Applegater., September 01, 2011, Page 20, Image 20

20 Fall 2011 Applegater
Gia’s Gluten Free Bakery
BY sioux roGers
The day finally arrived when I actually
walked into a bakery. I had not done
this in years, after finally realizing how
gluten intolerant I am. However, on
this day, famished and desperate for a
companion for my mug of coffee, I came to
a screeching halt when I saw the small sign
in Phoenix, Oregon, reading “Gia’s Gluten
Free Bakery.” I could have gained weight
just on the alluring aroma inside the door.
Doug Reding, the partner and son
of Jan Thorsell, the baker, was about as
sweet as the morsels in the cases. Actually
I wanted something not too sweet, so
Doug suggested the marionberry coffee
cake. It was freshly baked and still warm.
OMG. The texture was light and fluffy
perfection. The taste was better than
any marionberry coffee cake I have ever
tasted—not too sweet and I could really
taste the marionberries. In other words,
I am now dreaming of Gia’s Gluten Free
Bakery. (Gia is Jan’s Italian name—she is
half Sicilian.)
As a result of “finding” this hidden
treasure right in the heart of Phoenix on
the main highway, I became obsessed
about finding out more about this small
but growing little endeavor.
Seems as though all, or at least most,
of the gluten-free businesses and their
products were started because someone in
the family had a major gluten problem.
Gia’s is no different. Jan Thorsell lived
with undiagnosed celiac disease for many
years and was finally correctly diagnosed in
1980. (Celiac disease is a condition that
damages the lining of the small intestine
and prevents it from absorbing parts of
food that are important for staying healthy.
The damage is due to a reaction to eating
gluten, which is found in wheat, barley,
rye, and possibly oats. Source: http://
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/
PMH0001280/.) After this diagnosis,
she began paying attention to what she
ate and read the labels on every package of
anything she opened. Along the way, she
reclaimed her life and her health.
Jan is extremely knowledgeable about
celiac disease and many of the related
diseases associated with the gluten found
in wheat and some other grains. This short
article does not allow me the space to pass
along much of what Jan taught me. If
you’re interested, search “foods containing
gluten.” You will be dumbfounded at what
you will discover.
Jan has always adored baking, and
does all the baking for Gia’s. Even though
she has been baking for her family most
of her life, gluten-free baking was an
entirely new adventure. Jan started her
new endeavor by taking a few intensive
workshops. She said it was like being in a
laboratory using over 18 gluten-free flours.
Her ultimate goal with every gluten-free
product is texture and taste. Texture is the
biggest challenge. Another huge hurtle
is the ability to buy baking products that
are certified gluten free. This means the
product has been tested as having no
cross-contamination with any product of
gluten origin.
Jan tastes all the new bakery items
first. Then Doug and friends get the second
Gia’s Gluten Free Bakery recently opened its doors on Main Street in Phoenix.
round to critique. While developing the
first new recipes, Jan actually was throwing
out more of her baking than she kept.
Doug said he was calling her the “Edison
of the baking world” because she was
experimenting so much.
Down to the practical yummy side,
Jan will bake special orders if given at
least a week’s heads-up. The availability
of pastries may vary from day to day,
but the standby favorites of lemon bars,
several varieties of large cookies, and coffee
cake always can be bought. Doug said
his hands-down favorite is the chocolate
cream pie, but Jan said hers is the simple
madeleine. I find it hard to choose after
going back and sampling several times.
Gia’s is located at 310 North Main
Street, Phoenix, OR 97535. Phone: 541-
512-7469. Hours of operation: Tuesday
through Friday, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm;
Saturday, 10:00 am – 4 pm.
Try them—you will love them. And
you will soon see their product in some of
your favorite coffee shops.
Sioux Rogers
541-846-7736
mumearth@dishmail.net
Doug Reding, co-owner with baker Jan Thorsell, will help you make some tough decisions.
Steelhead fishing on the Applegate river. Photo by Rich Holstrum.
“ The middle class is teetering on the brink
of collapse just as surely as AIG was in
the fall of 2009—only this time, it’s not
just one giant insurance company (and its
banking counterparties) facing disaster, it’s
tens of millions of hardworking Americans
who played by the rules.
—Arianna Huffington
”
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