How i beging!

Hi there! I’m Marla Jennings, a 42-year-old baker based in the foothills of Asheville, North Carolina, and I have an oven that rarely gets a break. My kitchen smells like a blend of toasted almond flour, vanilla, and sometimes—on really good days—freshly baked cinnamon-raisin bread that just happens to be 100% gluten-free.
I didn’t always bake this way. In fact, I spent most of my early career in the bustling restaurant kitchens of Chicago, slinging baguettes and croissants like nobody’s business. But when my daughter, Ellie, was diagnosed with celiac disease at age five, our world shifted. Suddenly, my old trusty recipes weren’t just useless—they were dangerous. And so began my deep dive into the world of gluten-free baking.
I’ll be honest—my first attempts were tragic. Cookies that crumbled into dust, bread that felt like bricks, cakes that refused to rise. I cried into more than a few mixing bowls. But I kept going, driven by love, curiosity, and a little bit of stubbornness. Over time, and with a mountain of trial and error, I began to understand the magic of alternative flours: the nutty richness of sorghum, the stretch of tapioca starch, the surprising versatility of chickpea flour.
These days, I bake every single day, often testing three or four versions of a single recipe until it sings. My goal? To make gluten-free baked goods that don’t feel like a compromise. I want you to bite into one of my chocolate chip cookies and forget it’s gluten-free. I want the birthday cakes I share to make even the most skeptical guests come back for seconds. And when it comes to bread, I aim for that perfect balance—soft inside, golden crust, a hint of sour if I’m feeling fancy.
I share these recipes not just as a chef, but as a mom, a neighbor, and someone who’s fallen head over heels for the science of baking without wheat. If you’re just starting out, I’ve been there. If you’ve had a few flops, welcome to the club. And if you’re looking for something new to surprise your taste buds, I’ve probably got something cooling on the rack right now.
So come on in—my kitchen is warm, my mixer’s ready, and there’s always room for another slice.