looks ok, how is it helpful for me to see the product on their site?

In general, this is my question about Zeer.com’s gluten-free product database. Does this site really perform a valuable service for the gluten-free community and is it worth the cost? There are some things I do like about the site, so let me mention those now. One, every product on Zeer is shown with a current (hopefully) ingredient list and nutrition facts. I am a little nervous about those ingredient lists, as some mainstream companies literally change their label (and tweak ingredients) every time they run it, with the product sometimes containing wheat or sometimes containing corn depending on manufacturing cost. Companies often tell you to “look at the label” but if the label is online, how can the web site possibly keep up with or stay informed? But back to the positive- there IS an ingredient listing. Also, even more interestingly, certain key terms that may cause concern to the newly diagnosed gluten-free person are highlighted on that ingredient list. (Key terms include things like “Natural Flavorings” or “Maltodextrin”.) If you click on those terms then you are taken to an excellent explanation of the legal status of those terms in the United States, with a discussion of risk. From a cursory read, it seems that Zeer’s information is current with the position of most US Celiac Research Organizations and this feature alone is very valuable for breaking the code of label-reading on a gluten-free diet. Once you’ve explored the site a bit, you may have learned how to do it on your own, which is definitely a plus. There is also a feature which allows you to rate and review the product, a feature that will become helpful IF Zeer succeeds in getting a large customer base with product experience that writes reviews of those products. One additional positive is that the database can be searched not only by typed brand or product name, but also by UPC code. The latter seems unique to the Zeer service.

So is Zeer providing a needed service that is worth the cost of subscription? When I first heard about Zeer’s new gluten-free product database, to tell you the truth I wasn’t terribly interested in it. I am quite active in Celiac forums and in gluten-centric Twitter circles, and I spend a lot of time in health food stores checking out new products. I’ve also been eating gluten-free for thirty years and feel very comfortable reading labels. I don’t really need a tutorial in it (although I appreciate the feature), and currently it seems there are limitations to the number of new products Zeer could introduce to me that I’d find relevant. (Cake sprinkles don’t really cut it, unfortunately.) Companies like Amazon.com, Gluten Free Mall, and even Drugstore.com have extremely extensive gluten-free product listings and allow you to actually purchase the item in question. They’ve been around for longer than Zeer (which I believe is still in Beta testing), so their organizing features are somewhat more user-friendly. They also have a lot more customers, and thus many more relevant reviews of those products than Zeer can currently offer. And, most appealing of all, it is free to browse Amazon, and they don’t charge for information about the product. Granted, you may find that product has limited information- while established products should have current ingredients listed and even may have nutrition facts, they may not always immediately have that information. However, as we found recently, brand new products like the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix may not yet have ingredient information posted, which may be frustrating for those wondering if they can or can not have the product in question due to additional allergens. It remains to be seen if Zeer will be ahead of the curve and able to offer cutting edge information on new gluten-free products, although when I tried to do a search for Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie on Zeer, I got no results at all. (Cough Cough)

So, to conclude, I’m not sure that Zeer has much to offer the gluten-free community that goes beyond what one can get from existing services like Amazon. It seems to me they are trying to cash in on the fad of the “g-free diet” but without thinking enough about the quality (not quantity) of information they are offering. If they were to improve the organization of their product information and make this information more meaningful and useful to their subscribers, then perhaps I could recommend them more enthusiastically. However, with a big fat price tag of almost fifteen dollars a month, I don’t think it is worth it. I could buy an entire bulk box of gluten-free flours for fifteen dollars… or seven delicious gluten-free nutmeal cookies from Mariposa Bakery… or get a gluten-free pizza at a pizza joint once a month for that price. To my mind, it would have made more sense for Zeer to operate as a giant Amazon associate or similar and make their money off of companies selling their products, rather than billing the gluten-free client directly. Isn’t the gluten-free diet expensive enough?

This is just my opinion as a gluten-free veteran, used to digging for information in the trenches. What do you, my followers of the gluten-free lifestyle think? Are you in the market for a product review site like Zeer, and does it sound like it would be valuable to you personally? If so, why? Or if not, why not? Please tell me in the comments.

