Some of the best gluten-free cinnamon buns I've had in the past are not available in Atlanta and they can't be shipped here either. So it was uber exciting when I walked into the Alpharetta location of Sally's Gluten Free Bakery and saw a sign stating they had FRESH cinnamon buns available on Saturdays for a limited time! Even though I've had many, many gluten-free cinnamon buns that were not worth trying twice (some were not edible at all), I know that anything at Sally's is a good bet. I bought one of the nice sized individually packaged rolls and added it to my order of their delicious pound cake. As it turned out, I was going to a brunch in Greenville, SC the next day (Father's Day) and knew there wasn't any type of bread item I could have where we were going.
When going somewhere nice like a wedding or country club, I like to put whatever food I'm taking into a small gift bag. No one knows you've brought food in until you pop it out and place whatever it is onto a plate. You don't go without dessert this way, and you also have a tasty treat in case there is a gluten-free dessert that you don't care to have (like ice cream, creme brulee or just fruit).
Because it was Father's Day, the brunch fare was stepped up and included many more gluten-free dishes than the typical brunch there does. What a nice surprise! Even though I was quite full when everyone else went to pick out their desserts, I couldn't resist trying my special cinnamon bun from Sally's. Just the smell alone would drive any cinnamon lover wild, but the taste and texture of the bun was so amazing it was hard to take in. I shared the slightest little bit (only the outside part) with my husband and kept the ooey gooey part that was insanely delicious all to myself. So it was somewhat surprising when my husband commented that the cinnamon bun was the closest thing to his Mother's (gluten) version than he'd had in a long time. Actually, I could have cried at that moment as she is no longer with us.
It's weird how food can affect some of us emotionally. I never thought I had an emotional connection to food.....then I was told I could never eat gluten again and found out I'd been wrong about that. It's extra special when you find something that's gluten-free that tastes as good as (or better) than the gluten version you remember from childhood or your wedding or whatever. Sally's cinnamon buns are definitely special, but they're not available all the time. Be sure and check out his wonderful treat if you're living in the ATL while you can!
