yourlifeTHE SCHÄR MAGAZINE FOR A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE

The art of creating sweet masterpieces…

SPECIAL: Please don’t cheat!

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT: Products put to the test

16th year - 11/2010 - Schär No 40

The sweeter things in life are the sub-ject of our news report, in which we take you on a short inspection of the Schär bakery. Our master pastry chefs ex-plain how our constantly expanding and diverse range of sweet treats is created by a team of experts as well as the role that chocolate, the king of all sweet vices, has to play.

Speaking of chocolate: this issue’s recipe pages feature extra-chocolatey recipes and, what’s more, we have added a new chocolatey product to our range of sweet treats. Look out for the new Ciocko Sticks made of delicious shortbread and covered in an especially generous choc-olate coating.

Finally, there is some more good news from our Schär Club, which now has more than 22,000 members in 114 countries. In future, YourLife will also be available as an online magazine, meaning that we can help protect the environment and you can read interesting articles and in-formation about new products before the print version is even published. What’s

more, many articles will be accompanied by audio and video material. Simply click on these exciting extras to fi nd out more.

I hope you enjoy reading the latest edition of YourLife.

Best wishes, Ulrich Ladurner

Editorial

Dear reader,

14 4

12 13

Contents

In the prime of life:Exploring eastern Europe/widening gluten-free roads 12Special: Please don’t cheat! 13Research & development: Products put to the test 14

News report: The art of creating sweet masterpieces… 3@Schär: New sweet treats from Schär 6 Art of cooking: Want to have a gluten-free party?Look no further! 8

LEGAL NOTICE: Schär Communication & PR | Winkelau 9, I-39014 Burgstall, Italy | www.schaer.com | yourlife@schaer.com

LOOK OUT FOR THESE SYMBOLS! If an article contains one of these symbols, additional features are available online!

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2 yourlife

News report

When the wind is blowing in the right direction, you can tell which sweet treats our bakers our working on from a long way away. “A well-trained nose can even

work out exactly which products are being produced that day,” reveals Peter, Head of Production at Schär in Drei-hausen (Germany), speaking enthusi-

astically about how baking is a treat for all the senses. Today, for instance, a real expert would be able to detect Pepitas and Mini Sorrisi.

JUST LIKE AT HOME, ONLY BIGGER

When you enter the bakery, you can‘t help but ask yourself whether this is para dise. This is the place children dream about: biscuit dough mixing bowls so big that you could almost take a bath in them, countless baking tins in all shapes and sizes, and waves of delicious aromas which make your mouth water. The bars of chocolate used to make the choc-olate biscuits and chocolate coatings are a true feast for the eyes. They look just like normal bars of chocolate, only they weigh between 15 and 20 kg! “Here, we bake in the same way as we do at home,” the baking team tells us, “just on a much larger scale”. Each time that they sample a freshly-baked biscuit, our bakers check to ensure that it really does taste homemade. Even after many years‘ baking experience, “you never get tired of the taste of a biscuit straight out of the oven,” smiles Peter, whose favourite sweet treats are chocolate ones, because this expensive raw ingredient provides “the most exquisite fi nish to any sweet dish”. The team bakes an enormous range of biscuits around the clock on four different oven lines – everything from single and double-decker biscuits, cookies, to all manner of other biscuits, both with and without a chocolate coating, with a fi lling

The art of creating

sweet masterpieces…

Who said sweet treats were sinful? Certainly not our master bakers and those of us with a sweet tooth. Our talented bakers know just how much care and artistry is required to create delicious gluten-free treats. Let's take a look behind the scenes at our delicious-smelling bakery…

Master baker at work!

yourlife 3

or without. The team also takes great care to package the biscuits in an attractive way. Of the different packages available, the team‘s favourites are the luxury pack-ages in which the products are carefully packaged in individual portions or trays.

ARTISTRY COMBINED WITH THE BEST INGREDIENTS

Baking without gluten is an exciting challenge because it is the gluten which usually holds the dough together. The team is convinced: “What we do here is a real art form. You can imagine how dif-fi cult it is to design a dough which sticks together.” Gluten-free baking is not only very different from conventional baking in terms of technology,

it also requires detailed research to fi nd new ingredients and develop new recipes. This research is the responsibility of the Schär Research and Development Centre at the Area Science Park in Trieste. Before a recipe is approved for production at the Dreihausen bakery, a number of hurdles have to be overcome including: the selec-tion and designation of raw ingredients, fi nding the ideal combination of ingredi-ents, conducting objective sensory tests with trained testers and, last but not least, organising Schär Sensory Club tastings in which consumers of gluten-free products in various different counties give their opinion on the new sweet product. The main priority is always to achieve the best-possible taste using carefully selected ingredients. “We don‘t pro-

duce products in bulk; therefore we use

extremely high quality raw ingredients , some of which we make our-

selves.” Con-sequently, our

baking team is con-vinced that “our prod-

ucts are not only good for consumers with special dietary needs;

they also contain many ingredients

which make for a

healthy, balanced diet”. In terms of taste, our products are in no way inferior to their non gluten-free counterparts. “The butter biscuits, for example, have been a fantastic success.” Another favourite with our team are the new Ciocko Sticks with their delicate shortbread centre and special chocolate coating. “The mixture of plain and milk chocolate gives these biscuits a real kick.”

