Gluten Free Breeze (formerly Brendygirl) Blog

Katz Gluten Free has a promotion where if you pay for the shipping ($8 for me), they'll send you afree sampler box of gluten free baked goods.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A13):
 

All of their stuff is dairy and nut free, for those who need that. For me, I like nuts- the people and the food- because they add flavor and texture to life! So, I sweetly asked my Marine to get out his credit card and voila! I received the package in a few days. Since I'm watching my weight, each day I try one small item.

(For pictures, click on my profile to see my other b log.) So far I have tried the chocolate chip cookie (heavy on the brown sugar, didn't enjoy it), marble cake(dry, lacking in flavor), chocolate cupcake (superior texture, mild in flavor-I wouldn't buy it since I like to taste the chocolate if I'm eating thecalories), and honey muffin (excellent texture, excellent flavor-I'd buy them).

I've yet to try the dinner roll, rugelech (pinwheel pastry?), and slices of bread (challah, wholesome,whole grains and white).

It's no surprise I saved bread for last, because I'm a bit of a bread snob, methinks, and I offer no apology for it. Frankly, in 2005 when I started out, I hated all the breads available to me. I only ate homemade offerings from the retired ladies at my celiac support group in California. So now I pretty much indulge myself-meaning, you will not find me chiseling frozen bread. I only eat the bread that you thaw the whole loaf on the counter, not chiseling a slice and putting the rest back in the freezer. Rudi, Udi, and Against the Grain are my staples.

Occasionally, if there is a brand I've used favorably in the past, and it's on sale for super cheap, I will buy it- Kinnickinnick or Whole Foods (got a loaf on sale last week). My Marine (who is not picky and eats many of the gluten-free pastas, pancakes, and Bell&Evans gluten-free breaded chicken), does not like any gluten free bread at all. He chooses to go without bread and buns at home, waiting to inhale the real deal out in restaurants. He eats a sandwich and soup every day at a deli or lunch cart.

I have baked some good stuff myself, but then I have to freeze most of it (defeating the point of making it fresh-as well as hogging freezer space), or eat it (which is how I gained weight last winter). So, I've pretty much resorted to buying a 4 pack of Udi Chocolate cupcakes or muffins, a single cupcake from Red Velvet Cupcakery (divine!), or a peanut butter bomb or brownie from Buzz Cafe down the street from me. If I can find French Meadow Bakery goodies, I'll get those.Other than that, I eat mainstream indulgences that don't contain gluten (I have never liked creme brulee, meringue cookies, or tapioca, all of which are usually recommended for us and doled out on cruises and in restaurants-I didn't like the food accommodated for me on my cruise in 06). When we move to Atlanta, there will be Sally's Bakery down the road! Man, gluten free is spreading like Wildfire (the restaurant called Wildfire has amazing gluten-free food, too).