FiddleCakes and Friendship on Friday

You know that FiddleCakes, located on 8th Avenue South, is one of my favorite gluten-free spots in Nashville.  Okay, it's not ONE of my favorites.  It IS my favorite.  Not only can I order any sandwich off their menu on delicious gluten-free bread, but I can enjoy gluten-free treats like cookies, muffins, and cupcakes.  I can even special order specialty items like cakes for special occasions or even ordinary days that call out for a little celebration.

Sadly, FiddleCakes isn't located in my neck of the woods, so I'm resigned to visiting on weekends and vacation days.  But thankfully, the summertime is top heavy on the vacation days thanks to the school teacher's calendar!  So I get to visit my little slice of Heaven in Nashville a little more frequently.  On Friday, my sweet friend, Andrea, and I had a Girl Day -- lunch, pedicures, and shopping.  What better way to start Girl Day than at FiddleCakes?

Owners, Tasha and Lindsay, have done a fantastic job of turning this quaint little house into a European-style cafe or bakery complete with welcoming nooks where you can sit and enjoy their delicacies.   When I see the rocking chairs on the front porch, it takes me back to my grandmother's porch with the wide, squeaky floorboards and the porch swing.  Images of molasses cookies and homemade baked bread flood my memory.  Suddenly, FiddleCakes' front porch is my new happy place where I can sip coffee and enjoy a gluten-free cranberry muffin in my sentimental reverie.

They've added some new picnic tables out front, but I haven't yet dined alfresco.  It was a pretty hot summer afternoon, so Andrea and I opted for indoor seating.

You might too if you found seating that looked like this.

FiddleCakes isn't just a memory jogger, it's becoming a memory maker for me.  I remember the exact table where I was sitting my very first time at FiddleCakes.  I was bouncing and smiling ridiculously as I anticipated the arrival of a completely safe, gluten-free lunch.  It wouldn't be an iceburg lettuce salad with plain boiled chicken and olive oil.  It wouldn't be a regular menu item with all of the good stuff stripped off to make it gluten-free.  This would be a sandwich, a bowl of soup, and a dessert ordered AS IS like any other normal person.  Gluten-intolerant folks rarely experience such a normal pleasure!

I can remember sitting at this bar after completing a 10-mile training run in the pouring down rain with Andrea.  FiddleCakes makes great, healthy recovery food for the meat eaters and vegans alike.  After running 10 miles, calories just don't count.  Sure, I'll have the Triple Chocolate Threat Cookie.  (You HAVE to try them.)

I remember the time I sat in this corner with old friends from out of town.  We picked up right where we left off, laughed about our early married years together, cried about hard times we went through including the death of a young husband and close friend.  We shared our dreams for the future.  And this was all over food.  Delicious food that weds the heart and the senses to an experience that I'll never forget.

Friendship is sweet.  But just like adding a sprinkle of sugar and a splash of cream to a cup of hot coffee, good food enriches the friendship experience.

I wasn't the only one making memories on Friday.  Unknown to me at the time, Friday was also the 80th birthday of my friend, Gail's mother.  Gail's mom is also gluten-intolerant, and I've raved about FiddleCakes to anyone who will listen, but especially to those that I know would truly appreciate their extensive gluten-free offerings.  Gail had her first FiddleCakes experience earlier in the day, just hours before I arrived.  And when I got home later that afternoon, I received the following message from her.

"My mom's 80th birthday party is today, and I went to FiddleCakes to get her a birthday cake, a few loaves of gluten-free bread, and lunch.  She had the gluten-free ham sandwich with brie and the quinoa salad.  I also had the quinoa salad, and it was DELICIOUS!  The gluten-free red velvet cake was awesome, and she was so thrilled to be able to eat cake and bread!  Thank you for recommending them.  The women at FiddleCakes were so excited to be a part of her 80th birthday celebration.  They were so helpful.  Then when I got to Mom's she showed me today's paper, and there was a big article about FiddleCakes!  I haven't had time to read it yet, but Mom was so excited to find out that there was a place that really catered to people who require gluten-free food.  What a special treat for someone whose health greatly depends on eating gluten-free.  I'm sure you understand."

Yes, I understand.  I understand completely.  That's what makes FiddleCakes such a special place.

On Friday's perfect Girl Day I had the Standard on gluten-free bread.  There's nothing "standard" about this sandwich.  Grilled chicken, provolone, spinach, roasted red peppers, and veganaise.  Who would ever know that it was gluten-free?  Because their grill is used for non-gluten-free food, they were willing to toast the sandwich on top of aluminum foil to avoid cross-contamination.

Just look at this happy girl with a mouthful of yum.

If you ever visit FiddleCakes without choosing a dessert, you have far more willpower than I do.

You know about my love affair with bakery display cases.

