There is good news and bad news on the allergy front. The good news is that I cooked and ate this dish with tomatoes and had no ill effects! I'm also successfully eating potatoes again, which is awesome.
The bad news is that I appear to be truly allergic to corn. I tried reintroducing it the week before last and was quickly in absolute agony. Then this weekend I had a smaller but similar reaction to some commercially processed chicken that was probably cleaned or processed with one of many corn derivative products, so I appear to be fairly sensitive, despite the mild reaction I had on the skin test. As I read more about food allergies, I am learning that this is not uncommon.
So... I'm off corn completely. And feeling so much better finally! It is going to be a big challenge since corn is in so many things these days. It isn't just the obvious stuff either. I have to be suspicious of pretty much anything that is processed or packaged, which is going to make travel a big challenge.
Fortunately, I have some cooking skills and as long as I prepare food from scratch myself, I should be OK! I'm not a religious person or one who believes in a great cosmic plan, but sometimes I do think that perhaps certain things in my past happened to help prepare me for the future. And right now I'm so grateful for the people who helped me learn those cooking skills, including my mother and my Dinner Club friends who gave me the basics and introduced me to so much more that has helped me become self sufficient in the kitchen. Thank you!
2 comments:
Ooh, corn is a tough one for anything processed! But, you are right, that if you cook for yourself it is much easier to avoid. I remember a dinner club conversation where you told us that you never had store-bought treats growing up; that your Mom insisted that if you wanted 'junk' food that at least it be homemade. That made a huge impression on me at the time, and I try to adhere to that policy myself. It's certainly more work, but everything tastes so much better, and it's fun for me to spend time in the kitchen, so really, I enjoy it. I'm looking forward to following your 'corn-free' adventure on the blog!
I also try to adhere to that policy too... it is one of the Michael Pollan "rules" that I like best. "#39. Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself." With this new diagnosis, I really have to do that! (Although I did find out which brands of potato chips and pretzels are "safe" and there is a bag of each in the cupboard at this moment... hey, rules are meant to be bent.)
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