Gluten Free Pancakes

   Last week a long time customer named Catherine was in the restaurant and said to me "Maria , I have een coming to flapjacks for a long time and never noticed that you have gluten free pancakes, I can't wait to tell my daughter because she has celiac disease"
   Celiac disease for thoses who do not know , is a  digestive disorder tha t damages the small intestines and interfears with the absorption of the nutrients from food. People who have this disease can not tolerate any gluten products which is foulnd in flour.When they do eat qluten products their reactions could be bloating, diarrhea, cramping, vomiting and in some cases the reation can be very severe.Now that I am aware of this proplen I can not beclive how many prople are affected by this rapidly growing disease.
  Getting back to Catherine's conversation I told her that I had had a family come into Flapjacks in the month of February. The family were enjoying pancakes, everyone that is except for the father.He could only watch and wish he could taste the delicious pancakes. I later had a conversation with Steve and he asked me if I would concider selling pancakes that did not contain any gluten, so  that he and others like him could be included in this breakfast treat.I told him I would do my best to include a gluten free product into the menu. Well after 3 weeks of testing recipies I finally created a recipe that I was pleased with.
They are not as fluffy as our regular pancakes , it's the gluten that makes them light and airy, but the taste is great, and we can make then plain or flavored.
Our  gluten free customers who  have tried these pancakes are thrilled.  Not only do they love the taste , but they are so happy that someone cared enough to concieder thier dietary restricitons... As a restaurant owner it is very important to me that everyone should be able to enjoy their breakfast experience.It's no problem will make the extra effert to make everyone happy.
  Tell your family and friends that there is this tiny little restauant in Caledon that really does care and they can come into FLAPJACKS and enjoy some great PANCAKES!!!http://www.flapjacksrestaurant.com/

wow ,what a weekend!

Well it was 4 days of madness at Flapjacks , I can not remember it being so busy on the Thanksgivings Day weekend. All the hard work creating great customer relations and providing good home cooked meals ,and the monthly specials are paying off,especially in a time when many restaurants are complaining about poor customer turn out.. Everything went well for us on the weekend, I even cooked on Sunday which always makes me happy. Boy was I tiered at the end of it all , it took me 2 days just to recover.

Now that I have rejoined the land of the living I was asking myself "Now what kind of soup do I make, with not one but two turkey carcases". I had to make the turkey broth in two batches because they wouldn't all fit in one pot. I must say it took a long time, but once I could smell the fantastic aromas floating through the air I knew the end result was well worth it.

Alright I now have the delicious homemade turkey broth , but which soup do I make. Then it hits me, we always had Italian wedding soup at times of celebration. Still being in the holiday mood I think , that's it "stracitella soup" that's what we call it in Italian. It makes me think of the festivities and celebrating and make me feel all warm and tingly. This is the feeling I want to share with others, especially when it's getting so cold and gloomy outside. So come on over and enjoy a bowl.

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving Day is the day we are all reminded to be thankful. I give thanks on a regular basis, because I have so much to be thankful for.
My health is something I don't take for granted,(even with all the aches and pains that come along with aging) The health and love of my family members is something I give thanks for every day. My husband of 27 years of marriage and 3 beautiful children also make me give thanks( even though we argue ,fuss and fight... we're of Italian heritage what do you want?)
I am grateful for my parents, sisters, and the rest of my extended family.
My great friends,(they help to keep me sane) how could I not be grateful for that part of my life?
I am grateful for my career . I am the proud owner of the legendary, FLAPJACKS FAMILY RESTAURANT. I never thought I would be a restaurateur ,but I discovered this little gem 6 years ago( it has been in operation for over 30 years) and I loved it so much, I bought the company.
Gratitude is what I feel towards the many people who come into my restaurant , and keep us in business.
This is a small list of "Thanks" that I wanted to share with you on this weekend of THANKSGIVING,

The Joy of Baking

I know it sounds like the title of a cook book, but for me baking truly is joyful. If I am feeling,tired,worried,depressed,angry ,excited, all I have to do is bake, and it takes me somewhere else. For me, baking is a therapeutic and calming experience.
I love to experiment with new flavor combinations or old traditional favorites for breads and muffins. Not to mention the exciting and comforting cookies and cakes I make, even when it's late at night. For me the smells and flavors of home made baked goods are like being wrapped in a warm and cozy blanket., comfort and security. Something we don't always feel in this crazy hectic life we all lead today.
I love bringing that same feeling to my customers threw the baked good we offer. For me it is such a pleasure when customers come into the restaurant to see what new flavors we have available in muffins and quick breads, a taste of Flapjacks Family Restaurant that customers can bring home..
At this moment I am baking and I just had to share these thoughts this with you . I have to leave the computer now and take the pumpkin bread out of the oven , the smell alone tells me it's ready