Want a gluten-free Twinkie?

I didn't grow up eating Twinkies (thank goodness), but I know many people love them and for those that get diagnosed with celiac or a wheat allergy, it's bye-bye to this nostalgic ooey gooey treat.  Since I've had so few twinkies, I could not tell a real one from an imposter even if I could eat one.

Even though I don't care anything about having a Twinkie type treat, I coudn't resist the version offered by Katz Gluten-Free.  There was a vanilla creme filled cake and a chocolate creme filled cake from this line in the freezer at Sprouts.  They were on sale so I could not pass the oportunity to try at least one version up.


The first thing I noticed was how small the little cakes were...I think they're smaller than Twinkies, but I could be wrong about that.  Then you have to let it defrost on the counter before eating it.  So right off the bat, this is a miss for me.  I don't want to have to think two hours ahead of time "I think I'll have a gf Twinkie like treat today".

Eventually, the cake was ready to try.  I'm a huge fan of Katz so it was a bit surprising that this cake didn't taste very good to me.  The cake and the creme filling (of which there was very little of) were a total miss for me.  Even my husband who enjoys pretty much anything baked, including things I think are super horrid, didn't care for it. 


We'll stick to the amazing apple fritters and small apple pie (not the mini pies) from Katz from now on ;)
  

Best fresh gluten-free bagels ever!

OK - I'll admit that I've had VERY few fresh gluten-free bagels, period.  Even so, I'm reviewing what I think is the best gluten-free bagel, of any type, I've ever had.  It was the kind of amazing experience  that makes you say "I can't believe it's gluten-free!" and "I think I might cry" when you taste a chewy, real-tasting bagel the first time.

I was recently in the Washington, DC area for work so I got to sample some amazing gluten-free things specific to that area.  While pretty much everything I tried was astonishingly delicious, the Everything Bagel from Rise Bakery was good enough to be fearful that it was not gluten-free at first bite!  Of course, everything at RISE is in fact, gluten-free.  Therefore, there was nothing to worry about.

Rise offers many wonderful things (like eclairs and croissants!), most of which I was not able to sample this time around.  This gluten-free gem will be my first stop on my next visit to DC...but I'll likely be ordering some of their amazing bagels well before then! 

Rise Bakery gladly ships to all 50 states in the USA!




  

Fresh gluten-free treats at Walmart!

OK - I'm not much of a WM shopper so when a close gluten-free friend of mine told me I HAD to try the delicious gluten-free cookies and muffins she found at the WM over in Cobb county, I said yeah yeah...and promptly forgot about it.  First of all, these days I have to choose my carbs very carefully.  If something isn't amazing, I stop eating it after the first bite.  Secondly, as mentioned above, I rarely go to WM.

Several weeks pass and I'm offered a chance to taste the WM goodies.  Clearly, based on my very picky (like me) friend's comments about this product line, I had to take advantage of this great opportunity!  Not only was my friend dead on in her review of the FRESH treats sold in the regular WM bakery, everything was better than I could have imagined! Oh, and everything is VERY affordable to boot ;)



Starting with the cookies, they are VERY large and VERY soft!  Aside from cookies made in a gluten-free (walk-in) bakery or ones I've baked myself, I've never had  delicious, soft and chewy gluten-free cookies like these.  They taste like homemade cookies...seriously!  If you heat them up for a few seconds, I'm sure they'll taste like they just came out of the oven.  Now, for the sad party of this story, the cookie monster in our house (who can eat any cookie on earth!) ate every cookie in two packages in less than two days!  I wanted to make an ice cream sandwich with them, but that will have to wait.

On to the brownies.  I'm not sure why, but I've always been a huge fan of brownie bites - very small mini-muffin sized brownies.  The WM Bakery gluten-free brownies are the perfect size!  They're also just chocolaty and sweet enough without being too much of either.  I ate one of them at room temperature (remember, they're in the bakery at WM - not in the freezer!) and it was really scrumptious!  Then after giving ONE brownie to the husband, I froze the rest to insure they would still be there the next day.

Eventually, I thawed out several brownies and made ice cream sundaes with them.  Making that treat called for slightly heating the brownies in the microwave (one for me and three for the husband!) and topping with vanilla ice cream and Trader Joe's Midnight Moo (the only chocolate sauce we'll eat now).  OK - we topped the sundaes off with a touch of canned whipped cream...lol!  The only thing missing was a cherry on top - but we didn't miss the gluten one bit!

Lastly, we have the blueberry gluten-free muffins.  These amazing soft and moist treats are my new go-to ready-made blueberry muffins!  They come in a 2-pack which is perfect for us!  One thing I could not figure out was how the blueberries tasted like someone had picked them that day and made a batch of muffins with them... Seriously - the best blueberries I've had in any muffin ever!  We didn't get a chance to freeze these, but based on the ingredients, they'll likely freeze well.  Aside from enjoying at home, they're a nice item to keep stocked for trips to the in-laws' (or friends') house where you need to take your own b'fast breads.