And while nothing in this case is gluten-free, it gets my senses ready.  What I've really come for is in the back, well-protected from stray, gluteny crumbs.  I've never actually been in the back, but I envision a special case lined with gold and sparkling jewels with a sign that says, "Precious Gluten-Free Treats".  And I believe music plays when they slide open the glass doors to retrieve my selection.

You have to look at the menu board to choose your gluten-free treats.  Have you ever seen this many gluten-free options at a bakery?  It's so hard to choose just one!  (Always order something for the road as well.)

Friday was definitely a cookie day.  This is an Are-You-Serious-That-This-Is-Gluten-Free Chocolate Pecan Cookie.  I still have no idea how they get their cookies to rise and stay so plump.  They're beautiful as well as delicious.

It was the perfect ending to a great lunch and a perfect start to Girl Day with Andrea.  The next time you need a special place for a special day, or if your ordinary day needs a twist of happiness or a splash of pleasure, where are you going for lunch?

Another Gluten-Free Bakery in Nashville!

When I was a little girl I was enamored with bakeries.  Visiting corner bakeries with their glass-front cases bursting with jelly-filled donuts, muffins, cookies, brownies, scones, and fresh rolls was a rare treat, but that was only one of the reasons that bakeries were so special to me.  Another reason is that I got to make a choice.  I could choose any treat in the entire bakery case.  Did I want chocolate or vanilla?  Cream-filled or jelly-filled.  Oooh, and what kind of frosting should I have, and would I choose sprinkles?  Chocolate or rainbow?  Once the decision was made, we'd walk out with sticky fingers and powdered sugar mustaches while nibbling on the best baked good in the entire store.

For those of us who are gluten-intolerant, bakeries are a thing of the past.  Bakeries are now store fronts that initially bring back fond memories, but then they're followed by the disappointing reality that we will never enjoy a bakery again.  Because if we at even a crumb of the sweet treats held within, we'd be sick for days, some of us weeks or even months.

There are several well-known gluten-free bakeries that have popped up within the last few years, but most of them are in large cities.

When my mom and I were in Chicago, we hunted down Swirlz Cupcakes because we heard that they made a different gluten-free option every day. After following the maps app on my iPhone through the streets of the city, we finally found it, and it was well worth the effort.

This is the picture that I took through the glass display case.

My 8-year-old niece didn't seem to miss the gluten.














 
When we're in New York City I always have to stop at Risotteria.  Not only do I enjoy the chance to eat gluten-free pizza and breadsticks, but I get to linger at the display case wondering how many of the delicacies I can reasonably fit in my carry-on.

This cupcake didn't even make it out the door.  And, no, I don't want to split it.  Get your own.
New York City has another gluten-free vegan bakery called BabyCakes, but I haven't made it there yet.  But just clicking on that link will send your blood sugar through the roof as the sweets craving rushes through your veins.

Well, Nashville, we no longer have to fly to Chicago or NYC to find a gluten-free bakery.  We have not one, but TWO of them right here in our little city!

You know I'm a huge fan of FiddleCakes.  In fact, the Whiskers Family likes to think that we keep them in business.  The last time the Husband stopped in for his favorite peanut butter chocolate chip cookie there was someone new working behind the counter.  When he asked if he'd ever been to FiddleCakes before, one of the owners beat him to his answer.  "Oh, he's a regular."

This weekend I met a new friend named April.  April is the owner of Aunt April's Bakery, Nashville's only completely gluten-free bakery, and I'm so excited to introduce her to you. 

Many of you know April's baked goods because you buy them when you stop in at Matteo's for gluten-free pizza.  The first time you saw her basket of goodies on the counter you were shocked that single servings of gluten-free cookies and brownies existed!  Providing a safe, delicious, convenient dessert for you brings April so much joy.  When she went gluten-free three and a half years ago, she realized that if she wanted a treat she had to bake an entire batch of cookies or a whole pan of brownies herself.  There wasn't anyplace where she could just pick up a simple cookie.  It was her husband who suggested that April start her own gluten-free bakery for that very reason.  "I'm trying to help people with that convenience," April explained.

Some of you have ordered sandwiches on April's incredible gluten-free Flaxseed Bread at The Wild Cow in East Nashville. Ordering a sandwich in a restaurant like a normal person is a gluten-free person's dream.  I've not yet been to The Wild Cow, but April did bring me a loaf of her bread to try.  Take a look at this beauty!

You've seen pictures of MY bread attempts, so you can really appreciate this!  Not only was it gorgeous, but it sliced like real bread.

It handled the weight of my sandwich fillings -- yummy Salsalito turkey, lettuce, tomato, and avocado.

And it even passed the gravity test.

But, best of all, it was delicious.  It was so good that the Husband said, "I think this is the best gluten-free bread I've ever had."  After another bite, he changed his mind.  "No, I think this is the best bread I've ever had."

Even Marcy needed to know what we were so excited about.

You can also find April's products at Yolos Restaurant in Green Hills and The Green Wagon East.

