Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free

The lotus flower, a symbol of enlightment.

After two decades of toiling as pastry chef, Irene Leau Kwock called it quits. She had seen enough tarts, soufflés, and truffles to last a lifetime. For the past ten years, when anyone asked her if she was interested in dusting off her apron, the answer was always the same …an emphatic “No, thank you.”

But then the former pastry chef at Fleur de Lys got an offer she couldn’t refuse: her nine-year-old niece wanted to bake a pie with her. What might have been a simple request had a huge caveat — her niece was sensitive to gluten. Under most circumstances, traditional pies left her niece with an upset stomach and severe rashes.

“I really didn’t know much about gluten sensitivity before talking with my niece,” said Irene.

Irene isn’t alone. Gluten sensitivity, caused primarily by consuming wheat, rye, oats, or barley, are fairly common. According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine perhaps as much as 1 in every 150 people in the U.S. are afflicted. In its extreme form, sensitivity to gluten is known as celiac disease. Although the disease has been under the radar for awhile, the culinary world is just starting to take notice.

A gluten-free way to enjoy pies, cakes, pastas, and other foods couldn’t have a more profound impact on the lives of people who have to endure severe rashes, weight loss, and upset stomachs, among many other symptoms.

For Irene, whose twin passions have always been food and family, finding a way to meld the two has been a recipe for satisfaction.

“I named my company ‘iamori’ because it means ‘I found the light’ in Tahitian, and that’s really how I feel. Being able to bake something that tastes good and helps people stay healthy is a gift.

“I’ve found my passion.”