We’re all hunters and gathers. But in common with most folks in what we like to think of as the “developed” world, I do most of my hunting and gathering at my local HyperMart. And since part of every hunter‑gatherer’s skill set is awareness of her (or his) environment, I’m always on the alert for changes in the aisles. So I was quick to spot the new section catering to people with food allergies and other dietary restrictions. I didn’t pay much attention, though. Not at first, anyway. I’m one of the lucky ones for whom no food is off‑limits. (OK. I draw the line at kippers and kidneys for breakfast. But you get my drift, I’m sure.) Then I got talking to a woman who’d only recently been diagnosed as gluten intolerant. For years she’d structured meals around pasta and breadstuffs. Now these things were forbidden, and she was struggling to learn new ways of eating. I realized that this could happen to me someday, too. That’s when I decided I was suffering from unwarranted gastronomic hubris.

And not long afterward, I received a letter from John, a regular In the Same Boat reader:

I'm taking a trip to Quetico with a group of friends for seven days the first week of July. One of the guys on the trip has celiac disease and can't eat anything containing gluten, which is in all wheat products and a couple other grains. I've been trying to convert some recipes to gluten-free with some success, but I'm wondering if you (or your readers) have any experience with gluten-free backwoods recipes?

Unfortunately, I couldn’t help John. I’d never prepared gluten‑free dishes. At least I’d never tried to do so. And I had zero experience building gluten‑free menus. So I sought out others with real expertise. I guess you could say I took a crash course in the challenge of living gluten‑free… Read more…

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