Taste Test

A Gluten-Free For All

The best flourless bites in the Bay

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Gluten has been kicking our celiac staff members out of highly enjoyable taste tests for months on end. So, this month we wanted to make sure everyone had something delicious to banter about. Gluten intolerant or not, the Bay is chockfull of some seriously delicious grain-and wheat-free eats that’ll have you reaching for the nearest gluten-free menu. 

The Sliced Bread Contender

The Beehive Café’s butternut squash sandwich, piled high with caramelized onions, baby spinach, tomato, pesto and Vermont cheddar cheese, had us “OMG”-ing. Super thick and perfectly grilled homemade flaxseed bread offers a delightful biscuit texture that doesn’t crumble like typical store-bought versions. Sweet, hearty, butternut cuts the saltiness of basil pesto for a garden sandwich that hits all the right notes. 10 Franklin Street, Bristol. 401-396-9994, www.thebeehivecafe.com 

A Wheat-Free Fiesta

Trafford Restaurant’s pulled pork tacos, topped with pickled onions and a fresh cilantro yogurt sauce, takes the (flourless) cake for celiac-friendly fare. Citrus braised pork butt sits atop a lightly seasoned corn flour tortilla for a characteristic taco crunch, while mildly acidic pickled onions cut a creamy herb dressing. We think a balanced diet includes one in each hand. 285 Water Street, Warren. 401-289-2265, www.traffordrestaurant.com

The Flourless Italian 

There’s nothing lacking in Seven Stars Bakery’s almond macaroon cookie, admired for its dense, chewy texture and amber amaretto flavor profile. Packed with an “adult level of sweetness,” this solid – but not granular – cookie would hold its own dunked in your afternoon tea, espresso and even, dare we say, your morning coffee. This anytime treat will have you ditching conventional white flour for almond meal that satisfies without an ounce of guilt. 20 Newman Avenue #3001, Rumford. 401-521-2200, www.sevenstarsbakery.com 

Tall, Dark and Hand-Me-Some

Eva Ruth’s Specialty Bakery turns the table with a vegan frosted chocolate brownie that’ll have the gluten-tolerant envying you for a change. With a consistency that meets halfway between fudge and cake, this subtly sweet dessert packs obvious hints of real Dutch cocoa and leaves no room for artificial flavorings. A dollop of smooth, whipped chocolate frosting serves as the base for crunchy rainbow sprinkles that make for an on-point presentation. 796 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown. 401-619-1924, www.evaruths.com 

Photography by Veatsna Sok and Meghan Follett 

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