Coronavirus Edition #1: The Magic of a Great GF Flour
Updated: May 22, 2020
During this unique situation we're in, with stay at home orders preventing people from experiencing great GF restaurants and experiences (except for take-out), I thought I would provide some articles about gluten-free food that you can experience in the comfort, or the mind-numbing boredom, of your own home. I will still be adding articles about GF restaurants in Austin for people to utilize when it is safe to dine at restaurants again; however, I wanted to write about other topics related to gluten-free food for the time being. In this article, I will be discussing the best gluten-free flours that I've tried and how you can make gluten-free food that doesn't compromise on the flavor or texture of gluten foods.
The way I choose to approach gluten-free dishes is by starting with the original recipes. I have found that it is often best to start with non-gluten-free (or naturally gluten-free) recipes. The reason for this is, often annoyingly, many GF versions of classic recipes are grouped with other dietary restrictions (such as dairy-free, vegetarian or vegan, keto, etc.); while it is great that these recipes are available for people with these restrictions, it often can compromise on the dish itself. When I want a cookie, I want a COOKIE! Not a healthy snack full of vitamins and nutrients, but a COOKIE. Luckily, I have found that many gluten-free flours, such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 (my personal favorite) or King Arthur's Gluten-Free Flour, can give me the glutenous (actually gluten-free) dishes that I want without the caveat.
While there is not much to say about the GF flours themselves, besides the amazing recipes they can make, the importance of them for gluten-free recipes is colossal. Here are some recipes that work well with gluten-free flour:
However, it is important that you choose a good gluten-free flour. While there are some bad gluten-free flours, there are many good ones to choose from. Here are some of the best gluten-free flours on the market, rated by myself and people online:
Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour
My Rating: 10/10
Online Rating (According to Bob's Red Mill's website and Amazon): 9/10
King Arthur's Gluten-Free Flour
My Rating: 8/10
Online Rating (According to King Arthur website and Amazon): 9/10
GF Jules GF All-Purpose Flour
My Rating: 9/10
Online Rating (According to GF Jules' website and Amazon): 9.5/10
The reason I wanted to make an article that differentiates from the usual focus of GF restaurants in Austin, during this pandemic, is because I feel that this information is useful to our current situation. Unfortunately, at least in Austin, TX, stay-at-home orders, and the coronavirus outbreak itself, are preventing everyone from being able to go to restaurants. My intent when I started making this website was to help people with dietary restrictions or preferences find GF options; since we are in a unique situation, I still want to help people with finding GF options, even if it is at home.
Thanks for telling me about the GF flours. It's nice to know that there are some good brands that your purchase.