Na ameriškem portalu glutenfreeglobalicius.com, je
Lori Miller z menoj lansko leto objavila intervju GF Baker and Author, Suzana Kranjec of Slovenia. Suzana Kranjec, sourdough gluten free chef. Pa si ga preberite. Intervju je nastal še pred izidom knjige Fermentiraj.si, Brezglutenska akademija.
Suzana Kranjec is a successful Gluten-free Baker, Baking Instructor and Author in Slovenia. Her bestselling book, “Življenje Brez Glutena” (Life without Gluten), is filled with sourdough bread recipes and offers a complete guide for those living with Celiac Disease. It was great to be able to interview her and learn all about her gluten-free life in Slovenia. You can learn more about her via her website and Instagram profile.
How long have you been baking gluten-free? Is this a hobby or a business?
I have been baking gluten-free bread for eighteen years, ever since I was diagnosed with celiac disease. I eat exclusively gluten-free food and live a gluten-free life. I began baking sourdough gluten-free bread fifteen years ago. I did not know so much about fermentation back then, so the first loaves were lacking in quality compared to the ones I bake today. Now I bake only sourdough bread for my own needs. I am a maths teacher with a degree in pedagogy. I do not own a bakery; this has become a hobby for me.
GFG Mag: Is your kitchen 100% dedicated gluten-free?
My kitchen at home is not 100% gluten-free since I am the only one with Celiac Disease. However, we do prepare gluten-free meals. My family members eat regular bread and pasta with gluten, but the rest of the food we eat is gluten-free.
I make every loaf of bread or pastry with the help of fermentation. All the bread I make is sourdough bread, and every cake is a sourdough cake. The pastries turn out immensely tasty; think about the Italian Panettone (which is also fermented). It is the fluffiest bread I know. One made from gluten-free flour is just as good as one made from regular gluten flour.
Do you sell your gluten-free products?
I do not sell my products, but I do share my knowledge via gluten-free sourdough bread baking workshops. I also run sourdough cake baking workshops. During Pust (a Slovenian holiday celebrating the arrival of Spring) we always organize a bake of sourdough doughnuts. I have also written a book titled, “Življenje Brez Glutena” (Life without Gluten), which in addition to sourdough bread recipes, offers a complete guide for Celiac individuals. It is a bestselling book in Slovenia.
When you first started, how was the turnout for your classes?
At first, workshop students were skeptical about the possibilities of gluten-free sourdough bread and cake. However, today they realize fermentation makes bread lighter and easier to digest. After a few more workshops they were amazed by the taste, lightness, scent, and appearance of gluten-free baked goods.
What are your best-selling gluten-free classes?
My most popular workshop is the sourdough doughnut class, so in February, the classes leading up to Pust, get fully booked. The same goes for the Slovene Potica, which has become quite well known around the world. Sourdough gluten-free Potica is a challenge to make, but since I can make it perfectly, there is much interest. Workshop attendees are also most excited about baking buckwheat bread. Buckwheat is widely used in Slovenia, even by people without Celiac Disease. Among all the types of gluten-free bread, buckwheat is the most renown and stays fresh the longest.
What is the best part of baking GF products for people?
The best part of baking gluten-free sourdough bread is the uniqueness of each bake. Every sourdough loaf is unique and non-replicable. We follow the same recipes, but we cannot influence the parameters such as humidity and temperature of the room, especially not at home. Another joy for me is decorating the bread, which draws the attention of every taster.
What do you do to relax in your free time?
Nature walks and trips. On my trips, I research gluten-free offers and publish them on my blog. There I have also set up pages for all travel lovers.
What is your favorite food?
I am most fond of the Mediterranean diet due to its simplicity. It is also a colon-friendly.
What else would you like our readers to know about you?
It is a real challenge for me to bake sourdough bread and cake using store-bought flours. I mill all flours at home, and I never use any additives, only psyllium fibre, which makes the structure fluffier. Our bodies need good bacteria to boost our immune systems. With the help of fermented food, we can care for our bodies. Fermented food enables the intake of both prebiotics and probiotics. We don’t need expensive food supplements and such. Let’s listen to nature. It just takes a little bit of help from fermentation to help our bodies transform into a good, energized mood. My motto is: Let’s learn to prepare and consume food adequately, let us not be reminded of our illness and let’s be happy all our lives!
