Good gluten free bread is hard to find. Or, it was until I moved to San Francisco. There are a wealth of delicious, locally made loaves in gluten free facilities, and most supermarkets now stock a ‘free-from’ section with goodies. Without further ado, my top Bay Area bakeries are:
1. Mariposa Bakery
Without exaggeration, I can say that Mariposa Bakery changed my life. In their dedicated celiac friendly facility in Oakland, they create a range of breads, bagels, pizza bases and cakes. My personal favorite is their sandwich bread. It is delicious and moist, and makes superb toast too. I have a habit of stockpiling it and freezing it. Best of all? There are no unexpected ingredients or surprise amounts of sugar.
2. Bread, Srsly
These guys excel at gluten-free sourdough. When I first had a slice of it, toasted with a splash of coconut oil, it was like I’d died and gone to pre-celiac heaven. They have a range of sourdoughs that are fantastic for toasting. Top tip – if you’re freezing a load, slice it first!
Store bought loaves
In terms of store-bought breads, I’ve found great variety and quality. On the whole, Udi’s produce some good loaves, but they can go a little hard on the sugar. In a precise order,
1. Omega, Flax & Fiber – this has a great texture. It stays pretty fresh for sandwiches and the flax adds a little something.
2. Millet Chia Bread – not always easy to find, but it tastes great, is low on sugar and keeps well.
3. Rye Bread – a good, authentic tasting rye. Only downside is every loaf I’ve purchased has had significant bubbles which made each slice holey.
4. Whole Grain Bread – this I really only buy if I can’t find anything else. It is unduly sweet and sometimes has a hint of cinnamon. Goes stale very quickly and is only really good if you have no alternatives.
When I can’t find Udi’s, Glutino have a nice multigrain sandwich bread that has a slightly cakey, crumpet-like texture, which makes a great breakfast toast or accompaniment to soup.
I could write a list as long of my arm of the bad breads that are out there. You know the kind, the ones that explode in a shower of dust when you cut them (a bit like a vampire in Buffy), or the ones that are jacked up on preservatives. But with such fine faux-breads on offer, you shouldn’t need to find out about those.
About the Author
Ladybejewelled (aka Megan O-R) is a writer and food enthusiast living in San Francisco. She is partial to long walks and Kate Bush.
Stories from the Kitchen. 