The Allergy and Free From Show 2015 - A Retrospective

Time was when I would have been writing my review practically as soon as I left the show - on the way home. I'm a bit slower about the write-up this year - partly because time has been short (there's been a lot of end-of-term stuff for 'Baby') and partly because I sort of wanted to mull it over a bit and consider how it compared to previous experiences. I'm beginning to realise (maybe I'm growing wiser as well as older) that sometimes it's good to take your time and think things through. It helps too to chew over your experience with others online.

So, this year's Allergy Show in London. How was it?

Well...

There was a lot to look at and take in. It was a bit bewildering at first, even though I knew what to expect. However, I must admit I was a bit surprised to notice animal charities vying for space this year - including a dog shelter that split the two Udi's plots! 

I was there to shop for food - not talk about dogs! Or expensive saucepans either!! I wasn't surprised to see some appliances - after all at an allergy show there's bound to be people with eczema who want better hoovers, air filters and natural ways to wash/dry their clothes. The shopping trolley stall I could forgive - after all I've often thought there must be people who turn up and suddenly discover the need for one, once they discover the gems that are on offer! 

However, for the most part I can get over these extra stalls - I know they help to subsidise the show to some extent - just so long as they don't keep out genuine free from companies and prevent them from showcasing their wares! The only thing that genuinely sticks in the throat is the quacks - the companies taking blood and promising a diagnosis and this year a stand promoting some silicone gel that claimed it would fix a bad gut.

Personally, my gut is bad enough already without adding silicone to it methinks! SO when you go to this show, you do have to keep your wits about you - in order to sort the good from the just plain barmy!

So what was good this year? 

1)  Allergy Adventures

Without a doubt, Allergy Adventures is definitely one of the show's highlights - for 'Baby' (as it's the one thing aimed at her level), for The Hub (as it saves him wondering how to keep 'Baby' busy for a bit, without getting into trouble) and for me - as it frees me up to poke around the stalls for a bit without being too distracted!

In fact, I really wanted to fly solo this year and have more of a chance to see what I'd come for, but 'Baby' just wasn't having it. The Allergy Show, and Allergy Adventures in particular, is one of the highlights of her year. She was desperate to come, just for that!

'Baby' loved it, as ever, she knows it's something special for her. And when there's a space as inviting as this for children, it's not difficult to see why!

Hailley is such a great storyteller, she draws in the adults as well!

What I find completely shocking, is that beyond having a free spot, Hailley is not remunerated - either for her 'set', art supplies or expenses, or those of her amazing volunteers. This confuses me somewhat, as it seemed (from the publicity) that Hailley was sponsored. I really hope the organisers and sponsors rethink this for next year, as it seems only fair that her costs should be covered at the very least - especially when she keeps everyone's kids happy all weekend! Happy kids equals happy shoppers, equals money changing hands!!

Hailley also had a slot in Speaker's Corner - a new spot for this year. It was a shame this wasn't better attended. Hailley was sharing about her new workshops for schools, which are now available to view online for FREE! If you are a parent, a teacher or a school governor please, please go and take a look at her website and see how you can get this into your school. Just going from our own experiences with school this year, I think allergy education for pupils, parents and teachers is absolutely vital!

2)  Dr Adam Fox 

Last year, Dr Fox was a real highlight for me, and that was when I had to pay to see him! Mind you, it was only an extra £10, and as I'd got in free, it definitely seemed worth it - especially as he is such a big cheese in the pediatric allergy world! I mean where else would Joe Public get the chance to hear such an allergy expert as he (unless you're one of his patients of course!)? 

This year, it was possible to hear him for free in the Schar Learning Centre. He certainly drew a crowd - there wasn't enough seats - people sat all over the floor and stood around the open sides. It was a shame there wasn't more space and that he had to compete with the Eco Egg lady, on a nearby stand - who had miked herself up, to be heard over the speakers! (GRRR! How RUDE!!)

