back of the house
RevolutionARY Bakery By Ashlie Hughes · Photographs by Stephanie Cameron I am not a gluten-free eater and do not have an allergy to gluten, so I’ve never been painfully separated from any of my favorite foods—pasta, bread, beer. The mere thought of giving them up conjures a level of sacrifice and discipline that is, politely speaking, unappealing. But I’ve been schooled. After sampling several delicious products that owner Dionne Christian and her team create at Santa Fe’s Revolution Bakery, a gluten-free life now appears to involve no sacrifice at all!
good into something gluten-free. Today the eatery offers a large range of baked goods including bread, cakes, muffins, sweet rolls, cupcakes, scones, and lunch items such as pizza, salads, and sandwiches. Dionne offers many of the goodies with a vegan option. Breakfast is the newest item to hit Revolution’s menu, and, she says, “We really want to focus on pancakes, waffles, French toast, eggs, and bacon. We’re going to do our own local lamb sausages.”
Dionne opened Revolution Bakery in 2011, offering Santa Fe a one hundred percent gluten-free option. For ten years she was the proprietor of The Teahouse, where she began gluten-free baking. She became interested in gluten-free eating, so much so that she actually began to experiment with a gluten-free diet. Dionne says she could feel her body respond almost immediately to the change. A week of gluten-free eating turned into a month, which turned into a year.
Does she suggest a gluten-free diet for everyone? Dionne’s answer is a resounding yes. She argues that conventionally grown wheat, like so many other commodity crops, has been altered for maximum production through hybridization and the use of chemical inputs. She’s not convinced science can prove that eating grains grown this way are both safe and healthy. Her philosophy on eating: Get it as close to the source as possible. When not at the bakery, Dionne practices what she preaches by eating mostly from the backyard—veggies, honey, and chickens.
Many Teahouse customers asked for gluten-free options, so she began testing recipes. Often she would make a pastry or dessert and not label it as gluten-free, just to learn how an eater would respond to the recipe with no disclaimers. Because food containing gluten was also being made at The Teahouse, cross-contamination became a concern for Dionne. Her real goal was to ensure that people with serious gluten allergies could enjoy dining out. She eventually sold The Teahouse, and decided to dedicate her full attention to gluten-free products. What makes Revolution Bakery unique is the focus on the base ingredients. Dionne checks every product used to be sure each is totally gluten-free, and made in a gluten-free environment. “I’ll call up whoever it is, if it’s a baking soda company, I’ll call them up and ask them, ‘Are you guys making your baking soda and packing it in a gluten-free environment?’ And if they say no, I’ll use another company.” The bakery also proudly blends its own flour mixes. Dionne has upwards of twenty different types of grain milled exclusively for Revolution. She developed unique blends of grain for all the baked items on her menu, and relishes the challenge to turn any conventional baked
This food ethic is practiced at the bakery as well. Dionne prides herself on running a completely gluten-free kitchen, but she also takes great care to make sure she’s using good, clean ingredients in every loaf, cookie, and cupcake. Unlike many conventional gluten-free products available from grocery stores, her baked goods contain no preservatives or artificial ingredients, only basic ingredients like eggs, butter, and gluten-free flour. You can find Revolution Bakery goods at several farmers markets in Albuquerque, and they should be at the Santa Fe Farmers Market soon. When asked about future plans for the business, Dionne hinted at expansion. To stay abreast of the pending news, be sure to check out the bakery’s Facebook site @ RevolutionBakery. 1291 San Felipe Avenue, Santa Fe, 505-988-2100 www.revolutionbakery.com Ashlie Hughes is a food, travel, and cocktail writer currently living in Santa Fe. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing home bartender, making wine with her husband’s family, and daydreaming about traveling the world. You can view her website at www.ashliehughes.com.
100% Gluten-free Dionne Christian opened Revolution Bakery in 2011, offering Santa Fe a one hundred percent gluten-free option.