I must be one of the only Coeliacs who loves jacket potatoes.
Seriously. I love them. I love the taste and I love their versatility (tuna & mayo/cheese & beans/chilli con carne...the list goes on). But most of all, I love that in their nakedness they are absolutely, definitely, one hundred per cent gluten-free.
The symptoms I get if I eat gluten are so awful I'd never risk eating something that might pose a problem for me. And of that gluten I only need the tiniest amount for the symptoms to be brought on.
So eating out often fills me with angst. That is, unless I can clearly see the food is gluten-free. Give me an omelette, a pavlova, a steak or a sorbet and I'm happy, even if I would like to eat something else.
I know the counter-argument: the Coeliacs who get annoyed if they're offered jacket potatoes because it's not really a fun meal and they could easily make it at home. Why should they pay to go out when the offering's not exactly Michelin standard?
It's logical. But it doesn't take away my fears. As someone who's recently been glutened on several occasions (once in a gluten-free specialist restaurant, once with supposedly gluten-free fish & chips), I'd rather be safe.
I was so ill before my diagnosis I always swore I'd never complain about having to eat gluten-free. For me, it's so much more important to be healthy than to have a delicious meal.
But what about you? Are you a Coeliac who loves or loathes the humble spud? Please share your opinion below!