Dr Fox certainly drew a crowd!

It was great that we were able to listen to him for free, but I do wish that it had been a bigger space and somewhere where there were less distractions. I also wish (as I did last year) that he had there were published notes for us to follow - as Dr Fox comes out with such fascinating information, at such speed, that it can be difficult to keep up!

This year, he did a great job of covering several subjects, such as eczema, advances in research regarding nut allergies and FPIES. I also found it most helpful to hear him acknowledge that there really isn't much support out there for those with a Non-Ige allergy. I have to say, if Dr Fox is there next year (and I sincerely hope he is) he would definitely be well worth a listen!

3)  Free From Food

Well yes, that is what I went for and that is what I found. This year, though, rather than searching out the newest and latest products, I found myself hunting down old favourites from previous shows and stocking up on goodies that either aren't available locally, or used to be, but have been withdrawn from the shelves of the supermarkets (GRRR!!).  

I was particularly after:

i) Cocoa Libre - amazing free from chocolate and a product I've already reviewed here.  'Baby' loves it too! It's not something I can currently get locally. Suffice to say, I stocked up!

ii) Mrs Crimble's Pancake Mix - this might sound unexciting to you, but it has become a breakfast staple in our house! 'Baby' aint that much a fan of cereal and pancakes are a great alternative. No longer sold by our Sainsbury's or Tesco (Boo Hiss!!) I had to take advantage of their offer to buy five boxes for £5.00. Otherwise, I now have to buy this mix in larger amounts from Amazon.

iii) Eskal Ice Cream Cones - I always buy these at the Show, at show price, but this year I also found these, which look great for parties!

I was ecstatic to find these, 'cos although you can get plain-looking dairy free ice cream cones, finding them in interesting shapes is a mite harder. 'Baby' loved the look of these too and couldn't wait to try them out! I also went back for their chocolate after dinner wafers, which I discovered last year (you know, the ones that resemble cigars). I can't tell you how good they are. 'Baby' loves having these instead of a chocolate flake in her dairy free ice cream.

iv) Venice Bakery Pizza Bases - these are honestly the best gluten free pizza bases I've tasted! They're also egg free, soya free, nut free and corn free too! These weren't new to us, but a definite must for stocking up on - especially as 'Baby' now loves pizza and keeps on asking for it! 

Pizza perfection? 'Baby' thought so!

As it happened, you could buy a whole pizza for £8.00, so we did, and 'Baby' loved it so much, that she ate almost a whole one all by herself! Well that was her lunch sorted and one very, very happy kiddo! Only the day before she had been at a party and been begging and pleading me for pizza that she knew very well wasn't dairy free at all, because she wanted it so much. And here she was, a day later, living her dream!

The only thing I found perhaps misleading was that it was served with Vegusto cheese. Now I have nothing against Vegusto cheese (especially now it is made with almonds and not cashews, so I can eat it), but last year, Vencice Bakery served their pizza with Mozzarisella (soon to be available in a supermarket near you, with any luck), which, being made with rice was nut free, just like the pizza base. I do hope no-one was caught out by that this year!

v) Ms. Cupcake - the Vegan baker. She has a shop in Brixton and is a regular at the show. Fortunately for me, she is aware of the number of gluten free visitors to the show and everything on her stand was gluten free. A goodly number of her offerings were also soya free, including my favourite from last year, the Nanaimo bar! This year I bought the raspberry-flavoured one. It was a bit battered by the time I got it home, but it still tasted gooood!

Most yummy!

