Moonlight Bakery Update

Just wanted to post a brief update about the new local Gluten Free Bakery called Moonlight Bakery.

• Moonlight officially launched last weekend at the North Hills Farmers Market and Earth Fare Harvest Fest. The owner, Shanah, let me know they had a great opening event and met a lot of Gluten Free consumers.
  

• They have been invited back to the North Hills Farmers Market this weekend (Saturday, October 3rd from 8am - 1pm). If you missed them last week, here is another opportunity.
  

• The Moonlight Bakery Web site is now up and running with a lot of great information about the bakery and it's Gluten Free baked goods. Check out the ever-expanding menu here.
  

• Take a quick survey here and receive a 25% off coupon off your next Moonlight Bakery purchase.
  

Twins Kitchen/Twin Cakes Bakery Update

I was informed by the ladies of Twins Kitchen/Twin Cakes Bakery of the following changes. They have a brand new blog address at http://twincakes-news.blogspot.com/ so be sure to update any RSS feeds and or bookmarks you may have.

Also, this Saturday 4/18, will be their first appearance at the Midtown Farmer's Market held at North Hills. Check out what will be available (everything is gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, egg free, low glycemic, corn free, lactose free and majority of them being soy free, casein free, potato free) ...

*Vanilla cupcake with coconut lime frosting
*Chocolate raspberry filled cupcake with chocolate raspberry frosting
*Chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting
*Carrot cake with coconut glaze
*Brownies
*Mini Banana Breads
*Chocolate chip cookies
*Cinnamon Buns
*Pizza crust
*Cinnamon Raisin Bread
*Spinach Quiche
*Apple Tart

Twin Cakes is also offering a product line called Pure2 which features Raw or "Living Foods". Raw food is known as ‘living’ foods because it is made from nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables that have been germinated and dehydrated to contain ALL nutrients. See the list below for the offerings from the Pure2 product line you can get at Saturday's market.

*Cheez Almond crackers
*Fig Newton’s
*Onion Pepper bread and onion spinach bread with spinach pesto
*Berry breakfast bread with cinnamon cashew spread
*Vanilla Coconut macaroons
*Chocolate Moon Pie

If you have not had the chance to enjoy the twin's food in the past, stop in and give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

Twins Kitchen Update: Local Farmer's Markets

Twins Kitchen/Twin Cakes Bakery recently announced the upcoming 2009 Farmer's Market schedule and which markets they will be participating in. Stop in to any of the markets below in Raleigh, Chapel Hill or Hillsborough to try out their awesome Gluten Free products if you have never tried them. They will be offering a wide range of products at the market this year and of course everything offered is gluten/wheat free and vegan.

Mid-Town Farmer's Market (formally North Hills Farmer's Market)
8 AM - 12 PM every Saturday beginning April 11, 2009
Located by the movie theater at North Hills

Carrboro/Chapel Hill Farmer's Market (a.k.a. Southern Village Farmer's Market)
3:30 PM - 6:30 PM every Thursday beginning May 7, 2009
Located at Southern Village on Market Street

Hillsborough Farmer's Market
4 Pm - 7 PM every Wednesday beginning April 8, 2009
Located in the Home Depot parking lot on NC86 and I-85

If you have any special request or want to make a pre-order to pick up at the market please call the Twins at 919-306-5304.

Also, stay tuned for some more exciting news from Twin Cakes Bakery - they will soon have a brand new Web site up and running which will focus solely on their bakery products. They also will be offering dry mixes for you to take home and bake yourself. Stay tuned!

Twins Kitchen - North Hills Farmer's Market 10/18 Reminder

Here is what Twins Kitchen will be offering during the 10-18 North Hills Farmer's Market from 8am - 12pm. Stop by and check out their excellent Gluten Free goodies.

Gingerbread Muffins
Chocolate chip cookie s’mores
Vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting
Mint Brownies
Bite-size goat cheese pumpkin cheesecakes (goat cheese from our good friend - Celebrity Dairy)
Mini spinach quiche
Mini broccoli cheddar quiche
Pizza Crust – pre-baked
Raw Sun-dried Tomato Bread with raw sunflower spread
Non-dairy Alfredo sauce
Gift Baskets – hand-made holiday place mats, napkins, candle place settings

Twins Kitchen Update - North Hills Farmer's Market & Holiday Baskets

I received an update over the weekend from Lori at Twins Kitchen. I have posted previously about getting their GF goodies at the North Hills Farmer's Market. The bad news is that the market will run only through November 22nd. The good news is that North Hills is planning for a Holiday market (dates and times to be announced). Twins Kitchen will also be a part of this Holiday market as well. They plan on offering Holiday Gift Baskets as well which sound great.

See more from the Twins Kitchen newsletter below...

