Not only do I prefer the texture of boxed cake, I also love the ease. Open a box, dump in a few ingredients and in two minutes you have batter. Would it be possible, I wondered, to create a homemade, gluten-free, one bowl cake recipe? Turns out, the answer is yes. This cake, which was inspired by the classic gluten-filled Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" recipe, comes together quickly. White rice flour, cornstarch, and just a little sweet rice flour combine to create a cake that has a texture that's very similar to boxed cake—only better. More

S'mores, crumb crusts, a quick ice cream sandwich. All of these treats are possible thanks to a humble childhood snack: the graham cracker. S'mores probably weren't what Sylvester Graham had in mind back in 1829 when he created a "honey health biscuit" made from whole grains. Most of today's graham crackers are made from refined wheat flour. If you are on a gluten-free diet, this is a problem. However, gluten-free grahams are easy to make at home. And even if you aren't gluten-free, making homemade graham crackers is a fun—and tasty—way to experience classic graham crackers in a new way. More

Wheat-free tamari is the modern equivalent of the original soy sauce, using a slow fermentation process, turning soybeans into sauce over time. It has a far more complex flavor than mass-produced soy sauce, as well as a smoothness and balanced saltiness. After discovering tamari because I had to go gluten-free, I honestly prefer it to soy sauce now. More

Gluten-free bread. I'm the first to admit it suffers from a bit of a bad reputation. The premade loaves tend to be expensive and homemade recipes often are dense and fall apart when sliced. What's a gluten-free eater to do? Live without bread? My answer to that is an emphatic "No!" Gluten-free bread can be wonderful. For my first column on Serious Eats, I wanted to share my recipe for Easy Sandwich Bread. Let's get baking! More

"Millet was first grown in China, where it was revered for thousands of years as one of their five most sacred grains." [Photograph: Shauna James Ahern] Millet is the tofu of the grain world. OK, I know that might not... More

[Photograph: Shauna James Ahern] I grew up in Southern California, which was always sunny, generally pleasant, and filled with people who wanted to be in the movie industry. And, let's face it, a good chunk of the people who lived... More

Juniper berries. [Photograph: Shauna James Ahern] If you had seen my spice cupboard in 2005, you might have laughed. A half-empty cinnamon bottle, used vigorously during the holiday season, then not touched for months. The same was true for the... More

"You might have eaten teff and not known it." Injera, the spongy Ethiopian bread, is made of teff flour. [Photograph: Robyn Lee] When people find out I cannot eat gluten, they often say, "Oh, I'm so sorry." (Not me.) And... More

Note: We've offered a small amount of gluten-free recipes on SE in the past but have never had a specific column devoted to the topic. That changes today. This post marks the Serious Eats debut of Shauna James Ahern. You... More