[Sca-cooks] Different flours

[smcclune at earthlink.net]

-----Original Message-----

      There will probably be about 50 other folks jumping in, but at the risk of duplicating, I don't believe that rice flour has any gluten in it; gluten being the substance that makes kneaded wheat doughs "springy" and elastic.  It acts as a binder to give wheat baked products their coherence (and, if overkneaded, toughness, since the strength of the gluten increases the more it's "worked").  I believe rye has gluten too, but I don't think corn or barley do.  
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<jumping in as predicted>

Having a mom-in-law with celiac disease (which basically means she's gluten-intolerant), I can tell you that she avoids wheat, rye, barley and oats, as they all contain sufficient gluten to make her ill.

She can eat rice and corn without a problem -- no gluten there!  I know that she has had good luck using potato flour to make breads/cakes and such.  The potato starch isn't exactly like gluten, but (not knowing the science behind it), it does give the dough a little of the "stickiness" that helps hold things together.  I know that she eats a certain amount of soy flours, as well, but that won't work for you, Marged. 

I found a website for people with celiac disease (http://www.celiac.com/) that has some links you might find helpful as far as recipes and sources for alternate flours, etc. go.

Arwen
Caerthe, Outlands
(Denver, CO)

p.s. Hugs to MD!  Missed you at Crown...