It is so good to be able to catch up on all my favorite blogs!!! I am in love with so many and have been so darn busy that I haven't been able to really read any. I am glad to see that you guys are right where I left you....awesome. I get so many ideas from you all as far as food and exercise. I even download music that you guys recommend (I never listen to the new hip stuff and that is what I like to workout to!) The other day I got a package that I had been waiting for it came all the way from California. I must say....Anytime I know that I am getting something from Cali....I know that it is going to be gooooooood! Grind Stone Bakery sent me over a little package that made me smile. Let's talk a little bit about the company first, then the details about the products I got. Shall we?
Their Story:
Grindstone Bakery was founded in 1999 by my friend Tauna. She started experimenting with ancient grains and methods of making bread while working with Alan Scott, one of the most influential masonry oven builders in the country. Tauna had graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in environmental conservation, but the lure of the kitchen prompted her to pursue a different path. She worked for a while as a pastry chef at Millennium, the acclaimed vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco, and then at the Whole Foods bakery. There she discovered her passion for bread making.
When Tauna decided to move away from California, to dedicate more time to her family, she offered me the opportunity of continuing her work. I felt it was life telling me that the search for something believed in and desired was over, that everything I had learned along the way finally made sense.
My father was a partner at a flour mill. I grew up among wheat fields and all kinds of flours and breads. I wanted to be a chemist, so my father thought that the natural path for me was to be the mill’s chemist. But during my studies I was captivated by the world of science and decided that just testing flours was not enough of a life. So, I went on pursuing an elusive career in science.
Today, I am extremely happy that I have found myself again. Baking, being a science, requires the precision and rigor, the experimental and inquisitive skills that are rooted in my scientific background. Baking is also an act of love that now provides meaning to my life.
Thanks for your interest in Grindstone Bakery!-- Mario Repetto
When I saw this site I immediately thought "wow!". I loved the way that the breads looked and the descriptions (Our Hands and Heart All our breads are mixed, kneaded and shaped completely by hand. They are then baked in cast iron bread pans to a dark golden perfection in our customwood fired brick oven.These are the purest and finest organic whole grain breads we know how to offer to you; truly they are loaves of love. ) really made me want them. I unfortunately didn't get any bread BUT I did get:
ORGANIC, VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE COOKIES!!!
Gluten Free Toasted Sesame Cookie with Sesame Oil (Package of 3) $10.55
NEW! WE NO LONGER USE AGAVE NECTAR, WE NOW USE DEHYDRATED UNREFINED CANE JUICE (UNREFINED SUGAR). THIS IS A NOURISHING COOKIE THAT TASTES GREAT! Ingredients: Whole Quinoa* & Whole Millet* Stone Ground at the Bakery, Roasted Tahini*, Dehydrated Unrefined Cane Juice*, Unrefined Cold Pressed Sesame Oil*, Cold Pressed Rice Bran Oil, 100% Rice Brown Rice Syrup*, Toasted Sesame Seeds*, Flax Seeds*, Baking Soda, non-aluminun Baking Powder, Sonoma Coast Sea Salt. *Certified Organic As are all our products, the cookies are mixed and shaped by hand and baked in the wood-fired brick oven. They carry intense natural flavors with only enough sweetness to round off the edges. They come packaged in Cellophane bags of 3 cookies per bag. Each cookie weighs 3.5 ounces, 10.5 ounces per bag.
