Gluten-free bakery is back with a deli

Published Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007

By Loretto J. Hulse, Herald staff writer

Gayle's back and so are her gluten-free goodies.

If you were ecstatic to discover gluten-free doesn't mean flavor-free when made by Gayle Noga, keep reading. She closed her bakery in Kennewick at the end of March but has reopened in the Uptown Shopping Center in Richland and added a deli.

You'll find her at 227 Symons St., directly across from KFC. Just look for the maroon awning -- the sign hasn't arrived yet. But she's already busy in the bakery.

Everything on the bakery side of her business is gluten-free -- breads, muffins, cakes and all her baked goods.

In the deli, you get a choice of breads -- wheat-based or gluten-free. All sandwich toppings are gluten-free.

Noga has a different homemade soup each day and offers a variety of salads, including her grilled chicken-huckleberry spinach and, Fridays only, a crab-citrus salad on butter lettuce topped with ginger lime dressing.

For breakfast, there are muffins and breads. Or order Bambi's Brunch Banana Split Twist.

"The twist is it's made with plain, not frozen, yogurt on a split banana and topped with berries," Noga said.

She also offers mixed berry and huckleberry smoothies made with plain yogurt and the berries blended together. "It's not sweet, though if people insist, I'll add some honey," she said.

The new store has lots of space, so Noga has added new products to her grocery area including rice chips, wheat-free pretzels, gluten-free condiments and her own and Bob's Red Mill flours and mixes.

The bakery and deli are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Special orders are welcome; either drop by the bakery or go to the Web site: www.glutenfreebakery.biz

Noga also is offering gluten-free cooking classes. This month she's teaching how to make gluten-free dishes everyone in the family -- even those who can tolerate gluten -- will eat and enjoy.

A series of three hands-on classes is $30 per person and includes a chance to sample dishes prepared during class. To sign up, call 946-8000, send an e-mail through the Web site or drop by the bakery-deli.

* Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com

By Loretto J. Hulse, Tri-City Herald staff writer