Is it easy to have a gluten free Camino? Last time I did it I remember living off French Bread, ham and Cheese, I can no longer eat bread obviously. Are there lots of other alternatives for me on the route ?
Is cider popular in Spain ?
Galicia at least is becoming more GF-friendly, with stores routinely carrying a good range of GF products (albeit expensive). Carrefour and Alcampo especially have a good variety, but even smaller stores can have their own GF sections. I'm not sure about the rest of Spain, but I would assume that you'd be able to find some good snacks along the way. I have gluten sensitivity (not full-blown celiac disease) and I get by on rice cakes, tuna, sardines, veg, fruit, arroz con leche (without wheat starch), chocolate, tarta de Santiago, nuts, etc. etc. for snacks. Basically rice cakes have replaced bread, and tarta de Santiago has replaced cakes and cookies
. For restaurant meals, you can find meat, eggs, poultry, fish, salads, and lots and lots of French fries (lots). So it's do-able to go GF here - read labels in stores and then stick with what you know in restaurants (or ask if something carries gluten: "Éste tiene gluten?").
I've heard that some people who react to bread in the US have no problems eating it here in Spain. It's curious! But perhaps that opens up a whole new discussion...
When do you start on the trail again? Buen Camino!
Faith