WITH CARE AND UNDERSTANDING

Peter and his team are “their” products‘ biggest fans. “We work very closely together. With gluten-free products you have to take much more care and be very diligent when handling the ingredients.” Comprehensive, tight controls form a fundamental part of the team‘s day-to-day work; ensuring that every employee understands the importance of quality is a task which the team takes very seriously. Even the slightest defect is reported immediately, from the raw ingredients through to the end product. “The fi rst biscuit that comes out of the oven must look and taste exactly the same as the last.” To ensure that they are always up to date, our bakers take part in training sessions each month during which they learn about gluten-free and allergen-free work practices as well as any devel-opments in the areas of quality and hygiene. “Everyone puts their all into their work and feels personally responsible

Our bakery’s latest creations

4 yourlife

News report

for the quality of our products. Safety and customer satisfaction are our number one priorities.” The bakers at the Schär bakery in Drei-hausen work around the clock from Monday to Saturday. The three shift operation not only enables us to meet the large demand for gluten-free biscuits and sweet products, but also helps to protect the environ-ment. “It takes 45 minutes for an oven to reach tem-perature and uses a large amount of gas, electricity and air pressure. The situation is similar when it comes to slowly shutting the machines down.”

EACH TO THEIR OWN: THE FOUNDATION OF VARIETY

“Sweet products have always formed an import-ant part of our range. Even people who have to follow a particular diet should be able to treat themselves to something sweet without having to worry,” says Dr. Schär President, Ulrich

Ladurner, who advocates sweet treats as “food for the soul” – provided that they are “enjoyed in sensible amounts” of course. Over the years, the popularity of sweet specialities among consumers with coeliac condition and these con-sumers‘ input in the development of new products has led to the creation of an enormous variety of different products. In order to meet this growing demand, the Schär bakery was relocated to Drei-hausen four years ago. Today this bakery produces exclusively biscuits and sweet products. Ulrich Ladurner, one of Schär‘s visionary pioneers, remembers the early days well: “We began to pro-duce our own products 25 years ago.” Our Savoiardi sponge fi ngers were the fi rst sweet masterpieces produced by Dr. Schär and the starting point for the development of our own technology. Back then, our team of just three bakers made these fi rst biscuits out of egg, rice fl our and cornfl our by hand. “Indus-trial scale production began in 1990,” because there was increasing interest on the Italian market – which was Schär‘s main market at the time – in certain traditional products such as Frollini biscuits. Since

then, our product range has expanded over time to incorporate many national specialities and favourites: the Italians are fond of their Frollino, just as the Spaniards love their Galleta Maria and in German-speaking countries every-body loves the classic butter biscuits. The preferences and requirements of particular groups have a major role to play in the development of our products. For instance, children prefer something chocolatey such as the much-loved Gris&Ciok – incidentally the fi rst gluten-free product of its kind on the market. Schär also seeks to accommodate the requirements of people with coeliac con-dition and other additional allergies by producing not only wheat-free products, but also lactose-free products. Whether it is sandwich biscuits, cookies or extra chocolatey treats, our aim is always to ensure that everyone, both young and old, can enjoy their favourite gluten-free biscuits.

t

e t Baking on an enormous scale

Play audio material in the Schär Club at www.schaer.com

yourlife 5

You can also view our complete product range at

www.schaer.com/products/

In recognition of the exceptional quality of their most recent creations, we have awarded our master bakers a heart-shaped masterpiece award made of chocolate.The fact that we value the artistry of our bakers is also refl ected in our advertising, which pays homage to the creative genius of those old unfor-gettable masters: just as Raffael and Botticelli took their art to the hig-

hest level, our master bakers put all of their heart, dedication and skill into creating their own delicious works of art. The fact they have been created by true masters is clear to see. Delight in irresistible treats, favourite classic biscuits and

exciting new creations! Discover the sweeter side

of a gluten-free life with the sweet masterpieces from

Schär.

Our sweet masterpieces

Mini Sorrisi: cocoa sandwich cookies with milk-cream fi llingThe smaller version that is still big news! Like its big brother, Mini Sorrisi also truly hits the spot. A crunchy chocolate biscuit with the fi nest cream fi lling and a touch of vanilla that will quickly make you ask for more.

