Master Gluten-Free Pasta & Pie in Baltimore: Hands-On Class with Chef Nancy

Gluten Free Cooking is a hands-on culinary workshop in Baltimore, Maryland, led by Chef Nancy at Pierpoint. Over three hours, small groups of up to ten students move through stations that demystify alternative flours and traditional techniques recast for a gluten-free kitchen. The room vibrates with the practical focus of a working class rather than a performance: scales, bowls, and flour-dusted hands.

The class centers on two headline skills—gluten-free pasta and pie dough—but also covers hydration ratios, binders, and ways to coax structure and tenderness from rice, buckwheat, and sorghum blends. Chef Nancy emphasizes technique: how to judge dough readiness by touch, when to rest versus when to roll, and how to finish pasta so it holds sauce without turning gummy. Students leave with recipes, tasting portions, and the confidence to recreate dishes at home.

What makes this experience special is its specificity. Baltimore’s long-standing food culture — from Lexington Market’s market stalls to contemporary neighborhood kitchens — is fertile ground for culinary reinvention. Pierpoint’s limited off-street parking and intimate setup reinforce a neighborhood-classroom feel: hands-on, communal, and efficient. This is not a lecture; it’s a practiced kitchen where mistakes are treated as experiments.

The class suits home cooks who want to broaden their pantry beyond one-for-one gluten replacements. You’ll learn practical substitutions, storage tips for alternative flours, and how to adapt family recipes without losing character. Because the session is small, Chef Nancy can tailor instruction to different experience levels and address dietary cross-contamination questions, an essential topic for anyone managing celiac disease or serious intolerance.

Practicalities: the session lasts about three hours and has a minimum age of 16. Bring appetite, a notebook, and closed-toe shoes; Pierpoint offers limited off-street parking and suggests calling when you’re en route. Accessibility details and exact pricing are provided at booking.

For visitors to Baltimore, this class doubles as a culinary orientation: it’s a place to meet local cooks, source new pantry items, and gain skills you’ll use long after the trip. The payoff is immediate—fresh pasta or a perfectly flaky pie—paired with techniques that transform gluten-free from compromise to craft.

During the hands-on segments you’ll work with tactile cues—dough that springs back, sheets that hold together, and pastry that flakes rather than crumbles. Chef Nancy walks the room with pragmatic demos, answering questions about sourcing local grains and reading labels at farmers’ markets. The class balances technique with testing: expect multiple tastings, a short critique of texture, and a takeaway packet of recipes and troubleshooting notes. Beyond skills, the session is social: you’ll swap tips with neighbors at the communal table, trade recommendations for nearby shops, and leave with practical next steps to stock a gluten-free pantry that supports everyday cooking.