Borough market
This entry was posted on Thursday, May 28th, 2009
Sometimes the supermarket produce isle just doesn’t cut it. Go at the wrong time of day and you’ll find it ransacked with only the limpest and saddest of fruit and vegetables left. Either that or the isles are perpetually stocked with unnaturally bright and uniform rows of mass produced fare.
Thankfully most towns have weekly markets these days - places where you can go and forage, chat with those who have produced your fruit and veg and grab a bargain!
Although I don’t shop at markets as often as I’d like one of my favourites (for variety and scale) here in London is undoubtedly Borough Market on the South side of London Bridge.
There has been a market near this site since the 13th century (some claim well before then) and it is one of Britain’s largest purveyors of local and imported fruit, veg and other food stuffs.
The market as it was circa 1860:
Today Borough market sells wholesale produce on week day mornings and is open for retail on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Saturdays are particularly busy as tourists and London locals alike flock to Southbank, stopping along the way to pick up supplies for the evening’s meal, a special ingredient or a spot of lunch.
If you’re looking for interesting varieties of mushrooms that are hard to find in your average supermarket, Borough market might well be your answer. As well as the standard Shitake, Opens, Portobello and Chestnut varieties there are fat King Trumpets, thin Enoki and various wild varieties.
Local and imported fruits are also abundant…
As are hearty root vegetables like potatoes, turnips, carrots and beets.
Borough market is one of those places that really does have it all. And while I love to support smaller local farmers’ markets whenever I can it’s always nice to be able to be confronted with so much varied and interesting produce. Beats the wilting spinach at my local supermarket any day!
Next time you go be sure to take a few tough reusable canvas bags to lug your goodies home in and if you happen to be there at the end of the day keep an eye out for discounts - many of the sellers will reduce the price of their produce so they don’t have to transport or store it. (Last time I went I managed to get a free loaf of cottage bread when buying a rye loaf!)
Do you have a local market in your neighbourhood? Chime in and share where your favourite is and what type of produce is available there.
May 28th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
http://www.santacruzfarmersmarket.org/
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