At the Farmers Market: A Little Nosh Baked Goods

Cindy Daniels holds court at the . Cheerful and warm,  the jewelry-maker tuned baker can make market-goers stop at her stall without much effort. It's not her dramatic earrings that make people do a double take, although the jewelry are conversation-starters themselves.

Her secret is the inviting aroma of her home-baked goods. Currently numbering over two dozen, the varieties increase over the holidays with seasonal breads and cakes.

Some seasonal offerings have become year-round favorites.

“I have been baking the pumpkin apple cinnamon bread regularly because people have been clamoring for it even when it's not fall yet,” said Daniels.

The unexpected demand for her baked goods is what got Daniels into the baking business about 10 years ago.

While selling handmade jewelry in farmers markets in and around Scottsdale, Arizona, the mom of three would routinely bring baked treats to share with other vendors.

The treats became very popular among her fellow merchants that not too long after, they prodded her to set up a bakery stall right next to Bubbles and Beads, her jewelry stall.

She started slow, with only 100 packages of baked goods. Several weekends later, she increased her production and sold over 1,300 packages.

After her successful baking debut, local delis and bakeries offered to carry her creations. A Little Nosh was born.

Daniels uses a lot of family recipes, passed down from generation to generation.

“I’ll do tweaks here and there and add my own little touches every now and then,” said the self-taught baker.

Her one-woman baking operation is now based in Woodland Hills. Daniels still sells jewelry but regrets that it has taken the backseat to baking.

Regular clients keep her busy with pre-orders for parties and the upcoming holidays. Curious market-goers eagerly stop by for samples, which Daniels cuts up almost non-stop.

What draws them in? The ruggelah, a bite-sized pastry that can be filled with anything from fruit to chocolate, is a consistent crowd-drawer.

“It goes with coffee or tea,” said Daniels of the cinnamon and sugar-topped delight.

The mandelbrot or the Jewish version of the biscotti is another signature item with flavors ranging from chocolate chip to apricot.

“You also have to try these,” said Daniels, cutting up bite-sized portions of the lemon poppy seed cake and the dark chocolate chip cake which both turned out to be moist and decadent.

“How do you like those?” She asked a mom and daughter who later decided to bring home some of Daniels' zucchini bread and some chocolate chip cookies.

The preservative-free pastries and cookies are in the $6 to $7 range, while the bundt cakes are priced in the vicinity of $30, depending on the variety. Mini cup cakes are $15 per dozen.

Aside from Calabasas, A Little Nosh pastries are also available at the Brentwood Farmers Market on Sundays.

The Calabasas Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday at 23504 Calabasas Road, across the street from the Sagebrush Cantina.