Gluten Free Sweets - Delivered

As I think about all of my choices for gluten-free sweets this Thanksgiving, I've decided to give thanks to some wonderful local bakeries.

Miglet's Gluten-Free Bakery

Katie Alin started her Walnut Creek-based bakery after noticing a lack of desert options for those bound to a gluten-free diet, including her own mother! Her mother, Elaine Taylor, is a prominent figure in the San Francisco Bay Area's celiac community and annually hosts The Taylor Family Foundation's Celiac Camp, which I was fortunate to be a part of this past July. Katie's cupcakes, cookies, cakes and pies are available for delivery throughout the Bay Area and are also available locally at Mariposa Baking Company and Draeger's Markets.

In standard form, most of her cupcakes and treats include dairy ingredients. But the best part of her local business is that all orders are customizable! She is more than happy to create treats free of dairy, casein, nuts and eggs!

Miglet's Gluten-Free Bakery

925-818-0087

katie.alin@gmail.com

Cups and Cakes Bakery

Jennifer Emerson started her cupcake business out of her kitchen in 2007. After amassing a loyal fan base, Jennifer has just recently (this past weekend!) opened a retail location at 451 9th Street in San Francisco. Her cupcake flavors are out of this world; here's a sampling:

Grasshopper: Dark chocolate cake with peppermint frosting and topped with a junior mint

Coconut S'mores: Coconut cake with dark chocolate ganache and 7-minute frosting

Pancake Breakfast: Maple bacon cake with maple buttercream and bacon

Jennifer started making "regular" cupcakes but has since expanded to offer cakes free of sugar, gluten, dairy and egg! For my birthday this past July I ordered a dozen mini Rich Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and red sprinkles, all gluten- and dairy-free. They weren't just a hit...they were a home run. I don't think it's possible to explain how absolutely delectable they were (not to mention the adorable bright pink packaging). Suffice it to say, I've been trying to come up with an occasion to order them again. Maybe she can do turkey-flavored cupcakes? I wouldn't put it past her.

Cups and Cakes Bakery

451 9th Street

San Francisco, CA 94103

415-437-CUPS (2877)

order@cupsandcakesbakery.com

Mariposa is now in San Francisco!

Mariposa, my favorite "local" gluten-free bakery, has just gotten a little bit more local! As of yesterday, the bakery has a permanent kiosk in the famed San Francisco Ferry Building. There are still a few early kinks (no credit card payment processor, and an empty refrigerator), but you can pick up freshly baked gluten-free baked goods every day of the week!

I just dropped by for lunch and picked up a 2-pack of multi-seed bagels, a loaf of their new focaccia and, naturally, a chocolate chip cookie. As I oogled over the offerings, a woman walked by and proclaimed, "Gluten-free bagels?! I haven't had a bagel in 10 years!" Yet another satisfied customer :)

This location doesn't offer all of the luxuries of the original Oakland shop, so you can't get your bagel toasted or have it slathered in cream cheese. BUT, you can walk down the aisle to Farm Fresh To You and load up on organic condiments and snacks. I picked up some hummus for my bagel, along with a bag of Majan's "Bhuja"snack mix, which is both vegan and gluten-free. The multigrain noodles and chips are made out of yellow peas, chick peas, sunflower oil, rice, potato, tapioca and sesame seeds! A great crunchy find!

Gluten-Free Casein-Free (GFCF) Card

Gluten sensitive patients often cannot tolerate dairy products. Read more about the reasons behind this here. If gluten wasn't tough enough to explain, having to discuss casein as well can be quite tricky. I finally put together GFCF cards that I can use at restaurants:


I HAVE CELIAC DISEASE and must adhere to a special diet, or I can become ill. I would be most grateful for your help in choosing a meal I can safely enjoy.

1. I CANNOT EAT
WHEAT, RYE, BARLEY, OATS or foods made from them like: flour, bread, pasta, pancakes, flour tortillas, pastries, breaded or battered foods, croutons and oatmeal. Surprisingly, these also contain wheat: white and malt vinegar, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and beer.*

MILK or foods containing milk like: cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream and whey. The casein protein may be added to imitation dairy products such as soy cheese in the form of caseinate.

2. PLEASE CHECK
These foods in particular MAY contain ingredients from section #1. PLEASE CHECK with the chef and read labels*: dressings, marinades, sauces, stews, meat and egg substitutes, processed meats (e.g. sausage), bouillon, packaged broths and packaged spice mixes. If the ingredients are unknown, please do not serve it to me.

3. I CAN EAT
most foods not made with items from section #1. For example: fresh meat, rice, corn, potatoes, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruit, beans, nuts, oil, salt, sugar, tofu and pure spices, just to name a few!

IMPORTANT:
I can also get sick from cross-contamination. If a utensil, preparation or cooking surface is used for foods I can’t eat, please clean it before using it for my food. Also, if water or oil is used to cook foods I can’t eat, please do not use it to cook my food.

* Please also avoid these ingredients, which may be derived from wheat, rye, barley or oats: any form of malt, food coloring, artificial flavorings, or modified food starch.




ESTOY ENFERMO DE CELIAQUÍA y debo seguir una dieta especial o me puedo enfermar. Por favor ayúdeme a preparer una comida que no me haga daño.

1. NO PUEDO COMER
TRIGO, AVENA, CEBADA, CENTENO ni nada preparado con estos alimentos, incluyendo*: harina, pan, pasta, hotcakes, tortillas de harina, pastels, comidas empanizadas o capeadas, crutones, avena ni, aunque parezca extraño, vinagre, salsa de soya, teriyaki o cerveza,*

LECHE o alimentos que contengan lácteos como: queso, mantequilla, yogurt, helado y suero.

2. POR FAVOR CHEQUE
Estos platillos en particular PODRÍAN contener ingredients que no puedo comer. POR FAVOR CHEQUE con el chef: aderezos para ensaladas, salsas marinadas, salsas, estofados, substitutes de carne y huevo (“fillers”), embutidos (salchichas), caldos enlatados y en polvo, y especias pre-enpaquetadas. Si no está seguro de que algún ingredient no me vaya a hacer daño, por favor no utilice el ingrediente.

3. PUEDO COMER
casi cualquier alimento no preparado con los ingredientes arriba especificados. Por ejemplo: carne fresco, arroz, maíz, papas, huevos, vegetales y frutas frescas, frijoles, nueces, aceite, sal, azúcar, tofu, y especias puras, por mencionar algunos.

IMPORTANTE: Si utilize las mismas superficies de trabajo o utensilios de cocina para preparer alimentos que no puedo comer, por favor lávelos bien antes de preparer mis alimentos. Por favor no utilice la misma agua o aceite que usó para preparer alimentos que no puedo comer.

* Por favor evite también los ingredientes siguientes ya que pueden derivarse del trigo, la avena, la cebada o el centeno: cualquier clase de malta, colorants y saborizantes artificales, almidones no identificados.