Finding Friendly Food

May 2024

We’re back in the UK to help celebrate my boyfriend’s mom’s birthday and we’re staying at an adorable country pub called The Ragged Cot in Minchinhampton. The room is decorated in a way that’s very comfortable for me, with places to sit, a desk, a window with a view and a nice bathroom. We luck out and the weather is good. So good that our first night, we’re joined by my boyfriend’s sister and brother-in-law for a drink in the garden followed by dinner. They have my favorite new English beer, Neck Oil, on tap so the night starts off well. My body is confused about the time, so I’m not too hungry. Inside the restaurant I opt for a starter as my main course. Pan-seared scallops that are cooked to perfection. They’re served with pieces of pork and potatoes. The wait staff at the inn is well versed in food allergies and intolerances so when my boyfriend, who can eat anything, orders fish and chips, the waiter lets us know those are actually gluten free. Lucky me, I get to try a bite and they are perfectly crisp and delicious. I’ll shout this from the rooftops as often as possible: Gluten-free fish and chips is better than the wheat battered version. After dinner we’re exhausted from our travels and head to bed early.

We wake to a beautiful sunny day and head down to the inn’s restaurant for breakfast. Knowing how good they were with my food intolerances last night, I’m confident I’m about to have a good experience and I do. They start by bringing me oat milk for my coffee. They have lots of bread and a toaster out on the buffet, but I ask if they have gluten-free toast. They do! And they toast it for me so there’s no cross contamination. Throughout our stay I try a few different options for breakfast and end up eating toast every day, just because I can. If you order the vegan English Breakfast, note that the vegan sausage is not gluten free.

We’re back at the inn for dinner our second night and we try two things from their menu. A delicious risotto with lemon, goat cheese and asparagus and their baked cod with broccoli, chorizo and clams which they alter to make dairy free. Both good, but the risotto is better.

We’re ready for a hike on our first day so we meet my boyfriend’s sister on Minchinhampton Common. We walked down a big hill and along the water on the Thames & Severn Canal Towpath. Lovely wildflowers and a flooded tunnel along the way. We decide our half-way point will be Lavender Bakehouse and Coffee Shop and stop here for lunch. As I find with most cafes in England, they have gluten-free bread available for their sandwiches. I choose goat cheese and caramelized onion with walnuts. One of the side salads had feta and they aren’t sure which kind of milk is used in it so they bring me an alternative instead. They offer sweet treats that are gluten and dairy free, but I’m so full from lunch I opt to skip dessert.

After our hike, we stop off in the town center for a coffee at Henry’s Bakehouse Cafe. They have options for gluten and dairy free breakfast and lunch, but after a few trips here I still haven’t tried any. I need to make sure I’m there when I’m hungry next time because everything looks so good. We take our coffee to go and have a lovely walk through a working horse farm and oat fields heading back to the inn.

The whole family gathers at Dyrham Park for a walk and lunch the next day. The trails and gardens are beautiful, the house is brimming with history, but if you have dietary restrictions like I do, you should bring your own lunch. I didn’t find anything I could safely eat other than crisps and other snack foods. Luckily, I’m not hungry when we stop so I just sit and enjoy the conversation and avoid the little rain storm that blows in.

There’s a local baker I researched before this trip called Jack Bakes and they sell mostly at farmer’s markets. I’ve planned to visit them at the Stroud Farmers Market on Saturday, but alas, the timing for the day’s activities make it impossible. But their sweet and savory items sound amazing and they’re all gluten free and vegan. I promise to check them out on my next trip.

This won’t help you, but the safest place for me to eat on the whole trip turns out to be my boyfriend’s sister’s house. She goes above and beyond to prepare so many thoughtful foods for me, from gluten-free naan and raita made with coconut yogurt to go with a curry to gluten and dairy-free scones with vegan coconut clotted cream. If you have food intolerances you know how special it is to find someone who embraces your food requirements and doesn’t make you feel like a burden. I hope on your travels and in your life you find people like this to surround yourself with.

It’s time for us to leave the Cotswolds and head for London for a few days. On the way, we stop for a little hike at Avebury Henge and Stone Circles. I don’t try to eat here in the cafe, but the walk was really nice. Because we’re here in the spring, there are fields of rapeseed and lots of wildflowers.