Our Menus Are Going Gluten Free. Here's Why. January 04 2017

Gluten has always been an interesting topic for me, personally.  First as my favorite ingredient, and now as my favorite ingredient to replace, out of necessity.

It's been seven years now since I've eaten gluten.

It was a huge shift for me. Before I changed my diet to what it is now - a GAPS (similar to Paleo) diet modified for me based on experimentation. I was a vegetarian for 18 years, ever since I took my stand on meat in the wake of an early 1990's Jack in the Box e coli outbreak that killed multiple children.

Not just a vegetarian, but one who ate primarily cheese, baked goods, potatoes, and beans than vegetables.  I loved making my own bread and eating tons of pizza after dawn to dusk climbing days and experimenting with crazy pancake flavors. 

So I know the amazingness of gluten (and dairy!). This is where our focus on the Paleo desserts has come from. Me wanting to eat my baked goods but having some serious ingredient limitations to keep my digestion healthy.

We've managed the transition to dessert, but we've still always offered occasional savory gluten options for two reasons:

1. A classic business fear. If we specialize too much, will we be able to make it? Or will we just alienate people?  That fear has largely subsided, thanks to you, our amazing customers.
2.  To help the folks with multiple diets in their households, some of which are not restricted. We've continued offering one gluten full dish about once a month down from more frequent options. 

Now, however, I've realized the core of what we do, the best gift that I and we as a team can currently offer is our expertise of making delicious food that also has the potential to be healing as well as nourishing. Healing has two components - what's not in it that's harmful (like gluten for some people) and what is in it (like micronutrients thanks to growing in thriving local soil). 

And this doesn't exclude anyone because an equal requirement to healing is downright tasty.  And everyone can do tasty!!

So, for many of you gluten eaters who may be going "What?! What about ______ Pie!?" never fear. We're making the final tweaks on a gluten free pie crust that some brave and somewhat unsuspecting customers have taste tested for us....and continued eating as a snack.  We will have savory pies, and they will be delicious.

And for those of you who don't eat gluten, I hope this will be an added benefit. You will no longer have to search menus to ensure that a dish is gluten free.   ALL dishes will be gluten free.  

We still are not currently certified as a gluten free facility. We do occasionally have folks who come in to rent our kitchen on weeks when we're not here. They may use gluten. However, we will never have any gluten ingredients in the kitchen when we are cooking and clean and check for cross contamination thoroughly.

Please let me know if you have questions or feedback.  

Here's to living deliciously!