Oakland’s Beloved Gluten-Free Bakery
Mariposa Baking Company
By Rachel Trachten | Photos by Patti Furey Crane
Patti Furey Crane knows firsthand that people can transform their health through dietary choices. It’s why she chose mariposa—Spanish for butterfly and a symbol of transformation—as the name for her gluten-free bakery.
Crane started baking gluten-free products in 2004 to reduce inflammation after being diagnosed with MS. She’d been laid off from her job and was caring for her infant daughter at home while perfecting her brownie recipe when her husband suggested she start a bakery.
She launched Mariposa Baking Company as a wholesale venture from a shared commercial kitchen in Berkeley, driving her brownies and biscotti around to local supermarkets and natural food stores with her daughter in tow. As the goods developed a loyal following among customers with celiac disease and others wanting to avoid gluten, Crane needed a larger space, so she moved to 5427 Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, where there were several other wholesalers. When the building was rezoned for retail, she suddenly had to set up a counter where the public could come to purchase her goods. Word spread and more customers started lining up.
“I’ve learned you should never say never,” says Crane. “I was never going to make bread, but people wanted bread. I was never going to make pizza, but people wanted pizza. It seemed that every time I said ‘never,’ I had to gobble it back eventually because as a bakery, you go where customers take you.”
All of Mariposa’s offerings are gluten-free. Some also exclude dairy, nuts, sesame, and eggs, which are common allergens identified by the FDA. Her clear labeling allows people to know exactly what they’re buying.
“Gluten-free and dairy-free for sure are a combo that a lot of people are looking for,” says Crane. Additions to the menu are seasonal, with stone fruit or berry galettes and hand pies for summer and pastries made with apples in fall.
By 2009, Crane realized it was time to expand, and she was pleased to find a place for Mariposa Baking at the San Francisco Ferry Building. So now those gluten-free breads, croissants, brownies, coconut lemon squares, and other goodies are beloved by more people than ever. ♦
Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
Recipe and photo by Patti Furey Crane, Mariposa Baking Company
Serves 8–10
For the apple filling
- 6–8 baking apples (combo of Gala and Granny Smith preferred)
- 2 tablespoons potato starch
For the crisp topping
- 1½ cups oats (make sure to purchase oats that are labeled gluten-free)
- ¼ cup white rice flour
- ¼ cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup unrefined cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter or nondairy buttery stick, melted and kept warm
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan with butter or nondairy buttery stick.
To make the filling: Peel and core apples. Slice into ½-inch-thick pieces and place in a large bowl. Mix in potato starch and transfer apples to a pie pan or baking dish.
To make the crisp topping: Place oats in a large bowl. Add white rice flour, brown rice flour, unrefined sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir to combine dry ingredients. Add melted butter and stir until moistened.
To assemble: Crumble crisp topping over the apples. Set pie pan on a larger pan or baking sheet to catch the drips and bake for 40–50 minutes, until apples are tender, fruit is bubbling, and topping is golden. Remove from oven and let cool. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, or your favorite dairy-free topping. Enjoy!
