nutrient absorption, are also damaged,
leaving the body unable to process gluten.
What this meant for Taylor is that
for her whole life, not only was she not
getting the nutrients she needed to be
normal and healthy, but every time she
ingested gluten, her body was being
poisoned. As Denise continued to read
about this disease, she realized that
these symptoms closely aligned with her
own health as well. Celiac is a hereditary
disorder, and Denise concluded that
Taylor must have gotten it from her.
Now that she knew more about what
was causing Taylor’s sickness, Denise
decided that there was no time to waste in
fulfilling her promise.
The first six years after Taylor’s
diagnosis were dedicated to Celiac
education and what those suffering
from it could do to improve their health
and quality of life. Denise started a
Celiac Support Group set out to improve
diagnosis rates, educate doctors, and
generally be a helpful place for people
interested in learning more.
However, in 2004 there were not
nearly as many resources for people with
gluten-intolerance as there are today.
Without viable food options, Denise
wondered how she could truly help others
with Celiac. She saw a need and decided to
do what she could to meet it. Her kitchen
became an ongoing science experiment.
New flours, substitutes, and methods
were used to create interesting and
delicious food that was still completely
gluten-free. After a while of creating
better food options for her daughter,
Denise decided that opening a gluten-free
bakery would be the best way to help
others with Celiac.
In November of 2007, Taylor Made
Gluten Free Bakery opened. Denise was
committed to creating a bakery that
gave people who eat gluten-free, either
by necessity or by choice, to love what
they are eating, because their food would
be made only from the highest quality
ingredients. The bakery was met with
an enthusiastic response, finally giving
Denise the satisfaction of fulfilling her
promise. Now Taylor Made’s goods are
carried not only in the Bryan College
Station area, but in grocery stores
throughout Texas and surrounding states.
Years have passed since the bakery’s
opening and Taylor’s childhood sickness.
Since her early battles with Celiac,
Taylor’s health has continued to improve
with help from resources like the bakery,
doctors, and even “The Great Gluten
Escape” camp at Camp Gilmont, but that
did not change the fact that she still had to
face a unique set of problems.
When Taylor got older, she started to
attend many of her friends’ weddings.
Instead of getting to partake in the meals
with the rest of the guests, Taylor would
be forced to rely on the power bar in her
purse or to ask for some iceberg lettuce
to hold her over. When it came time for
Taylor to plan her own wedding, these
memories and the desire for everyone to
feel included prompted her decision to
have an entirely gluten-free wedding.
Taylor was pleasantly surprised
with not only the caterer’s reaction, but
the general reaction to the fact that her
wedding would be gluten-free. Through
this experience, she felt empowered
to encourage others who have been in
similar situations or who have ever felt
different because of their circumstances.
She realized that the lessons she learned
over the years not only apply to those
with gluten intolerance, but to anyone
who has ever felt unusual.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for what you
want,” Taylor says. “It really is okay to
be different.”
Never did she think that people would
be so accommodating to her needs or be
so excited to learn about how celiac has
affected her journey. Her wedding was
the ultimate celebration of overcoming
adversity and the great leaps of progress
she could make in her health and life.
Guests celebrated with her by indulging
in a gluten-free dessert bar and wedding
cake — just like she hoped they would be
able to when she was a little girl. i
Johnson Vendors
26
INSITE February 2018
Venue The Taylor Mansion
Estate & Crystal Ballroom DJ Jason Winn
Food and Alcohol Thrall Country Diner Make Up SarahBeth with Southern Blush
Cakes Chef Taylor Duhon,
Taylor Made Gluten Free Bakery Dress Casablanca
Hair Jac Bexley with Salon 77
Photography Lauren Maria Films & Photography