Grocery Stores
Goodbye Gluten
Goodbye Gluten has everything gluten-free, all on one space. While many bakeries and grocery stores in Toronto have dedicated gluten-free sections, Michelle and Ricki Fenwick were committed to making their shop totally-gluten free.
"There's often cross-contamination in bakeries and other places that sell products that are gluten-free along with those that have gluten," Ricki says. "We wanted to eliminate that risk entirely."
The result is a glass-front modern shop on Avenue Road south of Wilson that sells baked goods, breakfast cereals, frozen foods, jams, cookies, sauces, pastas, prepared foods--even shampoo--all of which is gluten-free. Many items are also nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free.
The mother/daughter team first began their gluten-free business as a wholesale baking operation, selling their products to stores such as Bruno's Fine Foods and Pusateri's. The decision to create their own business was motivated by Michelle's own struggles with Celiac Disease, which she has faced since being diagnosed at age 15.
"There weren't a lot of options out there," Michelle says, "so we sort of took it into our own hands." So they started baking. And it was Michelle and Ricki's customers who motivated them to open a retail storefront.
"They kept saying, 'We love it, but we can't survive on your baking alone!'" Ricki says with a laugh. "So we thought it was about time that we do real food."
That "real food" includes a counter of prepared foods such as maple grilled salmon, crab cakes, quinoa salad, chicken fingers, and mashed potatoes, specially made by Goodbye Gluten's in-house chef. The baked goods include muffins, biscotti, carrot cake (which I sampled and found to be quite similar to traditional carrot cake--not grainy in the least) and other little treats.
There is a small section of refrigerated and frozen items, which include products such as vegan-friendly Earth Balance Whipped Spread ($5.69) and packages of homemade frozen hamburger patties ($15.99/six). But the pantry items take up most of the store and include many breakfast staples like gluten-free Rice Krispies cereal and gluten-free Fruity Pebbles ($7.99).
Goodbye Gluten has virtually everything you'd need for a well-stocked pantry including a line of specialty jams available in flavours such as Pear and Pansies ($7.99), and take-home packs of the gluten-free and nut-free flour ($4.29) that goes into Goodbye Gluten's baked goods.
The women also stock the shelves with personal items catered to the needs of a person with Celiac. Since the disease is often associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, as Michelle explains, digestive aids can often be very helpful. So Goodbye Gluten also sells products such as Holy Crap ($15.99), a powder "to keep things moving along," says Ricki, as well as gluten-free lip balms, shampoos, and soaps.
While Goodbye Gluten has only been open for about a week, future plans include opening a deli counter and adding soups and more baked goods to the menu.
Discussion
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great idea for a store.. there should be several of them spread around T.O. for us that can't eat too much gluten.
Where is the street address?
Phone Number?
My bad.
I am used to seeing it in the body of the article.
I know someone who will cook an entire dinner including rolls and desserts all for 1 out of the 6 of us who has this gluten thing. Seems to me the gluten people need to adjust to the majority, not the majority adust to the 1. Just my opinion.
When it was thought I was allergic to peanuts, I just avoided peanuts. Now entire schools populations can't have peanut butter simply because a 1 kid. That is insane, people.
And don't say that Well, but that kid is entitled to attend school like everyone else. Sure he is. It wouldn't be wise to do it, though, because he could die from an allergic reaction. So I'd be looking for safe alternatives, like home schooling, not by demanding millions of children all over the freaking world to stop taking peanut butter sandwiches to school! Geez, ppl.
Do you have the names and locations of those cafes and bakeries that offer up exclusively gluten free baked goods? It sounds to me that you have found quite a few if you are "really getting sick" of them. I haven't found any. I would love to go. Where would they be?
To read more information, please go to my website, as your comments are based in ignorance and not education.
As people with gluten intolerances and celiac disease do not have many options for eating baking without gluten, why would you go bakeries and cafes offering those options? You do not have to eat the products if you do not like them, and have many other options as a wheat-tolerant individual.
Rags - Thanks for Speaking up for the rest of us who SUFFER from this disease.
I spent all of college not knowing what was wrong with me. I got sick from goldfish crackers and ended up curling up in a ball of pain as far back as 2003. I never suspected the crackers b/c they're $%#king crackers. Who gets sick from crackers? Exactly. When I found out it was gluten, so many symptoms that didn't make sense before, made sense.
