Q&A: How the Best Gluten-Free Bread in New York City Gets Made
An interview with Tanya Ponder, founder of Via Piante
In my five years of living with celiac disease, I’ve eaten more than my fair share of crappy gluten-free bread—and I’m confident you probably have too.
I’ve bought loaf after loaf of packaged gluten-free sandwich bread from the grocery store and wondered why the slices are so tiny and filled with holes. At restaurants, I’ve ordered burgers on countless gluten-free buns that crumble in my hands as soon as I pick them up.
Essentially, the gluten-free bread situation has been pretty bleak. Until now, that is. I recently had the opportunity to sample the breads and pastries from Via Piante, New York City’s first 100% gluten-free bakery founded by a Michelin pastry chef in exchange for this post—and I was truly blown away by the quality, taste, and texture of everything I tried.
I interviewed Via Piante’s founder, Tanya Ponder, to get the scoop on why she decided to go all in on gluten-free bread, how she makes her delicious offerings, and her words of wisdom for making your own gluten-free bread at home.
The inspiration behind Via Piante: artisan gluten-free bread
Earlier in the pandemic, Tanya launched an ice cream business called Sundae Fundae, which I was familiar with because she sold her sweet treats in my neighborhood in Queens, New York. While Sundae Fundae wasn’t an exclusively gluten-free business, Tanya did offer gluten-free options—much to the community’s excitement.
“I wasn’t really aware of it happening, but I slowly started building a following of gluten-free customers—and I was actually having a lot of fun experimenting with gluten-free baking,” says Tanya. “I had grown disenchanted with my craft—I had been a restaurant pastry chef for a very long time, and it’s a really hard industry to be in—and this put a little joy back in it for me, plus the community was so happy to receive it.”
While Tanya ultimately closed Sundae Fundae, she knew she was onto something and decided her next business would be entirely gluten-free. “Customers who were buying my gluten-free cakes and cookies started asking me, ‘Do you ever try to make bread?’” she says.
“I wasn’t really aware of it happening, but I slowly started building a following of gluten-free customers—and I was actually having a lot of fun experimenting with gluten-free baking. I had grown disenchanted with my craft—I had been a restaurant pastry chef for a very long time, and it’s a really hard industry to be in—and this put a little joy back in it for me, plus the community was so happy to receive it.”
She made a couple of recipes right away but wasn’t totally pleased with them, so she kept tinkering with things behind the scenes until she developed a recipe she was really happy with. Enter Via Piante. “I believe I’m settled on the final version of all the different breads I offer now,” says Tanya.
While she’s not gluten-free herself, Tanya says she genuinely enjoys the bread she makes and notices that when she eats it, she has more energy—something she attributes to the fact that she uses predominately whole grains. (Editor’s note: After consuming so much gluten-free bread devoid of fiber and other nutrients, can I get an amen?)
A look at Via Piante’s gluten-free bread lineup
Via Piante offers quite a few gluten-free breads. The Ciabatta d’Avena roll was the first product Tanya’s customers really went crazy over. “It's got the same qualities as an artisanal European bread,” she says. “It's got a crispy crust and a soft, fluffy inside.”
Next up, the Pullman loaves, Tanya’s take on sandwich bread: “I make four, but the white and rye have been the most popular.” If you’re celiac, you’re well aware that you can’t eat real rye since that’s one of the grains that contains gluten.
“Mine is a faux rye that’s instead made with brown and white rice, amaranth, and buckwheat—and then there's a lot of caraway and a little cocoa and molasses for color,” says Tanya. “I’m really proud of it.”
The white sandwich bread, meanwhile, isn’t your run-of-the-mill sandwich bread with zero nutritional value. “It’s 60% whole grain,” says Tanya. “It’s made with a blend of brown and white rice, millet, and amaranth.” For the health conscious, her whole grain Pullman loaf is made with a 95% whole grain blend of sorghum, brown rice, amaranth and buckwheat.
In addition to bread, Tanya also sells a handful of desserts that are worth checking out too. I tried the Pizicatti (Almond Pinch Cookie) and Biscotto di Noccioli (Hazelnut Cookie) and absolutely loved them.
How Via Piante’s gluten-free bread gets made
As a celiac, you may be wondering: Is Via Piante’s gluten-free bread made in a dedicated kitchen? I’m happy to report it is! Tanya rents a space inside a building, which is completely walled off. She has her own sink, oven, and production area, making it a dedicated kitchen area.
As always, I encourage you to use your best judgment and do what works best for you when ordering food and trying new products.
Where to find Via Piante’s gluten-free bread
So, where can you find Via Piante? Currently, Tanya sells her goods at the following markets in and around New York City:
Morningside Heights (110th St and Manhattan Ave): Saturdays, mid-January through mid-December
McGoldrick Park (at the Pavillion inside the park): First and third Saturdays, mid-January through mid-December
Park Slope (4th St at 5th Ave): Second and fourth Saturdays, mid-January through mid-December
Rye (Theodore Fremd Ave): Sundays, late April through late November
Larchmont (Metro North Parking Deck, Chatsworth Ave): Saturdays (excluding the last of each month), mid-January through mid-December
Via Piante also offers delivery on Thursday mornings to Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Learn more about ordering and delivery here.
Gluten-free bread making tips for beginners
Given her experience as a trained pastry chef and now master of gluten-free bread, I asked Tanya to share a few gluten-free bread making tips.
If you’re a baking novice, Tanya suggests starting with recipes that are tried-and-true to build your confidence. She made a few Loopy Whisk recipes to start, for example. Once you’re feeling more comfortable in the kitchen, then it’s time to experiment—and definitely don’t be afraid to make mistakes!
“If you give into the fear of not being good enough, you’re never going to push boundaries or learn anything new,” says Tanya. “I’ve been a pastry chef for a long time, so I really enjoy experimenting—and I go into it knowing that things are going to fail, but those failures will teach me if something doesn’t work.”
If you’re in New York City, have you tried Via Piante yet? Do you have any local gluten-free bread makers you love? Drop a comment and let me know!
Definitely on my NYC must-visit list! Thank you, Christina!
Fantastic!! (And she and I are REALLY on the same page with mock rye!!)