FINALLY! AT THE BULK BARN

Yesterday, Ben's Meats & Deli got another delivery and this time I made sure to have some spare time to visit The Bulk Barn, a place that Calgary does not have. Yet.
And in the same shopping area, I had dinner at FAMOSO. Oh yes, the Calgary location will open soon.....

Not much I can say that has not been said by some great Edmonton Bloggers already, other than I was personally amazed how busy the place was and that Isabella, who came with me to Edmonton, behaved like the proverbial kid in a candy store... "Papa, these are 5 times more expensive at 7-11, can I have some?"

So read these two Blogs for what's in store and click on the images below for better viewing. Enjoy!

http://eatingisthehardpart.blogspot.com/2009/11/bulk-barn-edmonton-ab.html

http://kelly.cybr.org/archives/2010/01/10/bulk-barn-edmonton/

GF PATISSERIE AT WESTSIDE MARKET

Hello Westenders of Calgary. You are lucky. If you are anywhere close to Aspen, you can now indulge in Victoria's baked goods at the Westside Farmers' Market.

At the back of the building is a bakery called "Loaf'n Around" and they just received their first order for this week.

The owner Patricia will offer the complete line up that Victoria has in her bakery. So. Now you can eat GF PATISSERIE products even more often....

GF PIZZA AVAILABLE AT UNA PIZZA+WINE

Exciting news. Jayme MacFayden from UNA PIZZA + WINE has ordered up eleven Pizza crusts from GF PATISSERIE. Twelve actually, but one is on hold for Victoria who is so excited about going out for Pizza and not having to watch me eat mine, while she gets a salad....

Jayme is a Celiac herself and knows all about cross contamination which is truly good news for you guys. She may eventually offer her own GF Pizza crust, but at the moment they are too busy and went with Victoria's shells.

I dropped them off this afternoon, they are waiting for you. Lucky Christa C. was there already and really enjoyed her gluten free Pizza.
Having learnt a thing or two about Pizza from my Italian pal Bruno, I can tell you one thing. The ingredients offered at UNA are incredible. Authentic stuff.

-San Marzano Tomato Sauce
-Bianca Buffalo Mozzarella
-Fresh Arugula
-Fresh Grana Padano
-Sicilian Anchovies ( For me)

This is not your neighborhood Pizza Parlor, so go get your gluten free Pizza today and be excited! It's safe to eat.

618 17th Ave S.W.
(403) 453-1183
www.unapizzeria.com

ALAN DAVIS - GF PATISSERIE IMPOSTER

This may just be the strangest thing that ever happened to Victoria and GF PATISSERIE.

Late last year she received an email from an acomplished master baker who was applying for a postion at GF Patisserie. Now you all know the size of Victoria's market and her business in it, right?

Ever the polite woman, she did get in touch with this man, Alan Davis, who claims to have certificates from Europe, is a Master Baker and has special experiences in gluten free baking, if for nothing else to just tell him "thanks" for the email, but there is no position available for such an accomplished baker at GF PATISSERIE.

And here where it gets weird, really really weird. Read the emails:



From a bakery in Vancouver to Victoria:
Hello: We recently had an interview in Vancouver with Alan Davis, a Baker who states that he used to work for you. During the course of checking his references, we found that he does not have the various certifications he claimed to have.
For example, we could find no mention of his German college anywhere ( we even contacted the German Embassy do see if the school had once existed, but has since closed), and his Master Baker status was from a non-accredited marketing company. As his interview process was quite costly, at this point we are determining what our next legal steps should be. Any information you could provide would be of help. Specifcally, has Mr. Davis ever worked for your company?
Henry Kipling, Food for Thought Productions

Victoria's reply to Vancouver:
Good Evening,
Very interesting, I did interview a person who said his name was Alan Davis. He basically told me the same as you. Master baker, Germany blah, blah blah. I was a bit cautious with him because he is not the only person who has come to me looking for a job or askiing questions about how I was able to come up with my recipes.
Anyway, I did find it odd that a Master baker would come looking for a job with GF Patisserie, we are very new and very small, would not be able to afford a Master bakers salary. So, no, he did not work for me at GF Patisserie. If you need anything else, just email or call.
Sincerely, Victoria
Reply from Vancouver to Victoria:

Hi Victoria:
Thank you for the information. Mr. Davis lists you as his current, contracted employer. He brought several gluten-free products which he said came from your commercial bakery, and which he said he produced with his assistants, two girls from the Congo.
He elaborated by saying that he fired the German bakery Chef because he was racist, after which he trained the two African ladies to the level of journeymen bakers. He did not mentioned your name, but supplied the name of your business and your address. Given our experience with this person, I would suggest that you remain on the lookout for other queries re: this false employment.
Kind Regards,
Henry Kipling, Food for Thought Productions


Victoria to Vancouver:
Thank you for the info. Mr. Davis seems to have quite the imagination. I don't particularly like that he is giving out gluten free baking and saying it is coming from GF Patisserie.
I have worked very hard to build GF Patisserie's reputation has having the best gluten free baked goods and this worries me a little. May I ask, why were you interviewing him? What was the interview about?
Sincerely, Victoria

Vancouver to Victoria:
Thanks for the feedback, Victoria. We feel very shaken up here. This is the first time we have spent time with a person that is obviously insane.
Mr. Davis answered a Craigslist advert for a Master Baker in Vancouver. We are starting a bakery/pastry shop/cafe that currently employs one Michelin Star Chef and has two more on the Board of Advisors. Just for the record, Mr. Davis represented that GF Patisserie was owned by a man; that it grossed $4Million a year and that he was able, through his contact in the Canadian government, to get a grant for $400,000 each year for the past 5 years paid to GF Patisserie for his research in gluten-free baking.
Again, there is no evidence that any of this is true. If you want his contact info, in order to send a cease and desist, we would be happy to assist.
Henry

