When I first developed gluten intolerance 15 years ago, the baked goods selection was dismal. The bread consisted of frozen bricks that, when thawed, tasted like rice-flavored sponges. The cookies were grainy and left a lingering garbanzo bean taste on the tongue. Fortunately, a lot has changed since then.
When I meet a fresh gluten-free (GF) friend, it’s usually only a matter of minutes before we exchange information, share places where we celebrate, and even focus on gluten-free baking and create hard-to-find treats that I’ve been thinking about Maybe never again I’ll taste it.
On Social ice creamall in the little pink store at 2421 University Ave. is gluten-free – including fresh maple waffle cones. If you’re lucky, you might see them poured onto the heated waffle maker right at the counter, filling the shop with the aroma of toasted maple.
One or more fresh flavors change every week and always include one vegan option. Most of the delicacies contained in the wonderfully creamy bases are baked on site. My favorite flavors include Lavender Honeycomb, Biscuits with the Boss (Earl Gray tea ice cream with pieces of butter shortcrust pastry) and Bitter Sweet Symphony (caramel ice cream with burnt sugar and chocolate-covered potato chips).
If you think ice cream is just a summer treat, please don’t sleep on Ice Cream Social’s winter flavors like Minter Wonderland (mint ice cream with white chocolate and candy cane pretzels) and Gingerbread Cookie Butter Swirl (sizzling buttermilk ice cream with butter gingerbread).
Mini scoops are $4.25, single scoops are $5.75, and double scoops are $7.75. Can’t decide on one flavor? Try the four-scoop flight ($10). You can also grab a beer or an ice cream sandwich from the freezer, and word on the street is that ice cream cakes will soon be available, too. To sweeten the deal, Ice Cream Social is donating 10% of its profits to DaneMAC, a local nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual violence.
You can assume that the store specializing in high-end chocolate would also not produce gluten-free baked goods in GF’s dedicated kitchen. Or that these will be the best GF baked goods in town.
However, this double whammy is exactly what it is Madison Chocolate Company offers. I felt queasy with delight when I first saw a bread box filled with treats I hadn’t eaten in years: perfectly laminated chocolate “pain au” ($5.50), luscious ham and gruyere croissants ($8), silky cream cheese frosting cream swirl atop a nest of cinnamon rolls ($7), shadowy chocolate chips and sea salt crystals in immense chocolate chip cookies ($5). I bought one of everything. I couldn’t wait to get home and try a bit of each in the car, trying to keep my sticky fingers off the steering wheel. Everything tasted as good as it looked – no diminutive feat. Seasonal favorites include pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting, apple cider donuts and Thanksgiving pies with apples, pumpkin and pumpkin praline.
Madison Chocolate Company has two locations: its original store at 729 Glenway St. and a fresh, larger space at 5521 Odana Road. Both locations often sell out of popular items, so call before you go.
I got back to Madison tardy 2020 after 12 years of absence and Flower was the first bakery I discovered that made GF treats. I stood outside in the March frosty, waiting for my turn to put on a mask and go inside so the store could maintain social distancing. I bought every flavor of perfectly decorated cupcakes.
Bloom cupcakes remain my favorite and have the added bonus of being vegan, as are almost all of the GF treats they make. Even non-GF friends were eager to swallow them and wanted seconds. Get one cupcake ($4.50) or order a dozen ($36) for special occasions. The flavors change every week. My current favorites are pumpkin chai and chocolate cream cheese ganache.
Grab a donut while you’re at it, but expect the consistency of a muffin since they’re not fried. My favorites are chai glazed and chocolate glazed. Buy one ($3), six-pack ($18) or dozen ($36).
Please note that because Bloom primarily produces gluten-containing baked goods, her kitchen is not GF-friendly.
Bloom has two locations: 1851 Monroe St. and a newer, smaller location in the Northstreet Collective at 551 North St.
