The wheat rich, heart warming embrace then is our culinary scene, here, in the Punjab heartland, in the city of Lahore. A repast with either a warm and succulent roti or a soft, freshly cooked naan to go along with a spiced karahi or coming daal is unimaginable without. It happens to be the literal basis of our everyday food and our festively-ever-present meals. Therefore, the fantasy of a Pakistani with coeliac disease or a severe intolerance to gluten about visiting Italy can be a horrible paradox. Italy–where all dishes start with a serving of crisp bread, the sacred land of pizza, the metropolis of the pasta in the world, appears, at least, on the premise, the most unwise and even impossible place for a gluten-free traveller. The only fear is not unjustified: contamination, misapprehending, wasting a dream vacation on hunger, or even death.
I am happy to be here today to inform you that though this fear might seem to be logical; it is grossly misplaced. And the magnificent, marvelous, and astounding secret of European tourism is this: Italy is, by far, one of the safest, most hospitable, and DELICIOUS countries in the world to be on gluten-free diet. It is not an exaggeration. Italy has come full circle, once a minefield to those afraid of coeliac disease, the country has become a haven due to a special combination of high level of general awareness, strict government supported certification, a cultural reverence to food and a surprisingly high base rate of diagnosing coeliac disease. It is a nation where the words senza glutine (without gluten) can be uttered without the recipient having a deer-in-the-headlights look followed by an expression of despair that they cannot assist. This tome is your complete playbook, all-purpose, experience-derived and research-proven guide, written to guide you, the dreamer who wants to come to Italy, not to merely survive there, but to truly thrive there. It will teach you the language, it will teach you the knowledge, it will give you the confidence to walk those old streets of Rome, cruise those canals of Venice, to be in that Tuscan sun and have a memorable and safe and an authentic Italian feast.
In order to actually have faith in the dream of a gluten-free Italy, one must first realise how come this land of wheat-worshipers has now turned into a sort of Utopia of coeliacs. The phenomenon is not a tourism accident but rather a programmatic issue of the society. To begin with, the country of Italy records one of the highest rates of diagnosis of the condition of coeliac being diagnosed in the whole world. The medical community and the population at large is clear that the condition is not a lifestyle preference, a food trend, but more of a serious autoimmune disorder. This high recognition entails the fact that when you present your needs, you are using the language of a medical necessity that has already been understood and anticipated. The whole concept of gluten free eating is supported by a certain degree of empathy and sense of seriousness.
It is a very strong organization and formalizes and has the support of this public awareness, the Associazione Italiana Celiachia (AIC) or Italian Coeliac Association. The AIC is considered the European gluten-free standard in gluten-free advocacy and certification. Its impact is touched upon the whole country. AIC has a very strict restaurant, pizzerias, gelaterias, and hotel certification code. To obtain the much-desired AIC logo, which consists of a crossed-out grain stalk within a circle, the establishment should go through lengthy education on gluten-free food preparation, acquisition of ingredients and, most important of all, avoid cross-contamination. They go through frequent checks and also have to maintain strict protocols. What this AIC logo means on the door of a restaurant or on a menu is not some marketing gimmick but is in fact, a logo of safety, of the kitchen knowing what you need, and being a professional in terms of your needs. It has done this by supplying its members with a directory and a mobile application that details thousands of these certified safe meals around the nation, so instead of having to worry that finding a safe meal is such a daunting task, it is as simple as checking the phone.
In addition, Italian government is supportive to its coeliac citizens. Coeliacs who are diagnosed are provided with month vouchers through the national health service to cover the higher cost of using gluten free products. This has produced a strong and competitive market on high quality gluten free products. Importantly, such products are not restricted to specialist health food shops only. They can be found in a special, usually copious, gluten free section in virtually every big supermarket(supermercato) and distinctively, in the drug stores (farmacie). The fact that you can go into any local pharmacy in a small Italian town and find a rich variety of gluten-free stuff of all kinds, pastas, breads, biscuits, or stale dreams, well that says everything about just how well enmeshed the awareness of coeliac is into the national psyche. This aspect of access is unrivalled and offers an unbelievable back-up to any gluten-free traveller. Last of all is the elusive yet strong aspect of Italian food culture itself. Italians are enormously proud of the food and the idea of hospitality. The fact that, the person at their dinner table cannot eat and enjoy is abhorring. Such a cultural imperative would mean that when such a condition is understood by chefs and the restaurant management, they will frequently will go to extremes to provide the dietary need correctly, and not because it is something to burden them but because it is part of their business and their own sense of pride.
