The #GlutenFreeAuthor Guide to goodies—or not.

Yes I know, how long is it since I've got my finger out and done a #GFA post?
Too long, but here we are.

This one is about supermarket food in South Africa. From Cape Town-ish to Knysna-ish. The Garden Route and the Little Karoo.

Like the ish? Well I'm not so precise you see. I'm just all over happy how the availability of gluten free foods has increased.

When we first went to South Africa,(Just realised it was 12-13 years ago, wow)   all was well, and I would half fill my suitcase with books. As an avid reader I reckoned on at least one book a day.

 Paperbacks were the first thing that went in, followed by clothes. (Lovely hubby used to ask why my undies always ended up in his case, and 'what would people think if they saw lacy knickers mixed in with his shirts?')

With the advent of my first eReader, also around 10 years ago (a Sony) I discovered I could get a lot more clothes in my suitcase and then...around 8 years ago—up until then I'd been blissfully ignorant that gluten and I were not friends—Things change. Now instead of books, I took half a suitcase of food. I had to laugh, or was it cry? Once more I offloaded half my clothes to lovely hubby.

Those first few years were interesting to say the least. The bakery where the assistant assured me 'all our bread is gluten free' and when I asked if she new what gluten was, was told, 'no, but we don't have it.'

Yes well.

Then slowly over the years more and more g-f food appeared. First it was cookies. Not very nice cookies, but cookies never the less. Then bread that if you threw it, it could kill a sparrow at ten paces. Not that I ever did, but I did drop a loaf on my toes once. Ouch.

Then around 5 years (or maybe longer, time flies) Woolworths started to sell gluten free food. Just like M&S in the UK. I got goosebumps. Bread, pasta, Cakes, you name it. And it gets better every year.

Other supermarkets are the same. SuperSpar even has flour, and Schar biscuits. And Nairns, both brands I get in the UK. Checkers, and Pick and Pay and Shpoprite all sell g-f. I found sausages, tomato sauce, burgers... I just did a thorough label check!

And things like this. The joy...

And even better, I discovered new brands, 

And the bakery In Reibeek Kasteel makes the most delicious g-f bread.

So next time, I'll be back to not needing to take over half lovely hubby's suitcase... No hold on , yes I will because now I'll have space to buy things!

Happy eating,

love Raven xx