It began as an experiment in bread-making and developed into a full-fledged business. For Judee DeJaco, the baked goods she sells under the moniker Gluten Free You and Me represent a lifestyle change.

The 45-year-old was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1993 shortly after her son was born. The disease is an autoimmune condition in which part of the digestive system is damaged by gluten, a type of protein typically found in grains of wheat, rye and barley, and to a lesser extent, oats.

For people with celiac disease, items made with regular breads – such as sandwiches or breakfast toast – are strictly off-limits. After years of avoiding these foods, DeJaco began tinkering with bread-making several years ago, substituting gluten-free flour for wheat flour. Gluten-free flour is made from a variety of nuts, seeds, legumes and grains that do not contain gluten.

After perfecting her recipes at home, DeJaco decided to turn her hobby into a business. She began making and selling her gluten-free French bread on a small scale using the business name Gluten Free You and Me at the Worthington Farmer’s Market in May 2009, and began with the Dublin Community Market when it opened in June.

As demand quickly outpaced the capacity of her home kitchen, she graduated to leasing commercial kitchen that can handle her current higher volume. She is also baking on Mondays at the Shawnee Hills Bakery.

In the beginning, DeJaco made her French bread in baguette form. However, customers began asking her to make the bread in traditional loaf form so they could slice it for sandwiches and toast. Now DeJaco makes traditional loaves and has added granola bars, poppy-seed muffins and cakes to her menu. She also sells sweets such as cookies and brownies.

Dubliners can find DeJaco at the Dublin Community Market, 81 W. Bridge St., from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through Oct. 28. Alternatively, she also markets her baked goods Saturdays at the Worthington Farmer’s Market, which continues through the winter. Online orders can be placed at www.glutenfreeyouandme.com.


Judee DeJaco’s Crumb Kuchen
Sift or mix with a whisk:
1 ¼ cups white rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
2/3 cup Expandex modified tapioca starch
1 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon guar gum
(Editor’s note: both xanthan and guar gum can be found in health food stores and in some supermarkets locally, such as Whole Foods).

Cut ½ cup butter into flour/sugar mixture (until butter is pea size or smaller). Set aside 3/4 cup – minus 1 tablespoon – of the butter/flour/sugar mixture for later. Add 3 teaspoons baking powder to main butter/flour/sugar mixture. Use whisk to incorporate.

Separately, mix:
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla (or almond flavoring)
1 cup of milk

Using a hand mixer on low to medium speed, slowly add liquids to butter/flour/sugar mixture. Mix until batter looks smooth.

Pour the batter into a greased 10-inch round pan or into two smaller round or square pans.
Sprinkle reserved crumbs over batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Put foil around edges if the edges are getting too brown. Test center with toothpick to make sure it is cooked. Turn out onto wire rack to cool. Recipe tastes best at room temperature, not warm from the oven.