Going Gluten-Free at the Birmingham Farmers Market

The Birmingham Farmers Market, which continues its 11th season Sunday, draws fun and interesting characters to town every year. Among them are Sandy Naimou and husband Juan Carlos Nolasco of the Blissful Baking Co., who entice passersby with samples of rich-tasting gluten free baked goods that often bring people back.

"They have my vote for best new vendor," said long-time Farmers Market patron Sara Gozmanian," after sampling some of Naimou's quesadilla cake. "This is not like the typical gluten-free stuff you see."

The key is staying creative and finding a combination of ingredients that taste good together and adhere to the principles of gluten-free foods, said Naimou, who started eating and baking gluten-free about two years ago. She offers different combinations of gluten-free and vegan baked goods that use high-quality and often organic ingredients.  

"We go out of our way to make it taste good so they can start feeling good too," said Naimou — who does all the baking — during the kick-off of the summer-long market that drew a large crowd to Old Woodward Avenue earlier this month.

Previews of what the couple will serve up each week at the Farmers Market are available on the Blissful Baking Co. Facebook page.

See Naimou and others each week at the Farmers Market, which runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. every Sunday in the municipal parking lot on North Old Woodward Avenue. For more information, visit birminghamfarmersmarket.org.

Do you have a favorite product or vendor at the Farmers Market we should feature? Tell us about them in the comments and send an email to Editor Art Aisner at art.aisner@patch.com.