Matthew’s developing a fan base with pizzas for coeliacs
STUCK for a decent gluten-free pizza, Calverton man Matthew James set about making his own.
As well as satisfying his own pizza cravings, it’s really hitting the spot for others with coeliac disease.
Craving Crust has taken off so much after a series of pop-ups at his home that’s he’s going to take to the road in a trailer. The self-employed bathroom and kitchen fitter said he’ll be able to take some time out from that to focus on Craving Crust to see how it takes off.
The 39-year-old was diagnosed with coeliac disease in December 2022. Caused by an abnormal reaction to foods with gluten such as bread, pasta, cereals and biscuits, the most common symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea or constipation, fatigue and nausea – but it was something different in Matthew’s case.
“I was getting really bad mouth ulcers which were getting worse and worse to a point where I couldn’t put up with them any more so I went to the doctor and had a blood test. The reading was so high when I got referred to the hospital they didn’t even need to do a biopsy to confirm it. They diagnosed me there and then. The symptoms do differ quite a bit between people. There is a long list.”
The condition meant that Matthew had to rethink his eating habits, finding suitable gluten-free products in the supermarket. However, the fortnightly pizza treat was out because the gluten-free offerings didn’t compare.
“I bought a pizza oven because I wasn’t really happy with anything I could buy off the shelf or from a takeaway or restaurant. I started making my own using gluten-free flour for the dough. My wife, who was eating them as well, said they’re really good. She said she prefers them to any other pizzas she’s had, even normal pizza. She said you could sell these... she probably regrets saying that now.”
Matthew posted photos in a few Facebook groups and it wasn’t long before people showed an interest. From a sheltered outdoor kitchen at his home he has held around five pop-ups and found he was getting a lot of repeat custom..
“It spiralled. People have been ordering online and coming and collecting. There have been five-star reviews. Some pizza places do gluten-free but they are not cooked in a separate oven or prepared in a separate kitchen. We only do gluten-free so there is no cross contamination.
“The whole ethos is we are trying to make it so that people with coeliac disease can feel a bit more included, so that if the whole family are having a takeaway they can come to us. Everyone can have the same food and the non-coeliacs still enjoy it.
“That’s the whole point rather than having to go to two different places. That’s what makes you feel a bit isolated - having to go off and do something special or different to everyone else. Pizza was one of things I couldn’t really find a nice substitute for whereas everything else it was possible to find things, it was just a bit more hard work but pizza was lacking.”
The pizzas include a simple cheese and tomato, meat feast, ham, pepperoni or you can choose your own toppings. Gluten-free southern fried chicken is also on the menu as that’s another no-no in fast food joints. There’s sides of onion rings and mozzarella dippers too.
Matthew is still awaiting the trailer’s arrival but as he’d already booked to appear at Sherwood Market, he had to have a makeshift setup at his first event on Saturday. He will be returning to the monthly event throughout the year.
He said: “It was really busy! We couldn’t keep up with the demand, so there were long wait times and we had to turn quite a lot of people away. We didn’t expect the demand to be quite what it was. The trailer should be with me end of next week, with any luck.”
Matthew, who is helped by his wife Lauren, is also booked in for summer fairs at Mapperley Top and Bestwood Lodge. He plans to get out and about at roadside locations in Calverton and surrounding villages.
“I am planning more but I don’t want to sign up to too many yet until we actually have the trailer,” he said.
He hopes Craving Crust may be able to put in an appearance at festivals.
“If you go to an event or festival it’s a nightmare as there is very rarely anything you can have besides loaded fries or a jacket potato. The last time I went to a festival I was eating loaded fries all weekend - it’s very limited. It’s the inconvenience, having to plan what you eat, being the odd one out, everyone else is having something nice to eat and you’re sitting there with your sandwiches.”
The review of one pizza fan said: “Wow !!!!!! I never thought that I would be able to enjoy pizza like this again, even the non-coeliacs in the house loved it. And the added sides were a bonus. I couldn’t recommend any more. Can’t wait to come back again.”