Dude note: To help celebrate and promote Celiac Awareness Month, I will be writing 30 blog posts over 30 consecutive days (weekends excluded) with the theme “30 Days of Helping 30 Celiacs”. Each post will be aimed toward helping one specific person or group of people. If you or someone you know needs help, guidance, advice or a shoulder to cry on, please contact me and I will do what I can to help. On the 31st day, you’re on your own. Totally kidding.
Todayโs 30 for 30 blog post is for: My friend, fellow celiac and crazy-busy entrepreneur Jennifer Esposito.
I’ll make today’s post short and sweet…kinda like me…well short anyway ๐
As many of you are most likely aware, Jennifer opened a bakery in NYC about 16 months ago. It’s an absolute haven for those with gluten issues. The food is amazing (and healthy), the atmosphere inviting and yes, you will normally find Jen behind the counter baking away.
I’ve had the privilege of being there a number of times and Jen loads me up on a variety of gluten-free goodies. I have never been remotely disappointed. Her recipes are filled with only the purest, healthiest, organic, non GMO ingredients she could find. And dang they taste delish too!
What many of you may not be aware of is that Jen has partnered with some incredibly talented folks with tons of industry experience and her brand is going national (and soon to be global).
The NYC bakery will still be open for business as usual, but in addition, they now have their own completely gluten-free factory where they’ll be taking her recipes and reproducing them in larger quantity.
What does this mean to you? It means that soon you will be able to order her food online and have it shipped right to your stomachs.
She’ll be starting with just a handful of items as they take things a bit slow to start but will soon be selling all types of cookies, cakes, bagels, breads, mixes, etc. Her partners are masters at packaging and will be able to keep Jen’s food as fresh as fresh gets.
So do me a favor, do Jen a favor and do yourself a favor…go to JennifersWayBakery.com and leave your email address and she’ll notify you as soon as they’re ready to ship.
And while you’re waiting, check out Jen’s latest video below about her bakery. Like her food, it’s good stuff.
A huge HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS to Jen and her new nationwide bakery!!!
Man, after a heartfelt congratulatuons to GDude yesterday, I’m gonna need some cookies and cakes to keep my strength up!!
Have we eaten yet?!? I can hardly wait!!!
I couldn’t be much further away on the same continent but the message is still the same. I also have several food allergies along with “the celiac” and I love, love, love to even SEE beautiful healthy food that I could possibly eat.
Jennifer’s food will get here eventually but in the meantime, we can all plug away at perfecting the food we loved but can no longer eat.
I wish the very best to Jennifer. Stay the course, Everyone and enjoy something extraordinary today!
Oh Jen. I am so thrilled for you! ๐
When I was first diagnosed, I was so weak, I could hardly eat or swallow or walk without help and I was like deer in the headlights, negotiating this new GF world. When my husband said,”come on babe, let’s go to Sherry Lynn’s GF in Latham NY!”, I did not know what to expect. They greeted me warmly and told me I could have ANYTHING on the menu. waaa?? Yes, a totally dedicated bakery and restaurant. I started to cry. I felt safe and relieved.
The owners, Sherry and her hubs, Howie & their kiddos embraced me like family (and we are still close friends 3.5 years later). I say they are angels on earth providing a safe haven for people to eat without fear. It takes dedication to run a business that is committed to taking care of people, too.
And I imagine your customers feel the same way towards you.
Best wishes on your new venture. I look forward to trying your “stuff”. Now, please pass me a hunk of that artisan bread. It looks crazy delish!
SO EXCITING. I’ve added myself to the email list! ๐
I’ve tried. I can grill like a demon but baking is like advanced calculus to me.
I’m one of the lucky ones that lives in close proximity to the bakery, and I will try to get there more often.
I would probably part with a limb for a box of those cupcakes. Glad I don’t have to…
How awesome.. Jen, that’s a great video, I smiled the whole time I was watching. What’s more awesome, is I am coming to NYC for the first time this summer to see a show on Broadway with my daughter for her 16th birthday, which was last year. Soy free, gluten free… I can’t wait to come to your Bakery. Thank you for making it easier to travel.
