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Happy Month of Love!

Celebrate your sweetie pie with our sweetie pies!

Sunday 2/10, 1-4pm: Gluten-free Cookie Decorating Party!Ā  Each $25 registration gets you half a dozen gluten-free heart-shaped sugar cookies with sprinkles, fondant, colors, piping bags and enough royal icing to do the deed.Ā  Hands-on instruction available but optional.Ā  Cookies will stay fresh up to a week when well-wrapped.Ā  Register here!

Thursday 2/14, 7am-7pm: Boutique Flower Pop-up Shop! This Valentineā€™s Day we are happy to presentĀ Designs by Oochay: come pick up beautiful fresh-cut flowers, custom arrangements, and make-your-own-bouquets all day at the bakery!

Valentineā€™s Day Specials:Ā  Pre-order custom sugar cookies, cake pops and rose cupcakes now!Ā  Weā€™ll be taking pre-orders through next Tuesday 2/12ā€”check out the whole menu here.

Plan ahead for Summer Camp!

Want to spend your summer learning about gluten-free and healthy baking in a happy, healthy, hands-on environment?Ā  Join The Red Bandana for our second annual summer camps!Ā  Weā€™ll learn about food science, our food system, and culinary history through fun activities including baking, decorating, games, and crafts.

  • August 5th-9th for Ages 9-13 | August 12th-16th for Ages 5-8
  • Morning sessions run Monday-Friday from 9am-12pmĀ and cost $300/week | Afternoon sessions run 12 pm-3 pm and cost $300/week
  • All-day registrations (9am-3pm) are $500/week

To register, fill out the registration form here and bring it into the shop or email it toĀ [email protected]!

Ā 

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One Week ’til Christmas!

Thereā€™s still a little time to get your orders in:

šŸŽ‚Ā For your Christmas feasts: We have gluten-free and vegan Yule Log cakes, Christmas cookies and pie!
šŸ‘©ā€šŸ³Ā For your kids parties and memory making: We have plain sugar cookies and royal icing!
šŸ›Ā For your last-minute gift shopping: We offer private baking lessons, bread and pastry subscriptions, and gift cards!

Go toĀ www.theredbandanabakery.com/gluten-free-christmasĀ (or call/text/email us) and let us know by this Wednesday 12/19 about any orders you need by ChristmasĀ šŸ¤¶Ā (After Wednesday we cannot guarantee full menu availability and rush fees may apply)

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Happy Election Day & More!

Happy Election Day Red Bandan-fans!

Come by anytime today with your “I Voted Sticker” and receive a free gluten-free vegan donut!Ā  We hope you all have been having a happy healthy fall so far, and can’t believe it’sĀ been almost a year now since you joined us for our grand opening on 11/11/17!Ā  Ā We are so ready to make this holiday season even bigger and betterĀ ļøĀ  Hereā€™s whatā€™s coming soon at the bakery:

Friday 11/9, 7-9pm:Ā Artist of the Month Reception: Charmcat

Come join us for clever and cute paper and prints from local artistĀ Ashleigh Pritchard! Ashleigh’s custom-designed greeting cards, holiday cards, and watercolor prints are available at the bakery all month long and are perfect for holiday mailings and getting in the giving spirit. Come get your first pick of the inventory, hear about her business’s work and process, and enjoy free bakery bites inspired by theĀ CharmCatĀ aesthetic!

Saturday 11/10, 10am-4pm:Ā Red Bandana’s 1st Birthday Party!

Can you believe itā€™s been a year already?Ā  Thank you for all your support and good memories as we got this happy healthy little bakery off the ground.Ā  Come celebrate with us this Saturday with live music, raffles and giveaways, and of course birthday cake!

Thursday 11/15, 7-8:30pm:Ā Cheese Board Building Workshop

Learn the art of building a stunning cheeseboard withĀ Dimple Dhabalia of Roots in the CloudsĀ during this interactive workshop.Ā  Dimple will cover the basics of building a gorgeous, Instagram-worthy cheeseboard for your next gathering, leading you through her process for selecting the base to builds on, to how she chooses the cheeses and accompaniments. Dimple will also discuss some of her favorite wine and cocktail pairings and provide tips on taking some of the stress out of entertaining. Enjoy some prosecco and pinot noir and gluten-free crackers baked in-house by The Red Bandana Baker with some delectable cheeses at peak perfection. Youā€™ll end the evening feeling confident in your new role as a Chief Cheeseboard Artist and walk away with some goodies including a mini board that you built and a step-by-step guide to help you create these boards at home!Ā Ā Register here.