AND
Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cookie with EV Olive Oil (Package of 3) $10.75
NEW! THEY NO LONGER USE AGAVE NECTAR, WE NOW USE DEHYDRATED UNREFINED CANE JUICE (UNREFINED SUGAR). THIS IS A NOURISHING COOKIE THAT TASTES GREAT! Ingredients: Whole Quinoa* & Whole Millet* Stone Ground at the Bakery, California Extra Virgin Olive Oil*, Dehydrated Unrefined Cane Juice*, 100 % Rice Brown Rice Syrup*, Cocoa Powder*, non-dairy Dark Chocolate Chips* (dehydrated cane juice*, chocolate*, cocoa butter*, non gmo soy lecithin, vanilla*), Flax Seeds*, Baking Soda, Sonoma Coast Sea Salt. *Certified Organic As are all our products, the cookies are mixed and shaped by hand and baked in the wood-fired brick oven. They carry intense natural flavors with only enough sweetness to round off the edges. They come packaged in Cellophane bags of 3 Cookies per bag. Each cookie weighs 3.5 ounces, 10.5 ounces per bag. I poped this one in the oven and OH MY, was it goooood! I loved it!
Ok, so when I opened the box I could smell the freshness!!! I was amazed by these cookies. I didn't feel one bit about eating it either. It was moist, fresh tasting and hit the spot! Not too sweet, just perfect. This is a company that I just stumbled upon and boy and I glad that I did! AMAZING! Great work ground stone, you truly have a gift! I was super excited to get GLUTEN FREE cookies at that! Wheat free is always a plus in my book. The Problem with Modern Wheat is wheat just isn't the same grain our ancestors enjoyed. Over the last 200 years of our modern age, active genetic selection, and actual genetic manipulation, have changed the nature of the original wheat enormously: from few grains and little gluten to great wheat harvests very enriched in gluten, well-adapted to industrial cultivation practices and ready to be handled by monstrous bread making machinery.
This modern wheat is very difficult to digest and directly toxic to many people. We have to go back to the origins of agriculture to understand why this is happening.
Agriculture has no simple single origin. It developed in Europe through the demographic expansion and, to a certain degree, cultural diffusion of the early farming communities from the region now identified as the “Middle East”. The geographic arc encompassing the Fertile Crescent, the wide belt of South East Asia which includes Southern Turkey, Palestine, Lebanon and North Iraq, is considered the cradle of agricultural innovation starting at around 10,000 years ago.
These Eastern populations, presumably well adapted to such profound changes in the basic nutrition, grossly replaced the existing Mesolithic European dwellers who still lived on hunting and gathering. But a proportion of the local populations (or, rather, of their inheritance ) persisted beside the invaders.
The feeding changes were not well tolerated by everybody. The best similar example is lactose intolerance: populations that have more recently adapted to milk consumption, still lack the genetic ability to digest lactose over the infancy period. The environment changed centuries before any change in the inheritance may have been possible. For example, in Ireland, where wheat cultivation appeared only 3,000 years B.C., a very high frequency of gluten intolerance has been reported.
Similarly, a considerable proportion of the hunters and gatherers of the pre-Neolithic ages have not fully adapted to the great feed changes induced by the cultivation of modern wheat. These people could not recognize gluten as a 'tolerable' protein available for digestion and absorption: they may have not have any problem or complaint for centuries, since the content of gluten in the grains was very low, but when 'industrial' quantities of gluten were induced by selection of wheat in order to improve bread making, they were exposed to unbearable quantities of an 'intolerable' protein or peptide.Spelt and Kamut, which are easy to tolerate and have substantially less gluten, more fiber, more water soluble protein, a wide variety of minerals, natural anti-oxidants , and a distinctive sweet nutty flavor.
Spelt also contains special carbohydrates called mucopolysaccharides, which play a decisive role in stimulating the body’s immune system, helping to increase its resistance to infection.
Rye, Barley and Oats are other low- and no-gluten grain alternatives to modern wheat that we use at the bakery.
Their Story:
Grindstone Bakery was founded in 1999 by my friend Tauna. She started experimenting with ancient grains and methods of making bread while working with Alan Scott, one of the most influential masonry oven builders in the country. Tauna had graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in environmental conservation, but the lure of the kitchen prompted her to pursue a different path. She worked for a while as a pastry chef at Millennium, the acclaimed vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco, and then at the Whole Foods bakery. There she discovered her passion for bread making.
