Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start...

About this blog:
Before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease back in 2000, I loved to bake, as demonstrated in this photo of me and my sister-in-law, Jenny. I'm the short one. I especially like to bake deserts. It was a hobby. It was what I did when I was bored or inspired. So after “D” day, I naturally wanted to try baking gluten free desserts.

My mom bought Bette Hagman’s Gluten Free Gourmet and a cookbook from the Gluten Intolerance Group. Both turned out to be utter disappointments. My family stuck with me as I attempted pie crusts, cakes, cookies, cobblers and quick breads, but we noticed a trend with the recipes: they were dry, crumbly and a little too "healthy."

[Side note: Don’t get me wrong – I like to eat healthy. I rarely eat meat, I avoid “bad fats” and try to eat lots of local, organic, anti-oxidant-rich foods, but being on a gluten free diet takes away so many options, that when I feel like eating a treat, I want a real treat. Not a healthy version of a treat.]

So, I decided to take the principles of gluten free baking that I learned from those books (like using a variety of flours and adding a bit of xanthan gum as a binder) and I tried adapting the normal recipes that I had always liked. And guess what? In general, it worked!

The recipes I’ll feature in this blog are the result of some trial and error, but the good news is that you don’t have to do the trial and error yourself! And, if there is a dessert recipe that you’re dying to eat a gluten free version of that’s not in my repertoire, let me know and I’ll attempt the challenge.