evokes childlike glee. i was thrilled when i heard that a gluten-free coffee shop was opening nearby (actually, everything here is gluten, dairy, soy, nut, and shellfish free). i live in city of decatur, so there are lots of gluten-free options around. but with the exception of a shop that provides one gluten-free offering daily, the pastry case at coffee shops are a site of torment for me. i don't know why i even look.
i came to good karma today, bypassing several really good coffee shops, in hopes that i could actually have something with my coffee (other than the protein/granola bars that i keep in my backpack). the trip was well worth it! this morning, the pastry case has 7 different muffins. they also have oatmeal and waffles. and the pricing is competitive with other places.
i had a chai latte and a cranberry orange muffin. both were wonderful! chai latte is one of my favorite drinks so i usually order one when i'm testing out a new coffee shop. this one was flavorful and held it's own against my favorite chai spot. the muffin was incredible - lots of cranberries, good (but not overpowering) orange flavor, and moist. you could easily serve it to folks without telling them that it was gluten-free and they wouldn't know the difference. unfortunately, i devoured it before taking a photo.
looks like i've found a new coffee shop. judging from the parade of folks coming in, i'm not the only one. a woman next to me actually clapped her hands in childlike glee as she bit into her iced lemon pound cake. i totally relate.