Best thing I ate this week: Gluten-free empanadas at Sazn 2 Go

Judith Suzra-Campbell The empanada force of joy and survival is undeniable. His half-moon rolls of crispy masa dough are filled with such an array of Venezuelan flavors, from cumin-scented chicken giso to spicy pork with capers and herbs to Domino’s classic combination of black beans and cheese, it’s been a special journey for him. to be Farm market stall, Sazn 2 Go, even if they are gluten free. (Actually they are great for the celiacs in my family).

But those empanadas, a tradition learned as a child from her mother and grandmother in the Caribbean beach town of Puerto La Cruz, have also been a lifeline for Suzra-Campbell and her husband, Robert Campbell, who lost their much-loved Venezuelan restaurant, Sazn. Is. , during the epidemic after 18 years on Spring Garden Street. They held on as long as they could, taking out for a while, paying their old employees until they finally decided they couldn’t open the dining space inside due to smoke damage from some upstairs tenants. But Suzra-Campbell soon relaunched her for her next chapter in the Sisterly Love series, her citywide exhibitions showcasing women-owned food businesses, this time on the market scene with an almost exclusive focus on empanadas.

Everyone was suffering in 2020, she says, but it was beautiful to see this group of women working together and supporting each other to keep going.

After appearing at pop-up markets such as Herman’s and Riverwards, then landing her first farmers market in East Falls, last February, Suzra-Campbell entered the farm market full-time with Food Trust and Farm To City. . She currently sells at seven markets a week, sometimes attending two markets at once with Robert (aka the Chocolate Alchemist) at the other location. Both stalls sell her hot cups of super-thick, handmade bean-to-cup cocoa. Suzarra-Campbell, meanwhile, currently produces up to 800 empanadas a week in a commissary, with six different flavors made fresh daily.

“I never thought I’d just make empanadas and just be okay with that,” says Suzra-Campbell, who once spent 12 hours a day cooking her restaurant’s extensive 25-item menu. He still makes salsas, juices, and quisillos, as well as the occasional arepa or cachapa special, which is not to be missed. But his empanada magic is what brought Sazen back into the public eye and fueled Suzra-Campbells’ comeback in a twist he happily describes as ironic.

I went to school to become an accountant! She says, noting that she gave up the profession when she married Robert and moved to the United States. But almost all my family are cooks. And I am proud to have introduced this city to traditional Venezuelan food many years ago. I feel very satisfied.

Empanadas, $8 each, Sazn 2 Go. Check Instagram for the market program, but are regularly present at markets in East Falls, Rattenhouse Square, Clark Park, Fairmont, Northern Liberties, Dickinson and Media.