Traveling to Canada this summer? Our guest blogger discusses her experiences:

Traveling with a gluten allergy is getting easier and easier. I just
spent a week in Montreal – and we were able to find restaurants
sensitive and caring about gluten issues, including Celiac.

I ordered gluten-free meals on VIA Rail, Canada’s Amtrak, for a long
train trip from Montreal to Vancouver, BC. What a surprise to read the
VIA Rail magazine for June, Destinations, article, “Gluten-Free
Delicacies” – in both French and English. The article says that
according to Health Canada 1% of Canadians have Celiac disease and up
to 15% of North Americans have some degree of gluten allergy.
Much of the article highlights restaurants throughout Canada who have
gotten the message that providing for gluten-free customers is good
business.

The article lists resources for travel in Canada:
• a directory of gluten-free restaurants in Ontario at glutenfreeontario.com
• gluten-free products and services for restaurants at theceliacscene.com
• gluten-free brewers at lesbieresnouvellefrance.com
• recipes (gluten-free) in French from epicurean Josee Fournier at
bonheursangluten.blogspot.ca

My first gluten-free dinner on the train from Montreal to Tornot? Not
the absolute best, for sure. Chicken cubes, a tiny salad, some rice
and corn, overcooked green beans, white wine, yummy cold fruit salad
(melons), a rice cracker with butter… But you know, I liked it
(especially the fruit and the chocolate)—and was impressed that the
dietary request filed with VIA rail some six months ago was catered to
today by the car attendant’s quick scan of my ticket and a cheery,
“I’ve got your special meal!”

Late tomorrow we leave Toronto on the VIA Rail train to Vancouver, BC.
I’ll let you know how it goes as we get further from Vermont.

T.K. Writing for Gluten Free Vermont