Iused to make fun of the gluten-free mayhem. Not of bona fide celiac sufferers, mind you, but of the general fervor that momentarily jacked up the cost of rice cakes and branded itself on everything—even shampoo. Fast forward one toddler later and pregnancy heartburn that never went away. Recently, I discovered that going gluten-free solved all of my problems, except that it took away the occasional pizza Friday or pancake Sunday. Well, now I’m grateful for the craze because I find that I’m accommodated pretty much everywhere—including Knuckle Dragger in Pollock Pines, which offers sandwiches and take-n-bake pizzas. My husband and I ordered his-and-hers pies (because this is what my life has become). I had The Mammoth: Canadian bacon, salami, pepperoni, sausage, olives, onions and fresh garlic. The gluten-free crust was piled so high with toppings that the dough seemed secondary and I felt like, yes, life would be okay. My husband attests that his crust was nice and thick and bready, with flecks of rosemary hidden away in every bite (trying not to cry). But ultimately, there’s no downside to take-n-bake—you get the affordability of frozen with the flavor of a Mom ‘n’ Pop. Knuckle Dragger, 6395 Pony Express Trail, Suite 1, Pollock Pines, 530-644-9914. 

— Dayana Stockdale