A gluten-free fellow blogger friend at Twitter commented on this issue, saying that Zeer isn’t necessary “when you have plenty of gluten-free bloggers reviewing products.” He had an excellent point, and happily, the conversation reminded me of an excellent gluten-free product review blog called Gluten-Free Food Reviews. Her site is a good example of what a quality review of a meaningful gluten-free product can offer the community, so I hope you will check it out. And, you don’t need your checkbook or Visa to peruse her site. ;)

For those who don’t mind paying a fee but find Zeer’s monthly fee a bit too stiff, you may want to check out the software available through Clan Thompson, a company that has offered gluten-free product software for years. Their software can be downloaded onto Windows, Palm OS, Mac OS X, iPhone, Pocket PC / Windows MobilePocket PC, or a BlackBerry. I haven’t used it myself but they definitely have a following.

Mariposa gluten-free Rye Round $4.95 (as of June ‘09)- This new product immediately piqued my interest with its lovely artisan shape and promising caraway flavoring. When I asked the bakers at mariposa which of the new loaves they recommended, they mentioned that the un-rye bread had been selling very well. It was also quite reasonably priced, for a bakery-made artisan loaf. But how did it taste? The first day I found it had nice texture and was great sliced with butter, and then after that I enjoyed it toasted in small sandwiches with baba ghanoush, tahini sauce and arugula. Of all the breads I’ve tried at Mariposa, this is definitely my favorite, and one I would purchase again.

I swooned when I saw this gorgeous lemon poppyseed muffin in the case. It was fluffy and light and seemed to defy gravity with its lovely top. The white icing added just the right delicate and lovely touch, and I was sold. I took it home and hoarded it for a day or so before finally trying it. I found the texture to be excellent, and I enjoyed the delicate flavors. The poppyseeds really popped- and the lemon was interesting without being cloying. I did find it to be sweet- and I tend not to eat sweet muffins very often, so I don’t know how often I would buy it, but I did enjoy it.

When I saw the beautiful White Cake Layer slices for $4.50 in the refrigerator case at Mariposa, I knew I had to have one. The sign advertised cream cheese frosting with raspberry filling, and the cake was also garnished generously with sliced, toasted almonds. Gorgeous! The DH and I shared a piece right there in the bakery. Our estimation? The cake texture was good, and the flavor was nice as well. The cream cheese frosting was thick, and a bit too sweet for my taste buds, and I wasn’t wild about the almonds in combination, but it was everything a white layer cake should be. I don’t think I would try that flavor again (although I confess a strong curiosity about the chocolate) but it was a satisfying and pleasant cake experience. Love that they are offering them in slices now!

I’ve raved about these nutmeal raisin cookies before, and my opinion hasn’t changed. This time I was able to snag about four to take home with me… which I kept in the bag and treasured for days. Of all the cookies at Mariposa (Chocolate chip and sugar cookie) I like the texture and flavor of the nutmeal raisin the best, and they are the only ones I buy regularly. Delicious!

I’d heard that changes were afoot at Mariposa, including some un-rye bread, new freezer cases, and of course gluten-free ravioli. When we got there I noticed immediately that they had expanded the non-Mariposa offerings into a small gluten-free grocery selection. They are now carrying DeBoles pasta, Tinkyada Pasta, Glutino snack bars (yuck), Mesa Sunrise, Bakery on Main, and Amazon Corn Flakes, and Pamela’s mixes, among many other things.

The freezer case was especially impressive, with offerings including bagels, cheese ravioli, butternut squash ravioli (GF DF NF), multi-grain bread, scones, baguettes, quiche in a pastry crust, rosemary rolls, and of course, pizza. I made sure to snag some of the gluten free cheese ravioli right away, although the price (10 pieces for $9) did give me serious pause. I know it is time intensive (trust me, or I’d make it more) but that is a pretty steep price for something I can make myself. But- luckily this blog gave me an excuse to try it at least once. I also bought the cheese quiche because I can’t resist a tasty looking crust that I didn’t have to make myself. And- last but not least, their poppyseed challah also went home with me. The DH and I of course had to have a slice of their gluten-free pizza, which in the past I’ve referred to as the best pizza on the West Coast.

I always love Mariposa’s all-vegetarian pizza, and it’s one of the things that brings me back time after time. They have an excellent crust and toppings are generally very creative and tasty. I have to admit, this time I was slightly disappointed. The crust was underdone, so it wasn’t as gorgeous and crispy as usual, and the toppings were… not quite as inspired as usual, being just cheese, tomato, peppers, and herbs. I hope that they can keep their creative juices flowing and impressing us with their fun toppings that set them apart from the rest- and also, make sure that the crust is baked long enough to really do it justice. I’ll order their pizza again, of course, but it was a little bit of a bummer this time around.

