Custom Made Gluten-Free Cakes in Florence

Chocolate gluten-free cake at Cup & Top

For the past seven years for my daughter’s birthday, I’ve ordered a beautiful Perry-Made Carrot Cake from the Old Creamery in Cummington, MA.  Perry makes an excellent cake that will feed a small army of small children.  And everytime, everyone is happy enjoying their plates of cream  cheese frosting, spicy deliciousness as us gluten-free party goers stand along side and eat oranges.  I’m sorry – as good as a juicy orange can be, it ain’t no Perry Cake!

But times are a changin’ … check this out!  Cup and Top Cafe in Florence, MA is offering custom made gluten-free cakes to order!  That’s reason enough to have a party and order a cake.  Pictured here is a double layer vanilla cake with decadent and decorative chocolate frosting that Felicia, cook-extraordinaire,  just whipped up at the last minute.  LOVE HER!

Happy Gluten-Free Days at Elmer’s in Ashfield!

Elmer's Store in beautiful downtown Ashfield, MA. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

This is a new offering at Elmer’s: A Recipe-in-a-Basket. You get a new recipe AND they have all the major ingredients to make it. This week’s feature is: GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA!

Donna Elwell writes: “I made this recipe up the other day and served it to my whole family. We all loved it. This pizza can be vegetarian by omitting the pepperoni and adding steamed broccoli.”

Here’s what they have to offer in their basket:

• 1 package of Bob’s Gluten-free Pizza Dough Mix
• 16 oz Natural Value or Eden Pasta Sauce
• 2 large onions, sliced and sauteed
• 4 cloves garlic, fresh, minced
• 1 stick Vermont Pepperoni, sliced
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
• Parsley, minced

And here’s their directions on what to do with all of these great ingredients:

• Mix the dough according to the package directions, including pre-cooking for 5-7 minutes.
• Spread pasta sauce over the large pizza crust and top with onions, pepperoni, fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, and parsley.
• Finish cooking according to Pizza Dough directions.

For more info, get in touch with Donna: Elmer’s Store, 396 Main Street, Ashfield, MA 01330, (413) 628-4003

Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcake with Raspberry Buttercream at RVM in Northampton

Dessert display at the RVM bakery. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

My daughter and I had dinner at the Quarry Cafe at River Valley Market (RVM) Co-Op in Northampton, MA on Wednesday night. I always order the tacos with beans and loads of veggies and fresh salsa. It’s clean gluten-free food, filling and easy on the pocketbook.

The best part about dinner at RVM is their gluten-free desserts. This night it was the Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcake with Raspberry Buttercream that caught my eye. They were just gorgeous, and delicious!

Doesn't this look too pretty to eat! (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

Ingredients include: brown rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, potato starch, butter, organic cane sugar, eggs, lemon zest, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, buttermilk, lemon extract, vanilla extract, refined sugar, egg whites, raspberry puree, raspberries.

Now how they put that all together I have no idea.  But they did it with a little magic.  The cupcake was a delicious lemon/vanilla flavored cake.  The perfect holder of a DROP-DEAD DELICIOUS Raspberry Buttercream … but really, how could you go wrong with butter, sugar and raspberry puree!

Luxurious on the inside! I gave my daughter the side with the raspberry ... cuz I love her! (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

As I think back, I can’t remember ever having a gluten-free cupcake.  If that’s the case, this was the perfect cupcake to break my cupcake fast!  I split it (begrudginly) with my beloved 7yo daugher.  She loved it too.  Her buttercream plopped onto the table top, and before I could stop her she licked it off!  I guess I couldn’t blame her.  I’d do the same (at home).

Gluten-Free at the Ashfield Fall Festival

Gluten-Free Brownies at the Ashfield Fall Festival. (photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

How could brownies make someone so excited?!  When I found these being sold at the Ashfield Fall Festival, I squealed! The ladies at the church baked sale laughed at the delight I found in their platter of gluten-free brownies. The smells of pumpkin doughnuts and fried dough lingered in the air as I ordered two to go. I snacked on one as we passed by Elmer’s, home of Best Pancakes in New England (I wouldn’t know, but they do have good omelets). Those ladies at the church bake sale made this quintessential New England fall festival the best EVER!