The recipe for these is actually in her cookbook, which I have, but I still haven't got 'round to making them for myself! This is partly because I lack decent gluten, dairy and soya free biscuits!

vi) Barkat - another great gluten free favourite of mine. I love their digestive biscuits. These are made with soya lecithin (which is okay for me) and without oats (which I sometimes have problems with, so I limit my intake), so Barkat's really are the only digestive biscuits for me! The woman on the stand couldn't believe I wanted so many packets, but then I can't get them anywhere locally!!

vii) Lovemore O'Choccos - gluten and dairy free 'oreos', to you and me! These were popular at the show, and had nearly all gone by the time I got there. They were priced at £1 a packet, so I'm not surprised they went down so well - they usually cost a lot more at Waitrose! I've noticed both Udi's and DS Gluten Free also make some, but Lovemore's are the only ones that are dairy free AND made with soya lecithin (rather than soya flour/protein). Lovemore also make Jammy Wheels (made with soya), which I buy for for 'Baby'. I reviewed them here. Their Double Chocolate Cookies also go down very well, in our house - wish I'd bought more!

New products, I loved:

i) Koko dairy free margarine - a new product from the makers of Koko Coconut Milk, this is a product I'd heard of, but had yet to try! I loved the sample, but was disappointed that they ran out of stock before I had a chance to buy!

New tub on the block!

It is meant to be stocked at Waitrose, but my local has yet to stock it. I have asked Waitrose to roll it out to more stores, so here's hoping!! I'm hoping to try it in cakes and icing, to see if it holds better than Pure Sunflower (our usual spread), which seems to split in buttercream.

ii) Violife - this is our regular go-to dairy free cheese - partly because we can get it so easily, from our nearest Tesco and partly because it is a pretty good sub for cheese - as dairy free subs go! 'Baby' has just got into it and we now get through quite a lot! 

The Violife stand was located in the Vegan section of the show.

This year they were showcasing their new Parmesan-type cheese. I must say I liked it a lot, but was disappointed that they hadn't brought any stock for customers to buy. Also they served a very nice soft cheese on a cracker that wasn't gluten free, which made it tricky for me to sample. Given that they are a gluten free product and many of the show's visitors are gluten free, this seemed counter-intuitive!

iii) Isabel's Free From Mixes - Isabel's mixes are all gluten free and a growing number are now dairy free as well. We love her gluten free Yorkshire batter mix, which you can usually find in Asda. What I loved this year, was her new packaging which highlights which mixes are also dairy free - really helpful for those of us who are avoiding both dairy and gluten. It would be great if more Free From manufacturers would highlight things in this way!

And then there were these new mixes of hers - I couldn't let a gluten free and dairy free doughnut mix pass me by - especially as 'Baby' is desperate to have a doughnut (thanks @gfreeb for pointing out these). I loved the look of these chocolate puds as well. The Hub and I don't usually 'do' pud, but having been introduced to dessert at school, 'Baby' is beginning to expect them, now!

iv) Nana dairy free ice cream - this little gem was tucked away beside the dog charity! It's an 'ice cream' made almost entirely from fruit which has yet to be launched! We bought a small tub of the chocolate flavour and ate it between us. 

Marketed as 'guilt free' we loved that it was 'dairy free'!

The ingredients for this one: Apple, Banana, Avocado, Sunflower Oil, Cacao, Dates. HOWEVER... I saw too late that it was made in a facility which handles nuts and dairy'! Bah! I wish products wouldn't market themselves as 'dairy free' unless they completely are (but that's a whole other story) as it is sooooo misleading! 

Fortunately, 'Baby' didn't eat that much of it and the tummy ache she had later seemed to fairly mild, considering (it might not even have been the Nana - difficult to tell from just one sample). For this reason, although it was delicious, I would be unlikely to buy it for 'Baby' again (as I wouldn't want to take the risk), which was a shame, as it apparently contained one of your 'Five-a-day'. 

v) Jollyum - a dairy free ice cream made with soya. I didn't actually sample this at the Show, as we found it in a local garden centre not so long ago! I stole a quick lick of a small pot which I bought for 'Baby' (it was all I thought I could get away with, without suffering as a result). Must say it seemed quite tasty!


vi) Sweet Mandarin OK Sauce - I've been desperate to find a Chinese sauce that is gluten free and soya free as well. Looks like I've found one! I already love their Sweet and Sour Sauce and Barbeque Sauce (great with chicken, I stocked up on these at the Show), so now I have one for stir fries too! Will have to let you know how I get on with it.

