Every May the hubby and I take a week-long vacation to celebrate our birthdays and wedding anniversary.  This year, to celebrate hubby’s big 4-0, I decided to surprise him with a trip to New England – a place he had never been.  It was a whirlwind nine days spanning three states.  I learned something very valuable that I wanted to share with you all: New England is VERY Celiac-aware!  I thought Seattle and Portland (OR) were super gluten-free aware.  I was wrong.  I’ve never seen so many dedicated fryers before – and if there wasn’t a dedicated fryer, fried foods were not on the GF menu.

Stop #1 was Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  Cape Cod is a peninsula comprised of over a dozen towns, each with its own unique characteristics and appeal.  And it’s huge – much bigger than we thought.  It takes an hour and half to get from one end to the other on the one main highway.  We stayed centrally, in Yarmouth, so that we would have access to each side easily.  We stayed at Liberty Hill Inn, where my dietary restrictions were met with a can-do attitude and a determination to make me feel welcome.  I had scrumptious breakfasts including gluten-free pancakes, carrot muffins, donuts and fruit.

One of the most exciting things for me was finding gluten-free fish & chips at Seaside Pub on Main in Hyannis.  There is a dedicated fryer and a comprehensive menu of gluten-free pub fare.  Scargo Cafe in Dennis has a more upscale gluten-free menu while British Beer Company in Sandwich has pub fare on its limited gluten-free menu.  Patio American Grill in Provincetown does not have a gluten-free menu but does cater to restrictions.  I was able to get lobster, corn and potatoes without any dairy and they were seasoned so well, I didn’t miss it.