Borough Market

Last weekend I visited Borough Market in London, which is something I have been wanting to do for years. During the week I realised last Saturday was my last free weekend before returning to uni and so decided it was time for a visit. I don’t think I have ever seen such a selection of fresh good quality produce in one place before. It was fantastic! Some things were naturally more expensive than regular markets but the standard of produce made it worth while.

The market is only ‘open’ to members of the public on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays and its best to get there early to avoid the large crowds which start to form around midday.

There were bread stalls offering delicious rustic loaves ranging from rye and pumpernickel to sourdoughs, granary cobs, nutty date loafs and crusty baguettes.

Stands offering paving stone sized slabs of chocolate and indulgent handmade truffles in flavours ranging from praline to gin & lime all beautifully displayed.

Stalls selling every kind of fruit and nut imaginable with some dipped in chocolate or coated in yoghurt.

Herbs and specialist sea salts infused with spices or rubbed with dried olives for all salads or meat rubs.

Bakeries offering towers of cookies and dainty little cakes. How adorable are those owl shortbreads!! Almonds for beaks and chocolate drops for eyes – I just had to buy some. They were wonderfully tender and crumbly with a slight gritty shortbread texture.

Check out the size of those Emmentaler cheeses – they’re huge! They had been matured for 17months and had a great mellow nutty flavour.

Another stalls offering a wide assortment of baklava.

Anyone for a fudgey chocolate brownie? Surly a chocoholics dream.

Freshly picked wild mushrooms. I was particularly taken with the shape of the Eryngi mushrooms at the back.

Ever heard of Parrot Fish? I hadn’t but I love their blue tinged scales.

A stall specializing in tomatoes, they looked so pretty all arranged in their rows.

I had lunch from this middle eastern stall which was offering a wide assortment of dips, salads and marinades. I had a falafel wrap with salad, houmous and tahini sauce – delicious. I also bought a pot of aubergine which had been marinated in a spicy sauce with chunks of walnuts.

I ended the day with a slice of the silkiest creamy cheesecake I have ever tasted and a slice of zingy lemon tart from this stall. It was a wonderful day and I plan to go back at Christmas as it would be the perfect place to pick up a few foodie gifts.