One of the upsides with not being able to eat gluten is that as long as I’m careful, watching my portion sizes and don’t go nuts eating nuts, it’s quite tricky to put on a significant amount of weight. Generally the most calorific food choices come with gluten firmly included; pizza, bread, pasta, biscuits, cake etc.

Of course all of these food choices can be made or obtained in a gluten free form but choice is the key here. It’s very easy to tuck into a pizza or pack of biscuits without any real thought for either calorie or fat values. They’re readily available and easy options for busy people. As someone who does need to watch their weight, I now find I really have to ‘choose’ these food types in their gluten free form. I actively think “do I want it?” and “do I need it?”. More often than not, the answer is “no”.

I do, however, have a weakness. Chocolate brownies.

We were recently at the British Museum in London doing some background study on the Parthenon Marbles for my Art History course. It was a sunny but cold day so my husband and I had decided to walk there via Hyde Park to look at some triumphal arches on the way. By the time we came out of the Museum, having viewed the Marbles, I was ready for some sugary fortification before walking back to Waterloo. We crossed the street and went into Starbucks where a lonesome gluten free chocolate brownie sat waiting in the glass display cabinet, seemingly just for me. How did it taste? Good, chocolatey, not too sugary and just what I needed. Whatever one’s opinion on Starbucks, I really appreciate they have bothered to cater for coeliacs.

But is this the best gluten free chocolate brownie in London? In my opinion, no. That prize goes to POD.

The size of the brownie is just right for a slice of naughty chocolatey indulgence. The consistency is impressive, not at all flaky.

So how does it taste? Soft, squidgy and gooey almost like treacle. It’s uber-chocolatey complete with a scattering of small chocolate chips. I also like it because it has a pleasantly long after taste of chocolate nirvana which lingers in the mouth after each bite.

As Poussin probably would’ve painted if he’d tasted one, Et in Arcadia POD chocolate brownie.

Gluten Free Mrs D