Sadly missing from The Allergy and Free From Show this year:

i) Glamour Puds - the stand was there, but empty! I was really sad to see this, as they were a highlight for me last year.

ii) Hotch Potch - mini gluten free Scotch eggs. I missed out on these last year and this year they weren't there!

iii) Focaccia Per Tutti - gluten free focaccia, and a Free From Award Winner. They sold out before I got there last year and were not there this year! Oops! I stand corrected! Alex Gazzola (@HealthJourno on Twitter) tells me they have re-branded as 'Anni's Country Kitchen' and were there, so I just missed them! :(

iv) Vegusto dairy free cheese - had it's own stand last year and was only represented by Venice Bakery this year.

v) Mozzarisella - dairy free mozzarella cheese. Last year served up on Venice Bakery Pizzas, sadly missing this year. Reviewed here.

A few final things:

Although all-in-all it was a great show, and there has undoubtedly been improvements over the years, there were a few sticking points for me:

i) On the whole it felt more spacious this year. There were still a few cramped corners, where, when things got busy, it became a bit tight. I was very glad we no longer needed our pushchair. I don't think there was quite the same sudden mad crush of punters that there were last year, which helped somewhat. Mind you there were several other notable events in the UK that weekend, so maybe that kept some of the tourists away!

ii) Some stands ran through their stock quite quickly - by midday Saturday, which was only halfway through the show!

iii) Some stands weren't really thinking about their customers. I was astonished to hear about an egg free mix whose samples were made up with egg! Then there was an American Muffin stand that had a box on display that clearly stated gluten free and dairy free, but whose individually packaged muffins (with exactly the same name) were made with milk!! Unfortunately, the stall holder could not see the problem with this!!

iv) I warned folks to dress light -  because Olympia was a bit like a large greenhouse, and I was right! it definitely got hot in there and more so as the afternoon progressed. No fans, no air-conditioning!

v) With it being so hot, I should have drank more. I didn't because for most of the day, as there were such long queues for the Ladies - so much so, that at a particularly busy point, people were queuing up the stairs! I saw only a few disabled toilets, but these were also the only baby change rooms as far as I could tell - not great for a family event. This isn't something the Allergy Show itself can perhaps solve, but something the visitor needs to know! 

vi) The Free From Cafe didn't feel quite so Free From friendly this year. The dairy free milk was kept behind the counter and cow's milk was kept in glass bottles near the sugar and stirrers. I was worried about spillages, as they didn't look that safe. Also although the allergen menu was available, it wasn't easy to spot with other people in the queue blocking it from sight. I would have preferred food packages individually labelled - as they were last year. 

I took this picture later in the day, when things were quieter!

Another thing I found was that the salad I had this year was definitely smaller, but was still quite pricey! And the staff were not that open to being asked questions about the food - despite signs inviting the customer to ask about allergens!

On the plus side, other cafes within Olympia stocked dairy free milk and gluten free sandwiches too! However, it's always much harder for people with several allergies to find food that is suitable.

Spot the dairy free milk!

So there we have it according to me - The Allergy Show and Free From Show 2015 - the good, the not quite so good, and the barmy. Definitely more good than barmy, so...

Will I be back, next year? I certainly hope so!

Related post:

The Allergy and Free From Show - to infinity and beyond!

My Allergy Show 2014 Highs... and Lows??

Well, that's it for another year! The Allergy and Free From Show is over!             

*sigh*

Well unless you're heading to Liverpool in September of course!

Bit far north for me, though!

I think I made the most of my time there though!

Last year, I complained about the lack of space. It was good to see that the Show organisers had taken this on board!

This year, the London Show was held in The Grand Hall at Olympia... which was great!! 
SO much more space than last year!! 

