“When I discovered that I was celiac, the alternatives to gluten were very disappointing, soft, bland”

“For a long time, I carefully avoided the kitchen. I did a DEUG in law in Assas, then a DESS and a DEA in psychology and psychiatry, to treat adults and children, and in particular to support children with rare genetic diseases… I was loaded with diplomas, I was preparing sometimes a meal for my friends, I had a boundless admiration for the line of cooks from which I came [Raymond et Michel Oliver], but it was out of the question for me to make a profession of it.

“When we saw each other with my father [Michel Oliver], we ate gluten-free and it was very good. One Monday morning, in the shower, I had the idea to suggest that we create recipes together. “

For fifteen years, I was a clinical psychologist in a hospital setting, and that was fine with me. On the other hand, I had a lot of health problems, blood pressure, skin, gynecology, perpetual stomach aches, I took eight painkillers a day. Until the day when, in 2010, I consulted a naturopath who advised me to remove the elements based on sugar, lactose and gluten. I didn’t even know what gluten was back then, there was still very little talk about it. But it was either that or the operating table. I followed his advice and, within a week, I had no more pain. I discovered that I was celiac, meaning gluten intolerant.

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When I first identified my illness, I was better, but I was sorry that I could no longer eat bread or other products made from wheat, barley or rye. Because what I liked was “having a bite to eat”, literally and figuratively. But the gluten-free alternatives were very disappointing, soft, bland… When we saw each other with my father, we ate gluten-free and it was very good. One Monday morning, in the shower, I had the idea to suggest that we create recipes together.

Discovery of psyllium

Michel Oliver, my father, wrote dozens of cookbooks, and until then I followed his instructions to the letter. But this time, I started doing a lot of testing, morning, evening, night, weekends. By touching the dough, I fell in love with it. For the design of our “bread mix” and “pastry mix” based on rice and corn flour, I discovered psyllium, a type of plantain from which we extract the integuments that give the binder to the dough (which is usually the role of gluten).

Two years later, I was thinking about baking night and day, I passed my CAP cooking on my father’s advice and I left the medical world to devote myself to my new job. Today, we deliver a number of starred restaurants, and the demand continues to grow. One of the things I’m most proud of are our hand-crafted baguettes, which taste like real bread, have airy crumbs and a crunchy crust.

Read also Gluten-free lemon cake: Clémentine Oliver’s recipe

As for the lemon cake, it is the recipe that is closest to my heart: it is the cake that we made at each family reunion, but that I had to stop eating when I discovered my intolerance. gluten free. It made me very unhappy. We reworked a gluten-free version until we were satisfied with it. And today, this is the recipe that we share and that I can eat. “

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