In 2011, when pastry chef Michelle Retik of Short Hills was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, she was the busy mom of four young children and the sickness left her unable “to eat or participate in much of life.”
Ultimately, a desperate search to heal herself led her to the 2014 opening of Squirrel & the Bee, a “grainless bake shop” in Milburn.
“I started to understand that food was not only the cause of my disease, but potentially the cure,” she says.
Michelle Retik, baker/owner of Squirrel and the Bee grainless bakery in Millburn.
Her research revealed that the consumption of not only grains, but also dairy and refined sugar, could be causing the inflammation in her digestive system. When she asked her doctor about this, “he was nicely dismissive,” she says.
Nonetheless, she went home, cleaned out her kitchen, overhauled her diet, and her symptoms improved within 48 hours.
Her husband, himself a physician, told her he wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen the results himself.
The next challenge was applying her professional pastry skills, learned at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan, to create grainless versions of the baked goods that were her passion.
When family, friends and neighbors tasted her muffins, breads, cookies and pies, all made with nut and coconut flours, natural oils, fruits and honey, word began to spread and she created her business.
The 1800-square-foot Squirrel & the Bee, named for the nuts and honey that dominate the menu, not only makes breads and pastries, it also serves breakfast and lunch in its café. Soups, salads, sandwiches, waffles, shakes, smoothies: everything from mayonnaise to salad dressings, even jams and ice cream, are made from scratch using only locally-sourced honey, healthy fats and high-protein nut flours. The products are all gluten-free and certified kosher.
All the bakery items stay fresh at room temperature or in the fridge for up to five days, and can be frozen and reheated. A number of goods can be ordered online for delivery anywhere in the continental United States.
“Even for someone who doesn’t have any health condition or auto-immune disease, this is very healthy,” she says of her diet. “Science and research are pointing to the fact that the foods we are eating really affect our health.”
Not only does she believe in the anti-inflammatory benefits of grain-free eating, she also finds it improves digestion, skin conditions and energy levels.
“Once you get started on the diet, it’s really quite simple,” Retik says. “It takes a little adjusting to, but it’s a clean and easy way to eat.”