Miracle on Burt Road: Opening a gluten-free bakery and cafe was one Lexington mom's answer to her son's Celiac diagnosis

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When some people hear the phrase “gluten free,” they think of a fad diet adopted by many because they think it will help them lose weight. But for Denise Walsh, the owner of the Lexington business Gluten Free Miracles, the phrase not only drives her day-to-day work, it is also the key to a healthy existence, for her and, especially, for her 14-year-old son, Connor.

Eight years earlier, he had started consistently experiencing symptoms of Celiac disease, ranging from anxiety to bloating to ongoing, daily stomach pain.

“It got to point where when he was 6 years old that he didn’t want to leave the house because he would be sick while he was out,” said his mother. Eventually, she took him to see Dr. Jim Roach at the Midway Center for Integrative Health for some extensive blood testing. The results showed a gluten allergy so severe that the doctor was taken aback. She eliminated gluten from his diet directly following that visit, and though he showed immediate signs of improvement, years of damage to his system continued to take their toll.

“What I didn’t really realize was the damage that had been done,” she said. “His immune system just shut down.”

That year, Connor suffered from the flu twice, pneumonia twice and six other fevers. The doctor recommended taking him out of school to build his immunity back up. It was during this time while he was homeschooled that Walsh and her son began experimenting with gluten-free cooking and baking.

“I was OCD about it,” she said. “I was just constantly in the kitchen trying to figure out how to convert recipes to gluten free.”

Baking isn’t a new hobby for the Versailles mother of two.

“I was always a from-scratch kind of cook anyway, like my grandmother was – I just loved it, and I just liked the satisfaction of it,” Walsh said. “I feel like that’s kind of my love language.”

Walsh herself suffers from gluten intolerance, as well as an allergy to casein (the protein in milk), and a serious thyroid condition called Hashimoto’s disease. Through all of her firsthand experiences with food sensitivities, she wanted to help others with similar issues. After she started a successful gluten-free cooking blog, people started approaching her and Connor to ask them to bake for them.

“When Connor got the ‘go ahead’ to go back to school, opening a bakery and café just felt right,” she said. “I always wanted to share our journey to help others.”

Walsh understands the importance of careful kitchen, and to combat one of her biggest concerns – cross contamination – she and her staff, nearly all of whom suffer from some sort of gluten sensitivity, are extremely diligent about any other allergens that might be used. Every product used at the bakery is 100 percent gluten free.

“You all trust me,” she said, “so I go to all these extra, great lengths to make sure what you’re eating is safe, so you don’t have to worry.”

Celiac sufferers aren’t the only customers that Gluten Free Miracles serves – it is also popular among a client base suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, or whose doctors suggest cutting back on or eliminating gluten for other health reasons. A different variety of bread, made from almond flour, coconut flour, sorghum or other grain-free bases, is baked fresh every day, and the shop even makes a quinoa and buckwheat-based bread named after a local osteopathic chiropractor, Dr. Mark Miller, who is a particular proponent of the grain-free Paleo diet.

Other available bakery items include muffins, scones, coffee cakes and cookies. Custom-made sandwiches, pizza and soup are also available – all safe and free of gluten (most menu items can be custom ordered to be egg free, dairy free or suitable to other dietary restrictions as well). Paleo and vegan options are clearly labeled throughout the bakery, and although it is not a nut-free facility, the staff is very sensitive to allergies and is careful to not cross contaminate.

“We are making a difference,” said Walsh. “I want a safe place.”

After many mishaps at restaurants resulting in Connor getting sick, Walsh says that knowledge is power when it comes to dealing with food allergies.

“The bottom line is lack of information,” she said. “I don’t think it’s because people don’t care – I don’t think they understand how real it is.”

To that end, she has also had discussions with the health department and government officials about getting some changes made.

“To be a food server, you take a 10-minute video online to get your food handler permit, and it does not discuss food allergies – it only discusses foodborne illness. It does not discuss food allergies for cross contamination.

“It’s ridiculous ... to have to worry when you go out to eat,” she said.

Soon, Gluten Free Miracles baked goods will be available elsewhere, as Walsh finalizes discussions with Papania’s Produce, a local distributor serving more than 300 area restaurants, schools and retailers.

What started as a really dark time for her family, filled with panic attacks and tummy aches, has turned into a blessing – not only for the Walshes, but also for the larger community of Lexington.

“I feel like God gave me a big kick in the butt and said you have to do something about this,” she said. ss

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