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I wrote this to Jessie in rely to her comments shown below.  At here request
I am posting it for the entire list.  Bev Lieven

In a message dated 2/28/02 6:35:46 PM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< I am alarmed and amazed that celiacs would purchase bread made in a bakery
that also bakes with wheat flour.

No, I don't think we can absorb gluten through our skin, but I also don't
believe that a I posI wrtot eh'normal' bakery provides a safe environment for
making gf bread.   Talk about contamination !! Wow !! >>

The bakery which I mentioned is not a normal bakery. It a small  commercial
bakery that markets natural breads. Bread is made is relatively small batches
& with relatively simple technology, the same way they have always made
bread. There is no retail store & no crumbs on surfaces. Bread is baked and
then bagged for wholesale distribution.

Cybros Bakery has been baking g.f. for celiacs in the Milwaukee area nearly
20 years.  At that time, the only g.f. bread available to us was from Ener-G
foods, half a continent away.  Ordering it from them took time and often
items were unavailable and shipping made up most of the cost on small orders.
The local food co-op carried it, but its distributors insisted on putting it
through their freezers/frigs, even though it was supposed to be shelf stable.
 This resulted in a lot of moldy bread that wasn't always evident at the time
of purchased.  (Moisture leaves the bread during cooling & puddles inside the
packaging--The wet spots molded.)

The plight of local celiacs came to the attention of this local bakery when
the State of Wisconsin, Dept of Weight & Measure threated to shut down the
food co-op for selling illegal bread--Ener-G bread came in 20 oz. packages
and did not meet the weight packaging requirements for bread in Wisconsin--16
oz & multiple of 8 oz. thereof so comsumers could comparision shop.  (Imagine
having to sell bread in brown paper wrappers under the counter...True...They
sold it if you asked for it, but kept it in the back!)  Local celiacs took
action and set out to get the state bread laws amended to exempt bread for
special health needs from the weight requirement.  When the item appeared on
the legislative agenda, several bakers showed up to see what was happeing to
the bread law. Members of the Cybros family were on hand.  They offered to
attempt to make bread for us. (We also got the bread law changed!)

As promised, they did their research on g.f. ingredients and quality control.
They now produce 4 kinds of g.f. breads--rice bread, rolls, & nuggets,
rice'n' raisin (makes wonderful french toast & bread pudding), tapioca
almond, and mock rye (tapioca) bread & rolls--colored w/ carob & made tasty
with caraway. All are milk & egg free. They also make g.f. cookies. It does
tend to crumble (its sweetened w/ honey, which crystalizes when cold) and
needed to be toasted or heated in the microwave for better texture--like most
g.f. breads.

Prior to meeting us, their claim to fame was their 7 Grain Loaf.
Unfortunately, that has had to take a back seat as demand for g.f. bread has
grown. It's now baked 3 days a week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, after a
weekend of inactivity and in time for the deliveries of freshly made,
preservative free bread to be completed before the weekend.  It's shipped
3-day around the country. They don't have a website & they don't really
advertise. I guess they keep busy enough without it.

Cybos Bakery
Waukesha, WI
1-800-876-2253

I have no financial interest in Cybros.  I am just spoiled by the convenience
of presliced bread. We order it in bulk through the support group every two
months or so.  Because its in our area, I get to pick the bread up for the
group.  Not only does that save shipping costs but the bread goes from their
freezer to mine.

When you consider the 3 C's of Gluten-Free--Content, Contact, and
Contamination, it all can be summed up in one question 'Who do you trust?'
After nearly 20 years of premade, presliced, affordable g.f. for myself and
12 years of school lunches for two boys, I'd have to say I trust them with my
life.  (And, all my test results, & those of other Cybros bread eaters, from
the CFCR screening were normal!)

Bev