I am sitting here in the cool afternoon breeze with the smell of bacon, beans and maple syrup still lingering in the corners of the Cabana.   The 4th Annual Pancake Breakfast was, if based on the mounded second helpings, a huge success.

• Waffles
• Pancakes
• Marc Angelo Mild Italian Sausages
• Bacon ( pounds!)
• Baked Beans
• Syrups!  Cherry & Blue Berry Topping
• Icing sugar ( in a confusing-to-some sifter!)
• Coffee, Juices,
• HUGE fruit tray ( Thanks to Chris & Tina!)

The kids ran freely amuck!  Water guns, wading pool, coloring station and lots of friends!  They were all content to sit quiet with a Gator-Pop freezie and some Cabana Cartoons by the end of the day!

I over heard two conversations in two seperate corners explaining that there was no wheat in anything.  “You mean in these?” with looks of confusion.  When people can’t tell that the amazing food they are eating is gluten Free it make me very proud.

To those I offered leftovers to?   With mixed feelings I regret to inform you… There are none!

It is finally summer!!!  I have been bemoaning the chilly +15′C that was our summer up until a week ago.  With the Calgary Stampede in town its time for the temperature to soar.

So on those hot summer afternoons when the world is perfect and we are lounging on our decks in the sun what would top it all off better than some cool refreshments made just for the adults – and all gluten free.

Cucumber cooler

In a highball glass mash together:

1 oz Sake (rice wine)

1oz Vodka (this can be grain, but if you buy the good russian kind it is almost always potato alcohol)

1/4 chopped cucumber (weird, I know, but it is really good!)

3 lime wedges

3 lemon wedges

2 tbsp sugar.

Add crushed ice and top with club soda.   This drink is fantastically good with spicy Chinese or Thai dishes.

One of my favorites is the classic Bellini.  I’m talking about the classic drink here, and not the boozy Slurpee (mostly because I don’t have a Slurpee machine at home ~boy if I did though!….)  This drink originated in Italy around the 1930′s and although the purists will call for only white flesh peaches, any ripe type of peach will do.

Puree the flesh of 1 white peach, add to the bottom of a fluted glass, pour over with Prosecco or any other sparkling white wine.

Ta dah!  Seriously, that is all there is to it.

For those who like to have everything on hand for when the mood strikes I recommend buying a load of peaches when they come into season (like right now) and spend a little time right now pureeing them and freezing the mash in an ice cube tray.  When its frozen seal the cubes in a zip-lock freezer bag.  Now you are ready to enjoy this fantastic drink all year long.  Just pop a peach cube in a flute and pour over with some bubbly.  As an added bonus the cube cools your drink too.  Win win!

Ok so the most important thing for a 4 year old is that Mom’s birthday MUST HAVE A CAKE AND PRESENTS! Bringing Mom a bottle of wine for example is not a GIFT as far as a 4 year old is concerned!!! Where were the balloons? Where were the presents with pretty wrap and bows?

Well the gifts we bombed at, but the cake – oh the cakes! Yes 2 of them. With 5 of the 12 members of the family wheat intolerant, 2 cakes were required!

The wheat free cake was wheat and dairy free. A white cake with a nutriwhip frosting (lactose free and casein free ) and lemon filling. It looked like a perfect cloud! The flowers on the top were amazing for an April splash of color. Unfortunately, the white cake was not the very best we can do. For some reason this time it was almost powdery tasting. The texture was almost sponge cake style. The flavour was awesome!

So for the 4 year old, Mom got 2 cakes with candles and a Happy Birthday song. But, failures we are – no gifts. LOL

Being wheat intolerant meant that 99% of deep fried goodies were out. No onion rings, chicken wings, deep fried zuchinni or tempura battered veggies (from restaurants).  Well, last night we threw out all the rules and WOW, what a meal we had.

Out came the deep fryers and the corn starch based tempura batter. BTW – tempura was originally made with only rice flour! There was and is no need to add wheat flour!!!

We enjoyed deep fried and BATTERED onion rings (awesome), zuchinni (to die for), and mushrooms (hmm, turned soggy really fast, but tasted just like the old Dairy Shack in Oak Lake, Manitoba used to make).  We enjoyed salt & pepper breaded chicken wings (no wheat, thank you) that tasted unbelievable with a little plum sauce.  The deep fried potato chips were crispy and yummy (once the second fryer was retired).

So cholestral won last night and our taste buds were sated! The smell of cooking oil in the house was worth the awesome goodness that breaded veggies and chicken wings can bring.

BTW – those banana splits were fit for kings. Bananas, strawberries, 3 kinds of ice cream, 3 kinds of sauces, sprinkles, whipped cream . . . oh my waistline!!!!!