So excited to see this happening!!! If I ever get back to NYC the bakery is first on my list of places to visit. In the meantime, I will be content to order these delicious and healthy goodies from her website.
Congratulations Jennifer! We wish you all the best and truly appreciate you being a voice for this community.
Great! Oh what I would give for a good GF bread. I have tried them all and have given up on ever eating bread again. This was such a big hurdle for me as I was a huge bread eater. We have a place here that does european artisian breads and I am sure that I was their best customer. I mourn those days, but i have never ever cheated not once since coming down with this disease. I so look forward to being able to have something just as good and safe for me. I wish you all the best Jennifer and I thank you. My two heroes are you and the dude. I signed up and am counting the mins until I can order from your bakery.
Just looking at the video makes me want to hop the Accela train from Boston to NYC for lunch!!!!! I will sign up and eagerly await
the day when shipping starts. Best of luck and success to Jennifer
for providing us all with great food!
I look forward to her bakery items. I just read her book and it was awesome. She really went to hell and back to get a diagnosis. If you haven’t read it yet, you need to. Especially anyone who went gluten-free and is still having problems.
Congratulations Jen!
Thank you from another woman who also just cried!
Not only gluten free, but dairy, yeast and soy free, oh my…
Yes, food should be enjoyed and not feared.
On the list and waiting for May 1st. ๐
I’m on the list too! Thanks GD for letting us all know. I had e-mailed you asking whether Jennifer shipped her goodies. You have no idea how bad it is out here in the Pacific. I am really excited. I can’t wait to eat a delicious bagel!!
And Hello IH! Hope you are enjoying Florida.
Watched the above video and started cryingโฆfirst the tears were for me and what I miss and than happy tears for Jennifer and what she is doing and what she has accomplished. Much adoration for you Jennifer and I cannot wait to order your wonderful delicious products. You deserve all this success!!!
We are thrilled to know that we’ll soon be able to order from your bakery, Jennifer! My bakery-deprived kids have been eager to go to your bakery ever since seeing video footage of little ones trick- or-treating there last winter. We’re planning to visit and eat there when we’re in NYC this June.
Thank you also for your book…I’m about 1/2 way through it and I can’t get over how many similarities we had during our long delays in diagnosis.
I clicked the link thinking I’d just check it out and OMG. SHIPPING WORLDWIDE. #happylittlemightymite
Yep…Jen’s going global ๐
And deservedly so. She could have just thrown her name behind a brand of gf baked goods. Instead she got her hands dirty and created this really delicious food that just happens to be free of gluten and a host of other allergens. And best of all? She’s from Brooklyn. Fugeddaboutit!
When I go through NYC next, we’re ALL meeting at JE’s bakery…deal?
Deal!
I’m in!
Could be this AUGUST!! ๐
when I know our travel plans, I’ll have GD forward my email to you, Ken and we’ll plan from there.
Oh man I am crying hard I miss the ease so much. I am learning and working hard to feed myself healthy food that tastes fabulous but yes it is so much work. Worth doing but very hard. Thank you gd I really needed to cry today. Crying is such a good emotional release. For me I need crying in celiac land. Not because of guilt but because of all the ease and spontaneity I have lost. Gluten free is one thing. Add in dairy, eggs, garlic and my full page list of intolerances and one some days I still feel bad in the gut. Oh and fearing food and food situations….I have been there. What a great video! I am now inspired and motivated to get up and make a delicious healthy breakfast for myself.
The loss of spontaneity remains the biggest issue for me, too hon.