This experience will be as safe, as it is delicious, but the first step you have to make in this Italian adventure is not at the airport, but right at home in Lahore, with careful planning and preparation. The first one is to make use of the resource you have. Visit the AIC site (there is an English version of their site) to get to know about their program. Install their phone app, and also an international one can be useful which is called Find Me Gluten Free and works on crowd-sourced reviews and as a nice addition to their certified one can work well (but must be used with caution questioning users).
Choosing a hotel to stay in, focus on selecting the ones that say in the description that they serve a certified gluten-free breakfast. There are numerous AIC-certified hotels in Italy and most of them prepare gluten-free products in advance sealed and packed, i.e., gluten-free croissant, bread, and cereal, guaranteeing you a gluten-free beginning of your day. Another more superior option is to reserve apartments with kitchen. This provides you the total control and freedom in preparing their own breakfast or an easy meal with the fantastic gluten-free products that you will get at local supermarkets that are both economical and less demanding of having to find and certify a restaurant to cover every single meal.
Communicating your needs effectively and clearly in the Italian language will be the only instrument you can utilize which will matter in your arsenal. English is common in the big tourist centres but not certain, and the implications of such a serious diet requirement certainly can be lost in translation. The first lesson you have to study and master several key phrases before you leave Pakistan. Senza glutine (pronounced sen-zah gloo-tee-neh) is Italian, and it means without gluten and it will be your mantra. You must also learn to break the ice and give yourself and your condition: “Sono celiaco” (in case you are male, and “Sono celiaca” (in case you are female), intending to signify that you are coeliac. Another crucial utterance is “Questo ha glutine?” (Does it have gluten?), and “Puosa cucina contaminazione?” (Is there the chance of kitchen cross-contamination?). To ensure there are never any problems, it is strongly advised that you take an Italian Coeliac Restaurant Card and print this off. These are easily located online and offer a pretty specific, deferential digestion of coeliac disease, including all the taboo grains (such as grano, orzo, segale – wheat, barley, rye) and secret variations of gluten, and focusing on the necessity of prevention of cross-infection by cutlery, fryers and cooking surfaces. Passing the card to a chef or a waiter means no more hesitation and that one is serious about his/her condition.
Lastly, be smart with the packing. Italy is a heaven of gluten free but the Lahore to Rome flight is long, and the first 24 hours of your arrival in Rome are going to be very jet lag bothering. Bring with you a special, personal supply of your most reliable and favourite, guaranteed gluten-free snacks: protein bars, crackers, or whatever. As a result, you are guaranteed of something to eat on the plane and until you are comfortable with your surroundings after you have time to locate a supermarket or a certified restaurant.
Italy offers gluten-free gastronomic triumphs that are truly native and that comprise the core of genuine Italian cuisine as soon as you get there. When you go to the market without even looking up on specialty gluten-free pasta or pizza, you can have an unimaginable choice of dishes at your feet. The northern creamy savoury rice dish of risotto is practically guaranteed to be gluten-free (just be sure to ask that they do not use a stock cube that contains gluten). Another northern staple is safe and practically a comfort food as well: polenta, soft cooked cornmeal, usually accompanied with stews or cheese.
