features

 

 

a visit to Borough Market

On one of my trips to London, I managed to squeeze in a visit to Borough Market. Long established as one of London's top foodie destinations, Borough Market never fails to excite your interest. Here's a photo-diary of my visit showing some of the best bits.

Borough Market

Neals Yard Dairy started life in 1979 in Covent Garden and has grown into one of the foremost cheese makers, stockists and retailers in the country. They are always more than happy for you to try the cheeses on sale before you choose which ones to buy. I bought some creamy Kirkham's Lancashire and some flavoursome Hawes' Wensleydale.

cheeses maturing in Neals Yard Dairy

The market is always busy and can seem quite confusing if you've never been before. It's best to just walk up and down each aisle so you don't leave anything out. The market covers a large area in different buildings so make sure you visit them all. I try and leave plenty of time to look around as I'd hate to think I'd missed some great little food stall because I was in a hurry. Here's a map of the market if you're planning a visit.

inside Borough Market

Borough Market has its fair share of pretty stalls selling packaged goods but it's still a traditional market where the traders sell raw, unprocessed food. In the picture below you can see cuts of wild boar and venison in the chiller and a selection of rabbits hanging ready to be skinned.

wild boar (and rabbits)

Some of the best food also comes from the sea and the Furness Fish stall has pretty much everything you could ask for. I'm particularly fond of the Morcambe Bay brown shrimps showing in bottom left of the photo.

seafood and fresh fish

It's not every day you find such a variety of glorious fungi in one shop. So what would you make with these? Soup, an omelette, maybe a stir fry? Lots of fresh herbs too.

fungi and herbs

Just look at the variety of lovely ripe tomatoes on offer. Quality produce, attractively presented. It makes you want to go and make a fresh tomato salad garnished with some of those herbs.

lovely ripe tomatoes

The Exotic Meat Company sell ostrich and other unusual meat like kangaroo. Their stall was also cooking thin slices of ostrich steak, grilled and served with relish in a bread roll. As it was lunch time, and as I've never eaten ostrich before, that's what I decided to eat. Absolutely delicious it was too.

ostrich burgers, meat and... feathers

If you're a garlic fan, this stall is the place to visit for quality bulbs. The smoked garlic looks delicious.

varieties of garlic

I was feeling a bit thirsty after walking round the market for a couple of hours so I made my way to one of the pubs just outside. As luck would have it, I spotted a Youngs's pub, the Bunch Of Grapes, and retired there for some refreshment. I've always been a fan of Young's beer so a pint of their ordinary bitter did the trick and I was on my way again.

a selection of Young's beer

next feature:

 

street food in London >>