Super Mercado Vallarta

At least fifteen years ago, maybe more, Stuart was on an exceptional soccer team. They were the little team that just kept winning. This team ended up going to Tri-sectional play-offs and took 4th place. To put that in perspective... 4th placeout of over 1000 AYSO teams from So CA, Nevada and Arizona. Yup, it was a fun year.

After that last game we needed to have a wonderful *end of season party*. Most other years this meant we went to one of the local pizzerias. But this year, since the team was predominately Hispanic, it meant a wonderful Mexican fiesta COMPLETE WITH CARNE ASADA! I don't think any of us had ever had real Mexican food and we were hooked (except I can't like the roast jalapeños) Our friend, Josephina Aquinaga (I love how that name rolls off my tongue!) kindly showed me how to make my own carne asada. Bless her! (But I can't turn it with my bare fingers... I use tongs!)

It became a tradition to have carne asada for 4th of July and other fun bbq holidays, or just when we needed a yummy treat. I always shopped at Super Mercado Vallarta. At the time there was only one market in the Antelope Valley on Palmdale Blvd. A quick internet search revealed that it is SMV #4. Now there are several in Palmdale and Lancaster. One thing that I've really missed since moving to Utah is a good carnicería so when I go back to the Antelope Valley I always stock up on carne asada seasoning from Super Mercado Vallarta.

Thursday evening I got a text from Rebekah-

"Hey. I've got a crazy request...
Could you bring me carne seasoning from Vallarta market?
Caden is addicted and we need more. Pretty please?"

Grammie did Caden one better! I got the whole carne asada dinner makings: seasoned carne asada meat, avocados, tortilla chips, fresh, hot tortillas (yum), and the ingredients for *pico de gallo de gringa* (extremely mild pico for babies like me).

Walking around Super Mercado Vallarta is akin to a trip to Disneyland for me. And look what I found!

I think it is some kind of sausage, but I wasn't brave enough to get any!

We had a wonderful feast. Caden was the cook. Rebekah commented that he kept putting meat on the plate for her to cut up but each time she went back the pile of cut meat was the same as before. Hey, someone has to eat the *BAD* pieces... it might make everyone else sick!