THE BAKERY OF THE FUTURE? I can't help but toss in my own two cents about the "Green Bakery" recently revealed to be connected to The City Bakery.

The Green Bakery's website touts the place as "a model of what a neighborhood bakery might be in 2006" and asserts that "The emphasis is on environmental good."

That might sound sweet to you, but to me and about one percent of the population, this Green Bakery is literally sickening! The Green Bakery is not only selling and celebrating products made from some of the world's top allergens—eggs, milk, and wheat—but it's made from those allergens, too!

Boasts the bakery's website:

The walls are made from wheat - just like the baked goods. The paint is milk protein....

Sick, sick, sick, I tell ya!

I'm not saying that the world should revolve around people with allergies and/or gluten intolerance. In New York, the United States, and the world at large, there are countless bakeries and patisseries that make and serve great goodies...and they're just dandy, as far as I'm concerned. I've even got a friend who's launched her own business of that sort, and I wish her success. But what really impresses me these days is the small squadron of innovative, creative bakers who are developing ways to make fine baked goods with few or no problem ingredients such as wheat, eggs, and milk. That's why I'm far less impressed by this ballyhooed Green Bakery than I am by Happy Happy Happy and Josefs Gluten-Free as well as Whole Foods, The Gluten-Free Bread Basket in Chester (NY), Foods By George in New Jersey, and Mr. Ritts in Philadelphia.

So chew on that, Maury Rubin! I've no doubt your baked goods are good...but what can you do for the salivating celiac/allergic masses?

Photo of Happy Happy Happy by David Marc Fischer