[Sca-cooks] Milk and Nut Allergy Questions...

[Huette von Ahrens]

They have started defining "lactose intolerance"
differently in the past few years.  Those who
can't handle milk, but can handle processed
cheeses, ice cream, etc., are now said to have a
"milk allergy/intolerance". But those who can't
handle any milk product are now called truly
"lactose intolerant".  I personally wouldn't
substitute goat's milk for cow's milk, because
the person could still not tolerate goat's milk.

If you clearly spell out what has
milk/cheese/butter and offer other dishes free
from any milk product, then that should be okay.

On the other hand, nut allergies are very, very
serious and life threatening.  You have to be
very, very careful not to serve anything that
even touched a nut to these people.  You have to
make sure not to use any peanut or nut oils in
your cooking.  You have to make sure that any
spoon or pan used to cook the item with nuts,
isn't used to cook any item with no nuts.  Not
even for just a second, or you can jeopardize
that person's health.  Most people that I know of
with nut allergies might not be allergic to all
nuts, but they never, ever experiment to find out
what they are allergic to and what they aren't.
Their allergy is too life-threatening to do so.
They just avoid all nuts altogether.  The people
I know with nut allergies never go to public
feasts because of the potential for
cross-contamination.
Even if you post your list of ingredients, how
can they know if you have been careful not to use
the same spoon to stir the nut-full sauce and the
nut-less sauce?  If you want to cook for people
with nut allergies, you would have to treat them
like you would a Kosher Jew.  You would have to
set up a separate kitchen with separate
pots/pans/utensils and totally nut-free in order
to reassure them that your food won't kill them.
At least with the ones I know of.  I have never
done this, because I have never had the resources
or the time to cater to them in this way.  I
either make my menu entirely nut free or tell
them that nuts will be present and not to eat at
the feast.

Huette

--- lilinah at earthlink.net wrote:
> OK, so, i sent my tentative menu. Because there
> are milk-allergy and
> nut-allergy issues, i'd thought i'd query the
> collective wisdom of
> the list. The only food allergy i know i have
> is to some (but not
> all) artificial vanilla flavors. And i am
> sensitive to eating raw
> pineapple - nothing serious, although i do get
> a mildly upset stomach
> (but not intestines) if i eat raw pineapple
> with cottage cheese.
>
> However, nut and dairy allergies can be much
> more serious.
>
> My tentative menu contains dishes with cow's
> milk (although they
> specify goat or sheep), almond milk, almonds,
> grated cheese, etc.
> (see message titled Grains for Feast?)
>
> Are most people who are allergic to cow's milk
> able to eat aged cheese?
> Are most people who are allergic to cow's milk
> able to eat Ricotta cheese?
> My brother has been lactose intolerant all his
> life. Milk is bad, but
> ISTR he can handle most cheeses. I don't know
> how typical this is...
>
> Are most people who are allergic to walnuts
> also allergic to almonds?
> Or are these very different and separate
> allergies?
> How common is an allergy to almonds?
>
> I cannot make all dishes to suit all people,
> but i'd like folks with
> sensitivities to be able to eat most of the
> feast... although perhaps
> not the same set of dishes...
>
> Thanks for any guidelines, pointers,
> information, personal experiences, etc.
>
> Anahita
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> Sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
>
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