See...

Obligatory show interior pic - all the best blog posts have 'em ;)

...all that lovely green carpet!! Well, that's the Free From bit!

The space was also shared with the V-Delicious Show, The Back Pain Show and Love Natural Love Organic but there was room enough for us all! It was definitely worth planning my visit ahead though, 'cos I realised that some bits that I might have considered 'Free From' were included in the V-Delicious Show area or the Organic area.

SO, the date dawned bright and fair, but my 'date' stood me up!!! She was required elsewhere - 'Mum's Taxi' duties lured her away. Oh well!! As a result, I ended up travelling up to London with The Hub and 'Baby'. They enjoyed Allergy Adventures activities, then disappeared off to the Science Museum - leaving me to roam at will!!

What did I get up to??

I listened and learned:

This year, I opted to devote some of my time to the Spotlight session on Food Allergy, featuring Dr Adam Fox and Tanya Wright. It cost £10, but was well worth it! 

Dr Adam Fox is a well-renowned expert and talks a mile a minute. His talk was jam-packed full of really useful information! He covered aspects such as understanding when food allergy might realistically be outgrown (takes longer than previously thought), assessing risk in terms of how likely a fatal anaphylactic reaction might be as well as in avoiding allergens and how to induce tolerance of an allergen - all very worthwhile topics!! I'd definitely recommend attending his talk, another time.

Tanya Wright, a specialist allergy dietitian followed - her talk entitled: 'Coping with Children that are Challenging to Feed.' Some of what she shared wasn't new to me, but the section on how allergic children can have food aversion really struck a chord with me! Food refusal has definitely been an issue for us, so it was really interesting to hear about what might be causing this and how this problem could be tackled. 

Tanya Wright's talk was followed by an interesting Q. and A. session in which the good old question about allergies and bad behaviour came up! I know a lot of us 'Allergy Mums' have found our children's behaviour challenging when they have had an exposure to their allergen, so my ears pricked up at this bit! 

What I found interesting was her explanation for this - that the behaviour was actually a signal that the child was experiencing a reaction of some kind that perhaps they couldn't express, or was 'normal' for them, but was actually discomforting them. I don't know about you, but that really made sense to me!!

I lurked:

I was hoping for a chance to catch up with some of the allergy peeps from Twitter, some of whom were on the Allergy Adventures stand. However, each time I went by, they were all busy - but that's a good thing eh?

Allergy Adventures in action!

I was also hoping to catch Peggy of Glamour Puds too, but each time I visited she was deep in conversation with her customers, so I purchased  an 'Allergy Show Special' Bakewell Tart from her assistant and moved on!

Very good it was too!

Yes, dear reader, I ate the lot! 

I'm looking forward to being reunited with some of her other creations in Tesco, very soon!

I lunched:

After the talk, it was definitely time for lunch! Short of time in the morning, my plan for taking a wrap disappeared, so instead I headed for the 'Free From Cafe,' which was tucked away near the back of the Allergy Adventures area.

To my delight, I discovered I could get a gluten, and dairy free lunch (I had to guess at the soya free bit, as I couldn't see a proper label).

Healthy and Free From!

I also grabbed a packet of Ten Acre Salt and Vinegar Crisps - gluten, dairy and soya free! Result!

I actually didn't need these - I just grabbed them because I could!!

As I made my way through the cafe I saw the table with cutlery, napkins etc. bore two kinds of dairy free milk. Wouldn't it be great if all cafes did this? 

Anyone for dairy free milk?

Sadly the other cafes at the venue did not :(

There were other Free From options available though!

Debbie and Andrew's sausages sold gluten and dairy free hot dogs - not soya free unfortunately, as the rolls were Dietary Specials, and made with soya protein, so no good for me, but the stall seemed to be doing a roaring trade.

Vegusto dairy free cheese, meanwhile, had dairy and gluten free 'cheese' sandwiches available for those who can tolerate cashews (I can't).

