Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet

Just past the Whirligig Factory and a few minutes shy of Mahone Bay, there is a two-storey cedar shake house with a red door and a pergola abutting its left side.  I turn down the volume on the radio, touch the brakes and peer closely – the sign on the door confirms I’ve found the correct location.  The warm smell of dough and spice that greets me when the red door opens reaffirms:  I have arrived at the converted schoolhouse where Aidan Brunn and Jen Laughlin pour their passion and dedication into owning and operating Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet.

Three years ago, after spending some time traveling, Aidan and Jen knew they wanted to start a business together.  When Aidan was diagnosed with celiac disease, the idea of a bakery that crafted local, handmade gluten-free foods began to gel (no pun intended:  gluten is a substance found in a wide variety of foods – not just baked goods – that, in short, helps things stick together).

A foodie and chef by trade, Aidan describes the sadness he felt when he was unable to find something gluten-free to eat when he went out to restaurants or for coffee with friends.  It doesn’t take much exposure to gluten to wreak havoc on the digestive system of those living with celiac disease, and even foods that are purportedly gluten-free could be contaminated if they were prepared in the same space or using the same utensils as foods containing gluten.  Aidan also found that many of the gluten-free options that did exist were what he calls “gluten-free junk food” containing non-nutritive fillers rather than healthy, wholesome ingredients.

And so, the little gluten-free bakery on the South Shore of Nova Scotia was born. Aidan began the process of developing and perfecting recipes for gluten-free versions of his favourite baked goods, and he and Jen sold their wares at local farmers’ markets.  Within months, the demand for their products skyrocketed and they moved from their domestic kitchen to the schoolhouse that would inspire their brand.  Since then, the business has grown an astonishing 400%.

Hefting my daughter, Ada, in her carseat, I enter the bright single-room kitchen that occupies the lower floor of the schoolhouse.  Two bakers are deftly cracking eggs into bowls for tomorrow’s bread production, and I sit across from Aidan and Jen at a large stainless steel work table.

Jen has just returned from making deliveries to Schoolhouse’s many retail outlets, a job she does twice a week.  Aidan is nearing the end of his 12-hour day, which typically starts at 3a.m.  Yesterday’s output included 150 loaves of bread, 500 muffins and 400 cookies.  Today is the once-weekly “catch-up” day…if preparing 18 industrial-sized baking sheets of quinoa granola is your idea of catching up.

It’s enough to make me think that even as a new mom, I’ve got it easy.  I mean, after all, I get to sleep in till 3:30a.m. most days, and I’m only responsible for food production for one.

Ada has taken quite a shine to Jen, who bounces my sweet little girl on her knee as she and Aidan fill me in on the history of Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet and some of the values and philosophies that guide their work.

They use local ingredients wherever possible, including cranberries from Terra Beata Cranberry Farm, Just Us chocolate and Valley Flaxflour.  They hand-make all their baked goods:  the kitchen is devoid of any food-production machinery with the exception of a mixer and a tart press, which is a simple wooden block that smunches pastry dough into filling-ready cups.

Once the food is prepared, each product is individually packaged so that those who need to avoid gluten can rest assured that the baking has not been contaminated in any way.  They work hard to make sure that their products are indistinguishable from their gluten-containing counterparts, and as I take a break from chatting to bite into a chocolate macaroon, I find I can vouch for their success in this endeavour.  It’s chewy, rich with dark chocolate, seriously coconutty and tastes like more.

Jen explained that avoiding gluten can be good for everyone, and in fact, half of Schoolhouse’s loyal customer base do not have problems digesting gluten.  They just like the taste of the food and the idea of eating locally sourced, handmade products.  I can’t argue with that.  So, I brought a few goodies home to share with my husband to see what he thought.  Except for the espresso chocolate chip cookie.  That one mysteriously disappeared on the drive home…

Over the next few days we enjoyed homemade pizza on herbed gluten-free focaccia, grilled cheese sandwiches on hearty potato millet bread and crunchy quinoa granola sprinkled over blueberry yogurt.  For a new mom on the fly, I really loved that all of these foods were nutritious and filling, especially for those days that I end up going for long periods of time between meals.  Two of my favourites (you know, after the macaroons were gone!) were the carrot cake and the butter tart.  These indulgences were best accompanied by a good strong cup of coffee and a quiet moment to sit down and enjoy.

As I smear the last little bit of sticky desert off of my plate with a finger, I can certainly understand why Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet has met with such success in the three years that it has been a fixture in farmers’ markets and retailers around Nova Scotia. Using wholesome, local ingredients, the gluten-free baking crafted at the schoolhouse with the red door is the kind of delicious, feel-good food that would make anyone come back for more.

Editor’s note: Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet’s pumpkin muffins won the 2011 Taste of Nova Scotia Prestige Award for Consumer Choice Product of the Year. For more information about the awards and to nominate your favourite restaurants, servers and products for this year’s awards, click here.