North Hills Farmers Market
As many of you know that North Hills Farmers Market will be open till November 22(the weekend before Thanksgiving). What this means for you, well you will get the opportunity to buy more delicious treats from Twin Cakes every Saturday. Do not forget you can place an order with us ahead of time and pick-it up at the market while you do your produce shopping. More good news…after November 22, there will be a “Holiday Market”, the dates are still to be announced. Please stay tuned for that. Therefore during the holidays you will still be able to get your baked goods, quiches, muffins, pies in addition we will be doing sauces, spreads, and gift baskets. Please continue to come out and support your local farmers and bakers!!!

Just in Time for the Holidays - Twin Cakes Gift Baskets
The gift baskets will have a variety of items in it and you of course can customize it. These baskets will be great for co-workers, your boss, friend, or family. A sample of items you will see in the baskets:
-homemade napkins
-homemade place mats
-homemade spreads, pesto, and sauces
-cookies
-brownies
-muffins
It will also feature some of our recipes and mixes so you can create some of our delicious treats at your home!

Also, in case you missed this past Saturday's North Hills Farmer's Market, here is a sampling of what Twins Kitchen was selling (I'll take one of each please). If this sounds good to you, check them out next Saturday.

• Gingerbread cookies
• Chocolate chip mint cookie sandwiches
• Oat Cranberry Cookies
• Chocolate cake with mint frosting
• Pumpkin pie in a homemade nut crust
• Twins Homemade “Oat-less” Granola
• “Oat-less” Granola parfaits with strawberry vanilla pudding
• Mini Spinach Goat Cheese quiche
• Mini Broccoli “Mock” Cheddar quiche
• Mini Mix Squash quiche
• Pizza Crust – pre-baked
• Raw Sunflower Bread with red pepper spread
• Raw Millet Flax Cracker with red pepped spread
• White Miso Cilantro Persimmon Spread
• Chocolate Coconut Mousse
• Macadamia “mock cheese”
• Lemon-artichoke Pesto
• Non-dairy Alfredo sauce
• Creamy White “mock cheese”
• Gift Baskets
  

ENJOY

Twins Kitchen Update - Harmony Farms

I spotted these 2 items on the Twins Kitchen Blog...

Starting tomorrow, October 7, Harmony Farms will be selling some of our baked goods as well as allow for you to order larger quantities from an order sheet they will have in the store. Harmony Farms is a natural health food store located at the intersection of Creedmoor and Millbrook in Raleigh, NC. Please stop by and see what they have to offer.

And

We now offer soy, casein, and corn free products, in addition to the gluten, egg, dairy, and peanut free options. We also offer low glycemic sugar options, which we use stevia or agave nectar to sweetener our products. We try to always use natural sugars, although some recipes do work best with other sugars, such as pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup, local black strap molasses, or raw sugar. Please remember to come by every Saturday to see what new options we have baked up for your enjoyment at the North Hills Farmers Market. The North Hills Farmers market will be open till November 22. Stay tuned for more information on the holiday market. As the holiday season is approaching, Twins Kitchen will be providing gift baskets that will be great for holiday parties for your work, friends, or family. More on this to come!

Check out their Blog and Web site.

Check out my other Posts about Twins Kitchen here.

Twin's Kitchen - Full Service Gluten Free Company

I have briefly mentioned Twin's Kitchen in some previous posts but would like to go a little further this time. I first discovered the Twins when I stumbled onto their Twin Cake's Bakery items at the Moore's Square Farmer's Market in Downtown Raleigh this summer. The Twins (twin sister/business partner/best friend duo), also known as Lori and Michelle Corso, have been living Gluten Free for the last 2 years after experiencing medical issues for most of their lives. They are not medically diagnosed as Celiac but are 100% committed to living the Gluten Free Lifestyle. I tried a few of their delicious dessert items (chocolate cake, cupcakes, brownies, cookies, etc...) and was blown away. I have tried just about all the GF dessert options from grocery stores in the area (I have a huge sweet tooth) and was NOT impressed. On most occasions, I can immediately tell when something is Gluten Free just by its taste and texture, especially dessert items. This is NOT true for Twin Cakes Bakery items. Click here for a sample menu of what they offer. It seems like they can make just about anything to satisfy your sweet tooth.

I have had the chance to meet the Twins on several occasions and have had interaction with them via email and phone conversations. They told me in a recent conversation that "Twin Cakes came about when we noticed that there really was no place here in Raleigh or the surrounding areas that baked fresh, natural, allergy friendly desserts. Although we cannot accommodate every allergy, our bakery's focus is always to provide gluten, egg, dairy and peanut free desserts, as well as using only natural sugars (nothing processed) and providing some soy free items. We wanted a place where anybody, food allergies or not, can come and find something that they can enjoy. Even non-allergy suffers have enjoyed our delicious treats. We bake our goods in small batches while using high quality ingredients that have been approved by the twins. Our state inspected kitchen is a dedicated gluten, egg, dairy and peanut free facility!".

