Finding Gluten-Free Treats at the Natick Farmer’s Market

Everyone loves a good dessert, but some find themselves limited in the types of sweets they can eat. At EvaRuth’s Bakery, a new vendor at the Natick Farmer’s Market, owner Ruth Flynn creates treats that leave every taste bud satisfied.
“Twenty years ago, I was diagnosed with celiac disease,” Flynn said. “They say necessity is the mother of invention, and in my case, the necessity was my desire for delicious breads and baked goods. Frankly, the very few gluten-free products on the market [back then] were just not palatable.”
After going on a cruise with her husband and being unable to enjoy a single dessert, Flynn decided it was time for a change, and it was then she cooked up the idea to open EvaRuth’s Bakery. The specialty shop, which caters to those with food allergies, opened its doors in Rhode Island in November of 2010. This August, the bakery began spreading its goodness to local residents at the Natick Farmer’s Market.
“One of our most enthusiastic customers is from Natick,” Flynn said “After discovering and frequenting EvaRuth’s while visiting Newport, she invited—actually, begged—me to contact Debra Sayre [who runs the Natick Farmer’s Market]. Deb was so accommodating, and worked with me to get started.”
For Sayre, she says the decision to add a vendor that offered healthy choices to residents was an easy one to make.
“I am delighted to have EvaRuth’s join the market because it enables more people to buy fresh, healthy food, appropriate to their needs,” she said. “For people with health restrictions, we are able to make it easier for them to enjoy a variety of foods without having to search far and wide. In our increasingly complex world of processed and treated food and products, responding to people’s sensitivities is both good business and good community.”
So far, Flynn says, the feedback has also been positive. According to Flynn, despite a rainy first week at the market, the community response was nothing but bright.
“The reception was warm and welcoming,” she said. “It’s exciting to see so many people interested in our gluten-free product line.”
Flynn says the allergen-sensitive market has grown rapidly over the past decade as people become more aware of food sensitivities, and that she is most eager to meet new customers close to Boston who are enthusiastic about her products.
“As a native Bostonian, I have a heart in your neck of the woods,” Flynn said. “I am happy to introduce EvaRuth’s premium product line to this eager, informed customer base.”
EvaRuth’s Bakery will be a featured vendor at the Natick Farmer’s Market every other Saturday. Flynn invites those who are interested in their products but are unable to attend the market to visit their website at www.evaruths.com to order tasty treats that can be delivered straight to their door.
The Natick Farmers’ Market, celebrating its 20th year, is held every Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Natick Town Common or at the Common Street Spirituality Center, intersection of Rt. 27 and 135. There is free parking in lots on the weekends. For more information, visit www.natickfarmersmarket.com.