Having a gluten allergy in Bolivia has been more difficult then I originally thought it would be but necessity being the mother of invention I have had my share of odd experiments and fun experiences trying to replace wheat flour with stuff I can eat. For a long time I have been using flour made from Yucca root which is great if you are making Cunape but otherwise everything I made came out rather gummy, edible but not really appetizing. My solution was to buy rice and/or Quinoa flour, only one problem, it is very hard to find these because nobody here needs these flours.

Step 1 I go to La Cancha (the largest open air market In South America) with Nelvia my host mom and ask for rice flour at which point we get weird looks and are told their isn't any. Step 2 we ask around for a place where they grind flour and sugar at which point we are told there is one about 2 blocks away. Step 3 we walk 2 blocks ask again and are told it is another block up, we go a block and are once again told it is another block away. Step 4 we find a tienda selling rice and flour and ask just in case if they sell rice flour once again get funny looks and another no answer, but the Molino where we can get my rice ground to flour is 2 doors down. Step 5 we go to the Molino and make sure they will grind the rice for me and they say yes. Step 6 we go back to the tienda and buy about 20lbs of rice for grinding and return to the Molina. Step 7 we give the guy at the Molino my rice wait 10 minutes and wonder of wonders I am the proud owner of a large bag of rice flour. Step 8 wander around La Cancha for another half hour and try not to drop my rather heavy bag of flour so I do not have to start all over again. This process took close 45 minutes and will give you an idea of what it is like to go grocery shopping in a mind boggling maze of shops and stalls that seem to go on forever. Step 9 make pancakes with rice flour the next morning and enjoy the first good none wheat flour pancakes I have had in a long time. Step 10 make pizza with said rice flour and then realize that yucca flour is probably the best option to help balance the crust since it is dry and grainy. Step 11 enjoy the pizza because even though it is not great it is the first pizza with the dough I have eaten in 6 months.

Food is a huge part of the Bolivian culture and to turn food down or not to finish something is very insulting so one of the first Spanish phrases I learned here was Tengo una alergia a trigo. With this I can politely refuse food I am unable to eat and hopefully not hurt the feelings of the cook. I know most people think this would not be an issue since it is South America and they eat lots of rice and beans. But for starters they do not eat beans here except on rare occasions and bread is a staple in the diet here, so for the average family breakfast and dinner consist of bread and tea. I am very blessed to have a host family who understands the North American culture better then most and Nelvia has really worked hard to make sure I have food I can eat.

My next goal cooking wise is to make brownies, my mouth is watering just thinking about it although that may be because it is dinner time and I am hungry. :)