Details of all our masterpieces can be found

at www.schaer.com/masterpieces/

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Pausa ciok: for sweet-toothed gourmets of all agesNot only a wonderful treat for the kids: tender sponge cake with a delicious, milk-cream fi lling and covered with cocoa icing – a snack couldn’t be more seductive. Not only are they free from gluten and wheat, but also free from artifi cial colouring, and they’re absolutely cram-packed with a cream fi lling containing oodles of milk!

The new Sorrisi: even bigger and better!Great for sharing or a sneaky snack: our new Sorrisi are not only bigger, but also taste twice as good thanks to our new recipe. Be-tween the crunchy twin biscuit layers hides a delicious chocolate cream fi lling – all naturally gluten-free.

@Schär

6 yourlife

@Schär

Wafers al Cacao: a favourite biscuit no matter how old you are!

A favourite treat no matter how old you are, which you just won’t be able to get enough of: the delicate wafers made

from exquisite gluten-free ingredients melt in the mouth and are topped off to perfection by the delicious chocolate

cream fi lling.

Biscuits with chocolate:Ideal for between-meal snacks or for those who just want to nibble on something sweet.

Petit: a fi ne aroma in a convenient sizeA perfect fl avour, a crunchy bite, a convenient size: the new Petit has everything that goes to make a classic. The cookies with the extra fi ne butter aroma are already individually packaged, which make them an ideal sweet snack to pack for sport, play and when when out and about.

Twin Bar: the chocolate snack with a bite First of all, the creamy-smooth milk chocolate literally melts on the tongue, then comes the crispy-crunchy wafer layer: opposites really do attract and have now united to become a perfect whole in the form of the new Twin Bar.

Ciocko Sticks: who said chocolate was sinful?They‘re fi nally here! The new gluten-free Ciocko Sticks with extra chocolate will satisfy even the sweetest tooth. These scrumptious, crunchy shortbread biscuits are surrounded by a sinfully delicious chocolate coating. Just one small tip: make sure you fi nd a really clever hiding place for these Ciocko Sticks!

@Schär

B

yourlife 7

Art of cooking Register for the Schär Club to gain exclusive access to

our 650 recipes at www.schaer.com/club-benefi ts/

TIPS FOR GLUTEN-FREE PARTY FUN:

> Use a separate cooking area or barbeque for the gluten-free food.

> Prepare any dips and sauces your-self. Not only can you be sure that they are gluten-free, but they are also healthier and taste better.

> Dress salads with vinegar and olive oil or home-made dressings.

> If you are holding your party out-doors, colourful Chinese lanterns and tea lights in bowls always create a fantastic impression.

> Surprise your guests with exciting decorations: for example, in summer, you could place small painted pots of herbs or cress on the table. Your guests can then pick some and sprinkle it on their food.

If you are the guest:> Let your host know that you have to

follow a gluten-free diet and will bring your own gluten-free food and beer.

> Take your own marinated meat and sausages along to barbeques.

> Use your own cooking utensils.> Take along some gluten-free Crackers,

Grissini or bread. > Offer to make a salad dressing, so that

you know the salad is ok for you to eat.> Take your own seasonings and

sauces along with you. The Schär Club contains some fantastic recipes that you can try out at home. Have a look at www.schaer.com.

> Before leaving for the party, pre-pare some potatoes and vegetables ready to be cooked in the oven. Just brush some foil with olive oil and wrap around half-cooked potatoes or raw vegetables, with herbs if you prefer.

> Prepare an

Whether it’s someone’s birthday, a visit from friends, a housewarming party or a graduation, there are always plenty of reasons to celebrate. When everyone’s in a good mood and spirits are high, nothing, not even

a gluten-free diet, should dampen the party mood!

A SPONTANEOUS PARTY

You’ve decided to throw an impromptu party at your house, on your balcony or in your garden? No need to panic! With a little improvisation and willingness to experi-ment, as well as my simple practical tips, you can easily organise a fantastic, stress-free party with delicious food – all gluten-free of course. To satisfy those peckish feelings between meals and to enjoy that laid-back lifestyle when you hit the beach in summer or the slopes in winter, it is always a good idea to stock up with plenty of Crackers, Grissini, Saltí or Fette Croccanti as a practical alternative to bread. Wrapped in a serviette and served in a glass, these attract-ive bread sticks will make a great impression at your impromptu party. Add some Crackers in a colourful basket or bowl, et voila! You have gluten-free snacks ready to serve. On your way home, pick up some drinks and some gluten-free sausages or unmarinated meat, such as steaks or chicken breast, to barbeque, grill or shallow fry. Add colour to

the table with some colourful salad and raw vegetables – peppers,

gherkins and tomatoes taste great in summer, while fennel, caulifl ower

and carrots are good winter options both for

dipping and in salads.

AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS

If you are planning a smaller party, I would recommend that you choose a menu which

does not contain any gluten, so that you can enjoy your party without any worries. Surprise your guests with tasty snacks and side dishes from our recipe pages, such as our delicious “quick pan-fried bread”, or browse through the Schär Club pages at www.schäer.com. During the warm summer months, Spanish “Pan con ajo” makes a fantastic welcome canapé: simply make diagonal cuts in some gluten-free Baguettes or Mini-Baguettes (as if you were cutting slices) and fi ll them with garlic butter. Bake them in a preheated oven for fi ve minutes and in no time at all, you have a canapé which tastes great straight from the oven. De-pending on the main dish, rice, risotto, rosemary potatoes or grilled polenta all make fantastic side

dishes. When organising bigger events or attending someone else’s party, it is best to designate a gluten-free area of the kitchen or to set up a separate barbeque and serv-ing table exclusively for gluten-free food. When inviting your guests, let them know that there will be a separate gluten-free area. It is best to prepare dips and salad dressings yourself. Olive oil with chopped garlic makes a great dip for vegetables or salads and is easy to prepare; alternatively you could make a simple butter or quark

and yoghurt-based dressing with herbs and salt, or a quick Lip-

tauer dip with paprika, chives, onions and garlic. If your guests ask what they should

bring, suggest drinks, grilled vegetables, undressed salads

or a fruit salad for dessert.

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a gludamp

A SPONTANEOUS PA

It’s not every day you get a chance to celebrate, so you have to make the most of it. You want to be able to relax and enjoy your party; in this issue I will show you how you can give your family, friends and, of course, yourself a real gluten-free treat without too much effort. So let‘s get the party started!

Want to have a gluten-free party? Look no further!

ay home, psome gluten-free sameat, such as steabarbeque, grill or sh

the table with soraw ve

ghertaswh

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dip

A

8 yourlife

QUICK PAN-FRIED BREAD CHOCOLATE AND MARZIPAN TORTE

CHOCOLATE SLICE WITH APRICOTSSPICY BRIOCHE DOUGH PESTO SWIRLS

CH

OC

OLATE

AN

D M

AR

ZIPAN

TOR

TE

Ingred

ients 170 g

marzip

an, 100 g

sugar,

1 vanilla pod

, a pinch of salt,

6 egg

s, 120 g S

chär Mix P

âtisserie, 30 g

cacao, 10

0 g chop

ped

dark chocolate or choc-

olate drop

s, 200 g

dark chocolate g

lazing.

For decoration: 30 g

marzip

an, 1 tb

sp. icing

sugar, 2 d

rops of red

food

colouring, 4 g

lacé cherries.

A80 m

in

Gluten-free m

arzipan is easy

to make at hom

e. In the Schär

Club

, Oscar recom

mend

s using

500 g

shelled and

ground

almond

s or alm

ond fl our, 50

0 g icing

sugar and

50 g

edib

le rosewater from

the chemist

or pharm

acist. Sim

ply m

ix the ingred

ients tog

ether and w

ork them into a sm

ooth, p

liable d

ough.

Prep

aration time: 40 m

in | Baking

time: 40 m

in

Prep

aration B

reak the marzip

an (170 g) into chunks and place in a

mixing b

owl. Scratch out the vanilla p

od and add the

seeds, 2 eggs, 4 egg yolks and 50 g sugar to the b

owl.

Beat the ingredients together until the m

ixture has a cream

y consistency. Ad

d a pinch of salt to the egg w

hites and b

eat until they form stiff p

eaks. Ad

d the remaining

50 g sugar and beat a little m

ore. Fold the beaten egg

whites into the m

ixture. Mix the Schär M

ix Pâtisserie together w

ith the cacao and sieve into the mixture. A

dd

the chocolate p

ieces and gently fold into the mixture.

Spread the m

ixture over a springform

tin (26 cm) lined

w

ith baking p

archment and b

ake in a fan oven at 170°C

for app

rox. 40 minutes. C

heck the cake is ready using

a knife. Turn the cake out of the tin, remove the b

aking p

archment and leave to cool. G

laze the cake with m

elted

chocolate glazing. To d

ecorate, knead the marzip

an together w

ith some icing sugar. Sp

rinkle the work surface

with icing sugar and roll out the m

arzipan. C

ut out circles m

easuring 3-4 cm in diam

eter and cut these in half. Press them

together to form little b

ags. Place a small p

iece of glacé cherry insid

e. Dye the rest of the m

arzipan w

ith a drop of red food colouring

, roll out and cut into small

heart shapes.

CH

OC

OLATE

SLICE

WITH

AP

RIC

OTS

Ingred

ients 20

0 g S

chär Mix P

âtisserie, 2 b

ars of plain chocolate,

5 egg

s, 20

0 g b

utter, 150 g

sugar,

1 small p

acket of vanilla sugar,

a pinch of salt,

3 level tbsp

. baking

pow

der,

1 large tin of ap

ricots (800 g

), icing

sugar for d

usting,

baking

parchm

ent for baking

tray.

