Monkfish and Cockles

We were going to walk along the east bank of the Thames to the Tate Modern museum and back across the river via the Millennium Bridge. Having just finished our lunch of bangers and mash with mushy peas we were looking forward to the walk for exercise. Little did we know that we would be wander into an incredible display of food at the Borough Market. I have a fondness for outdoor markets. There is always an array of fresh and delightful foodstuffs and they seem to offer sort of a cross section of local culture.

The Borough Market is located beneath the railroad tracks between the river Thames and Borough High Street. Some of the covered area has a Victorian look about it with soaring ceilings with ornate iron supports and clear glass. The vendors or traders as they are called have their designated small spaces usually fronted by a table. There are two distinct markets within the Borough Market; the Jubilee Market which is newly covered and the Green Market. The market is open Thursday and Friday afternoons and all day on Saturday. A market has existed here since the 12th century and reflects the diversity food products of the once vast British empire.

As you wander these walkways you’re overcome by the variety of the products where freshness abounds. Many products are sold by their producers and straight from the farms. Seafood is just hours removed from the sea and you can almost feel the pulse of fresh hung meats. As in any unfamiliar place there are new things never before seen. And, by the way, there are also those things to taste.  Free samples abound. There are also methods of food presentation which I had not seen before such as melting cheese before eating it. Here you find those odd and unusual vegetables and fruits not to mention creatures from the sea and land. Some vendor persons also fit into the odd and unusual category as well. All of this adds up to an interesting travel experience and for the artist or photographer it is a visual treat to record and remember.

I recommend the Borough Market in London as a great way to enjoy an hour or so and to introduce yourself to the pulse of the London food market.

From Wikipedia...  Raclette is also a dish indigenous to parts of Switzerland and the Savoie region of France. The Raclette cheese round is heated, either in front of a fire or by a special machine, then scraped onto diners' plates; the term raclette derives from the French word racler, meaning "to scrape". Traditionally, it is accompanied by small firm potatoes (Bintje, Charlotte or Raclette varieties), gherkins, pickled onions, and dried meat, such as jambon cru/cuit and viande des Grisons.

For a great online experience visit the Borough Market at http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/. This is a great website with lots of photos and maps. It even has recipes. You can almost smell the fresh food.