Beth White's love of baking began as a child, standing on a little chair in the kitchen, helping her mother make pikelets. Over the years it became her passion.
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But five years ago a coeliac diagnosis changed everything ... or so she thought at the time.
"I was devastated. I thought it was the end of my baking. It really rocked me," Beth told Food & Wine from her home in Newcastle East.
"The first couple of times I baked using gluten-free ingredients it just didn't turn out, so I had to completely re-teach myself to bake, based on a lot of research into the different flours that you have to use.
"After years of trial and error, and a lot of fails, I was ready to put my baking out there."
Beth, who used to work in local government, decided to open her own coeliac-friendly baking business, Twisted Sifter. She now divides her time between working part-time for a gender equity company, and baking gluten-free cakes, muffins, cookies and other treats to order.
Beth's partner Nick, a graphic designer and an artist, handles the marketing for Twisted Sifter and is in the process of building a website.
"Nick's also the delivery man, he's the washer-up-erer at times, and he's the taste-tester," Beth said, laughing.
"One of the biggest compliments I get is when people say to me 'Are you sure this is gluten free?'."
A couple of factors motivated her to launch her own business. She disliked having to settle for often-bland coeliac-friendly products, and she understood the typical coeliac-sufferer's desire for certainty when ordering food and dining out.
"Coeliac disease is a chronic illness; it's an autoimmune condition, and essentially what it means is that the gluten attacks your intestine and it can lead to, if untreated, some really serious health problems," Beth explained.
"Gluten intolerance is where your body just can't tolerate it.
"That's where the difference with cross-contamination comes in. Someone who is coeliac wants a 100 per cent gluten-free kitchen, where there's no risk.
"Someone with a gluten intolerance might be a little more comfortable in taking that risk."
Transitioning from "carefree dining" when she was diagnosed meant Beth had to "ask a million questions" every time she dined out. Her kitchen, though, is 100 per cent gluten-free, guaranteed. Her customers don't even have to ask.
"There are some amazing bakeries doing gluten-free baking in Newcastle but, still, I'd always take a bite wondering 'Is this 100 per cent gluten free?' I wanted to create a business where coeliacs and people on a gluten-free diet for whatever reason could be 100 per cent sure," she said.
"I speak to a lot of parents whose children are coeliac and it is very hard when they go to birthday parties. They love that I make kids' birthday cakes."
At Twisted Sifter, coeliacs can have their cake of choice ... and eat it too. Cakes are made to order however Beth has just introduced a "favourites" range as well - including a Tim Tam cake, a strawberry and sparkling wine cake, and a banana and miso caramel - that can be bought "off the shelf".
Her "Premium Rocky Road" combines chunks of homemade vanilla shortbread biscuit with quality Swiss chocolate, while her favourite scones are made with cheese and chives.
"My experience as a coeliac is that you can always find an orange and almond cake, or a flourless chocolate cake, but that's about it," she said.
"The food envy is real! That's where Twisted Sifter can, I hope, fill a gap. Recreating mum's recipes without gluten, and getting those nostalgic memories, has been really nice."
You can order from Twisted Sifter's Facebook page and your goodies can be delivered to your door (or you can pick it up at Betty Loves Books at The Station Newcastle). Twister Sifter also has a stall at the monthly Merewether Markets at Dixon Park.
"We're looking to push into some more markets by the end of the year," Beth said.
"The big goal is to have a space - I'd love to do some coeliac cooking classes - but for the time being we're just taking little steps."