The Vegusto sandwiches looked 'normal'!

And various Vegan options (therefore dairy and egg free) were available too! 

I looked around:

My tactic this year was mainly to avoid buying anything that needed to keep cold, anything I could buy locally (unless it was priced too good to miss) but concentrate on things that were new (that I would be unlikely to find elsewhere) or that I would otherwise have to buy online and pay postage for!

This was my final haul:

All the best blogs have these pics too!  ;)

So I visited: 

• Lovemore - they had nearly sold out of their O'Choccos, which I love
• BFree - I wanted to get hold of one of their new Fajita kits as well as their bagels
• Venice Bakery - their gluten, dairy soya and nut free pizzas  (with Mozzarisella) were definitely NOT to be missed!!
• Warbutons - loved their spiced fruit loaf samples

Pleased to see the dairy free, soya free margarine!

• Orgran - their gluten free pasta was really well-priced at the show
• Barkat - makers of the only dairy, gluten and soya free digestives that I know of, that aren't made with oats!
• Vegusto - I wanted to try their cheese sauce, which, unlike their cheese, does not contain cashew! It can be kept out of the fridge for 48 hours, so was perfect for transportation!

It looks like sausage, but trust me, it's not!

• Isola Bio's dairy free milk and cream - their range has really expanded, which is brilliant. They are not fortified with calcium, though, as they are Organic.

A small selection

• Focaccia Per Tutti - a sensation at the 'Free From Food Awards' this year. Sadly, they were so popular, that there wasn't much left on their stand, by the time I got there!
• Hotch Potch - one of my finds at the Wessex Ceoliac Fair last Autumn (they make gluten and dairy free Scotch Eggs) were also on my list but were so popular that they had SOLD OUT, by the time I reached the stand! Boo hoo!
• Ms Cupcake - a Vegan bakery, which made everything gluten free for the Show and quite a few offerings that were soya free too!! If you've never tasted her wares, trust me - this is amazing (and it's in her cook book)!! 

A Nanaimo Bar!

I did also find time to visit old faves Pudology and Co-yo, but didn't think I'd get them home. However, I learned that it was best for them that we buy them locally at Tesco - each sale is a 'tick' that counts towards their viability as a product on the shelves of the supermarket. I have to say, I loved the new cherry Co-yo - will have to look out for that one!

I left: 

By about half past three, although I would have loved to have hung around for a bit longer, my trolley and a big bag were bulging, protesters were lying all over Kensington High Street, and so it was time to go and rescue The Hub, who was stranded at the other end, with 'Baby,' who was threatening to fall asleep!!

Loaded!!

By then... I was pooped, anyway!!

Back again next year?? I certainly hope so!!

Related Posts:

Fancy a date - at the Allergy and Free From Show 2014?



The Allergy Show - Mission Accomplished

Dairy and Gluten Free on the Isle of Wight

She thinks of nothing but the Isle of Wight, and she calls it 'The Island' as if there were no other island in the world.  

Jane Austen, Mansfield Park

Have you been to The Island, aka The Isle of Wight? Thinking of it?? Just wondered, 'cos this weekend it's host to The Bestival.

Sailing into East Cowes on board Red Funnel

It's a funny old place - I say that with affection. My family moved there when I was five. I grew up there and have many fond memories of life on 'The Island'. However, it definitely has it's quirky little ways!!

Popular with the Victorians, for a long while, it seemed to have had its day. Now, however, it's seems to have reinvented itself as a destination for the cool, young(ish) and groovy. Well, that is apart from the winter - when the turkey and tinsel brigade arrive! BUT from June onwards, things heat up in more ways than one!

I suppose things really kick off with the Isle of Wight Music Festival. Before you know there's the Old Gaffer's Festival, Cowes Week (mind you, Cowes Week has always been popular with sailors, but these days it heaves with celebs) the Offshore Powerboat Race, the Round the Island Yacht Race, Wight Air (extreme sports festival) and this weekend... The Bestival.

