Gentle Grains doesn't appear to have a website, yet, so here's a photograph of the pamphlet!

Last night I was heading home from some Christmas shopping when I stopped in at VitaHealth on Osborne. In the little area between the till and the bath and body section was a petite blonde woman standing behind a large, round table covered with delicious, bite-sized baked treats.

I asked her what was up, and she said, “I have a business called Gentle Grains, and I bake things that are all gluten, dairy and nut-free.”

I couldn’t think of anything to say at right that moment because I was so in awe. Gluten-free AND nut-free? The exact combination of allergies in my family?

She told me that she had taken baking at Red River College and then had stayed home to raise her children. Now they’re in school, so she’s giving this business a try. From the brochure:

The Gentle Grains story starts in the early ’80s when, as children, growing numbers of our friends and family were being diagnosed with celiac disease. Unable to eat the gluten in wheat, barley, ry, most oats or any of their derivatives, we were sorry to see people we love turn down birthday cake or a slice on pizza night. We were nearly as anxious as they were when eating out, imploring a restaurant’s waitstaff to keep their meals gluten-free, only to return home with them that evening, bed-ridden sick with gluten contamination.

Here’s Gentle Grains’ current menu:

• Bagels
• Artisanal bread
• Pizza crust
• Yeast-free buns
• Breadsticks
• Cinnamon buns
• Muffins (Pumpkin, blueberry-lemon and apple-cranberry)
• Cookies (Choco chip, gingerbead, oatmeal raisin)
• Cakes (Vanilla and chocolate)
• Tortes/squares (Mint chocolate and butterscotch)

Gentle Grains is currently retailing at VitaHealth stores; it’s bakery is in a rented community centre kitchen! No website yet, you can email j.lawrence  (at)  live  (dot) ca or call 204-998-3683.

I purchased one of the GG pizza crusts, which the VitaHealth guy enthusiastically described as not the “best gluten-free pizza crust,” but the “best pizza crust ever!” I also picked up a half-dozen of the yeast-free buns, which are delicious (the pizza crust is in the freezer, being saved for later!). Now, the price point on these items is high — $7.99 for the crust, $8.99 for the buns. But people who shop for GF products know that there is a higher cost to these things (unfortunately). Most of us are used to buying frozen products, and these are fresh, too.

Anyway, I’m going to do my part to buy lots of GG products at VitaHealth, so they’ll have no choice to stock her entire line of delicious baked goods!