New gluten-free Baking Business

[Cam's Mom]

Hi All!

I am very excited . . . gluten-free food is catching on like wild fire in the little valley where I live. There are a couple of restaurants (little places, not chains) that have gluten-free items, an ice cream parlor that offers gluten-free cones and special containers of ice cream that have not been contaminated. And, now a local market started offering gluten-free cupcakes. So, since I have been doing some pretty darn good baking some friends of mine who own a cafe have asked if I would supply them with some gluten-free goods. We're going to start off slow with some items for a catered function where a couple of people have celiac. Then we will go on to offering rolls for sandwiches then branch into some desserts if we are getting a good response.

Anyway, here is my question to you clever, creative types out there:

I need a name for this gluten-free baked goods business. Any ideas?

I am hoping I could parlay this into a bit of a distribution service to lots of the little cafes, bakeries and little local markets we have around.

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Barb

[irish daveyboy]

Hi All!

I am very excited . . . gluten-free food is catching on like wild fire in the little valley where I live. There are a couple of restaurants (little places, not chains) that have gluten-free items, an ice cream parlor that offers gluten-free cones and special containers of ice cream that have not been contaminated. And, now a local market started offering gluten-free cupcakes. So, since I have been doing some pretty darn good baking some friends of mine who own a cafe have asked if I would supply them with some gluten-free goods. We're going to start off slow with some items for a catered function where a couple of people have celiac. Then we will go on to offering rolls for sandwiches then branch into some desserts if we are getting a good response.

Anyway, here is my question to you clever, creative types out there:

I need a name for this gluten-free baked goods business. Any ideas?

I am hoping I could parlay this into a bit of a distribution service to lots of the little cafes, bakeries and little local markets we have around.

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Barb

Hi Barbara,

.

Not sure what sort of lines your thinking along, but How about something like this.

.

NEAT TREAT BAKERY.

.

Good Friends.

eat

Great Food

that's

Gluten Free

but it's

Going Fast.

.

Call Barbara at Neat Treat Bakery for your stock of the best tasting gluten-free Goodies in Mass.

.

That's my 2 cents worth.

.

Best Regards,

David

[momandgirls]

Hi - Where in Mass are you? It's sounds like a very celiac friendly area of the state.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

The Grain of Truth Bakery

Great Expectations

Grain-free Expectations

Sweet Minus The Wheat

Silly Yak Sweets

I really like IrishDaveyBoy's suggestions, too!

[Cam's Mom]

Awesome!!! You guys are the best!

I will run the list by my boss (7 year old Celiac daughter, that is).

Thanks a ton!!

We are in Western MA about 2 hours west of Boston and about 1 hour east of the Berkshires. The beautiful Pioneer Valley. Our biggest industry is 5 Colleges/Universities and lots and lots and lots of food. There has to be a silver lining in here somewhere, right?

Thanks again for the help - keep 'em coming if you've got more!

barb

[NewGFMom]

Awesome!!! You guys are the best!

I will run the list by my boss (7 year old Celiac daughter, that is).

Thanks a ton!!

We are in Western MA about 2 hours west of Boston and about 1 hour east of the Berkshires. The beautiful Pioneer Valley. Our biggest industry is 5 Colleges/Universities and lots and lots and lots of food. There has to be a silver lining in here somewhere, right?

Thanks again for the help - keep 'em coming if you've got more!

barb

I spend a lot of time in Shelburne Falls. Where are these restaurants you're talking about? We spend most of the time out there cooking. But occasionally I'd like a night out! Which ice cream store are you talking about?

Best of luck with your business!

[blueeyedmanda]

Good Luck with your new Bakery. I wish you were closer to PA!!!!

[rbh]

Awesome!!! You guys are the best!

I will run the list by my boss (7 year old Celiac daughter, that is).

Thanks a ton!!

We are in Western MA about 2 hours west of Boston and about 1 hour east of the Berkshires. The beautiful Pioneer Valley. Our biggest industry is 5 Colleges/Universities and lots and lots and lots of food. There has to be a silver lining in here somewhere, right?

Thanks again for the help - keep 'em coming if you've got more!

barb

You mentioned a couple of celiac friendly restaurants and a celiac friendly ice cream parlor -- do you mind sharing the names and towns? We live in Boston, but get out to Western Mass periodically. Good luck with your business -- I was just in New Hampshire, and was at a coffee shop where they were selling gluten free cookies and muffins that had been baked by a gluten-free baker. The gluten-free items were separately wrapped, so there was no risk of cc -- it seemed like a good approach.

