Cooqi

[2wheels4eyes]

Finally got to try the wares at Cooqi (Open Original Shared Link), the brand-new gluten-free bakery in St. Paul today (corner of Marshall and Cretin.) Small but great space--lots of seating in front of a big window, a little play area with a toy kitchen set for the kids, wi-fi for the grown ups.

And most important... totally amazing totally gluten-free, peanut-free and (in some cases) casein-free baked goods! I tried one of everything that was left today--the cookies, the cupcakes, the coffee. (They also do a variety of breads, dinner rolls, frozen cookie & pizza doughs, cakes etc.) The cookies were **transcendent**. I've been gluten-free a short enough time to remember what "real" food is like--these cookies are amazing. Sure, a gluten-free cookie is (relatively) easier to do, but a **transcendent** cookie? The ginger ones are the best I've ever had, period. And I have a serious thing for ginger cookies--I try them everywhere I go (or used to). Not just the taste but the texture of these was perfect--crunchy and chewy simultaneously: absolutely divine. The cupcakes too sweet for me but my coffee date lwith a sweet tooth oved them (as would anyone under the age of 15). Again, texture was fabulous: moist but not too moist, rich but not depressingly dense, good and not grainy mouthfeel...

Can't wait to try the rest of their products! FYI--they were totally cleaned out--of everything--by 4:30 today. But apparently they will reserve stuff for you if you call ahead. They're also hiring another baker so maybe soon they'll extend their hours and product volume.

Yay!!!