Monday, April 14, 2008

Market madness

As you've probably guessed, I love markets. It's probably because I've never really been exposed to them living in the States. There are the occasional farmer's markets...most with overpriced, gourmet produce and snotty clientele. In New York we had street festivals, which sold the same crappy jewelry, tube socks, and cold sausages on a different block each weekend. But here, the markets each have their own personalities, their own interesting products, and consistent times and location. I love it!

This weekend we went with our foodie friend Jordan to the Borough Market by London Bridge. The market is full of amazing looking produce, fresh fish, meat, poultry, pasta, and the best part is everyone is giving out free samples. We were told to go early, but it was difficult to get our acts together before 11. Unfortunately, by the time we walked to the market it was packed with people. We still did our fair share of grazing and bought some food for dinner, but we should have heeded the advice and gone earlier.Sunday I did another loop around our local markets (Brick Lane, Cheshire Street, Spitalfieds) searching again for interesting items to hang on our walls. This time I found a great camera from the 50s (a plastic Kodak Brownie). I also managed to hit the fruit stands at the right time and came home with a bag of bananas and a bag of tomatoes for two quid. Not a bad haul if I do say so myself!

7 comments:

Michael Strickland said...

Oh my, I LOVED Borough Market when we went to London. I'm salivating just thinking about it. There's some booth that sells sausage sandwiches... basically just sausage on bread, with some mustard squirted on it and something else... aioli? salsa of some kind? (I forget) ...and some fresh herbs (basil? I forget that too). But despite my bad memory (which is horrible when it comes to the details of food), it was so yummy! Try to find it. I'm sure usamctwo would know what I'm talking about.

Jen said...

we did have sausages...actually in two places (one place in the market entrance next to the church and the other just outside the market flanked between a pub and a flower shop)...we were hungry...the one in the market was a really peppery bratwurst, served with mustard and sauerkraut (and ketchup, butwe opted out)...the other place had three varieties of small sausages served together on a roll...they were cooked on spits over smoking herbs...i don't think they had anything on them, but they were so flavorful...we almost had to stop one more time for wild boar sausage, but no one had any more room in their stomachs

The Bog Logger said...

I believe Shakespeare's brother is buried at St Saviours right by Borough Market. Most people don't realise that Shakespeare had a brother. Well, he did, he's dead, and that's where he's buried.

(as told to me, verbatim, by a London ferry captain)

Jen said...

I did not know that...next time I'm in the area, I'll certainly check it out!

Unknown said...

I have a better memory than Mike when it comes to food. It was a chorizo sandwich w/ arugula, roasted red pepper, and olive oil on ciabatta. Delicious! Actually, I wrote it down so I could recreate it at home. I love the food displays at Borough Market, although sadly the seafood display includes threatened shark species such as the Porbeagle.

Anonymous said...

I was in a bad mood at work because my "colleague" butted into my work. Your pictures of the market made me laugh out loud. I can't wait to see the market for myself.

Anonymous said...

Yes, get to the market early on Saturday to avoid the crowds. Or go late in the day to get bargains. I tend to do my shopping at Borough Market on Thursday and Fridays. Saturdays are too full of tourists taking pictures and walking slow when I am trying to do my grocery shopping. But Saturday does have the most vendors present. Chorizo sandwiches at Brindisa (the Spanish place). Also check out the diver scallops around the corner from Brindisa. Hand harvested and really nice. Farmer Sharp for lamb, Sillfield Farm for pork products and Sharpham Park for pearled spelt (cook like risotto). Bread and fresh yeast (if you bake) from Flour Power City Bakery. Borough Market is probably one of my most favorite places in London. Can you tell from my comment?