Candace

I just happened to read that alot of the dishes in the Cote d'Azure have pinenuts in their base. My husand is VERY alergic to pinenuts and could die and I plan to keep him,so my question is. Do you think MOST dishes are made with pinenuts as the book stated. Also, I am not real good with my French so what would be a quick phrase for getting across the seriousness of NOT having pinenuts in a dish we order.

drive

Candace, <BR><BR>There is a wealth of travel information to be had here but I would not rely on an internet board to help you with such an important issue.

eat

I agree with the poster above. Find out the phrase from a native French speaker, and have them WRITE IT ON A CARD that you can show to the waiter.

candace

Great idea....will do. Thank you VERY much.

StCirq

Je suis gravement allergique aux pignons (this is what your husband would need to say).<BR><BR>If you're speaking for him: Mon mari est gravement allergique aux pignons.<BR><BR>But it most certainly is not true that pinenuts feature very heavily in dishes on the C&ocirc;te d'Azure. It should be relatively easy to avoid them.

Jack

My sister-in-law is also allergic to Pine nuts. Your husband should be very careful. She got very sick after eating a tuna fish sandwich in Orvieto-it was laced with pine nuts. We also discovered pine nuts in apple strudel. Pine nuts are used a lot in Europe and in some cases,the person you ask doesn't know. My best advice is to look before you eat.

nuts

Print out and take with you StCirq's typically informed and helpful post. Also, prior to leaving home obtain an "anti kit" or "Epi pen" of the type used by folks who are allegic to bee stings. It is a syringe prefilled with the medication needed in case of severe allergic reaction (also called anaphylaxis.) You may need a prescription for this. If your husband is severely allergic, then oral medication such as Benadryl would likely not be what you need in the unfortunate case of unwitting ingestion of the offending food. Keep the kit with you at all times - it is small enough to carry in a pocket, and you never know when you will stop to grab a bite to eat. Do take some oral Benadryl (generic = diphenhydramine) as well, because if he does have a reaction he can take this to help with symptoms that may well persist even after the injection has taken care of the immediate life threatening ones.

Candace

Thank you ALL so much! Also StCirq for the correct way to say it. Appreciate it very much.

scarlett

Candace,<BR>this is also a problem of mine, although mine is shrimp. Although it is easy to recognise shrimp in a dish, I have been surprised when they use it without listing it on a menu in sauces or stuffing something else.<BR>So, just to be sure that I will make it to a doctor or hospital-take the Benadryl! Liquid- you can still get it in with a swollen throat.<BR>Good luck and don't worry, there are so many people with these allergies traveling these days.You will have a wonderful time!