Thursday 29 July 2010

jul, 29th - T3L: borough market....




day 167:

T3London - Borough Market
(*description of T3London on day 160)

when you visit Borough Market you feel like you could be in New York's Soho....well, except for the cockney accents and the focus on English produce. it's a fantastic foodie market in South East London, held in the shadow of Southwark Cathedral and a couple of skipping stone skips from the Thames.

one of London's oldest markets, it sells both wholesale and retail. but, given that we don't own a deli....we've only ever experienced the retail on a Thurs, Fri or Sat. 


the market was historically focused more on fruit and veg but since we've been going it has increasingly also become about artisal food: amazing fish mongers and game meat sellers, the incredible Brindisa that started just as a stall selling Spanish cured meats and has now become an institution for all things Spanish, handmade truffles, homegrown herb plants, the beer boutique.....if you're a foodie then you can definitely gorge all the senses.


our favourite way to visit Borough Market is to go early on a Saturday morning, taking along visiting friends. first stop is Monmouth Coffee Shop (get there early to avoid the queue...although it does move quickly). grab a latte and a croissant and head into the stalls to find menu inspiration. wander the aisles and source ingredients to take home and cook together for an evening feast. each person usually picks one course that they take care of. what follows is an evening of group cooking, singing and feasting. perfect!



this was our first visit with limi.....a sling would have been better but she was still a hit with other visitors...



Basic Info:

wholesale market - all weekday mornings from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.
retail market - Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fridays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

parking - paid parking on the streets around the market

Highs:

- coffee and croissants from Monmouth Coffee
- the amazing buildings and signage in the streets around the market
- chatting to the stall owners about their produce and how to cook it
- tasting as you stroll around the market
- sitting in the grounds of the cathedral with lunch 
- seasonal produce
- the ginger, apple and wheatgrass juice
- buying ingredients to cook a group feast



Lows:

- queueing for coffee
- feeling hungry when you visit the market
- not being able to taste most of the cheeses at neal's yard dairy when you're pregnant


Tot Tips:

- take a sling instead of trying to negotiate a buggy through the crowds
- no changing facilities in the loos

See you there!






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