'Course there are other reasons to go - not least the fact that it gets a whole lot more sunshine than most of the rest of the UK (although The Hub may beg to differ on this one - he claims it always rains, whenever he goes there).

If you are heading down that way, and need to get hold of some Free From food (Ocado don't deliver, by the way), you may like to know of a few little places that might make life a little bit easier for you.

Cowes - In the High Street of West Cowes nestles this little beauty. I found this shop, whilst visiting folks at Christmas. The shop is tiny, but the proprietor was as helpful as she could be, and offered to buy in food stuffs, especially for me, next time I visited - if I sent her a list ahead of time. Sounds good to me! Website link here.

Small but helpful!

Waitrose is also situated in Cowes, although it's the other side of the river, in East Cowes. It is, in fact, very handy if you're coming off the Red Funnel Car Ferry. It's a reasonable size and their free from section has definitely improved over time, but you won't get the widest range of goods here. You'll find those in Newport.

Newport - Newport styles itself as the Island's capital. Granted it is the main town for shopping and such, but I think 'capital' is pushing it a bit!

If you're looking for easy supermarket shopping, there's a huge Morrison's and a Sainsbury's. Based on previous experience, the Sainsbury's is way better!! There is also a Holland and Barrett in the High Street (where I get my dairy free Cheezly) and a health shop, hidden away in Upper St Jame's Street, called Ralph's. Unfortunately, over Christmas (due to public holidays of one kind or another) this shop was not open much. Public holidays, plus staff sickness meant I never got to cross the threshold, but next time...

There is also a chippy in town, called Stotesbury's (also Upper St. James' Street), who apparently do gluten free! Now, I've yet to sample their gluten free menu - another thing to add to my list for next time!

Ryde - Ryde is the second biggest town on The Island. If you have wheels, and Tesco is more your bag, it might be worth a visit to the Extra at Smallbrook, near Ryde. It has the range that you'd expect from a Tesco Extra. Quite handy, if you arrive via Fishbourne on the Wightlink ferry and are heading towards Sandown, Shanklin etc. 

Sandown - Sandown is a popular tourist destination, but there's not much in the way of Free From. There is a Morrison's in Lake, on the outskirts of Sandown, but this doesn't really have much. 

To be quite honest, I think that if you're Free From, the South and West of the Island don't really have that much to offer you, but I could be wrong, as our visits are brief and packed, whenever we go. If you know different, please let me know, and we'll add to this list.

It's at this point (wishing to add further pictures to this post) I realise that despite having taken multiple pictures of 'Baby' and Free From food over the last few years, I have hardly any of the Island, so I'll have to make do with another view of Cowes - a real reminder of home for me, as these doors have carried the Union Jack for as long as I can remember and are the first thing I see when I reach the shore.

Oh well, another task for next time - photos! Hope it doesn't rain then :)

Update: 

I'm delighted to hear that Chessell Pottery can do gluten and dairy free food. Based in the West Wight, just off the main road between Newport and Freshwater/Yarmouth, it's a really lovely spot to sit and paint pottery, browse their lovely gift shop, or sit and enjoy tea etc. You might have to pre-order, though. Check out their website, here! And please note, that they are closed during the winter - opens again March 29th 2014.

Deli Divine - The Deli with a Difference!

Have you ever wished you could walk into a shop and be free to eat anything within it? Or, is your dream to be able to open just such a shop yourself? Well, that was Debra's dream. And recently she fulfilled it, when she opened her own shop Deli Divine. 

Et voila!

Here's what to look out for!

Having been a coeliac for a fair old time (twenty years in fact), Debra's shop is dedicated first and foremost to goodies that are gluten free. However, many of the products that she has in stock are dairy free as well. 

Visiting the shop the other day, I was delighted to discover many products are also soya free. Bonus!! 