65 min

A

The cake also tastes delicious if,

instead of ap

ricots, you use sour cherries or any other fresh fruit that is in season!

Prep

aration M

elt the cho

colate in a b

ain-marie and

leave to co

ol

slightly.

Be

at the eg

g w

hites until they fo

rm stiff p

eaks and

p

lace to one sid

e. C

ream

tog

ether the b

utter, sug

ar and

vanilla sugar. G

radually stir in the e

gg

yoke

s until the m

ixture is light and

cream

y. Mix to

gethe

r the b

aking p

owd

er and

Schär M

ix Pâtisse

rie and stir this

and the cho

colate into the m

ixture. G

ently fo

ld in the

eg

g w

hites.

Sp

read

the mixture ove

r a baking

tray lined

with

baking

parchm

ent.

Drain the ap

ricots and sp

read

them

evenly ove

r the cake b

atter.

Bake the cake in a fan ove

n at 175°C fo

r 30-35

minute

s and le

ave to coo

l on a w

ire rack. Dust w

ith icing

sugar b

efore se

rving.

Prep

aration time: 20 m

in | Baking

time: 30 - 35 m

in

SPIC

Y BR

IOC

HE

DO

UG

H P

ESTO SW

IRLS

A2 - 3 hours

Filling:

1 jar of pesto, 40 g

pine nuts,

1 egg

yolk and 1 tb

sp m

ilk for b

rushing, course salt for sp

rinkling.

Prep

aration D

ust the doug

h with fl our and

roll out and

fold over 3 tim

es. Divid

e the doug

h into two

halves and roll out into a 20 x 24 cm

rec-tang

le on a fl oured silicone sheet. S

pread

w

ith half of the pesto. S

prinkle half of the

chopp

ed p

ine nuts over this.

Roll out w

ith the aid of the silicone sheet.

Wrap

with cling

fi lm and

place in the freezer

for 1 hour. Then carefully cut into slices with

a serrated knife. P

lace on a baking

tray lined

with b

aking p

aper and

brush w

ith the eg

g yolk/m

ilk mixture. B

ake at 230°C

for ap

prox. 10

-12 min. until g

olden b

rown.

Preparation time: 20 - 30 m

in | Resting tim

e: 1 hour 40 min | B

aking time: 10 - 12 m

in

Ingred

ients S

tarter mixture: 10

0 g b

utter, 20 g

Schär B

read M

ix - Mix B

.Yeast d

ough: 250 g

Schär B

read M

ix - Mix B

, 1 large

pinch of salt, 5 g

dried

yeast, 30 g soft b

utter, 1/8 l m

ilk, 1 m

edium

sized eg

g, 1 eg

g yolk, fl our for knead

ing.

Prep

aration To m

ake the starter mix, knead

the butter w

ell with the

fl our and roll out into a rectang

le betw

een two layers of

cling-fi lm

. Cool for 30 m

in.

Mix the fl our w

ith salt and d

ried yeast. H

eat the milk

and b

utter to app

rox. 40°C

. Ad

d the liq

uid w

ith the egg

and

egg

yolk to the fl our mixture and

knead for 3 to 4

minutes to form

a smooth d

ough. The d

ough should

com

e away from

the sides of the b

owl.

Roll out the d

ough on a fl oured

silicone sheet. Place

the starter mix in the m

idd

le of the sheet. Fold the

doug

h over this. Allow

to rest for 10 min.

QU

ICK

PAN

-FRIE

D B

RE

AD

Ingred

ients 250 g

Schär B

read-M

ix, 1 tsp

salt, ½

tsp sug

ar, ½

packet d

ried yeast,

1 tbsp

olive oil, 10

0 ml lukew

arm m

ilk, 10

0 ml lukew

arm w

ater.

A50 m

in

You can also bake the cakes in

a waffl e iron. They can also b

e easily frozen and

reheated in a

toaster. As an alternative, ad

d d

ried Italian

herbs to the d

ough or b

rush the cakes with

garlic oil after b

aking.

Prep

aration time: 15 m

in| Resting

time: 30 m

in | Baking

time: 6 m

in

Prep

aration M

ix the fl our and salt in a m

ixing b

owl. M

ake a d

epression in the centre. A

dd

the yeast and sug

ar and

about 1/3 of the liq

uid. W

ait for about 10 m

inutes until the yeast form

s bub

bles. A

dd

the remaining

liq

uid and

olive oil and knead

to a smooth d

ough. The

doug

h should just com

e away from

the sides of the

bow

l. Cover the b

owl w

ith a dam

p cloth and

leave to rest for 10 m

inutes.

