26/01/2025
This past week I completed my final cookies! One has been postponed so no photos. A bittersweet feeling.
Thank you for everyone that’s ever eaten anything I’ve made or followed my work. I will continue to have a creative outlet/hobby but I just haven’t decided what direction I want to go in.
For those wondering why I am quitting, I have been struggling with my digestive/gastric health for many many years (like literally a decade-with a running joke that I spend half my day in the restroom). After years of tests, colonoscopies and EGDs, eat studies, barium swallows, blood tests/panels, and numerous doctors my current gastroenterologist looked at me and said “Just because it doesn’t flat out say you have celiac disease doesn’t mean that is not the problem” and he highly encouraged the diet change.
With reluctance I have taken the plunge🥴
I had already looked into what going gluten free would mean and what all I can not have and the risks of cross contamination, etc. It is a lot to get used to and a pretty big/tough diet change for me especially because 1, I LOVE bread and pastas, and 2 eating out/quick meals are very slim to none in options/choices. (I literally ate a salad for breakfast Saturday bc we were on the road and it’s all I could have). BUT TO THE BRIGHT SIDE, like literal magic, after TEN ENTIRE YEARS of “upset stomach” after eating what felt like anything, I have not had even a SINGLE “episode” once I went gluten free about two weeks ago when before I would have upset stomach at least 6-8 times a day.
So I’m reluctantly gluten free hoping rolls, donuts, Chinese food, spicy chicken sandwiches my favorite pastas and other foods don’t look so tempting sooner than later🤣😅.
Why can’t I do both??
I am doing my best to limit cross contamination for myself. Using my mixers, utensils, tools with regular flour and gluten products and even just cooking/preparing in my kitchen risk cross contamination. Under SC Cottage law I am only allowed to bake out of my home kitchen, so a second kitchen is out of the question, I don’t want to fork out the money/have the money to fork out for an entirely different setup/tools/mixers/utensils/etc. It’s just a lot and overwhelming to do both and was more of a hobby. I was unable to profit and keep my costs lower. Therefore this is the best decision. 💕