๐
For what it”s worth, I also have/had a dairy, soy, egg, MSG, and histamine intolerance, so I get what you are saying. Please know that some celiacs can add those foods back in later when their guts heal. Just hang in there.( I got back eggs in small doses and some dairy, too) ๐
I know you are struggling right now, but I promise you, it gets easier.
check out this website–she may have suggestions for you!
http://www.thesensitivepantry.com/
May I suggest some good quality probiotics to help with that gut healing?
We’ll help you along the way. Chin up, now. You’re going to be ok.
Same here…and just said this to Mrs. Dude last night. She misses it too ๐
I’m gonna jump in here too IH. I’ve got an awesome nutritionist but still on the leaky gut healing path. It takes a while and a good probiotic is an absolute. L-Glutamine is great too. Man would I love to eat a wee bit of goat cheese and an egg some day. You’re forever an inspiration and once again thank you for some of the links you’ve included for others. Research Goddess that you are, it has cut down on some of the never ending research I’ve done for myself the past few years. I always check them out darling! Hang in there Thankful for WF’s, take heart, there are plenty of us in there with you and never give up ๐
Oh Mary,
You’ve just made my day, dear girl.
Thank you , from my heart.
Thankfulfor whole foods!
Custom probiotics 6 -strain is a good one (I have no interests in the company, I swear) and Florajen3 is also good.
Mary,
Did you see this article? (gosh, I just can’t help myself..lol)
http://www.celiac.com/articles/23617/1/Role-of-Probiotics-in-Improving-Gut-Health-in-Celiac-Disease/Page1.html
Hang in there, Mary!
4 years ago at this time, still 7 months before diagnosis, I wrote my will. (my husband was very upset with me because he thought it was me starting to give up. That was not the case at all…!. I am just practical and things were pretty grim. I could barely lift my arms or walk straight)
This morning, I went to the gym and lifted weights. he he!
Every day is a healing day. ๐
Thank you all! I’ve had a great breakfast and healing day! My breakfast was lemon cashew “cream” (the filling from this recipe http://mywholefoodlife.com/2014/04/17/healthy-lemon-tarts/) that I had leftover from Easter with strawberries and hash browns with my homemade turkey apple sausage. Then I SPONTANEOUSLY decided to go visit my parents and packed up some leftovers for myself to eat there. Thanks so much for your wonderful helpful responses. I am on a good probiotic from my natropath as well as glut amine. Those are helping and so are all of you!
Thanks as always Irish. First, absolutely no affiliation…I’m on Ultimate Flora Critical Colon Bifido Max 80 Billion. On top of Celiac I had a rare congenital large intestinal condition that went mis- and undiagnosed for 52 years..along with the Celiac. Given less than 50% odds of surviving emergency surgery…well too long to go into but let’s just say I was remarkably blessed to have survived. Good thing with two remarkable adult children that I’m happy to still be here with and a wedding for one in early fall! Yeah, I did the will thing too. After developing a few other auto-immune conditions, still not gaining weight, with some not so great days days, I get a bit freaked I won’t make it to autumn to see my daughter married, but I get over that as quickly as possible! A positive attitude and hope are imperative. Checked out the link and pasted to my email along with quite a few of yours in the past. Go woman go!
Thankful for Whole Foods, pinned your Lemon Tarts for future reference! Cool that you picked yourself up girl and hope you had a great visit. This is a great community right? It would be awesome if this whole community could get together one day…maybe at a pre-arranged date at Jennifer’s Bakery? I’m up for it one day…who’s with me?!
Thanks GD for establishing this site and congrats on the 400th post the other day btw! What a relief to have found it ๐
Work it harder make it better
Do it faster makes us stronger
More than ever hour after
Our work is never over
-Daft Punk
Best video EVER. I think we can all relate to Jennifer’s passion for eating a delish GF version of something that was off limits to us. So glad to see her GF baked goods going global! If I ever meet Jennifer, I solemnly swear never to mention Wonder Bread!
Does anyone have an update on Jennifer’s Way Bakery? I saw on Yelp that it closed. Is she going to sell her food online? Thank you! Christine (mother of an adjusting teen with celiac).