Cut the d

ough into four p

ieces on a fl oured b

aking

board

. Form into b

alls using w

et, lightly oiled

hands.

Press the b

alls into fl at round cakes w

ith your hand.

Place the cakes on fl oured

baking

pap

er in a warm

p

lace and leave to rise for a further 10 m

inutes.

Heat a non-stick p

an and b

rush lightly w

ith olive oil. B

ake the cakes on each side for ab

out 3 minutes until

gold

en brow

n.

Muffi nsMuffi ns

...and this is how you do it

Mix the butter together with the sugar, vanilla sugar and salt together until foamy. Add the eggs and the milk and stir well.

Sift the fl our into the mixture, add the baking powder and mix well.

Finally, add the blueberries.

Pour the batter into paper baking cups on a baking tray or into muffi n tins (either way, fi ll only halfway up). Bake in a preheated oven at 180° C (350° F / gas mark 4) for 20 to 25 minutes.

0101

020203030404

You need:300 g (10 1/2 oz) Schär “Mix Pâtisserie” Mix C, 125 g (4 1/2 oz) sugar,3 eggs, 125 ml (1/2 cup) butter, 100 ml (3 fl oz) milk, 2 level tablespoons baking powder, 1 packet vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt, 150 g (5 oz) blueberries (or other fruits)

Want toknow more?

You can also fi nd funny postcards, trickyquizzes and delicious recipes in my world on

the internet. Just visit

and off you go!

I am looking forward to your visit and to receiving

post from you!

Milly’s kitchen tip

40 min. easy

In the prime of life

Tadej Ornik’s reaction to his diagnosis was surprisingly calm and mature for a teenager. “For me coeliac condition was never a disease, but just another way of living.” As he points out with a hint of self-mockery: “I was not driven to the depths of despair; I was given an opportunity to live my life to the full. I believe that those of us who are diagnosed early are the lucky ones, as we don’t suffer any medi-cal problems as a result of coeliac con-dition, provided that we stick to the diet.” The only downside is that you can’t eat gluten. Nonetheless, when Tadej was fi rst diagnosed over eighteen years ago, the range of gluten-free products available in his home country left something to be desired, as did people’s awareness of the condition. Looking back at the situation he found himself in, he explains matter-of-factly: “I had a choice: I could either complain or try to change things.” He took the second option. He immediately put his personal strengths to good use: “I started to work for the coeliac society on projects which focused on communication.”

MAJOR STEPS FORWARD

Today, life without gluten in south-east-ern Europe, particularly in Slovenia and Croatia, is completely different: “The changes over the last two decades have been incredible,” Tadej smiles, pleased with the progress that he himself has helped to bring about. He has been ac-tive in the Slovenian coeliac society and also AOECS, and now he is a Schär rep-resentative, primarily for eastern Europe,

Exploring eastern Europe/widening gluten-free roads“We have to get out there and clearly communicate our wishes and requirements.” That’s Tadej Ornik’s message to anyone who is on a gluten-free diet. He leads the way by setting the best possible example.

and seeks to increase awareness about coeliac condition in the region. “In my home country of Slovenia, coeliac con-dition is quite well known among the gen-eral public, the coeliac society is strong, you can buy gluten-free food in all super-markets, and restaurants have also started to offer gluten-free dishes.”

THERE’S STILL LOTS TO DO!

For Tadej, there are two separate ‘realities’ when it comes to life without gluten. On the one hand, signifi cant progress has been made in terms of diagnosis and the level of awareness about coeliac condition, in particular in western Europe. On the other hand, coeliacs still face many challenges in their day-to-day lives – particularly when they’re out and about – which we all need to address. “No matter where we are, we need to clearly communicate our wishes and requirements.” This is Tadej’s key message to others with coeliac condition. “Why should we feel like victims, just be-cause a lot of restaurants don t care about coeliac condition and when we ask for our fi sh grilled they explain to us that there is just a little bit of fl our on it! We can choose coeliac-friendly restaurants, but there is still a long way to go if we are to make some good restaurants coeliac-friendly.” Tadej implores us to keep trying: “If I always choose something that is naturally gluten-free from the menu and never alert them to my needs, nothing will change. But if my friends and I make them aware that we are unhappy each time we visit, at least some will decide to step on the gluten-free road.”

Admittedly many other countries in eastern Europe are still a long way off achieving an acceptable standard both in terms of diag-nosis and the range of products available to coeliacs. For Tadej this is a challenge which he is only too pleased to tackle!

WHO IS TADEJ ORNIK?

