This local produce market has been one of the highlights of my 2012 Australian holiday so far. My mum has been coming here for years, but after all the times I’ve visited back home, this is the first time I made the effort to go myself.
It has made me so envious of the availability of delicious produce. Not only is there fresh local fruits and vegetables, but potted herbs, eggs, at least three different bakeries, flowers, and many stalls just selling the one thing they’ve got – local avocados, mushrooms or tomatoes.
Alongside the produce there’s a mini United Nations of vendors with easy to eat snacks. Last Saturday I tried Japanese Nikumaki, these funny little meat rice balls (amazing, especially with fresh green chillies and coriander sprinkled on top), and this week I watched a guy stretch out the dough by hand to make me a grilled Lebanese pancake, filled with spinach, feta, mushroom and pork mince. It was like a Lebanese quesadilla and it was delicious!
So, if you ever find yourself in this part of the world (southern end of the Gold Coast of Australia), check out the Palm Beach food & farmers’ market on a Saturday morning. Your taste buds will thank you!
After seeing this on TV last night, by this morning I am already looking up Amtrak fares to Philadelphia… and all for a sandwich! The roast pork and broccoli rabe sandwich at DiNic’s in the Reading Market Terminal.
From today Friday 5 November through to Sunday 7th, the Real Food Market decends on London’s Southbank. La Fromagerie will be there serving up delicious cheeses (usually reserved for visitors to Marylebone), along with 40 other producers including the Flour Power City Bakery for great brownies and Woodward Farm for free-range beef and eggs.
I’m keen to check out the goods from Cafe-on for what is decribed as “French Patisseries with Asian flavours”. The macaroons on the Cafe-on website look delicious, and are gluten free!
Another reason to be happy about my recent move to the South East of London – the London Particular. I read about this on the lovely Scrambling Eggs blog, and I can see it becoming a brunch favourite. Nice!
This weekend I visited Zurich for the first time, and I’ve instantly fallen in love with the city. It does help that it was an unusually sunny and beautiful 27c on both days, but still – the place is gorgeous in every way. It’s noticeably lacking in hawkers, rubbish and unsavory humans; instead teeming with happy types, cute little independently-owned cafes and bars. It’s lush with trees, and then it’s got THAT lake. It was perfect for what I love to do most – eat, wander, drink, chat, nap… repeat as desired.
After a quick glass of Perrier Jouet in our suite (with terrace!) we headed out to dinner at Restaurant Seerose, right on the lake. We ate all manner of delicious seafood and met some lovely Zurich locals at the next table. One of these gorgeous locals has the most envious job of all time – he travels the world making over hotels. His latest project is the Hotel Eden Au Lac, a palace of a building right on the lake. We went back there and enjoyed a cocktail on the hidden roof terrace that has views of the city and lake – divine.
The next day just got better with some lovely macaroons from Sprungli, a wander through the flea market, a walk around the lake AND a bratwurst! That evening saw the BEST steak sandwich ever (I’m suspecting it’s all in the chive and garlic butter…) from the Park Hyatt, and a visit to Katie’s soon to be new house.
Spring has truly sprung in London. There are daffodils everywhere. It’s still light when I finish work. I’ve walked through Regents Park to work and I’m sweating when I get there. I’m starting to regret all those dark chocolate digestives I’ve been eating lately… not going to look good if I rock the short-shorts this summer! Spring also means a whole new outlook on food, after all those months of soup!
Last weekend I tried out a recipe from my Ottolenghi cookbook, the cherry tomato and fennel gratin. It was delicious and so so easy to make. The vine cherry tomatoes go on top about 15 minutes before you finish baking, so when you eat them they’re these little red bombs of warm tomato pulp… I had to change my blouse after squirting tomato all over! I’m cooking for a dinner party next week and have picked two new recipes from the same book- the turkey meatballs and asparagus, artichoke and haloumi salad. Can’t wait, yum! I highly recommend it for super easy fresh recipes.
I have also had the pleasure of visiting the Baigel Bake hot salt beef bagel place in Brick Lane. It was Saturday night, quite late, and for under a quid you can get a freshly baked bagel with cream cheese.. delicious! I know this place is an institution, but it’s worth the mention nonetheless.. bagels are a gift from god, whichever one you choose to believe in.
It has made me so envious of the availability of delicious produce. Not only is there fresh local fruits and vegetables, but potted herbs, eggs, at least three different bakeries, flowers, and many stalls just selling the one thing they’ve got – local avocados, mushrooms or tomatoes.
