Finding good gluten free food should not feel like hard work.
It should feel normal. Simple. Enjoyable. That is exactly what Gluten Free Delights offers.
Run by Ellisha Hastings in Middlesbrough, this small local business is built on proper home baking and honest food.
You will find her at local markets with a table full of fresh bakes, or you can send her a message through her Facebook page to place an order.
From gluten free quiches and sausage rolls to scones, brownies and old school sprinkle cake, she covers both savoury and sweet. And everything is made with care. Here are three solid reasons why Gluten Free Delights is worth knowing about.
You get proper gluten free food that tastes like the real thing
Anyone who eats gluten free knows the struggle. Dry pastry. Crumbly cakes. Bread that falls apart before it reaches your mouth. It can be disappointing.
Gluten Free Delights does not cut corners. The pastry holds together. The sponge is soft. The scones are not little bricks pretending to be baked goods.
Take the recent list Ellisha had available. Corned beef pie, gluten free and dairy free. Mince and potato pie, gluten free and dairy free. Scotch eggs, gluten free. Sausage rolls, gluten free. Corned beef pasties, gluten free. Cheese and tomato quiche, gluten free. Bacon and cheese parcels, gluten free. Fruit scones and plain scones, both gluten free and dairy free. Old school sprinkle cake, gluten free and dairy free. Flapjacks, gluten free and dairy free.
That is not a token gluten free option tucked away at the end of a menu. That is a full spread. Proper comfort food. The kind people actually want to eat.
And it tastes like the food many grew up with. That matters. Gluten free should not mean missing out. It should not mean settling for second best. With Ellisha’s baking, it does not feel like a compromise. It just feels like good food.
You are supporting a local Middlesbrough baker
There is something different about buying from a real person who lives and works in your area. Gluten Free Delights is based in Middlesbrough. Ellisha is not a big factory. She is not a chain. She is a local baker who shows up at markets with trays of fresh bakes and a friendly chat.
When you buy from her, you know who made your food. You know it has not been shipped across the country and sat in a warehouse. It has been prepared in small batches, with attention to detail.
Local markets have a certain feel to them. People browsing, catching up, picking up something nice for the weekend. Seeing a stall full of gluten free pies, quiches and cakes in that setting feels normal. It makes gluten free food part of everyday life, not something separate.
And if you cannot get to a market, you can simply message her through her Facebook page and order directly. It is straightforward. No complicated forms. No long waits on hold. Just a message and a friendly reply.
Supporting a small local business also keeps money in the community. It helps someone who has put time and effort into building something of their own. That counts for a lot. Especially when the food is this good.
The variety means you are covered for any occasion
Gluten free food is often limited. One cake option. Maybe a brownie if you are lucky. That can get boring fast.
Gluten Free Delights offers choice. Real choice. You can pick up a corned beef pie for dinner. Add a cheese and tomato quiche for lunch the next day. Grab a couple of sausage rolls for a quick snack. Then take home fruit scones or a slab of old school sprinkle cake for something sweet with a cup of tea.
Planning a small get together? The scotch eggs and bacon and cheese parcels make it easy. Need something safe for someone who is gluten free at a family party? There is no need to panic buy from a supermarket free from aisle and hope for the best. You can order fresh, local bakes instead.
The dairy free options are another plus. Many of the items are both gluten free and dairy free, which makes life easier for people with more than one dietary need. It removes stress. No one wants to read labels for half an hour before they can relax.
And sometimes, it is just about wanting a decent flapjack that does not taste like cardboard. Or a plain scone that actually rises and splits nicely in half. Simple things. But they make a difference.
At the heart of it, Gluten Free Delights feels personal. It feels like someone who understands that gluten free food should be enjoyable, filling and familiar. Not strange. Not complicated.
If you are in Middlesbrough or nearby, keep an eye out for Ellisha at local markets. Or send her a direct message through her Facebook page and see what she has available. Good gluten free baking does not need to be flashy. It just needs to be done properly. And that is exactly what she delivers.