Taste Test of Astoria Mills Breads at Thuna Herbals

About 100 people came to a taste test of Astoria Mills breads on Saturday, March 27th, 2010 At THUNA HERBALS  298 Danforth Avenue, Toronto ON

It was a great day with people coming to taste and find out about Astoria Mills enriched gluten free mixes now available in Toronto at Thuna Herbals. Here is a video clip of Trina talking with Evelyn Dorfman, near the end of the day after all the bread was gone.  Roger Lewis, Herbalist extraordinare was busy preparing a special herbal tea for a client. It was fascinating to watch as he wafted his way through the hundreds of herbs in the store creating just the right blend!

Be sure and visit Thuna's for any medicinal herbal needs you may have.

THUNA HERBALS
Herbalists since 1888
298 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, ON  M4K 1N6
(416) 465-3366

		Here are some of the gfcf breads that were sampled at Thuna's. Hot Cross Buns made with, Italian Breads & Pizza Mix #5 with the addition of 1 cup raisins, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/8th teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla. With an icing sugar and water glaze on top.
		Light Brown Sandwich Bread, Mix #6
		Fougasse Bread Mix #5 rolled out like pizza then baked with Italian spices, salt and olive oil on top.

Our Story and history with Thuna Herbals ...One day in the mid 1980’s my husband Breck Stewart (before we met) walked into Thuna Herbals on the Danforth in Toronto. He had been to see a number of doctors, non of whom at that time could find what was the matter with him. He was really searching for answers. Read his blog here.

To make a long story short, we met a few years later. I had no idea how to feed anyone on a gluten free diet, let alone how to cook or bake gluten free foods. I had spent years learning to cook with wheat, recipes and methods passed down by a long line of good cooks! …then of all things, I found out that the unexplained symptoms I had been having were also due to a wheat or gluten intolerance. It was a long road to feeling good and being healthy. An even longer road to learning how to make appetizing meals.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I found ourselves on the Danforth waiting to meet some people at Timothy’s near the Carrot Common in Toronto. We were early so did some window shopping in the quaint area while we were waiting. I had heard the story about Thuna’s hundreds of times and then, there is was!

Thuna Herbals has been in the business of making custom herbal remedies for people since 1888. As Breck mentions in his blog, entering the store you would swear you have just entered a Harry Potter movie, or you have just entered Tolkien’s hobbit village from The Lord of the Rings.  Everything looks mysterious and enchanting with hundreds of old apothecary bottles containing carefully labeled herbs and concoctions. I was especially entranced with a jar labeled, ‘Dragons Blood’, my imagination wandered away as I waited patiently in line, behind about 6 other people quietly waiting for their own special answers to questions.

Yes, Thuna’s herbalists, Roger Lewis and Evelyn have a well deserved reputation for being wizards when it comes to herbs. With years of creating blends and custom concoctions for people it is no wonder!

Breck and I waited as I mentioned until all the other customers were served, we just wanted to tell our story and say thanks. Evelyn’s help so many years before had changed not only Breck’s life but mine as well.  Evelyn mentioned that she had a lot of people asking about celiac and gluten syndrome wanting information and help. So one thing led to another and so here we are about to do our first taste testing in Toronto at Thuna Herbals.

We’ve come full circle, the real story, almost as magical as time at Hogwarts!