Friday 11/16:Ā Last Day for Thanksgiving Orders!

It’s not too early to get those pie orders in! See our Thanksgiving menu and place your order asap by phone/email/in person/our website form. We’ll be open until 5pm on Wednesday 11/21, and even until noon on Thanksgiving Day! If you’re traveling, consider ordering a raw frozen GF and/or vegan pie from us earlier that week and baking it fresh for yourself and family at your destination!Ā Ā Put your order in here.

Now through 12/20:Ā Holiday Gift Items!

Give the gift of gluten-free!Ā  Gift cards, t-shirts & sweatshirts, cookie jars and monthly pastry subscriptions make easy and perfect presents for everyone on your list.Ā  Fill out a form atĀ one of these gift order pagesĀ or call/text/email us to request holiday gifts for yourself or a loved one.Ā  All holiday gift orders require a minimum of 7 days pre-payment: a link will be emailed to you to confirm your order.

Have a great week and come see us soon!

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Cookie Jar Gifts

Cookie Jars

Individual pint jars filled with half-dozens of gluten-free cookies make great gifts for teachers, mentors, drivers, coworkers and friends. Choose from our all gluten-free options, including dairy-free and vegan cookies too: chocolate chip, funfetti, coconut macaroons, or pumpkin chocolate chip. Buy 5 jars and get one free!

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šŸŒ¬Brrrr! šŸŒ¬

Spooky season is in full swing and mashed potato season is imminent!!Ā  What is coming up for us here at the bakery?

  • Tarot Night!Ā Tuesday 10/30, 5pm-7pmĀ Come try a Tarot reading byĀ Anna Fazio! This event is free to attend, all are welcome and readings are offered by donation. The bakery will be offering free vegan eyeball cake pops and our full drink/food/treats menu will be for sale until 7pm so come hungry!
  • Donuts for DemocracyĀ Tuesday 11/6, 7am-5pmĀ Come in with your “I Voted” sticker this election day for a free Gluten-free, Vegan, Democratic Donut! We are walking distance from the BCC polling station in Montgomery County and want to reward your civic responsibility with some sweetness whether your candidate wins or loses. Much like the polls, limit one per person šŸ˜‰
  • Red Bandana’s 1st Birthday Party!Ā Saturday 11/10, 10am-4pmĀ It’s been a whole year since our grand opening and we’ve had a lot to celebrate!Ā  Come join us all day Saturday for live music, raffles, free swag, selfies with the avocado, and of course, birthday cakeĀ šŸŽ‚šŸŽ‚šŸŽ‚
  • Thanksgiving!Ā Thursday 11/22Ā  It’s not too early to get those pie orders in!Ā  Our Thanksgiving menu is attached and orders can be placed by phone/email/in person/here.Ā  We’ll be open until 5pm on Wednesday 11/21, and even until noon on Thanksgiving Day!Ā  If you’re traveling, consider ordering a raw frozen GF and/or vegan pie from us earlier that week and baking it fresh for yourself and family at your destination.

Come visit us soon!

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Welcome October!

What’s new at The Red Bandana Bakery this month?

  • The Bread of The Month Club!Ā Do you often want fresh gluten-free bread but never remember to call ahead to reserve a loaf, showing up at the end of the day hoping something is left over?Ā  Join our Bread of the Month club for the convenience of scheduled regular pickups and get a free loaf once a year (or once a month if you go weekly!).Ā  Choose the pickup day and time most convenient for you, and select whether you’d prefer to get your same favorite bread every time, or to have us surprise you with fresh new seasonal flavors and recipes.Ā  Your membership settings can be changed at any time and you can choose to double-up on pickups by simply calling/emailing us just 3 days ahead.Ā Ā Sign up here!
  • Cake Decorating Workshop, Sunday 10/7 from 2-4pmĀ We have 2 spots left!!Ā  Are you an avid baker or aspiring decorator who loves TV baking shows and wants to learn more insider secrets with hands-on practice? Do you think you could be a master decorator with access to professional tools and a couple pointers? Come give it a go with us at our cake decorating workshop! For $75, each participant will enjoy a 1.5-hour session including hands-on demo, practice, and go home with a mini cake decorated in their choice of several professional styles.Ā Ā To request a spot, fill out our form here!
  • Open Mic Night, Friday 10/12 from 7-10pmĀ Do you sing, dance, write, or have a stand-up routine? Come show it off here at the bakery on our first open mic night, Friday 10/12 from 7-10pm! It’s free to attend or perform, and tip collection will be welcome for all performances. The bakery will be open with some free munchies and our full food & drink menu for sale, so come hungry and thirsty! Each set will run 15-20 minutes–reserve your preferred set time on our sign-up sheet here.Ā Make sure to link us to your page when you register so we can promote you in advance.
  • Pumpkin Spice Palooza, Saturday 10/20, 10am-4pmĀ Of all the shenanigans I’m plotting for this fall, Pumpkin Spice Palooza is probably the one I’m most excited about.Ā  Join us that Saturday afternoon for pumpkin-flavored everything, pumpkin painting, a pumpkin relay race and more šŸ™‚
  • Tarot Night, Tuesday 10/30Ā Get in the Halloween spirit with tarot readings by Anna Fazio and Ally Peek!Ā  Save the date, more details coming soon.
šŸHappy fall y’all, come see us soon!Ā šŸ
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Happy Fall!