When Tauna decided to move away from California, to dedicate more time to her family, she offered me the opportunity of continuing her work. I felt it was life telling me that the search for something believed in and desired was over, that everything I had learned along the way finally made sense.
My father was a partner at a flour mill. I grew up among wheat fields and all kinds of flours and breads. I wanted to be a chemist, so my father thought that the natural path for me was to be the mill’s chemist. But during my studies I was captivated by the world of science and decided that just testing flours was not enough of a life. So, I went on pursuing an elusive career in science.
Today, I am extremely happy that I have found myself again. Baking, being a science, requires the precision and rigor, the experimental and inquisitive skills that are rooted in my scientific background. Baking is also an act of love that now provides meaning to my life.
Thanks for your interest in Grindstone Bakery!-- Mario Repetto
When I saw this site I immediately thought "wow!". I loved the way that the breads looked and the descriptions (Our Hands and Heart All our breads are mixed, kneaded and shaped completely by hand. They are then baked in cast iron bread pans to a dark golden perfection in our customwood fired brick oven.These are the purest and finest organic whole grain breads we know how to offer to you; truly they are loaves of love. ) really made me want them. I unfortunately didn't get any bread BUT I did get:
ORGANIC, VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE COOKIES!!!
Gluten Free Toasted Sesame Cookie with Sesame Oil (Package of 3) $10.55
NEW! WE NO LONGER USE AGAVE NECTAR, WE NOW USE DEHYDRATED UNREFINED CANE JUICE (UNREFINED SUGAR). THIS IS A NOURISHING COOKIE THAT TASTES GREAT! Ingredients: Whole Quinoa* & Whole Millet* Stone Ground at the Bakery, Roasted Tahini*, Dehydrated Unrefined Cane Juice*, Unrefined Cold Pressed Sesame Oil*, Cold Pressed Rice Bran Oil, 100% Rice Brown Rice Syrup*, Toasted Sesame Seeds*, Flax Seeds*, Baking Soda, non-aluminun Baking Powder, Sonoma Coast Sea Salt. *Certified Organic As are all our products, the cookies are mixed and shaped by hand and baked in the wood-fired brick oven. They carry intense natural flavors with only enough sweetness to round off the edges. They come packaged in Cellophane bags of 3 cookies per bag. Each cookie weighs 3.5 ounces, 10.5 ounces per bag.
AND
Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cookie with EV Olive Oil (Package of 3) $10.75
NEW! THEY NO LONGER USE AGAVE NECTAR, WE NOW USE DEHYDRATED UNREFINED CANE JUICE (UNREFINED SUGAR). THIS IS A NOURISHING COOKIE THAT TASTES GREAT! Ingredients: Whole Quinoa* & Whole Millet* Stone Ground at the Bakery, California Extra Virgin Olive Oil*, Dehydrated Unrefined Cane Juice*, 100 % Rice Brown Rice Syrup*, Cocoa Powder*, non-dairy Dark Chocolate Chips* (dehydrated cane juice*, chocolate*, cocoa butter*, non gmo soy lecithin, vanilla*), Flax Seeds*, Baking Soda, Sonoma Coast Sea Salt. *Certified Organic As are all our products, the cookies are mixed and shaped by hand and baked in the wood-fired brick oven. They carry intense natural flavors with only enough sweetness to round off the edges. They come packaged in Cellophane bags of 3 Cookies per bag. Each cookie weighs 3.5 ounces, 10.5 ounces per bag. I poped this one in the oven and OH MY, was it goooood! I loved it!
