Danielle Reggio has been gluten-free for over a decade.
"It was hard for me to figure out something that didn't have gluten and dairy," Reggio said. "I started playing and then I saw that other people had issues with eggs, soy, and nuts so I threw it all together in one and started from that."
Reggio wanted to get out into the community, help others who suffer with similar food allergies, so she started to research ingredients.
"You have to figure out if there is a certain ingredient that can be gluten or dairy but it's under a different name," Reggio said. "There was a lot of research into that, our flour is a rice blend flour; we don't use an almond flour. Looking at ingredients was a big thing and making sure it's not cross-contamination because food allergies are pretty serious."
Reggio soon found herself at the Farmer's Market in Lafayette to sell her creations.
"I had a mom come and hug me because her kid had never had cake and she came up to me, I think her kid was five at the time, and was like he never had cake and he just had a cupcake for the first time," Reggio said. "I had a girl cry over a donut one time. It's exciting and makes me excited to see others excited. People with food allergies don't understand it."
Today, Reggio is selling gingerbread decorating kits. It is something that may have been "off limits" to someone with a food allergy in the past.
"Lots of trial and era," Reggio said. "This is the first time that I've been able to do a good gingerbread. I wanted something different, something big and fun for the people who can't do these all of the time."
Something that started off as a weekend hobby has morphed into a career of helping others discover a love of food that may have once been off limits.
You can find Danielle Reggio on Facebook and at https://www.whiskfulbakingco.com
