My name is Melissa Abell, and I am a self-trained cook. I have worked many jobs in the food industry, but I never made it a career. The inspiration for this series of cookbooks is my best friend, Jorah. I have watched her struggle over the years with severe food allergies, metabolic disorders, and gastric disorders. She has had many issues related to her food allergies, over the years, especially since Jorah is allergic to capsaicin, which includes to the entire pepper family, Paprika, Cinnamon, Cumin and Turmeric. She has had to deal with multiple instances of cross-contamination and of restaurant staff not knowledgeable with their menus and the ingredients that are in the dishes and sauces they serve. In some instances, we have been confronted with either complete ignorance or lack of empathy by restaurant staff and management.
Having a spice allergy is not uncommon but is often not thought of when developing allergen menus. I would say for Jorah and many people with these type of food allergies, simply placing on a label spices or not listing a spice simply because it is used for coloring can cause severe allergic reactions and other medical issues. After many emergency room visits and near misses, I have decided to take my love of food and cooking and develop many of our favorite recipes to be adapted to her spice allergy.Living and Cooking With Food Allergies is the result of our efforts. It is my hope to be able to address the top ten food allergens as a part of a series of cookbooks, while creating many new recipes and turning many old favorites into allergen free meals. I hope that you enjoy cooking and trying my recipes. Jorah has also created a companion blog on Facebook called "Allergen free for you and me" to showcase some of our favorites.