If you or a loved one have food allergies, you know how hard it is to find good food that meets your dietary restrictions.
It's often a group of 8 allergenic foods usually referred to as the 'Big 8' is the culprit, and things like breads, pastries and other sweets are particularly hard to come by if you're gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, peanut-free, etc.
One home baker in Powell is here to save your day, though: Free Reign Bakery.
The bakery opened for business back in 2018, and announced on Facebook it this week it will be opening East Tennessee's first 'Big 8' allergen-friendly bakery storefront in Powell in the near future.
The location will be off West Emory Road in the Powell Place Shopping Center where the KARM Thrift Store is.
The bakery will soon have outdoor patio space to enjoy, and also plans to add an espresso bar and tea selection to its offerings.They still plan to do wholesale to other areas outside Powell as well.
Most of my life with my dietary restrictions I wasn't able to go anywhere and it be convenient," said dessert-lover and baker Sarah Blackburn "There'd only be like one or two things that I could pick and it's just not fun."
She bakes cupcakes, scones, donuts, cookies, brownies that are friendly to all stomachs. They tend to confuse people who hear how many ingredients are missing.
"Is it made from air? Or like what's in there? And it just, it honestly cracks me up," said Blackburn.
Blackburn replaces allergens with a variety of alternatives. Instead of processed sugar, she'll use coconut sugar. Normal flour is replaced with a blend of brown rice, arrowroot and tapioca.
"I'm excited to just let people know those alternatives," said Blackburn. "They can do it, too."
Free Reign Bakery launched online October 1, and has been flooded with orders ever since.
"I'm still like, pinch me moment every single day honestly," said Blackburn. "Like I knew people would be excited but I just never, never would have imagined at this level."
She says most orders average a mix of about 10 different items at at time.
Until the new store opens, you can find her treats at local farmer's and holiday markets, and online.