Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free Hamburger Buns – $5.50+
You might have realized that I spend a lot of time at my local allergen-free bakery. There is a reason for that. Not only do they provide some of the best food in Louisville, Kentucky, but owners Annie May and Kenna put a lot of time, care, and love into the products they serve up. And it’s not just cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and the like. Nope. They provide lunches and even breakfast every Saturday morning. Oh yes…this is more than your average bakery.
One of my favorite things to get when I head into Annie May’s Sweet Café every Saturday is their Allergen-Free Vegan Breakfast Sandwich, which consists of a vegan and gluten-free sausage, made by Louisville’s own Grind (a food truck!), Daiya cheese, and all of it goes on this amazing roll. Ever since I first had one of these breakfast sausages, I had been trying to figure out what they use for the bread.
And, after browsing about the case inside the shop on Saturday morning…it all became clear. It appears they toast up and use their very own allergen-free (gluten-free and vegan) hamburger buns. With this incredible revelation, I had to have some for myself. After all, I had tons of fresh produce to use, so I figured I could do up some of my homemade vegan and gluten-free black bean and soy chorizo burgers and make use of the amazing and very light hamburger buns.
So…yes…I purchased them.
I mean…they were one of my favorite parts of the breakfast sandwich. I had to have some for my own use. So, yes…I brought home a pack of four. And tonight, I mixed up the ingredients for my burgers and prepped all the veggies, some hand-cut shoestring fries from organic russet potatoes, and then sauteed up some shallots and white button mushrooms for these burgers as well. One thing I did have every intention of doing, however, was toasting those buns like they do at the café for their breakfast sandwiches. So, after unwrapping two of them, I gave each a light spritz with olive oil, then placed them on the skillet to get a light toasting on them.
With the burgers on the skillet, and the buns getting a light toasting, I got everything ready to plate. And with the homemade fries fresh and crisp from the oven, I started to stack them on the plate. I took one half of each bun and set it on each plate. Bibb lettuce was the next addition, followed by the vegan and gluten-free black bean and soy chorizo burger I mixed up. I melted some cheese over each patty and then stacked some shallots, mushrooms, sliced cherry tomato, and avocado on top. It then got a light spread of vegan sriracha sour cream. Then…the top of the bun was placed over the entire burger, completing the package.
Dinner was served.
And…yes…these hamburger buns are exactly what they use on Saturday mornings for those amazing breakfast sandwiches. Oh. My. God. I was so thrilled to be able to have these in the comfort of my own home this evening with my dinner. They are so light, fluffy, and delicious. They have this subtle buttery flavor to them, which just makes them taste all the more amazing. And they hold up, even with all the layers and textures going on in my homemade veggie burgers. That’s the best part. These buns didn’t flake or wilt or grow soggy. They remained in one piece and, despite being so light in texture, they are sturdy.
The remaining two will be used tomorrow when I toast up the other two homemade veggie burger patties I have already prepared.
Annie May’s Sweet Café is one of those little gems that Louisville should realize how fortunate it is to have in the city. I would be lost without my allergen-friendly bakery. I have enjoyed not only the sweet treats, but also the savory pieces I have picked up from there, eaten there, and purchased to take home for later. Everything is made with great care, and the owners pour their heart and soul into every product they put out for the public.
With the onset of summer, I am hoping hours will be extended once again so I can make it over there for dinners sometimes. Their daily specials always sound so intriguing, but I work in Indiana and don’t get out of work in time to make it over there currently to enjoy their specials. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert…all in one place.
And, you can easily purchase their baked goods, including their hamburger buns, right there at the shop. So head over to Frankfort Avenue and give their products a try. You’ll never guess that all of them are gluten-free…and most are also allergen-free. And all of it…super delicious.
These hamburger buns, especially, make a nice addition to the dinner table. Don’t take my word for it though. Go in there and purchase some for yourself. They’ll beat out any store-bought brand from the freezer any day!
The Celiathlete 