Mariposa

“Mariposa” is Spanish for “butterfly” and founder Patti Furey Crane picked the name because the transformation that a butterfly goes through reflects the way that “many people who adopt a gluten-free lifestyle transform their lives through food.” Her bakery is the godmother of Bay Area dedicated g/f bakeries. It’s the oldest and largest g/f bakery with two locations: Oakland’s Temescal District and San Francisco’s Ferry Building. But it all happened by accident. Crane never planned to open a bakery café at all. In 2002, after she was diagnosed with MS and researched what she could do to calm the symptoms of her autoimmune condition, she read about eliminating gluten from her diet. The few g/f products she found at the time were, she remembers, “mass-produced, bland, with a texture that wasn’t right.” Since she had baked a lot with her mother as a little girl, she set about converting some tried-and-true recipes (like biscotti and brownies) to g/f versions to sell at natural food markets.

Crane started making her wholesale baked goods in a shared kitchen. When she needed more space and found the Telegraph Avenue location in 2006, it was zoned for retail. She was forced to comply by becoming a retail outlet and Crane and her husband duly installed a counter, but not much else. There was no signage and their door was a heavy, steel contraption. It’s a wonder that her customers managed to find Mariposa, but when they did, they were not shy about offering suggestions of what she should add to her line. “The business stemmed from customer cravings,” says Crane, “including me, too, since I’m a consumer and I have my own cravings.” Mariposa now produces more than 70 items and Crane is always looking to add new things.

Her multi-grain bread has a complex flavor/texture profile with a blend of flours, plus flax and sunflower seeds. The delightful cream-filled Penguino cupcake contains no known allergens but an intensely fudgy flavor. My family loves Mariposa’s seasonal fruit galette, a dessert elegant enough for company, with its balance of delicate crust, tangy fruit and crunch of sugar sprinkled on top. The Oakland location now has a pleasant café with plenty of seating, while the Ferry Building Bakeshop, added in 2012, is more of a to-go spot. For breakfast, try a bagel, cinnamon roll, Danish or pumpkin muffin. Lunch features a selection of pizza, sandwiches, empanadas and more.

Mariposa
5427 Telegraph Ave., Unit 3D [Map]
Oakland, CA 94609
Ph: (510) 595-0955
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm; Sat 9am-5pm; Sun 10am-5pm

One Ferry Building, suite 32 [Map]
San Francisco, CA 94111
Ph: (510) 595-0955
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-6pm; Sun 10am-5pm
(for both locations:)
Facebook: Mariposa Baking Artisan Crafted Gluten Free Bakery
Twitter: @MariposaBaking

gluten-free bakeriesgluten-free bakeries

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