Here is a little more info on this great new option for FRESH gluten-free baked goods - sold only at Walmart under the brand 'The Bakery, gluten-free'.

• Certified gluten-free
• Certified Kosher
• Contains soy, dairy and egg
• Made in nut-free facility
• NO artificial flavors or colors
• NO trans fats
• NO hydrogenated oils
• Naturally flavored

Now I know most of us have trained ourselves to avoid the bakery at any store like the plague.  Why torture ourselves looking longingly at all the fresh, gluten-filled goodness?  But it's time to reprogram our brains to enjoy going to the FRESH bakery section again - at least at Walmart!  ALL U.S. locations should have these wonderful products by now, but if you can't find them, be sure and ask the bakery manager at your store to get them in STAT!

To keep up with all the news from this exciting line, be sure to follow the WMBakeryGlutenFree Twitter page!            

Celebrate - gluten-free cinnamon rolls!

If you read my post about Sally's Gluten Free Bakery's killer cinnamon buns, and decided to check them out for yourself, you might have played a part in the bakery choosing to offer them every Friday and Saturday until future notice.  Yes - celebrate indeed!

Here is the newsletter that recently went out to share this fabulous news with Sally's customers.  Please read it and weep...with joy, of course!

Oh my - it's great to be gluten-free in the ATL these days!

Allergen free bakery in Alpharetta

Another find on FindMeGlutenFree.com is Mama Bakes Safes Cakes in Alpharetta, GA.  Honestly, there are very few gluten-free, vegan cupcakes I've found worth eating so when I tried the goodies from this bakery, I tried to keep an open mind.  Understand that I've had delicious vegan cupcakes before - just not that many of them.  Even though I'd still choose a cupcake made with butter and eggs over any other version, the cupcakes and frosting from Mama Bakes Safe Cakes were surprisingly good!  Like 'I can't believe the're gluten-free and vegan' good!  My husband won't usually even taste any vegan baked goods, but I convinced him to try a cupcake and even he was impressed.  HE asked me at least twice if I was sure there were no eggs in the cake or butter in the frosting.

The staff at the bakery takes great care to explain which allergens their various goodies are free of (gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, etc.).  There are many things available to order to even pick up from the freezer out front at the bakery.  One such item that got my attention was lemon cookies coated in powdered sugar.  I don't recall the name of them, but they were by far the favorite thing we tried and I will be going back just for those incredible cookies!

If you're in need of gluten-, egg-, dairy- and even soy-free fresh baked goodies in the ATL, you might want to check out the wares from Mama Bakes Safe Cakes.  They accept walk in sales, but if you want to check out the cupcake flavors of the day, you can find them on the company's FB page.   

Cinnamon buns at Sally's Gluten Free Bakery!

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!

Special Thanksgiving options at Sally's Bakery

My apologies for the tardiness of this post.  I've been meaning to get this up for the past two weeks.  If you haven't yet ordered your special Thanksgiving items from Sally's Gluten-Free Bakery in Atlanta, there is still (very little) time to do so!  Here is their Thanksgiving menu.

There are now two locations of Sally's Bakery in the metro Atlanta area. Check out where they are on the company's website.

Happy Thanksgiving!

AMERICAN AGRA-FRUTTI moved - Grand Opening event this Saturday!

AMERICAN GRA-FRUTTI just moved to a new location and to celebrate the bakery is hosting a grand opening event this Saturday.  If you're in the ATL and on the gluten-free diet, be sure to stop by and try some of the tasty gluten-free goods being sampled at the grand opening event.  See below for details and be sure to RSVP if you can make it!      _______________________________________  We are ready to open our new bake house and store front. We hope that you join us for our Grand Opening Celebration. Saturday, November 19, 2011 10:00 am to 3:00 pm 1007 Mansell Road, Suite D. Roswell, GA 30076 770-587-5874 We will have our classic foods and new delights for you to enjoy. Come taste our family of gourmet Middle Eastern foods:  hummus, savory spreads, and dolmas.  These delicious foods are all dairy free and vegan. RSVP: Please let us know if you think you will be able to drop by on the 19th by emailing marilyn@agrafrutti.com with "Opening RSVP" as the subject.

Sally's Bakery offers Thanksgiving treats!

If you are in the Atlanta area, you probably know that the first gluten-free bakery here was Sally's Bakery in Sandy Springs. The bakery owners are dedicated to creating tasty gluten-free foods that are so good gluten eaters don't suspect they're gluten-free!  Many of their creations are dairy-free as well!  Just in time for Thanksgiving, Sally's Bakery is offering specialty holiday staples and treats.  They also tweaked their hamburger buns a bit so they're a normal size and are said to be just like a normal gluten containing bun!  I've placed my holiday order and am excited to try some new items from Sally's on Thanksgiving! 

