I hear even Boston beans do it!

So I went to Boston a few weeks ago. LOVE it there. Last time I went up about a year and a half ago, I had some of the best gluten free food I’ve tasted in ages. My favorite spot was Zing Pizza in Cambridge…holy moly. It actually had the consistency and taste of real pizza. Not crispy, not too thin; it was insanely good. I didn’t make it there this time because I mostly stuck around Medford, a burb of Boston that also has some tasty treats. I am obsessed with the Danish Pastry House, an awesome little pastry and coffee spot right around the block from where I was staying. They have several gluten free treats that are worth the stop. The staff is fairly knowledgeable and when in doubt, they’ll pull out laminated lists of ingredients for you to scrutinize. I triple checked that their french macaroons were gluten free and got an amaaaazing maple one…for breakfast. Oops. I mean, it was maple flavored, I figured it wasn’t that far off from a danish or something. Right? Right.

So before that mind numbing justification of my breakfast macaroon, I really should have informed my reading audience that I’ve decided to uproot to Boston fairly soon and that’s why I went up to visit 🙂 I’m really excited, not only for my personal life to pick up some steam, not only for the opportunity to again be in a metropolitan foodtropolis (Real? Doesn’t matter. Still awesome), but to live in an area with real culture, real identity as a city. Boston is a vibrant, young, cool place, ya’ll. 🙂 I’m psyched. So I had a job interview that went really well, and I’m crossing my fingers that it pulls through so that I can move up for this fall! I can’t wait for New England autumn; pumpkins, apple pickin’, leaf peeping, wahoo!!

YAY 🙂

So, the weekend was great. We hit Haru, a ridiculously beautiful sushi joint near the Prudential Center, for Scorpion Bowls and sushi. The light fixtures alone were worth the trip. Although to be fair, I was wonderfully drunk by the time I noticed the floating twine ball above our table, which might have enhanced its beauty a bit. I had three (count em, three) shrimp and avocado rolls. AND. They had gluten free soy sauce. Which is nice if you don’t want to be a dork and smuggle in your gf soy sauce in your tiny purse…

At least one scorpion bowl in...go team!

I also had lunch at Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery, which was a really great gluten free dining experience. We had a wonderful waiter who checked with the chef on every single aspect of my meal to make sure it was gluten free.  Go responsible restaurants! You make me happy.

So today for your dining pleasure and to celebrate what I just realized is my 100th post (wow…only took me way too many years to hit that milestone!), I have some amazing AMAZING gluten free cinnamon raisin bread. This is something that I have to admit spending way too much money on at Whole Foods way too many times. I wish that I could say that it was super hard and thank goodness I waited to try it…but it would be a lie. This super easy recipe came courtesy of The Baking Beauties and it was seriously way better than any commercially made gluten free cinnamon raisin bread I’ve had. It was soft, delicious out of the oven with salted butter, not at all crumbly, and amazing even 3 days later without ever going into the fridge. Pretty amazing. I also think Jeanine is inspired for including oatmeal in this bread, which gives it more fiber, more moisture, and I’m pretty sure it mimics some gluten-like qualities. Ever seen cooked oatmeal? Just sayin. Nice recipe, Jeanine! 🙂

Cinnaraisingasm

Oatmeal Cinnamon Raisin Bread

From The Baking Beauties

9×5-inch loaf pan, greased or silicone (Note: I actually bake bread in loaf pans with parchment paper now. It makes it super super easy to lift out of the pan, you don’t have to worry about it sticking ever! try it!)

1/2 cup certified gluten free rolled oats
1 cup raisins

Place oats & raisins in a bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain water using a sieve or strainer. It is Ok if it is still wet, you just don’t want any puddles in the mixture.

Wet Ingredients:
3/4 – 1 cup warm water (start with 3/4 cup and add up to 1/4 cup if necessary)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp instant yeast
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 egg whites

Combine water, sugar & yeast. Stir and let sit until foamy on top. Then add the cider vinegar, vegetable oil, eggs and egg whites.

Dry Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup milk powder
2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt

Combine all dry ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer until well mixed.

Add the soaked oats & raisins to the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer (with the paddle attachment) on low speed, and slowly add the wet ingredients. Once combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the mixer on medium, beat for 4 minutes.

Spoon dough into prepared bread pan. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place for 25 minutes, or until it has reached the top of the bread pan.

Place bread in preheated 350 degrees F oven, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until nicely browned & the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the top.

Remove loaf from oven, and leave in the bread pan for 5-10 minutes. Remove from pan & cool on wire cooling racks (I like to cool loaf on its side). When the loaf is completely cool, store in airtight bag. Can be left on the counter for 3 days, or frozen (wrap in additional plastic wrap if freezing).