Are you gluten free - and worried about traveling (and eating)? Never fear - help is on the way! We were recently sent a review copy of The Gluten-free Guide to Travel, written by Brette Sember.

Brette Sember is a former attorney and author of more than 40 books. She writes frequently about food and travel and has written two cookbooks (The Parchment Paper Cookbook and The Muffin Tin Cookbook) and is a regular contributor to GoGirlfriend.com. She is also a ghostwriter, social media manager, indexer, and blogger. Her web site is www.BretteSember.com and she blogs at PuttingItAllontheTable.com.

I'm not gluten free, but have friends who are. I've heard stories of being hungry, never finding food, and stress about finding foods. I have to say, having read Sember's guide, I think that it is definitely do-able. She gives excellent tips for researching, planning, bringing your own, and finding great food. If you're gluten free (or traveling with someone who is), this book is a must-read!

Contents include:

• Choosing Hotels
• Planning your days
• Advance research on restaurants and local food
• Packing
• Airport and Airline food
• Dining in the US
• Dining overseas
• Finding food in stores
• GF Tours
• Traveling with gluten eaters
• and more.

We were lucky enough to catch up with Brette and learn about her book, inspiration, a GF eclair in Paris (!!) and more. Here's what she had to say...

Please tell us about your new book, the Gluten-free Guide to Travel...

Eating gluten-free can be a challenge when at home or dining out in your home city, but when you travel it becomes exponentially more difficult. Language barriers can make it very hard, but no matter where you travel, being away from your own safe little kitchen means having to work hard to find food you can eat. My husband and I have been gluten-free for several years now and we’ve traveled extensively and learned a lot the hard way. I wanted to help others in our shoes. Finding safe, delicious food while traveling IS possible and I wrote this book to show others the methods I’ve developed to find it.

What inspired you to write this book?

We love food and travel. Cooking and dining out are huge hobbies for us and when we realized we were gluten intolerant what had been a pleasure suddenly became a challenge. We’ve been on the road in many countries since we changed our diet and decided it was time to help other people use the tips that we’ve learned through experience.

What are some of the biggest challenges for gluten-free traveling?

For me it is a total loss of control. At home, I know where to buy gluten-free products, I am able to cook whatever I want, and I know where to eat locally. When you hit the road, it all goes out the window. Finding a place to eat takes research and evaluation. Lots of places say they can work with a gluten-free diner, but I’m not going to eat a plain piece of fish with no sauce and call it a lovely meal. You also have to trust the waiter, chef, and kitchen to understand and prepare your food correctly. Staying in a hotel often means you can’t cook anything yourself. A new town or city means not knowing where you can buy gluten-free foods at a store. You’re completely without all of your usual safety mechanisms. What frustrates me is that cooking GF is actually very easy and you can make almost anything without gluten, but so many restaurants simply don’t make the effort to do this.

A gluten-free eclair in Paris!

Do you have a top tip for gluten-free travelers?

Stay at a hotel that has mini fridges and microwaves in the room. Research a store in the town you will be staying at that sells gluten-free foods and make your own breakfasts and lunches. I find these are the two hardest meals. Eggs are often the only GF breakfast option and salads (minus the dressing!) the only GF lunch option. I can eat those for a day or two and then I want something else. If I can buy a loaf of GF bread, I can make toast and sandwiches and feel human again.

Where can people learn more about your book?

You can find it on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Guide-Travel-Brette-Sember-ebook/dp/B00NLL6PP4/

There is also a page on my site for it: http://www.brettesember.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Product.display&product_id=100

Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

Making the transition to gluten-free was hard for me. Food and travel are my two most favorite things in the world and at first eating gluten-free on the road was so discouraging for me. It took time for me to figure out the strategies I offer in the book, and now I’m happy to say I’ve been able to eat wonderful meals while on the road all over the world!

All photos courtesy and copyright Brette Sember