Q&A with a gluten-free baker

Susan Luscombe

Have you always been a baker?

I am a qualified chef and pastry chef. I am from a Malaysian background and born into a fisherman family. My passion for cooking and baking started 17 years ago in Singapore after finishing high school. I worked in various organisations in Singapore, including five-star hotels. I also completed my baking certification in Singapore and did my culinary certification in Sydney.

When did you start Bakers Chemistry?

In July 2021 and it’s just me with my wonderful wife, Mekala Simanchalam, who provides support.

What attracted you to gluten-free baking?

Firstly, I love challenges in every task or journey. The food for me is medicine, so has to be completely healthy and nutritious … Many of the people I meet are coeliac and always disappointed with gluten-free products in Sydney.

So I started to explore a bit more about products in Sydney and I felt the same. My biggest disappointment is that they are mostly made using artificial ingredients and additives and are completely unhealthy.

Also I found that most of the bakeries doing gluten-free bake in the same place where the gluten breads are being baked. This is totally wrong.

So I decided to take up the challenge and use my knowledge to serve the gluten-free community.

How did you come up with the recipes?

I spent nearly eight months sourcing locally produced ingredients and another one and a half years creating recipes without using any preservatives, nasties, gums, soy, wheat and using only extra virgin olive oil. We need simple basic food packed with nutrition to live healthily.

Do you have to get up super early every day?

Yes, to make sure the breads are freshly baked … We have a kitchen rented in Carlton (Sydney), only baking gluten-free products.

How many varieties of bread do you make?

Currently we have seven types of bread including olive, classic white, seeded, fruity, activated charcoal and quinoa and yeast-free teff. We do banana bread, a savoury scone, muffins, carrot and ginger cake, crackers and granola.

Where can we buy your products locally?

You can get my bread from Flame Tree Co-op in Thirroul, delivered fresh from the oven on a Wednesday. I am also at Kiama Farmers Market and Bundanoon Makers Market.

Wishing Tree gifts welcome

By Fran Peppernell, of Helensburgh Lions

Hi everyone – and Ho Ho Ho!

Well, as we all know the Festive Season is upon us yet again! We’re sure our community is looking forward to wonderful celebrations with family and friends this year.

For your tasty enjoyment we will have our Lions Christmas cakes on sale outside Coles and Helensburgh Butchery.

Also, importantly, if you would like to donate a gift for a child whose family has had a challenging year you can put your gift under our Wishing Tree at Helensburgh Tradies.

Looking towards 2023 it may be your year to become a member of the Helensburgh Lions. It’s a worthy and rewarding experience so come along to our General meeting on the 2nd Monday of the month and our Fair meetings on the 4th consecutive Monday of the month at 6.30pm Helensburgh Hotel.

To get in touch contact us via Facebook or email info@helensburghlions.org.au

In closing, Helensburgh Lions would like to wish our community a Happy and Safe Christmas for 2022.