MB
23rd May 2005, 12:12 PM
I'll start off by illustrating what I'm really asking here with a non-NZ example: here in the northwest US, there's a popular brand of potato chips that cooks all its chips in nut oil. That's not very common in chips, even here in the peanut-growing US, and nut-allergy sufferers have to beware that brand.
It got me thinking: without necessarily limiting your replies to nut allergies, what has been forum folks' experience of handling food-allergy issues in NZ?
As you can see from the above example, one strong point of interest I have is foods, dishes, coooking-methods or venues that use unexpected or non-standard ingredients.... this sort of thing can be the stuff of nightmares for allergy sufferers who blithely order an apparently 'safe' dish. Sometimes, for example, what happens is that a well-meaning restaurant prides itself on using what is actually a likely allergen in a recipe that you wouldn't expect trouble from, maybe 'cos of local tradition or adherence to 'house-special recipes'.
Perhaps folks here could also comment on how receptive NZ eating outlets are to being asked about ingredients; about realizing how very little of an allergen can cause trouble to a sufferer; etc. (Of course it's probably not a good idea to name names publicly if what you're saying is accusatory, if you get my drift!)
So.. any and all tips and experiences, please. :nice1
It got me thinking: without necessarily limiting your replies to nut allergies, what has been forum folks' experience of handling food-allergy issues in NZ?
As you can see from the above example, one strong point of interest I have is foods, dishes, coooking-methods or venues that use unexpected or non-standard ingredients.... this sort of thing can be the stuff of nightmares for allergy sufferers who blithely order an apparently 'safe' dish. Sometimes, for example, what happens is that a well-meaning restaurant prides itself on using what is actually a likely allergen in a recipe that you wouldn't expect trouble from, maybe 'cos of local tradition or adherence to 'house-special recipes'.
Perhaps folks here could also comment on how receptive NZ eating outlets are to being asked about ingredients; about realizing how very little of an allergen can cause trouble to a sufferer; etc. (Of course it's probably not a good idea to name names publicly if what you're saying is accusatory, if you get my drift!)
So.. any and all tips and experiences, please. :nice1