Seattle University's student newspaper since 1933

The Spectator

Seattle University's student newspaper since 1933

The Spectator

Seattle University's student newspaper since 1933

The Spectator

Gluten-free Goodies Come to Capitol Hill

    Nicole+Schlaeppi++%E2%80%A2++The+Spectator
    Nicole Schlaeppi
    Nicole Schlaeppi • The Spectator
    Nicole Schlaeppi  •  The Spectator
    Nicole Schlaeppi • The Spectator

    The famous gluton free bakery called NuFlower which has a frequent stand at the Sunday Broadway Farmers Market now has a permanent location up on 15th avenue and Republican.

    ‘Tis the season for pumpkin bread—gluten-free pumpkin bread, that is.

    Also brownies, cookies, cakes, pastries and even bacon and egg focaccia—all gluten-free.

    All of these treats can be found at a new, completely gluten-free bakery called Nuflours on Capitol Hill. The bakery, which opened last Friday, is the first of its kind on the Hill.

    Nuflours, located on 15th Avenue between Republican Street and Mercer Street, has a rustic yet contemporary atmosphere. The textured floor is just as eye-catching as all of the delicious treats displayed in the case.

    Upon entering the bakery, customers are met with a wide variety of pastries presented on cake stands as well as a cold case filled with sweet and savory items. The atmosphere is perfect for eating a tea cake while sipping coffee and people-watching out of the storefront window.

    The owners and bakers of Nuflours, Amanda Bedell and Phebe Rossi, said they started their business “from the ground up.”

    After Bedell was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, she instantly thought of all the comfort foods she would no longer be able to delight in. She was, however, determined to overcome the limitations of commercial gluten-free products.

    Nicole Schlaeppi  •  The Spectator
    Nicole Schlaeppi • The Spectator

    Similarly, Rossi recently transitioned to a gluten-free diet and adjusted her baking to accommodate her new lifestyle, incorporating gluten-free alternatives to traditional baked goods such as chocolate chip cookies, cakes and pies.

    Bedell and Rossi began their partnership in a shared kitchen in lower Queen Anne. For three and a half years they worked out of the same kitchen, distributing their products to local farmers markets, coffee houses and cafes. After outgrowing that space, though, the avid bakers decided to open a storefront on Capitol Hill. Last December, they began renovations on their new location.

    The bakery’s Capitol Hill location allows them to share their gluten-free treats with a wider audience.

    One of their specialties is their brownies, which Bedell and Rossi call the “gateway” treat of the bakery. Once you taste one, you will never go back—which is exactly what they have tried to accomplish with all their recipes.

    Bedell and Rossi have also created recipes to cater to those who are not used to eating a gluten-free diet. They aim for just the right texture and amazing taste so people do not notice the difference between a wheat flour brownie and a Nuflours gluten-free brownie.

    The bakery’s opening corresponds with a recent trend in eating gluten-free as a healthy lifestyle choice. Though some people view the gluten-free craze as a fad, many health benefits can be seen from avoiding gluten and wheat.

    Plenty of people say they do feel better going gluten-free for a week, but often they can’t keep it up because they love bread too much. Nuflours has a wide variety of gluten free breads that satisfy the bread and butter craving we all seem to have. With choices such as focaccia, olive bread and baguettes, you will never have to worry about the ever-dreaded wheat belly again.

    Not only is Nuflours entirely gluten-free (so no cross-contamination for all you celiacs), the bakery is also 60 percent dairy free, making many products suitable for vegans. The dairy-free, egg-free chocolate chunk cookie can satisfy a week’s worth of chocolate cravings for any vegan, or anyone for that matter.

    Micaela Abel, a freshman at Seattle University, has celiac disease and claims the Nuflour brownie is the best gluten-free brownie she has ever had.

    “It’s so important to have great gluten-free food because, being celiac, it is exciting to have new options with great quality,” Abel said. “People are very interested in gluten-free food right now and Nuflours will get a crowd of gluten-free and non gluten-free customers.”

    “I have never had better gluten free treats,” said Seattle U sophomore Olivia Hiles of the bakery’s pumpkin bread.

    Even those not devoted to a gluten-free lifestyle can enjoy Nuflours pastries.

    “The apple crisp was delicious and if I had not been told it was gluten-free, I would not have known the difference,” said Courtney Schneider, a Seattle U freshman who does not typically eat gluten-free.

    Nuflours’ new storefront is proving that gluten-free is not just a fad; it’s here to stay. With a wide variety of gluten-free sweet treats and savory breads, Nuflours has something for everyone to indulge in.

    The editor may be reached at [email protected]

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