ALONG COMES MARY

While I live in Los Angeles, that is a pretty broad area to say I reside. My little haven of the city is in the valley; think San Fernando, Van Nuys, Canoga Park. Somewhere I frequent is the Northridge Fashion Center. My hubby and I have been there twice over the course of the past 3 days, even. It’s easy to see why; between their hefty sized mall, restaurant promenade and additional plaza across the street with Designer Shoe Warehouse, more eateries and markets, it’s a great hub of activity for us valley folks.

Recently, their Northridge Farmers Market invited me out for the evening to experience all they have to offer. Little did I know their aisles of vendors rivaled nearly that of their shopping options! Bursting with fresh, organic produce, jewelry vendors and loads of food trucks and hot meals to buy, this farmers market sets up shop just adjacent to the center’s Macy’s each Wednesday evening from 5pm to 9pm.

When we arrived, Mike and I cruised the options…Thai, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, American, sweet treats and more, the two that caught my eye were those that included ‘Gluten Free’ in their banners. Me Gusta Gourmet Tamales and Muscle Beach Sausage Master were two of them. We decided to give the tamales a whirl.

Family recipes all the way from Puerto Vallarta and hand made daily, Me Gusta has some fun, eclectic flavors like pineapple and Queso, I got a pineapple and chicken while Mike a pork and pineapple. How could we not see what a pineapple tamale was all about? While the chicken was great, the pineapple lacked its main star, and seemed more similar to a corn cake. Not a bad thing, just a bit of a let down as we were in search of that pineapple. Their red and green sauces stole the show, I must say. Bursting with flavor and truly enhancing the tamales, it’s easy to see why Me Gusta has racked up countless awards like first and second place for Best Tamales at the LA International Tamale Festival and the Indio Tamale Festival.

When dessert was a calling, we knew exactly what we wanted. Already famous in the fashion center, Dreamy Creations Cupcakes is just what their name says. They’re dreamy. They’re creations. They have gluten free cupcakes! We split a fudge brownie and the cream cheese frosting immediately sold me. The cake was gooey, fudgey, and not dry or having that common ‘gluten free’ taste I often encounter.

Which is another reason Northridge Farmers Market is a fantastic choice for a night out; many of their vendors have store fronts in the mall. Which makes it a perfect opportunity to discover new favorites, and you don’t have to wait once a week to enjoy!

Going til 9pm every Wednesday, they also have a live stage with great bands each week. Northridge not enough for your fill? Not to worry, as the farmers market run throughout the week from everywhere to Ventura, out to Riverside.

Arriving home with an incredible bag of fruits and veggies, we were set for the rest of the week with an incredible array of fresh and organic foods. Learn more here and plan your night out at the Northridge Farmers Market!

(*Disclosure: Huge thank you Northridge Farmers Market for having me. All opinions are my own.)