Based near the entrance of a small industrial estate in Netley, near Southampton (don't switch off, there's something for everyone here - she also sells online), Debra's shop is packed with breads, pies, cakes, biscuits, packet mixes, desserts, preserves... you get the idea, right??

I first came across Deli Divine, when I visited The Allergy Show a few months back. Well, I say I came across - I didn't get close enough to examine the stand as it was completely surrounded by folks eager to get their hands on the products Debra had on sale.

Some of the produce stocked is by well-known gluten free brands, such as Isabel's, and Moo Free, but there's also newcomers such as B-Free and smaller producers as well. There were even a few of the elusive but very highly-regarded Foodamentalist  products. These I was keen to see, as I have heard so much about them but have been unable to sample, until now, due to geography (The Foodamentalists are based in Cheshire). 

Genuinely great pastry!

I really couldn't walk away from Deli Divine without buying an award-winning Foodamentalist Pork Pie, and I have to say the pastry was amazing - I never knew you could make gluten, dairy and soya free pastry so well! I only wish I could get my hands on the doughnuts they make!!

In fact, I came away with a whole stash of free from goodies (don't tell The Hub - bank balance and all that), that I can't include here, as I haven't managed to taste them all yet, but the Baked to Taste Lemon Drizzle cake has to get a mention, as I had that today. I honestly don't think I've ever tasted one better.

A handbag-sized delicious slice!

I think it'll have to go on my list of things-to-take-to-a-do-when-you're-worried-about-what-you'll-eat. 

I've only recently come across Baked to Taste, but I love them already. They deserve a whole blog post of their own. As well as cake slices, they also make a range of pies and ready-made pastry, many of which are also stocked by Debra (they're also on the menu at Celiacs Fayre). 

My bag was actually fuller than this!!

If you live within range, and wish to visit Deli Divine, it's not as hard to find as I thought it would be - it's a few miles off junction 8 of the M27. The directions I got from Google Maps were pretty clear. However, I would advise avoiding rush hour and any time after 3pm in the afternoon, as Hamble Lane can get rather busy!

Shopping online is perhaps a bit less tricky for most, especially if yo don't live anywhere near the shop! The website is easy enough to navigate, and there's free delivery on orders over £35, but if you visit the shop, you may well find a few extra products in store that aren't available online. And also, you get the added bonus of meeting the delightful Debra - with her extensive product knowledge. Having sampled and experimented with with many of the products herself, she's more than happy to pass on the odd tip or two!

The shop is perhaps a little bit of a way for me to go for regular visits, but many of these products are stored in the freezer - which obviously extends their shelf life. So as long as I can get them home still frozen, I can fill up my freezer and they'll be ready for when I want them, but, there's always the online option. Also, unlike your normal Health Food Store (with the exception of shops such as Whole Foods Market and Food for Thought) Deli Divine has a range that's worth the journey. However, with Deli Divine you also get a Free From shop run by someone who knows, if you know what I mean! 

P.S. If you're considering making a trek to visit the shop, for yourself, there are a number of local attractions, especially for history buffs! Netley is quite close to Southampton (which has a branch of IKEA), but Netley itself boasts a small ruined abbey (great for photos, exploring and picnics) and the Royal Victoria Country Park (once the site of a military hospital). Or go back towards the M27, the other side of which is Manor Farm Country Park, where a BBC series 'The Wartime Farm' was recently filmed. A bit further towards Portsmouth (home of the Naval Dockyards), is Hamble, a really cute waterside backwater. So, you can pick up your provisions from Deli Divine, then go out and explore - go on, you know you want to!

Update:
Deli Divine has unfortunately had to close (April 2014). This is really sad, as so much effort and thought went into setting up this business and it was a great way of getting hold of some lovely products that the supermarkets just don't stock. However, Debra has some new plans in the pipeline for something else. I'm waiting to hear more and wishing her all the best!