Good morning! I hope you all are having a wonderful week thus far. Unfortuantely I didn’t sleep too well last night as we had a heavy storm that started around 2am and the thunder, wind and lightening was quite loud. But, when my alarm went off at 5:45 I knew Emily would be waiting downstairs in 15 minutes so I didn’t have the option to snooze! Our run was humid and sticky but definitely helped wake me up.
I want to share some pictures and highlights from one of our favorite spots in London thus far, Borough Market. Bo and I love exploring local markets as it gives us a great understanding of the local flavors that influence the restaurants and culture. A large market such as Borough Market or Philadelphia’s famed Reading Terminal Market can be a quick lunch stop as part of a busier agenda or a way to spend a relaxing afternoon. Located near the London Bridge tube station, the market is just a few stops from our temporary housing which has made it a great place to shop on Saturday mornings. Last week we finished our run at the market while this week we rode bikes to the market before spending the afternoon wandering, tasting and sipping our way through the market’s many stalls.
We spent the most time at the seafood and produce stands as we were shopping for Saturday night’s dinner which was sesame encrusted tuna with a warm mushroom salad on the side. 
We planned, as part of our excursion, to enjoy lunch at the market. Instead of choosing one stand for lunch we bought a few small bites from different stands which allowed us to try more new things. It reminded us of a tapas dinner or progressive dinner since we walked around and tasted anything that looked interesting. Often, we used the crowds surrounding a stand as a judge for the food especially when they looked more like locals than tourists. Following the crowds our main food sources were delicious duck sandwiches and The Veggie Table’s Organic Superveg burger. I would love to recreate the burger as it was bursting with quinoa, nuts and vegetables though I fear my at home attempt would fall apart in the pan. I don’t know their secret but the 20 minute wait was well worth it, especially while sipping Prosecco!
If you’re going to be in London, check out Borough Market’s website for specifics on hours, best times to visit, a list of all their vendors, and even some tour options!
Your turn! Are you willing to pay more at a farmer’s market for fresh produce or do you stick to grocery stores for the best price?
I am usually traveling when I’m at the farmers market, so I tend not to buy much. But I would love to purchase and have fresher produce for meals!
We just returned from a month long backpacking trip through Europe and we stopped at farmers markets as much as we could! We often got lunch or dinner as it was so much cheaper and often times tastier than some of the restaurants around. I was simply blown away by how fresh and how much better fruit tasted over there! I hate blueberries over here but holy wow were they amazing in Austria!
As a new vegetarian, those veggie burgers look incredible. The best veggie burgers ever are on the link I’m going to post – I made them again yesterday and my carnivore husband told me they were the best burgers he’d ever eaten. They’re THAT good! Enjoy.
http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-best-veggie-burger-youll-ever-have.html
Absolutely! Zach and I shop at our local farmers market every weekend we’re home. There’s something about getting to know the farmers and the fresh flavors of the produce that you just can’t beat, and is absolutely worth spending a few more dollars!
PS: that veggie burger looks to die for!
Next time you definitely need to get the grilled cheese from the Kappacasein stand.