We are really getting into the fall baking this week with local sickle pears and plums from the farm market.Ā  Come looking for cakes, vegan scones, and muffins featuring these fresh local ingredients!

And check us out at these fun fall festivals in the next two weeks:

Another update: we will be closed Mondays from now on.Ā  If you need to pick up a cake on a Monday please give us a call and we’ll try to work it out, and we will always be available by text and email every day of the week!

 

 

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Why “the red bandana?”

Well, mostly because it helps keep my hair out of the food.

But also, a little background:

My greatest aspirations are to be like this:

  • http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6929979
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kahp_kmOFzQ
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie_the_Riveter

But my current experience is more like this:

  • Being enthralled at getting to wear a bandana instead of a skullcap at my internship at Founding Farmers
  • When at Just Cakes I professed my aspiration to be a hippie and Nick announced he’d always known I was a commie because of the red bandana
  • When Sara visited me at home after Just Cakes closed and brought me three dollar store bandanas because I would obviously want them
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Grandma Mertz Bread: The recipe

The Grandma Bread Recipe (August 14, 2013):

Picture 4

Mix together:

  • 3 cups water (120 degrees F)
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 packets dry yeast
  • 2 T sugar
  • 1 T salt

until combined.Ā  Add:

  • 4 c bread flour (either Robinhood or Gold Medal) until it’s all absorbed, and then another:
  • 4 c bread flour, and continue to mix, probably with your hands, until that’s all absorbed.

Cover that with a towel and let it rise at room temp for 10 minutes, then punch it down with your knuckles, kind of punching your hands together. Let it rise under a towel for 10 minutes, then;

  • Punch it down 4 more times, every 10 minutes.
  • Punch it down one last time (so you punch it down a total of six times–every 10 minutes for an hour), lightly flour the counter, and then roll the whole batch of dough out into a giant flat like a pizza, about 4×4 feet.
  • Cut that flat into quarters.
  • Shape and roll each quarter into a tight loaf that’s about 18 inches long, and tighten it on the ends. Score three or four lines across the top of each loaf.
  • Cover them with a towel and let them rise for an hour and a half in a warm, draft-free area.

Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal and transfer loaves to sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from the sheet when they come out of the oven and brush with melted butter (if you like the crust soft. Grandad likes it crustier and crispier, the only problem with that is that when you slice it the crust sometimes falls off).

So this is the recipe we know works. Because we can’t help ourselves and we always want to play, we’ve also considered trying different things with this recipe, like:

  • cooking with convection
  • scoring after proofing instead of before
  • brushing with egg white before baking

But for now, we recommend just doing it the way Grandma always has šŸ™‚

Note: One thing we did try playing with was refrigerating and freezing the dough. If you really want fresh bread on a Wednesday, by any chance, but you only have time to make and punch down and shape all this dough on Sunday, we tried refrigerating and freezing some of the dough after we shaped it but before it had risen at all. We found that if you put the dough in the refrigerator the night before you want to bake it, you can take it out and let it rise for an hour and bake it off the day you want to eat it, and it comes out just as fresh. You can also put it in the freezer until the night before you want it, transfer it to the refrigerator the night before, and do the same. The freshness seems to have the most to do with the day you bake it, and very little to do with the day you mix it. That being said, I probably wouldn’t recommend freezing it for any more than a week.