Rochelle

[Cam's Mom]

There is a restaurant called Butternuts which is on Rte. 9 in Hadley, MA. It is a really nice upscale place and the executive chef, Andy Sussman has made it his business to learn all that he can about gluten-free cooking. He has had a few items on the menu that are gluten-free for a while but has now added gluten-free pasta so that if someone wants to order one of the regular pasta items and substitute they can. He starts you off with an actually edible piece of gluten free bread, toasted with melted parmesean on top! This place makes my daughter so happy that she actually tears up! Very nice wait staff, very knowledgable about Celiac and cc issues - a real pleasure. www.butternutsonline.com

Then, in Amherst, MA there is a Chinese place called Panda East. They are familiar with Celiac and carry gluten-free soy sauce - they will make a special gluten-free meal using that Soy Sauce if you talk to them about it. I am not as comfortable here with cc issues but they are knowledgable and friendly and definitely try to accommodate.

There is a wonderful little farm/ice cream place in Hadley, MA called Cook's Farm (cows right out front). The women who owns the place (Beth) has a couple of Celiac grand children - so, she is totally in the know. Not only does she have gluten-free ice cream cones and separate containers of gluten-free flavors, she also instructs her employess to always change their gloves before touching the gluten-free cones, use a fresh clean scoop, etc. She also has a small but awesome stash of hard to find goodies that one would have to order on the internet if not for her, such as glutino crackers, boxes of ice cream cones and some cookies. Very nice people who definitely know what they are doing.

Last week my son was in a little market in North Amherst that also has a deli/bakery in it - called Cushman Market. He said they had Gluten Free lemon cupcakes in the bakery case. Not sure if these were made in house or from a safer place but love that the concept is catching on and spreading to the bakeries.

There is an African place in the center of Amherst (actually not sure if it is still there) called Bakku that had several items on the menu that were noted as Celiac friendly on the menu.

My friends own the Loose Goose Cafe in the center of Amherst and have been so sweet to make us sandwiches on our own rolls (even at food fairs in town). They are very knowledgable and will totally use clean gloves, clean cutting boards, clean knives and will assemble food away from the usual production area to try to avoid cc (although it is hard to do at a sandwich joint). This is where we are hoping to add in some baked goods.

There is a little Thai place in Amherst called Thai Corner and they will cook without soy sauce or with gluten-free sauce and know a bit about Celiac and are careful. They make a great pad thai.

We are very lucky to be living in a place where the Celiac diet is taken so seriously and catered to. I am hoping that by introducing cookies, rolls, cakes, etc. many of the main stream bakeries and cafe's we can promote the ability for Celiacs in our happy little valley to get out there and eat "just like" everyone else.

So, that is the scoop here in little western MA - and that is not even to mention Northampton, the real food capitol of our area - not sure what's going on over there but there are many, many fine restaurants there that will hopefully be catching on!

Barb

[EBsMom]

We are in Western MA about 2 hours west of Boston and about 1 hour east of the Berkshires. The beautiful Pioneer Valley.

I was going to say you *couldn't* be in the Berkshires (I live in NY, just over the border.) I've found very little knowledge of celiac disease or gluten-free food there (except for one great natural/health food store, where I buy most of my gluten-free stuff.) My dd looked at this thread and liked "Silly Yak Sweets." You could also name it after your "boss!" Good luck to you! I'm thinking I'll have to find a reason too drive an hour east sometime soon, lol!

Rho

[JeanM]

So, that is the scoop here in little western MA - and that is not even to mention Northampton, the real food capitol of our area - not sure what's going on over there but there are many, many fine restaurants there that will hopefully be catching on!

Barb

[kevsmom]

How about "NO-WHEAT TREATS"?

[nowheatnomilk]

neew's

not everyone eats wheats

[nowheatnomilk]

neew's not everyone eats wheat sweets.

[blueeyedmanda]

How about Goodness Gluten Free Goodies

[celiacvictim123]

what flour mix gluten-free basic i have soy millet and rice i think they would go well, whats your 2 cents?

[Cam's Mom]

Hi All!

I haven't been on in a while as I have been busy baking and writing PR materials. The idea is being unbelievably well met and local cafes can not wait to get their hands on the goods! In fact we are already serving some demo stuff (bread and cookies) at one shop and we're not advertising or anything but word has gotten out and people are coming in and asking for it!

So, exciting. I am hoping to get the kitchen inspected next week so that The SillYak (the official name - thanks for the help!!) will be up and running soon. My daughter has gone out and had her first real, great deli sandwich - what a thrill!!

Jean - We are in the Amherst area (just a few minutes east of you) and I would be happy to talk with you and help out in anyway I can. Feel free to PM me.

Celiac victim123 - there are many good prepared gluten-free flour mixes or you can mix yourself (for economy sake). For prepared mix I highly recommend Pamela's Baking Mix. This contains almond meal and dairy - so not for everyone. For mixing your own, I highly recommed picking up a Bette Hagman book and looking at her many different mixes - it sort of matters what you are using the mix for.

Happy baking and I'll keep you posted about The SillYak! Thanks for the support!

barb