Sweet Inclusion: The Raphsodic Bakery Cookbook - Hardcover

Andrews, Katie: - Hello, and thanks for reading a little bit about me! I'd love to share a bit of my history with you, to help us get connected and closer. I grew up in a small town in Vermont, during a time when food allergies were not recognized as a real problem. Unfortunately, the technology to test for potential issues wasn't at the level it is today. Doctors simply did not have the tools and knowledge base to test for certain dietary restrictions. If I had known then about food allergies, it would have saved a lot of time and unnecessary headache trying to come up with a cure or solution. While my parents meant well as they tried to feed the entire family using a traditional American diet, there were always painful reactions surrounding food. I was eighteen years old when I first received tests for food-related allergies, and while the doctors caught a few of the issues, there was a big one they missed: gluten intolerance. I changed my diet based on their scant recommendations and slowly started to feel better and get healthier. I was still having terrible reactions to certain foods and I didn't know what an elimination diet was, so I continued to struggle for years even with allergy tests. I lacked the information to find out what was happening inside my body and realized the uphill challenge I faced. I opened Raphsodic Bakery in Orlando, FL when I was twenty-four years old with a heart full of hope and a head full of dreams. I wanted to be in service to others and make desserts that could fit in with any diet. When we first opened, the bakery focused strictly on wheat-based flours. Within the first three months, two things happened. First, I consumed more wheat based desserts because of proximity which dramatically increased my lethargy and a feeling of persistent bloating all the time. Second, I was approached by two women: a wonderful customer, Fern, and a dedicated employee, Maggie. These two ladies were the portent of a massive life change for me and a directional shift for the bakery. They asked if I could do a gluten-free line of baked goods because they both were gluten intolerant and could not consume the wheat-based flour desserts we made at the bakery. Of course, I said yes and then proceeded to spend an absurd amount of time researching everything about gluten. I learned how gluten worked within the science of baking, how to replace it with gluten-free flours and starches and finally, what effects it created in the body. The more information I gathered, the easier it was to see that I, too, may have had issues with gluten. I followed the natural course of action and was tested for gluten intolerance. I finally received my answer as to why I always felt so fatigued, mentally foggy, and bloated all the time: I had gluten intolerance. Learning this information changed my entire life and I am eternally grateful to both of those women for setting me upon this course. Raphsodic Bakery was built around food allergies because I selfishly wanted dessert I could eat, and that transformed into something much bigger than my needs. Raphsodic, traditionally spelled rhapsodic, means extravagantly emotional, which is exactly how I felt baking treats I could eat without consequence and how I felt sharing those desserts with others. I was beyond overjoyed that I could eat food without being physically distressed, and sharing that ability with others made all the hard work eternally worth it to me. All that being said, food allergies are a challenging problem to tackle and can be frustrating for everyone involved. It is my sincere hope that you are able to take something from this cookbook and make it your own while navigating your own food path. I wish you luck and joy! Love, Katie