Celiac Support Group November Meeting

I keep seeing signs up around town for a Celiac Support Group that meets every two months. They’re free and everyone is welcomed.

I haven’t been to a meeting yet, but I would like to go.  Louise Amyot, RD,LD is the contact person.  Her number is (413) 834-3340.

• Their next meeting is at 7pm on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at the Hadley Congregational Church in Hadley, MA.

Gluten-Free Pizza Parlor!

Gluten-Free Pizza at Hillside Pizza in Hadley and South Deerfield (photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

HILLSIDE PIZZA: FOR A BETTER PLANET

My husband and daughter both love PIZZA.  Pizza parlors always make 2/3rds of our family very happy, with 1/3rd (me) settling for a salad with lemon and olive oil.  While crunching on raw carrots and cucumbers, I get the pleasure of smelling their cheesy, pepperoni and sausage entrées that rest in front of me on a palette of gluten.  And they’re always both so happy, smiling up at me with orange oil running down their chins and mouths full of savory flavors and a crunchy crust, as I poke forkfuls of iceberg lettuce into my mouth, smiling back at them, pretending not to care.

That has all changed! No more crudités in lieu of savory cheese crustiness! When we saw a new pizza parlor, Hillside Pizza,  had opened up in Hadley, MA and noticed their banner waving in the wind, announcing: Fresh, Local, Organic & GLUTEN-FREE! Pizza on Friday night has finally become a family option for us!

Gluten-Free Pizza with Pepperoni and Tomato Slices at Hillside Pizza (photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

We took my daughter and her friend, and everyone got what they wanted.  They offer organic whole wheat crusts with their very own organic tomato sauce that my husband ordered, and for vegans there is even vegan cheese available.  The gluten-free crust is not vegan however but that’s alright with me!  Ingredients include: tapioca starch, milk, eggs, canola oil, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese. Notice: no yeast!

Their gluten-free crusts are 12″ and are made by Against the Grain Gourmet out of Brattleboro, VT.  I’ve purchased these crusts at Whole Foods in Hadley, MA and made pizza at home with this brand.  But sitting down with my family and enjoying a pizza at a pizza parlor takes the gluten-free cake!  It was super yummy!  The crust was crispy and the sauce was delicious.   I was in gluten-free-pizza-heaven!  I could have eaten the whole pie … and I did!

Hadley Resturant (photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

Hillside Pizza in Hadley, MA (and in South Deerfield, MA) open their doors and serve up gluten-free pies Thurs.-Sat. from 11am-9pm.  The rest of the week they focus on making pizza’s for community group fundraisers (schools, church, sport teams, etc.).  For the past eight years local community groups have raised over $138,000 selling their (gluten) pizzas.  Their gluten-free pizza’s are available for fundraisers too.  Give Kim or Jen a call at (413) 585-0003 for more info or go to www.hillsidepizza.com.

New Blog: A Little Bit About Me

I keep threatening to put together a blog of my gluten-free life here in Western Massachusetts.  So here we go.  I have an idea of where I’m going with this, but not sure where I will end up.  Should be fun.

A little related background about myself …

I was diagnosed with Celiac in 2003, following the birth of my daughter.  I’ll spare you the drama!

Pre-child, I was a vegan for many years (vegetarian for 15!). I worked as an herbalist and nutrition advisor in Connecticut.

Pre-Connecticut, I did a lot of cooking and baking (amongst other things):

• Chief Stewardess, M/V Greenpeace
• Baker, Omega Cafe
• Chef, Kalani Honua
• Kitchen Supervisor, Mike’s Restaurant & Grill
• Caterer/Owner, Veggin’ Out
• Coordinator, Great American Meat-Out Congressional Reception

Post-child, my family moved to the hilltowns of Western Massachsetts.  I have been working part-time towards my master’s in Nurtrition, and I have founded the Hilltown Families communication network.  I have great interest in food rituals, food writing and nutritional anthropology.  I enjoy photography and taking images of daily life in Western Massachusetts.

The rest I’ll share over a cup of tea and gluten-free muffin!