Aunt April's Bakery does not yet have a storefront, but that's not slowing April down.  She's baking and making deliveries all week long.  You can even place an order by contacting April directly. 

I have more to share about April and her amazing baked goods, but it will have to wait for another day.  Time for an evening treat.

Now, where did I put April's gluten-free chocolate chip cookies?  Oh, that Husband!

Everyone Loves Bread

Everyone loves bread, especially when it's homemade.  Every once in a while I hear someone turn down a dessert because they don't enjoy chocolate.  That's pretty shocking, but I've never come across anyone who's said, "No, thank you, I don't care for bread."  It's just unheard of.  If they turn down light, steamy dinner rolls with a crunchy crust, they're either lying or they're on a low-carb diet.

So, when we first hear the news that we must be gluten-free for the rest of our lives, bread is the first thing that we mourn.

Five years ago, in order to bake a really good loaf of gluten-free bread, you had to buy 5-6 different obscure and high-priced flours, spend an entire afternoon in the kitchen, and hope and pray that the bread didn't come out of the oven resembling or weighing a brick.

We've come a long way since then.  And while it may be a lot of fun to experiment and bake breads with a variety of flours, the realities of life can cut kitchen time down to a bare minimum.  Scoop it, pour it, spread it, and inhale it.

Today, we have "go to mixes" for those weeks when we just need a loaf of bread in the fridge for sandwiches.  One of my favorites is Gluten Free Pantry's French Bread and Pizza Mix.  It's incredibly easy to make and is available at Whole Foods and most major grocery stores.

The mix has directions for using a bread machine, but I always prefer using the oven.  It brings back memories of baking bread with my grandma.  Grandma always used one large loaf pan, and she had two tiny loaf pans that she would entrust to my brother and me.  After a few hours of kneading, rolling, rising, and baking, we each had our very own mini-loaf.  We could hardly wait for it to cool before cutting a tiny slice.  We'd watch with wonder as the pat of butter melted into a golden pool.

Grandma didn't have a Kitchen Aid.  Grandma was also the most patient woman I'll ever know.  She wasn't flying around the kitchen attending to five different things at once.  No matter what she was doing, that job, or that person, received her full attention.

Today, the Kitchen Aid gets the kneading done quickly, but it takes away the joy of sticky fingers, flour up to the elbows, and the satisfaction that you can only get by working with your hands.

The Gluten-Free Pantry dough needs to rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes.  Plenty of time for multi-taskers to check a few more items off the to-do list.

Now, isn't that is a beautiful loaf of bread?  Gluten-Free Pantry really knows how to make a great mix.

Some mixes don't turn out as well.  Here's an example of a bread mix (which shall remain nameless) that had a mind of its own.

I still have no idea what went wrong with this one, but it sure made for a good laugh (and really huge sandwiches).

Summer vacation is just around the corner, and I look forward to having time to putter in the kitchen, mix up a variety flours, add a little twist here and there, and open the oven door with hope and anticipation.

But for now, the Whisker's Family is in survival mode.  Ten days of school filled with final projects, report cards, awards ceremonies, cum records, celebrations, field day, and packing up a classroom are ahead.

So, we are very thankful for good quick mixes.

What gluten-free bread mixes do you use?

Olive-Rosemary Bread

I haven't been very adventurous with baking gluten-free breads as I'm not a fan of yeast.  (Actually, yeast isn't a fan of me.)  Most yeast-free, gluten-free bread slices either fall apart, which defeats the purpose of bread for sandwich-lovers, or they are dense enough to double as a doorstop.  I do enjoy the texture and taste of Anna's Gluten and Yeast-Free Bread Mix, but it was time to stretch my wings.

For the past few months, I've been experimenting with baking with almond flour.  Every single recipe I've tried has been a great success.  This recipe is straight from Elana Amsterdam's Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.  The loaf was beautiful, it was delicious, and no one knew it was gluten-free.

Olive-Rosemary Bread

3/4 cup creamy almond butter
2 T olive oil
3 large eggs
1 T agave nectar
1/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary

In a large bowl, mix the almond butter and olive oil with a mixer until smooth.  Then blend in the eggs and agave nectar.  In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt, and baking soda.  Blend the almond flour mixture into the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined, then fold in the olives and rosemary.  (Black kalamata olives would have been much prettier, but true to form, I didn't decide to make this bread until the last minute before guests were arriving.  Green olives were available and still quite tasty.)  Pour the batter into a greased 7x3-inch loaf pan.  Bake for 45 to 55 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven.  Let the bread cool in the pan for an hour before serving.

I've spread this bread with goat cheese and served it with a salmon dinner.  Amazing.  I've used it to make sandwiches, giving an ordinary turkey sandwich a gourmet flair.  And I just defrosted and toasted a piece as an evening snack.  Yum.

I haven't been able to find blanched almond flour locally, so I ordered from Honeyville.  Sadly, my hero, Bob doesn't make his almond flour fine enough for Elana's recipes.  I'll forgive him this one.