“Enjoy your gluten-free life and use it to your advantage.” That is the motto of former sports reporter Tadej Ornik. When he was diagnosed with coeliac condition 18 years ago – just as he was starting secondary school – this determined and optimistic young man immediately set out to increase people’s knowledge about the condition. Soon after, he became ac-tive in the Slovene coeliac society as the organiser of summer camps, lectures and media activities. He also participated in the “Helping coeliacs” group organised by the AOECS which was developing projects in eastern Europe. Today, he is responsible for organising Schär projects to increase awareness of coeliac condition in eastern Europe. In his free time, this fun-loving amateur cook likes to travel and surf the internet, often seeking inspiration from Oscar’s recipe collection. One of his ab-solute favourite recipes – Lasagne – is now available in the online edition of the YourLife magazine at www.schaer.com.

Tadej’s favourite recipe “Lasagne” is now available from the Schär Club

in the online version of YourLife: www.schaer.com

Meeting of AOECS working group, Helping coeliacs, in Belgrade in 2007When they take a picture of you, instead of saying cheese, you can say gluten-free!!!

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Special

Keeping to a gluten-free diet is an issue which concerns people with coeliac condition and is also the subject of many studies. Schär’s aim is to improve people’s quality of life through high-quality, safe products and comprehensive services.

Please don’t cheat!

Failing to keep to a gluten-free diet often leads to the development of unpleasant symptoms. Because of this, most people with coeliac condition are very careful to keep to their diet. Nonetheless, the daily obstacles faced by those with coeliac condition can give rise to unwanted feel-ings. According to recent studies, these feelings cause people to knowingly com-mit “dietary sins” more often than might be expected. Not everyone experiences the same painful punishment, but the possible health risks remain the same.

COELIAC CONDITION IN FOCUS

Numerous studies into gluten-intolerance deal with its effects on different aspects of life and people‘s ability to maintain a gluten-free diet. Particularly when they fi rst adopt a gluten-free diet, people are very aware of its effects on their day-to-day life. Studies into dietary compliance have produced some interesting results. One area of investigation has been the effects of strict compliance with a gluten-free diet. Strict compliance with a gluten-free diet restricts many aspects of life and the feelings associated with this create a desire to cheat. However, this appar-ent dilemma is becoming less relevant in view of the increasingly large range of products available and the many other initiatives where the main priority is to give people a better quality of life.

QUALITY OF LIFE

A gluten-free diet affects all areas of life. Insuffi cient labelling of foodstuffs and the feeling that it is impossible to avoid gluten often tempts people not to follow the diet as strictly as they should. Our bakers, chefs and confectioners are therefore developing an increasingly wide range of products, which provide com-plete security and eliminate the feeling of not being able to enjoy food as much as others. Moreover, the Schär “Food Service” project aims to generate greater aware-ness and understanding amongst people working in various fi elds. The objective is to ensure that coeliac condi-

tion is not something unknown or out of the ordinary for catering staff on aeroplanes, ships and trains, as well as in schools, pub-lic institutions and, of course, restaurants.

100% GLUTEN-FREE

How seriously do we really take our gluten-free diet?There is often a wide difference between subjective and objective answers to this question. A study involving both sexes in the USA (Lee) showed that 98 percent of participants kept to their gluten-free diet. However, on closer examination of the different areas of life, the results painted an alarmingly different picture. Exactly where are the weak points? When at-tending social events (men in 81, women in 88 percent of cases), eating out (men in 82, women in 88 percent of cases) and eating with friends (men in 58, women in 67 percent of cases), people with gluten intolerance are more likely to abandon all good intentions. The reasons, as has al-ready been alluded to, include a feeling of restriction (73 percent), a sense of creat-ing awkwardness for the rest of the group (69 percent), diffi culty in complying with the

ANNE ROLAND LEE

Qualifi ed education worker, registered dietician, accredited dietary and nu-tritional advisor for Schär USA

diet (68 percent) and the simple desire for a more varied diet (45 percent). 33 percent of those questioned also had an issue with the higher cost of gluten-free food.

yourlife 13

Research & development

Products put to the test

A delicious shortbread biscuit which is delightfully crunchy in the mouth and surrounded by smooth, glossy, delicate, melt-in-the-mouth and exceptionally rich milk chocolate. This, for example, would be the very exacting “requirements pro-fi le” for our new Ciocko Sticks. However, before this new gluten-free biscuit vari-ety enters our range of sweet treats it has to undergo a long process.

WORKING TO ACHIEVE THE PERFECT TASTE

Anyone who has tried baking at home knows that baking is no child’s play – especially without gluten. Our research and development department at the science park in Trieste works steadfastly to create delicious fl avours by devel-oping new recipes or improving products

which already form part of our

range. New combinations of gluten-free ingredients – both proven and innovative – are continuously experi-mented with and tested, with the aim of fi nding the secret to the perfect gluten-free taste. For each product, the process has to be started from scratch. In a fi nal stage, the extent to which a new creation from Dr Schär fulfi ls the objective “typical taste” requirements (i.e. how similar it is to its non gluten-free counterpart) is evalu-ated by Schär‘s own groups of tasters using sensory tests.

