Café News: Organicos Gluten Free Bread

By Allison Carpenter; Community Outreach

If you’re like many Americans, you enjoy a good sandwich. Sandwiches in and of themselves are the epitome of the American lunch. But if you find yourself sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease, than a sandwich might just be out of the question. Sure, many brands have tried to create the perfect gluten free bread, but more often than not we wind up disappointed with the flavor and texture. Opening yourself up to pay that often $10 or more price tag for a loaf of bread you might just hate lowers the incentive to gamble and try another brand that claims to have gotten it right, leaving you without a piece of bread for your sandwich and making it, well, not a sandwich.

At the Berryvale Café, they have been trying to crack this code for a while. After trying and tasting bread after bread, they’ve finally figured it out! The Berryvale Cafe is excited to introduce a truly delicious gluten free bread alternative; Organicos Multi-grain Bread. Speaking as a person that is very sensitive to gluten, I have had to avoid the café; every time I’d walk by, I’d smell the delicious smell of sandwiches grilling and my taste buds would cry a little.  

Today, I was prompted by our cafe manager, Jennifer, to try the bread on a sandwich. She told me I wouldn’t regret it. So I took the plunge and gave it a try and I didn’t! I did the “build your own sandwich” and ordered a grilled turkey sandwich with avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion, and veganaise. The taste and flavor was perfect! I could hardly tell I wasn’t eating the real deal. There was a slight flavor to the bread that is not found in regular sandwich bread that I found very hearty and savory. It has a real robust, wheat-bread-like texture that is unlike any gluten free bread I have ever tasted and paired perfectly with the grilled turkey and avocado. Normally with gluten free bread, the bread dissolves in the mouth and lacks the porous, grainy texture of regular bread, but not Organicos. I can only attribute this to Organicos’ explanation that it “derives its old world texture and dark coloration from the addition of buckwheat flour and black strap molasses.” This multi-grain bread does not fall short of its name.

This bread is topped with some yummy seeds that add to the bread’s robust flavor while not taking away from its bread-like texture, as many regular seeded breads do. Indeed, this bread surpassed all expectations I had. On top of that, this bread is vegan—egg and dairy free—making it an overall win win! And now, best of all, I no longer have to dodge the delicious café smells of grilled sandwiches while working my shift.

If you have a gluten sensitivity or celiacs, or are just avoiding gluten for other reasons, I highly recommend this scrumptious bread! Try it on our many delicious sandwiches; the Grilled Turkey Pesto, the Berryvale Rueben, the Tuna Melt, Grilled Cheese, Cold Tuna, or the Veggie Sandwich. Or you could build your own sandwich for a truly unique sandwich experience. Just be sure that when you order your sandwich, you request the gluten free bread option. It only costs $.50 extra and is well worth it!