Make it Yourself... Where do I start?

When first diagnosed, I was overwhelmed.  Our entire pantry lived on the kitchen table for two weeks while I agonised over what I could use and what I had to donate to our adult daughter's flat!  I rang every 0800 number on the back of packets to make sure it was safe.  Google became my best friend. Every search started with:  does ........ contain gluten?  I stressed when the rest of the family made a sandwich with "normal" bread.  Watching as bread crumbs seems to settle everywhere.  I felt like all I did was moan about how they were all probably poisoning me!  And when I wasn't bombarding them with facts on gluten, I was in a constant state of wiping down the counter tops from any contamination.

Mike and I started Gluten Free Store, after looking at several business options.  Mike read up more and more on the effects of gluten, and seeing me stressing about being "safe", this one fitted so well with us, and it seemed an easy option for us to be gluten free rather than a mixed household.  Yaay!
We started making contacts in the gluten free community, and have met the nicest people, some of whom I will be posting about throughout this blog.

One day we met Neville and Judy Green, from Gluten Free Made Easy.  They popped around for a coffee, and brought some of their bread and the most divine Hot Cross Buns I have tasted.  I liked Judy and Neville instantly, but after I tasted their wonderful baking I fell in love with them!!!!  I could not wait to get on their course to find out how this fabulous food was possible.  And wow, what a day it was.  Neville and Judy have spent years developing fantastic recipes, that just work!  I don't know where they get the patience, but with both of them with 65 years experience between them in the catering and hospitality industry its obvious to see where their passion is.
Neville has been an executive chef in top hotels and restaurants and spent 15 years at Air New Zealand, catering for the 1st class on a variety of airlines.  And for me they offer a first class workshop.  They cover so much in the day course, with both Neville and Judy offering tips and advice as they turn out an outstanding array of wonderful baking.  They have worked on and altered recipes to cater for a variety of other intolerance's and allergens, and their tirelessness in improving and tweaking their recipes amazes me.

Having done the workshop, my confidence in baking has gone from strength to strength, and I can now whip up a loaf of bread, or make a fabulous sticky date pudding, and a batch of muffins or crackers, without even having to draw breath.  Their recipes just work, they just do!  If you are just starting out on your gluten free way of living or have been gf for years, for me I could not recommend Judy and Neville enough.  You can find them here. 
I promise you won't be disappointed, and your family and friends probably wont even be able to tell its GF!  

Gluten Free Bread

 

Gluten Free Pastry

Gluten Free Muffins

Gluten Free Bread Rolls