They went on to state "Our mission is to show others through our food and desserts that having a gluten, egg, dairy, and peanut free lifestyle can be full of flavor, variety, deliciousness and satisfaction. We want to show people, whether you chose or medically have to be gluten free or vegan, the meal options are endless. Not only will you be supporting a local company, but by incorporating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables (from local farmers), and eating less food out of a box, you will be saving the environment by creating less waste. Here at Twin Cakes, we use biodegradable containers and use local and organic ingredients whenever possible". Lori and Michelle have dreams of opening a retail outlet for their Twin Cakes Bakery at some point in the future.

As I did more research on their website, http://www.twinskitchen.com/, I discovered that the Twins also offered many other Gluten Free food services. They are for-hire Personal Chefs who will help you plan meals for you and your family, do the grocery shopping and actually prepare the meals in your home for you. In addition, I noticed that they also offer catering services for events like Birthday parties, Baby showers, Romantic dinners, Anniversaries, Holiday get-togethers, Fundraisers, Cocktail and dinner parties, Girls' night (Grey's Anatomy Night), Movie marathon, etc... They will take care of all the menu planning, shopping, cooking, set up and clean up.

They recently told me the following about their Twins Kitchen concept "We want to create an ultimate dining experience at home by creating dishes that use high quality ingredients. We offer different meal packages where a person or family can get a week, two weeks or even a month of prepared meals. Let us do the menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking, and provide all the dishes that are used for meal preparation, so you gain more time to do what you love or enjoy. Having a personal chef is a cost-efficient alternative to dining out. Have you ever calculated how much time and money you may spend eating out, picking food up, making trips to the store, and preparing food or throwing food away? Let Twins Kitchen create healthy meals that are individually packaged to provide a quick healthy alternative to your average food choices. We believe in high customer service where we do our best to customize our food offerings to each person's needs. We strive to make unique menus that can be enjoyed by all, not just gluten free, vegan eaters. We use gluten free whole grains, natural sugars, local and organic produce, and a variety of seasonings to create good healthy food that is uncompromisingly delicious".

Sounds good to me!

Here is a sample menu from their website for their personal chef option.

• Raw Thai coleslaw salad
• Sautéed spinach and mushrooms with garlic and crisp shallots on top
• Goat cheese arugula salad with roasted walnuts
• Roasted squash medley served with quinoa
• Butternut squash and chickpea stew served over amaranth
• Tarragon zucchini pizza with goat brie
• Lemongrass Risotto
• Mini spinach burgers

While I have yet to give the Twins Personal Chef or Catering service a try, I encourage you to try Twins Kitchen if you get the chance. This Blog is about providing exposure to local companies who cater to our specific dietary needs and this company seems to provide the most comprehensive services for Gluten Free diets in this area. If you have already tried them out or plan to do so in the future, please leave a comment about your experience. I will provide a follow-up in the future once I know more.

If you are wondering about their pricing (Personal Chefs sounds expensive doesn't it), see the following from their FAQ page.

Is it expensive? No. Compare the cost of grocery shopping combined with all the days you either eat out or grab fast food and food that ends up in the trash. Also take into account all the time wasted driving to and from the store or restaurant. By hiring Twins Kitchen as your personal chefs, you can relax and enjoy affordable home-cooked meals in the privacy of your own home.

Do you offer any discounts? Yes, we offer 20% discount off your first service with Twins Kitchen Personal Chef Service.

As I have mentioned before, you can give their Twin Cakes Bakery options a try at the North Hills Farmer's Market held each Saturday from 8am to noon.

Please contact the Twins for more information via email at customerservice@twinskitchen.com or call 919-306-5304. Feel free to also check out their blog at http://twinskitchen-news.blogspot.com/.

ENJOY!

GF Items at North Hills Farmer's Market

Good news - each Saturday there is a Farmer's Market at North Hills in Midtown Raleigh.

Better news - the farmer's market includes Gluten Free bakery items from Twin Cakes Bakery.

Background - A few weeks ago, I discovered there were GF bakery items at the Downtown Raleigh Farmer's Market at Moore's Square Park. I met the Twins Kitchen Chefs (both Celiacs) there and tried a few of the GF bakery items. I'm talking about cakes, cookies, cupcakes, etc... The good stuff. I have tried several of their products over the last few weeks and I can personally vouch for them. They are 100% GF and 100% yummy.

I was saddened to see the Moore's Square Farmer's Market only ran through August, but I then discovered that they were also showcasing their products at the North Hills Farmer's Market.

If you happen to be in North Hills/Midtown Raleigh (whatever the latest buzz word is for that area) on Saturdays from 8:00 am to 12 pm, stop in and say hello to the Twin Chefs and try some of their food - you will not be disappointed. I will be reviewing them in more detail in the near future (in addition to the bakery, they also are GF personal chefs).

Here is the Farmer's Market website for more information
http://www.northhillsraleigh.com/EventsEntertainment.htm