Gluten-Free Heaven at Sweet Marie’s Hawaii

By Anni Caporuscio

Marie Cassel is seen here at Sweet Marie’s Hawai‘i.

Attention all celiac-sufferers, gluten-free aspirants, food allergists and all your friends who love food: Have I got some news for you! Sweet Marie’s Hawaii Inc. has got some great food — and I’m saying this with a serious face and a full belly.

Usually, there is a stigma about allergen-free food. But not so at Marie Cassel’s charming, old-fashioned restaurant in Hanama‘ulu, Sweet Marie’s Hawaii; the first dedicated gluten-free kitchen in the state of Hawai‘i.

Marie has been doing wholesale gluten-free cooking for at least 15 years. She first opened her restaurant exactly nine years ago in Kapa‘a, but has since moved locations twice, and is now at the old Hanama‘ulu Post Office building, across the highway from the Hanama‘ulu gas station.

Smothered in ganache, filled with layers of moist cake, this is what I’d like to eat forever. I’ll call it Forever Cake, accompanied by Sweet Marie’s signature macaroons.

It was many years ago when Marie returned home from a month-long trip to Thailand — and to a standard American diet — to be diagnosed with celiac disease, an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. The condition causes inflammation that damages the small intestine’s lining, preventing absorption of nutrients and causing other medical complications.

However, a strict gluten-free diet can help manage the symptoms and promote intestinal healing. So rather than feeling depressed, Marie got creative.

All her recipes are her own renderings from years of experiments and tasting. She serves balanced entrees and delicious treats, all flavorful and thoughtfully prepared. Yes, all those cookies, cakes and fluffy muffins: all gluten free. The short ribs, the macadamia nut crusted chicken, the sweet potato ginger coconut soup: all gluten- and allergen-free.

This is not your typical Spinach Salad. It comes with roasted beets, sweet peppers and Brussels sprouts with feta cheese and candied pecans. With a super tangy dressing, this is a hearty salad, a good prelude to a meal or a meal itself.

Marie also likes to know her customers. Often, she’ll seat them, chat and serve them — and in between all that she’ll cook and bake.

Sweet Marie’s Hawaii also does mail-order treats and caters to weddings and parties.

And while we’re at it, May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month. Although about three million in the United States have celiac disease, only about 10 percent have been diagnosed, according to the University of Chicago, Celiac Disease Center.

Sweet Marie’s Hawaii is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit www.sweetmarieshawaii.com or call 823-0227 or 635-8229 for more information.

Marie Cassel

Marie juiced an astounding 350 lbs of lilikoi. From this crop, we drank lilikoi juice over ice, and ate this white chocolate lilikoi burst with a lilikoi reduction. It’s surrounded with a ti leaf lei that Marie makes for cakes, a souvenir to remember your event.

These muffins are pecan streusel coffee cake muffins, fluffy and cinnamon-filled. One has sour cream and the other is vegan, made with golden flax.

What’s cuter than a chocolate cupcake with pink sprinkles?

Mac-nut Crusted Chicken Breast with Okinawan sweet potatoes. Did you know that the standard mac-nut breading contains gluten? This gluten free version comes with a twist, sweet lilikoi mustard. The potatoes, made with coconut milk, are the best I’ve ever had.

Hawaiian Style Pork Ribs served with oven-fried rice with steamed greens. These ribs are full of sweet tropical flavor, boneless and tender enough to eat with a fork.