It is kinda weird. When I was a kid, I could never get enough candy, chocolate, and sugary foods. Now I know I must be getting older. I actually ate something today that was sweet enough to make me grab my bag of GF pretzels and chow down.
Today (yesterday if you believe the day ends at midnight and not when you fall asleep) I went over to Gluten Free Gloriously, another GF bakery that is near my home. This one is much closer, located in Stirling Township. They offer a wide variety of products including breads, cakes, pies, cookies, and other packaged goods that you can find in stores, but for cheaper prices at this establishment. They offer GF foods in varieties that may or may not contain dairy or soy, but their main task is simply to be gluten free and delicious. I talked to the owner, Kathie, in great lengths the first time I went there. She is a lovely woman and a talented baker. Unlike myself, she is only gluten intolerant and doesn't possess the Celiac gene. I don't know if I possess it either, but it easier if I just live completely gluten free. To go back now and try to incorporate some gluten back into my diet will be more frustrating.
The one thing she doesn't make at her bakery is regular sandwich bread. She has two types of wraps, Italian bread, even hot dog and hamburger rolls during grilling season, but no sandwich bread. She explained it to me quite simply, "Udi's makes a great bread. They have a wonderful recipe and it would cost me triple the cost of their bread to make my own."
Anyways...so I went up there today to pick up a couple of things. I had been there before and bought many things the first time around. The first time I shopped there, I bought a package of their cheddar wraps, some Italian bread, plain bagels (not theirs, but one they carry for sale...review coming soon), a chocolate dessert that I believe was called Chocolate Decadence, and a pepperoni pizza.
Their wraps are absolutely a staple item for me to keep on-hand. I used to make my wraps instead of sandwiches and when I could no longer have anything with wheat in it, I felt lost. Taco nights sucked even worse. If I have a choice between a soft taco shell and a hard one, I always went for the soft shells. Her wraps have made me so happy. They come in two varieties, plain and cheddar. I have only tried the cheddar so far. They are kept frozen and defrost quickly just in the open air. The one thing you need to get used to is folding them. They are square-shaped. You would think it wouldn't be an issue, but I seem to be unable to grasp how to fold them because they aren't circular.
I tried the Italian bread at her shop the first time I was there and I loved it, but I haven't even cut into the loaf I bought. I am saving it for tomorrow for my family's gathering. I hate when there is sauce that beckons to be sopped up in a piece of bread and I don't have any with me to eat. The little I tried from that sample tasted just like the gluten variety. Next time I buy some I will be making garlic bread with it.
The pizza was good and tasty, but I have grown fond of the crust that Schar makes as well as a new one I recently tried. I will do a pizza comparison this week for these two crusts as I have been craving pizza again. It is a thin crust pizza with a nice, pleasant tasting sauce. I prefer French bread and thicker crusts, so her pizza wasn't my style, but it is great in a pinch when you don't have the time to make one fresh,
The chocolate dessert I had, sadly, wasn't what I expected, but when I talked to her today, I found out why. It wasn't so much a cake but more of a smooth pudding like consistency and it had a strange taste that I couldn't identify. Found out it was coffee. I love coffee, so maybe in this recipe it just didn't work for me.
Today I picked up some more wraps to have on-hand and the young lady working the counter (wish I knew her name, she is very helpful and knowledgeable) recommended that I try one of their small Lemon Meringue pies. Yet another thing I really miss since the GF change...pie. So I took the pie home, placed it in the fridge, and had dinner. When I tasted it, my mind tried to find my inner child. The child inside of me that loves sweets and prefers coffee made Beastie Boys-style (listen to the song "Intergalactic" and you will know what I mean) was cowering in the corner, unable to handle the sweetness of this pie.
Don't get me wrong. It was delicious! The meringue was light and airy, the filling was just tart enough and the crust was firm, yet delicate, but it was very, very sweet. I got about three bites into it, put it back in the fridge to finish another time, and then went to the pantry and started noshing on some salty snacks to balance out my tastes buds. I will finish it as it tasted great, but it was just so sweet. Maybe it was because I wasn't really hungry, but I couldn't wait to taste it. I suspect it may be too sweet for my blood, but I know that there are plenty of people out there that will love it.
Overall, I love that this place exists! It is closer to my home and the prices are comparable to most other locations, and the added bonus that they also carry for sale other products for a little bit cheaper than stores sell them for. I highly recommend everyone that lives in the area go there.
Taco leftovers for me on Monday...and my second attempt to tell my inner child who is boss and convince him that the pie isn't THAT sweet!
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