With the bakery owner's permission, I'm posting their most recent newsletter below.

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Greetings,

We hope this newsletter finds everyone enjoying this fall weather!  After a great deal of experimentation and feedback, we are happy to introduce our new hamburger buns.  It is a completely new recipe; they are actually hamburger bun size and you would be hard pressed to tell they are gluten free. We're very pleased with this new recipe; they have the texture and feel of regular buns so grab a pack next time you're in!

Bun Ingredients: brown rice flour, non-GMO cornstarch, tapioca flour, eggs, sugar, canola oil, potato flour, non-GMO cornmeal, yeast, rice bran, baking powder, vinegar, gelatin, egg replacer, xanthan gum, sea salt

With Thanksgiving coming up, we are pleased to announce the following additions to our menu:

9” Pumpkin Pie – $13.99 – As a holiday staple, this favorite will round out your Thanksgiving meal or make a great breakfast the next day...if it lasts! – Our pumpkin pie is gluten free and soy free.  Contains dairy and eggs.

9” Pecan Pie – $15.99 – Our best ever pecan pie is a must have in our house.  No one will ever know it's gluten free.  We're using fresh south Georgia pecans to top this pleasantly sweet southern favorite. – Our pecan pie is gluten free and soy free.  Contains dairy and eggs.

8" Apple Buckle Cake – $14.99  – Our apple buckle is very similar to an apple coffee cake.  With the perfect balance of brown sugar and cinnamon this treat will be gone before you know it! – Our apple buckle cake is gluten free and soy free.  Contains dairy and eggs.

Yeast Dinner Rolls (pack of 6) – $5.99 – These classic yeast dinner rolls will be a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu and are sure to melt in your mouth. – Our dinner rolls are free of gluten, soy, dairy, and eggs.

9" Chocolate Cake - $14.99 - This is our classic chocolate cake recipe many of you have had just in a smaller version.  You can trick your gluten-eating family and friends; they won't be able to tell it's gluten free! - Our chocolate cake is free of gluten, soy, and eggs.  Contains dairy (butter only).  Dairy free version available upon request.

9" Vanilla Cake - $14.99 - This is our classic yellow cake recipe many of you have had as well.  You can trick your gluten-eating family and friends; they won't be able to tell it's gluten free! - Our vanilla cake is gluten free and soy free. Contains dairy (butter only) and eggs.

Let us help you save some time this Thanksgiving!  These additional offerings will be available from Tuesday, November 15^th through Wednesday, November 23^th by special order.  Special orders may be picked up after 12pm.  Some items will be frozen.  Place your order by phone, via email, using the contact form, or in person!  Also, to make Thanksgiving week easier we will be open on Monday, November 21st with regular weekday hours.  

Our holiday schedule is as follows:

Open Monday, November 21st - Wednesday, November 23rd: 10:00am - 5:30pm.

Closed Thursday, November 24th - Monday, November 28th.

We will reopen with our normal operating hours on Tuesday, November 29th.

Thank you all for your support!

Best regards,

Sally, Bonnie, Taylor, and Davis Owings

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Sally's Bakery - A Gluten Free Place
5920 Roswell Road, Suite 108A
Sandy Springs, GA 30328
Bakery: 404-847-0211

Sign up for our Email Newsletter to hear about new baked goods, special offers, etc.!
Go to www.sallysbakery.com and sign up on the left sidebar.


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UPDATE 11-17-11:  I picked up my order from Sally's Bakery today and the soft, FRESH hamburger buns demanded we have burgers for dinner.  We paired bun-less burgers from Five Guys with Sally's 'new and improved' hamburger buns.  Well, believe it or not - the new buns are really improved even though they were pretty tasty before!  While I've never had a gluten bun at Five Guys, my husband gets them most of the time and he said without question that the Sally's Bakery buns were much better than the gluten buns he normally gets!  Now that is impressive - and surprising! 


It's important to note that the buns need to be refreshed after they've been frozen and you must use a low temperature (200-250 degrees) to do this.  I like warm buns so even though I could have eaten the very soft buns right out of the bag, I heated them slightly at 250 in the toaster oven.  Now we have another thing to be thankful for at this special time of year - delicious gluten-free buns from Sally's Bakery! 
  

  

Pure Knead opens for business!

If you follow a gluten, dairy and soy-free diet, there is a new bakery you need to know about! And if you love the gluten-free buns at Yeah! Burger or Farm Burger (two different versions), be sure to check out the grand opening of the Pure Knead bakery in Decatur on 2-26-11. The bakery supplies the awesome buns to YB and FB and also makes hot dog buns, cookies, cupcakes and the most incredible olive boule I've ever had - with or without gluten! You can read the details of the bakery opening here.

Congrats to the talented team at Pure Knead. They have created a very special place for gluten-free /  allergen-free consumers in Atlanta and beyond!