Ok, so when I opened the box I could smell the freshness!!! I was amazed by these cookies. I didn't feel one bit about eating it either. It was moist, fresh tasting and hit the spot! Not too sweet, just perfect. This is a company that I just stumbled upon and boy and I glad that I did! AMAZING! Great work ground stone, you truly have a gift! I was super excited to get GLUTEN FREE cookies at that! Wheat free is always a plus in my book. The Problem with Modern Wheat is wheat just isn't the same grain our ancestors enjoyed. Over the last 200 years of our modern age, active genetic selection, and actual genetic manipulation, have changed the nature of the original wheat enormously: from few grains and little gluten to great wheat harvests very enriched in gluten, well-adapted to industrial cultivation practices and ready to be handled by monstrous bread making machinery.
This modern wheat is very difficult to digest and directly toxic to many people. We have to go back to the origins of agriculture to understand why this is happening.
Agriculture has no simple single origin. It developed in Europe through the demographic expansion and, to a certain degree, cultural diffusion of the early farming communities from the region now identified as the “Middle East”. The geographic arc encompassing the Fertile Crescent, the wide belt of South East Asia which includes Southern Turkey, Palestine, Lebanon and North Iraq, is considered the cradle of agricultural innovation starting at around 10,000 years ago.
These Eastern populations, presumably well adapted to such profound changes in the basic nutrition, grossly replaced the existing Mesolithic European dwellers who still lived on hunting and gathering. But a proportion of the local populations (or, rather, of their inheritance ) persisted beside the invaders.
The feeding changes were not well tolerated by everybody. The best similar example is lactose intolerance: populations that have more recently adapted to milk consumption, still lack the genetic ability to digest lactose over the infancy period. The environment changed centuries before any change in the inheritance may have been possible. For example, in Ireland, where wheat cultivation appeared only 3,000 years B.C., a very high frequency of gluten intolerance has been reported.
Similarly, a considerable proportion of the hunters and gatherers of the pre-Neolithic ages have not fully adapted to the great feed changes induced by the cultivation of modern wheat. These people could not recognize gluten as a 'tolerable' protein available for digestion and absorption: they may have not have any problem or complaint for centuries, since the content of gluten in the grains was very low, but when 'industrial' quantities of gluten were induced by selection of wheat in order to improve bread making, they were exposed to unbearable quantities of an 'intolerable' protein or peptide.Spelt and Kamut, which are easy to tolerate and have substantially less gluten, more fiber, more water soluble protein, a wide variety of minerals, natural anti-oxidants , and a distinctive sweet nutty flavor.
Spelt also contains special carbohydrates called mucopolysaccharides, which play a decisive role in stimulating the body’s immune system, helping to increase its resistance to infection.
Rye, Barley and Oats are other low- and no-gluten grain alternatives to modern wheat that we use at the bakery.
If you are a celiac (which I am not) then you cant have Rye, Oats (still debatable) or Barley. I am glad that I can still have these but to tell you the truth I would prefer not to. I dated a celiac once upon a time and when I found out that he couldn't eat things like pizza, cookies, bread and oatmeal. I though "no way, I am going to fix this!" I read a TON of gluten free books and made sure that the things that he once loved was made into gluten free food! It was a challenge and I love a challenge! It was fun for me. I started eating this way because I was eating with him and noticed a HUGE difference as far as digestion and how I felt. I decided that when I could I would be gluten free. It has changed my skin, hair and tummy so much! Thank you so very much Susan for being so sweet and sending these to me. I am savoring every bite. I am also sharing a few with a friend that is a celiac and I know this made his day as well. All in all I think that this company rocks! I am going to have to try the breads for sure. I mean...it's not everyday you find a place that is this great and this fresh, even from across the united states! That says a lot! I will be telling plenty of people about them for sure! If you want great quality breads and cookies that are REALLY truly good for you please go to their site.
Something else that surprised me about them was that Free shipping & handling on all orders. Orders are only shipped on Tuesdays. Orders received by Saturday will be shipped the following Tuesday.
Note: You can mix Gluten Free and Wheat Free in the same order.
If all this doesn't have you sold I don't know what will! I will see you tomorrow...In the meantime I am curling up with a book, sipping on some hot chamomile tea and my new favorite cookie!
Thanks!
-Heather
