That’s not a typo in the headline. When the assignment to write an article about a gluten-free bakery came across my desk, my first reaction was, well, not one of excitement. For many years, gluten-free products have not exactly been, shall we say, very tasty. And being a baker myself, I was skeptical. So off I went to investigate.
Most great ideas are born out of a need. And this was no different. Jeff Robbins, the co-owner of Get Fresh Bake House, based in Fairfield, NJ, has a daughter with Celiac Disease and wanted to find a way to provide great tasting treats for her. GFBH opened in January, following three years of intensive research, planning, and preparation. Jeff and his business partner, Peter Mykrantz, knew they needed a true food professional to help with this endeavor. And they found that person in Bill Doyle, a passionate baker, graduate of the CIA, and 30 year veteran of the food industry.
Celiac Disease affects one out of every 133 people in the United States. It is not a food allergy – it is an autoimmune disease. The only treatment is the lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet. When gluten is removed from the diet, the small intestine will start to heal and overall health improves.1
Bill uses three different types of flour, depending on the item he is baking. The bakery is 100% gluten-free and all of the equipment in the facility is brand new, meaning that traditional wheat products never touched any of this equipment. Gluten-free foods do not contain wheat, barley, rye, oats, or their crossbred varieties. In addition, all GFBH products are individually wrapped to ensure there are no cross-contamination issues.
But the bottom line, of course, is taste. And I must tell you that if I did not know that these products were gluten-free, I would have never guessed it. Gone is the dry, mealy texture, and flat taste associated with so many gluten-free products. In its place, a cookie and bar as delicious as any regular product. As the GFBH team likes to say, they’re creating a delicious product that just happens to be gluten-free.
Of the products I sampled, the oatmeal-cranberry cookie and the brownie were my favorites. The oatmeal cookie was as delicious as any of the traditional oatmeal cookies I’ve made hundreds of times. The brownie, extremely moist with a tender crumb, would satisfy the chocolate cravings of any true chocolate lover.
And, in a fancy bit of name dropping, their classic chocolate chip cookie was the runaway winner of Oprah’s “Life Lift” blog.
GFBH makes a variety of cookies and bars, such as The Midnight 2X Chip Cookie, which is a dark, dark chocolate cookie, Bill’s Excellent Butterscotch Cookie, blondies, and the aforementioned brownie. They are still working out the formula, but hope to offer a top-notch gluten-free bread in the near future.
Get Fresh Bake House products are currently sold on-line or at various retail locations around the NY/NJ area.
I don’t have gluten issues, but I know this affects many people. Until now, there has been little in the way of delicious dessert options for them. It seems Get Fresh Bake House has helped to solve that problem, and along the way, created an entirely new category of desserts – “gourmet gluten-free.”
Get Fresh Bake House
1-855-GET-FRSH (438-3774)
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