I don't think most gf people expect special treatment from their friends- but actual friends think to offer us something- you know the way I might prepare a vegetarian dish for a friend that doesn't eat meat etc.
As someone who has no choice, I can tell you now that due to its "fad" status and increasing awareness- i can order a burger, with a bun in this city (thanks Grindhouse!)and when I bedgrudingly pay nine dollars for a loaf of bread- it tastes like bread, not punishment.
If you don't want to accidentally eat a gluten free baked good might I suggest Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Cobbs, virutally everything on the 401 (road trips are tricky for us) and 95% of bakeries that we can only enjoy for the smell.
Interestingly enough, I've never hurt any of my friends or family with my gluten free cooking and baking. Some even clean their plates. I'm sure it's only as a sign of respect.
To the angry people: calm down, organize your thoughts, use your enter key, and explain to us why we are seeing gluten-this and gluten-that everywhere lately. We'd appreciate hearing from you!
as for Sharney51 - You are an ignorant piece of garbage for your comments on allergies and gluten - shame on you!
Please read my detailed explanation above from "rags" and see the website posted here...www.celiac.com to explain as you say..."why we are seeing gluten-this and gluten-that everywhere lately." Not only do 1 out of 133 people have a disease that does not allow them to eat any gluten products, there are many others who have gluten allergies which include severe wheat allergies and intolerances. Many years ago, farmers grew hundreds of varieties of wheat. Now with the way farming has been transformed, there are only a few types of wheat being grown and they are very strong varieties. People's systems are not able to digest these varieties and they are getting severe reactions, illnesses, and disease. However, Celiac Disease is quite another issue as I have explained in my previous discussion above. Please check out the website too for Celiac Disease. Hope this helps to explain part of the reason for the gluten concerns you are seeing out there now. Count yourself lucky that you don't have to worry about it.
I am not celiac or gluten intolerant but see the benefits and experience them first hand by creating my own small business offering gluten free biscotti/cookies, which actually taste amazing. Many people are amazed at my products which are in two stores in Toronto. Zito's and now il gelateria.
Check out il gelateria on Mt. Pleasant which has gluten-free cones, so go ahead enjoy an awesome gelato with a cone!
V. Orsini San Martino Treats
I have to say, I'm really disappointed. I realize that the store has only been open a week, but the selection was small, and was filled with 'junk'. Sugary cakes, cookies, etc that were very overpriced to boot. I've seen the same products at other stores for less money.
The absolute worst of it however was their ready made food. I couldn't tell you how it tastes, because at over $7 for a tiny little container of chickpea salad, I wouldn't dare buy it, no matter how hungry I was. Chickpeas, like most legumes, are very inexpensive (even the canned organic chickpeas I buy are $2 a can). There looked to be barely half a can in this container. What can possible justify this ridiculous price except simple gouging and taking advantage of people who have little options out there. The tuna salad was even worse, at $9 for a little container. Give me a break!
Will not be going back there again. These products can be found in other stores around the city, such as Whole Foods, Noah's or Nature's Emporium up in Newmarket. And those stores have a full grocery as well.
I have to disagree. I thought GBG has an amazing selection and they take suggestions. They have so many U.S. products that are not available in Canada.
I was so excited and happy with the "junk" as you call it. I sampled a lot of products and bought a lot of them. I can serve them to my kids and company and no one can tell it is gluten free.
As far as the prepared food, perhaps you should have tried it - it is well worth it. I don't know where you got your prices from - not even close to what I paid. Maybe you were looking at the price per pound and not for each "small container".
GBG does celiacs and those with other allergies a great service - it is great to be able to go into a store and know it is all gluten free and not spend time reading all the labels!
How much do you want to bet that the people complaining have a degree of gluten intolerance? It would be wonderful karma. 15% of the population is thought to be intolerant. And historically, humans have not eaten wheat until very recently, our systems are not designed to consume wheat.
I MUCH rather not go to the huge expense of GF foods. Trust me I so miss the foods I love. Or loved.
So with this new store, it gives me some hope that people with this disease can live an almost normal existence.
I want a one stop shopping of all of the foods that I miss. I don't want to spend a lot of time going from store to store.
Expensive yes. Worth it not to get sick... Priceless.
Did I see home baked cookies. Mac and Cheese. Crab Cakes.....
YUM, I have to go before the Holiday season.......
Thanks