Strange or what? Please be on the lookout for some strange guy claiming he bakes for GF PATISSERIE

MORE GLUTEN FREE DINING OPTIONS

The Cabin Cafe & Mercantile at 4623 Bow Trail has taken on Victoria's gluten free breads and pastries! (Call (403) 240-3867 for availability to avoid disappointment if they are sold out))

How exciting is that. Especially for you on the west side of town. A funky log cabin with a huge cozy fireplace in the middle of the cafe, they offer Paninis made with GF PATISSERIE'S Italian flat bread amongst other things.
I had three more deliveries to get to today and simply ran out of time to taste any of the offered goods. So if any of you nosh there, please send me some feedback.

You all need to thank Karen ( www.celiacwho.blogspot.com ) for this deal to come together, it was her who pointed out to me that this place offers gluten free options. After a short test period and with your support, they now are another dot on the gluten free map in Calgary.

Now. There is more "commercial accounts" news to come. A bakery, also on the West Side has just placed a large order for Saturday delivery. If I make it in time, I will let you know about it.

But the potentially most exciting development is that a brand new Pizza Resto on 17th Ave SW is test driving Victoria's Pizza shells. Imagine. Just for a second. GF PATISSERIE Pizza with the most exciting ingredients in a restaurant....not at home. Dining out with friends in a great place. Same options, gluten free pie!

The joint opens Saturday at lunch and the final verdict is still out. I think they need to hear it from you, actual Celiacs, what kind of GF Pizza you want. Look for a Facebook link to the place shortly and tell them yourself.

PERFECT PLACE TO ENJOY GF PANINIS

LA FOLIE DES MACARONS

So. Now Calgary has even more Macarons to choose from. After Yann opened his Haute Patisserie at Christmas www.yannboutique.com , ArTaste Macarons opened their booth at the Calgary Farmers' market this weekend. www.artastemacarons.com

I used our empty freezer as an excuse to have a good reason to go with Victoria and buy some Macarons while we are there. Great selection, including one with that salty Caramel flavor everyone talks about these days. We bought a dozen for 20.00 which makes them around 1.66 each. Yann's are 1.80, no difference, really.

To have some fun with Isabella, I decided to schlepp Victoria to Yann's bakery as well (her first time) and have Isabella compare Calgary's newest Macarons.
HA! How to motivate a kid. Sugar! Before lunch. Easy. Pick any you want, take a bite, some milk, another bite from the next one and tell me what you think. Isabella's idea of heaven maybe?

Please forgive us that we cannot remember all the flavors, I won't make any mistakes by naming them here, but there is a distinct difference between those two makers. Both of them turn out a fantastic product that is gluten free and Calgary is that much richer for it's sweet scene.

The main difference is that ArTaste's Macarons have a more crunchy shell, whereas Yann's are consistent through the bite.
The fillings, Ganache or fruit flavors, are excellent from both vendors. Yann had a new flavor today, a hazelnut based ganache, which was really really good.
On the other hand, salty caramel from ArTaste was a home run. My first time to have anything with this flavor.

Calgary, a lucky city.

New vendor at the Farmers' Market

Yann Haute Patisserie

ArTaste Macarons

Heaven

See the difference?

Same here

GLUTEN FREE DINING

Yesterday Victoria took her family out for a belated Christmas/birthday dinner and she chose BISTRO 2210. I told you about this place before here:

http://theceliachusband.blogspot.com/2009/07/bistro-2210.html

So I don't need to type too much today about this place, most was said in above post. It was an excellent dinner. We gave the restaurant ample notice about three Celiac diners and they were prepared. Very prepared.
Very accommodating. The chef made sure we can even order his Duck Poutine, a Canadian specialty, elevated here with duck meat and of course gluten free for us.

Plenty of the main courses were available for us to choose from, besides the Pasta for David (Lauren's beau), all were gluten free.

Lauren made her mother an excellent birthday cake, but I let her blog about that one. I was too embarrassed that she actually had the resto serve the cake...

A great night out Calgary Celiacs, with some advance notice you have plenty to choose from in this city. Bistro 2210 on top of the list.

www.bistro2210.com

DUCK POUTINE

ISABELLA'S CAESER'S SALAD

MOULES FRITES IN A THAI CURRY SAUCE

CORNISH GAME HEN

A SPANISH ROSE

GERRY, VICTORIA'S MOM (FLOUR MIXER)

LAUREN & DAVID

LAUREN READING GF PATISSERIE'S WRITE UP IN

THE LATEST CITY PALATE

FAMILY! WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

GF PATISSERIE 2010

Happy New Year to all of you. Victoria and Lauren want to say thank you for your incredible support in 2009 and all the great moments at GF Patisserie.

They are taking a break until the 19th of January, Lauren is off to Toronto and Victoria is reflecting on the year past as well as drawing up plans for 2010. Back at it with gluten free baked goods on the 20th.
Many ideas and concepts, only so many hands and hours to do them all. Look for some posts and emails about GF Patisserie. Some suggestions and input from you, our fans, are most welcome.

GLUTEN FREE MASTERMIND

THEY NEED A BREAK

THE LITTLE BAKERY THAT COULD

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VICTORIA

MORE OF THESE IN 2010, PROMISED!

TASTE TESTER #1

CREATIVE MASTERMIND

WE LOVE GLUTEN FREE

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

REMEMBER HOW IT ALL STARTED?