Interview with A&J Bakery

A&J Bakery, on Park Avenue in Cranston, is Rhode Island’s only Nut Free and Nut / Gluten Free Bakery. I had the opportunity to speak with one of the owners, Joe Hitzemann, about the bakery he owns with his wife Amy, and the challenges inherent in running a nut- and gluten-free operation. The couple graduated from Johnson & Wales University, and they have more than 25 years of combined experience in the food industry. 

What inspired you to open a GF and nut-free bakery?
When Joe and Amy’s son was young, he had asthma and eczema, putting him at high risk for a nut allergy.

What sort of special challenges are inherent in operating a GF bakery?
Gluten-free baking has a high risk for contamination, so all new equipment was purchased to avoid prior exposure. Separate air ducts in the baking area are another way to avoid exposure and contamination. All food is baked and packaged on the premises, by trained staff. (Four employees are Serve Safe certified.) A&J requires verification from all vendors that materials are GF, and they keep the documentation current and available at the bakery.

What types of products do you make?
They offer bread, cookies, pasta, rolls, cinnamon buns, Danish, biscotti, and all-purpose GF flour (a cup per cup replacement for traditional wheat AP flour).

Tell us about your ingredients…what types of flour do you use, etc.?
A&J’s standard flour mix contains potato starch, corn starch, corn flour, expandex, rice flour, and xanthan gum.

 There are GF bakeries popping up all over, new pre-baked and frozen GF products are even available in supermarkets now. What makes A&J different?
A&J Bakery has a personal commitment to the community, and to people with celiac disease and nut allergies. They bake in small batches, and sometimes recreate someone’s favorite baked goods per request. The bakery is also committed to making their products affordable.

Any plans to teach GF baking classes in the store? Any special programs or events planned?
Due to Board of Health restrictions, the bakery is not able to offer classes. 

A&J Bakery is partnering with select “The Melting Pot” restaurants (fondue restaurant) in the Providence Place mall; Boston; Washington, DC; Arlington, VA; Reston, VA; and Gaithersburg, MD to offer 10% off at the restaurant during the month of May with any purchase from A&J Bakery. You can also save 10% off of your purchase at A&J Bakery with a purchase at any of the select Melting Pot locations. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. 

Also, co-owner Amy Hitzemann recently recorded a segment of “Cooking with Class” with Chef Frank Terranova, where she baked a nut- and gluten-free chocolate chip banana bread and apple pie. “Cooking with Class” is celebrating its 15-year anniversary with several special guest segments.

What’s your best-selling item(s)?
Bread is a huge seller, followed by rolls and pizza.

What stores carry your product locally?
Back to Basics, The Melting Pot, Santa’s Village in New Hampshire, five Dave’s Marketplace locations, Healthy Haven, and Foodworks in CT.

Any chance that your products will by carried in local farmers’ markets?
The bakery would like to try farmers’ markets, but haven’t had time to explore this opportunity yet.

I hear you do internships for high-school students?
We do have some interns right now, and the program is open to all school systems.

If Rhode Island starts a GF food pantry, would you participate?
A&J Bakery would welcome the opportunity to participate in a GF food bank.

What do you want customers to k now about your bakery; what information do you want them to take away from this interview?
We’d like our customers to know that we are must than just a bakery; we can offer customers peace of mind and the security of knowing that we are highly trained and are taking every possible precaution to assure your experience will be a safe and enjoyable one.

A&J Bakery has been featured on the Rachel Ray show – twice! Since Joe tells me that all the recipes are in his head, not written down, we should pray that he never gets Alzheimer’s disease. I can’t guarantee I wouldn’t go off the deep end if I couldn’t ever have the white chocolate raspberry biscotti again!

The bakery stocks many products from other manufacturers, such as candy corn (manufactured exclusively for A&J Bakery), Wellabys crackers, Le Veneziane dried pasta, and frozen pasta from DePumas of Connecticut (this ravioli is to die for!).

They also sell GF croutons, bread crumbs, hamburg and hotdog rolls, pizza crust, pretzels, stuffing mix, cookie and biscotti trays, frozen apple pies, all-purpose flour, and frozen pie shells. Gingerbread houses are a big seller for the holidays.

Retail location: 1458 Park Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920  (401) 228-8696
Store Hours: M-F 10-6; Sat 10-5
Visit the online store at: aandjbakery.net