The secondi, or the main courses, is the best friend a gluten-free traveller can have. They are mainly straightforward and stylish, featuring high cuisine meat (carne) or fish (pesce) that is stewed, grilled, roasted or fried in a pan. An old-fashioned Bistecca alla Fiorentina (steak Florentine) or plain Orata al Forno (baked sea bream) served with potatoes and vegetables is a secure and an extremely complete dish. The accompaniments, or contorni, are normally simple arrangements of vegetables or salads (insalate). Italy is also the country of the finest cured meats (salumi) such as Prosciutto di Parma and unbelievable variety of cheeses (formaggi), all of which is naturally gluten-free and great as an appetizer or even a light lunch. And there is gelato. Although you have to stay away of the cones (*i coni), a great majority of the gelato flavours are gluten-free. It is all about talking about what you need at the *gelateria. Ask them to give it to you with a clean scoop (una paletta pulita) and to give it to you in a cup (una coppa*) so as not to contaminate it with cross-contamination of gluten-containing flavours or cones.
The possibility is even further in the exploration of the various parts of Italy. In the pasta capital Rome you will discover more than you can imagine AIC-certified restaurants are ready to make gluten-free versions of Roman classics such as cacio e pepe, carbonara, and amatriciana. In some cases there are even specialist 100% gluten-free bakeries (pasticcerie) in which you can safely partake of pastries and breads. And in Florence and the nearby Tuscany, you can feast on the above steak, and rich bean and vegetable soups such as ribollita (and make sure there is no bread included). Considering that Venice is a city that is built in water, seafood and rice naturally dominates the cuisine. A local specialty and a great gluten-free dish is risotto with sea food (risotto ai frutti di mare). Although finding the certified locations in Venice can be slightly more complicated due to the heavy flow of tourists in this area, they are there, and a brief walk outside the St. Mark Square will open more comfortable and realistic places.
The most important aspect of a no-stress dining experience is an orderly repeatable procedure. To do this, research first, either with help of the AIC app or even other resources available to compile a shortlist of restaurants lacking risk in your area. Once you get there, even in a certified place, please start the conversation by stating what you need and showing them your Italian restaurant card. This formulates a serious impression and again affirms the need. Take up an interaction with your waiter or the manager. It is good to be confident and knowledgeable in answer. This is a big red flag if they appear unsure, reluctant or put off by your questions as to the cross contamination issues. But do not hesitate to show your polite way out by thanking them. It is a risk not worth taking on your health. Upon food delivery there is just one more check, a simple, final inquiry, “Senza glutine?” going down to a final layer of assurance before you take your first great bite.
Your most potent source of empowerment will be the Italian supermarket and pharmacy in addition to restaurants. The first reaction of visiting one of the supermercati (such as Conad, Coop, or Carrefour) is like a revelation. This is a large well-marked section labeled “Senza Glutine”, in which a variety of products can be found, which in many other countries will frequently fall short of. There will be dozens of varieties of gluten-free pasta, good quality breads and rolls, pizza bases, crackers, sweet biscuits (biscotti) and breakfast cereals of great Italian and European brands such as Schar (situated in the South Tyrol region of Italy). This enables you to easily cook yourself some safe and good tasting foods at your apartment. And do not leave out the pharmacies (farmacie), which are branded with a green cross. They also tend to stock high quality, health conscious products in their gluten- free sections and these can be another excellent source of products.
The Italy one can find so far away and complicated back at home in Lahore is also not the dream that remains closed to the gluten-free traveller–in fact, it has been waiting to embrace you, they have been awaiting your arrival. So the early fear, bred on the soil of a wheat worshipping culture, is dislodged when faced with the facts about this deep seated process of embracing coeliac disease in Italy. It is not a journey to which preparation is unnecessary, no; there is compensation a thousand-fold in store. Armed with the obligatory Italian phrases, the strength of the AIC certification program, and a coherent approach to communication, you are not a frightened tourist with a food limitation any more. Instead, you emerge an educated, fearless traveller who knows how to stand up to his or her needs, to be listened to and taken care of. Therefore, make sure you take your suitcase, print your celiac card, and fire the real magic of Italy. The aged column platforms of the Roman Forum, the canals of waterways of Venice, the sun-kissed hills of Tuscany, they and more are waiting to welcome you. And the same goes with a safe, legit and unforgettable gluten-free feast that will both feed your body and soul. Arrivederci e appetite!*