I took one of these quiche home and had it with a lovely arugula salad for dinner one night. Actually, it made several meals (but two of them were more like snacks). The crust was gorgeously browned and golden, but I found it slightly flat in flavor. I don’t know exactly what the ingredients are, but I don’t think it contains butter, and I miss that a little bit. The egg-cheese filling was pleasant, but I did want to add some kind of flavor element- I wish it had a vegetable, herb, or even more seasonings of salt and/or pepper. I loved being able to take the quiche home and bake it, and it is a very smart offering, in my opinion, that made this savory girl very happy. However, I probably wouldn’t get it again unless there was an option with the pow of additional (vegetarian) ingredients. You should definitely try it for yourself, though, and see what you think.

The challah at Mariposa ($6.50) is a thing of absolute beauty. I have never seen a gluten-free challah with gorgeous, glistening braids like this one. The poppy seed topping is also fantastic (and they have them without if you prefer). The challah came frozen, so I left it in the freezer for a few days and then took it out for breakfast. I cut off a piece of the loaf and microwaved it…. and then it was time for a taste test. I think because the bread is based in brown rice flour, it has a distinctive “brown” bread flavor, with a sweet, almost fruity element. I tried the first piece with butter. The texture was pleasant, and the flavor wasn’t bad, but for me the real strength of the bread is its beauty. It makes me proud to see where gluten-free bread has come since my diagnosis. However, I do have to say that I wasn’t wild about the flavor and found it rather sweet and bland. I tried it with cream cheese, and it was also pleasant, but I don’t think the flavor of this particular bread is my thing.
2/18/09 Update

*photos taken from experience in February- I just didn’t get around to posting about our trip, but this seemed like a good time to tell you about it!

I was delighted when I heard about Mariposa’s special gluten-free doughnut day celebrating Valentines Day. They don’t normally offer doughnuts, so it sounded really fun and different. Their pretty cake-style (not fried) doughnuts looked enticing and I went a little crazy, buying a whole box full. Unfortunately, when we actually tried them, both the DH and I were not that crazy about them. They were pretty heavy, not all that sweet, and tasted pretty firmly gluten-free. They didn’t pass the glutenoid taste test, and the DH stopped eating after the first bite or so. I nibbled at a few, but to tell you the truth, most ended up sitting in our refrigerator uneaten and finally ended up in the trash. I hate to say this, but I much prefer the mass marketed donuts produced by kinnikinnick. These aren’t a regular offering at Mariposa. If they are offered again, perhaps the recipe will be tweaked a bit. I don’t think we’ll be making it to doughnut day anytime soon, though.

Starting on Valentine’s Day (or perhaps prior to), Mariposa began offering chocolate, vanilla, black bottom, carrot cake & seasonal cupcakes made by Miglet’s Gluten-Free Cakery. ($2 each) For Valentine’s Day they had red velvet cupcakes that were bewitchingly sweet and as appealing to look at as they were to eat. I bought one carrot cake cupcake and one red velvet cupcake- in the interest of science, you understand. Both were tasty, but the cream cheese and other frosting was a bit sweet for my taste. They would be perfect for anyone with a strong sweet tooth, though- and I’ve never seen a cuter gluten-free cupcake. How great would it be to be able to bring home a box for a newly diagnosed child or family member? Now that they have a lovely refrigerated case, these cupcakes appear to be offered year round, and are a wonderful addition to the offerings at Mariposa.

I have to say, though, that my absolute favorite Valentine’s Day treat was the Valentine’s Day flourless chocolate cake. The DH bought it for me, but if I remember correctly it was either just under or over $10.00. It sounds like a lot- but it was a beautiful, toothsome looking creation. When I cut into it, I found it was my idea of a perfect, fudge-like cake without any heavy bread or cake bits to get in the way of my enjoyment of the cake. The ganache-type coating was delightful, and I’d definitely order it again.

To conclude- Since my last Mariposa report, there have been lots of additions to Mariposa’s gluten-free baked good lineup lately. On our last Sunday afternoon visit, I was very pleased to see a great deal of foot traffic into the bakery. I noticed visitors often picked up some gluten-free cereal or other groceries along with their gluten-free cookies or cake- and in this tough market, anything that contributes to the bakery’s success is a good thing. I think Mariposa has been very smart with their gradual expansion of bakery offerings, and I’m thrilled to see them offering more savory items to the Bay Area like ravioli and quiche. I look forward to seeing what they make next, and hope you will all consider visiting their location and supporting their efforts for the gluten-free community.