PEOPLE AS MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

Some like as much chocolate as poss-ible; others swear by plain breakfast biscuits. The preferences of those with a sweet tooth vary from individual to individual; however when evaluating the taste quality of a product, testers need to always be as objective as possible. That is why Dr Schär organises its own professional tasting sessions to ensure that the data are as reliable as poss-ible. Sensory tests involve scientifi c measurement and analyse a product against different criteria. The most im-portant measuring instruments in this process are people and their sensory organs. Sensory tests are subject to strict regulations because no matter how

Dr Schär products go through many different stages on the way to becoming safe, gluten-free, tasty treats. One of these is comprehensive testing by trained tasters: their judgements about the taste, appearance, aroma and quality of a product as well as other criteria are a decisive factor in whether products make it onto our shelves at home.

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Research & development

impartial and neutral a tester wishes to be in his or her judgement, his or her conclusions can always be subject to in-fl uence. The role of psychological factors when evaluating a product should also not be underestimated. An objective evaluation begins with the selection of suitable testers. Generally, a group of eight to twelve testers should be selected who ideally all have the keen senses of a food connoisseur and a talent for identifying and expressing sensory stimuli. At special training sessions, the members of the panel are familiarised with sensory testing methods, refi ne their ability to identify and remember sensory stimuli through practice exercises, re-ceive training in how to recognise, de-scribe and evaluate the different sensory parameters, and much more.Naturally at the tasting sessions, all possible precautions are taken to ensure the objectivity of the evaluations. The members of the panel may not eat any sweet or strong-tasting foods in the 30 minutes prior to the product tasting. They may also not consume any coffee or cigarettes in this time. Moreover, they are not allowed to wear any perfume or per-fumed cosmetics on the day of the tast-ing session and they should be neither too hungry or too full. Anyone who has a cold or who feels unwell should not at-tend the tasting session, as illness can reduce sensory stimulation. In the tast-ing room itself, care is taken to ensure that no discussions take place and that there is nothing which might distract or infl uence the panel members.

TESTING USING THE SENSES

Whenever a new product is developed, a recipe is changed or a check needs to be carried out to ensure that a food-stuff still meets the relevant quality requirements, the panel leader calls his or her tasting group together. Schär has three permanent tasting groups, each with between 10 and 15 members; one is based in Italy, one in Germany and one in France. Every two years, the groups are reformed and the new members are trained. Sensory tests at Dr Schär are conducted in accordance with DIN standards (standards of the German

Institute for Standardisation) to ensure that the product tasting sessions comply with an internationally recognised stan-dard. As part of the different standard-ised tests, the panel members must describe the product qualities, rate the products against one another and draw comparisons. For example: for the new Mini Sorrisi recipe, a descriptive test was carried out, whereby the new Mini Sorrisi was compared with its predecessor and a comparable competitor product. This comparison was based on a description of the different characteristics of the biscuit. The most important parameters according to the tasting form were the texture (crumbliness) of the biscuit and the appearance and consistency of the fi lling, which had to be “creamy”.

YOU HAVE YOUR SAY TOO!

In addition to professional sensory tests, Schär always consults end-consumers to fi nd out whether its new gluten-free products really do taste good. These quantitative judgements are not pro-vided by trained tasters, but they provide useful information about how a product has been received and whether, from a subjective point of view, it tastes better or worse than comparable food prod-ucts. The tests are carried out by our Sensory Club, which has more than 1,300 members in France, Germany and Italy. DIN recommends using at least 30 par-ticipants for consumer tests. Our product samples are sent to 100 Sensory Club members in each country, who carry out a taste test at home and then evaluate, compare or describe the product as they see fi t using an online DIN form.

SENSORY TEST RESULT

Crispiness 5

4

3

2

1

0

Appearance of the fi lling

Crumbliness Softness of the cream

Grittiness Creamy cream

Golden-brown colour

Well-rounded fl avour

In this instance, a new product has been compared with its predecessor and a competitor product which contains gluten.

yourlife 15

Details of all our new sweet masterpieces can now be found at www.schaer.com

Exciting news: the new Sorrisi have arrived! They are now even bigger, even more delicious and, thanks to

our new recipe, even more irresistible! Between the two crunchy biscuit layers hides an unbelievably tasty

chocolate cream fi lling – all naturally gluten and wheat-free. A perfect sweet masterpiece which will

delight everyone, no matter how old you are.

princesand everyone else

For little

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e oe y d l .

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Schär is number 1 in Europe when it comes to gluten-free living:

SEN

0340• naturally gluten-free products < 20 ppm

• a leader in research • more than 25 years of experience

• greatest product diversity• exceptionally tasty products• available throughout Europe