{Eat.Drink.Shop.}: London's Borough Market

I was truly blessed to begin the new year indulging in one of my favorite passions: travel.  Returning to two of my best-loved destinations, Paris (my absolute favorite!) and London, for a winter vacation getaway was nothing short of thrilling, invigorating, and pure, unadulterated joy.  If you follow me on Instagram, you may recall me sharing a few photo highlights from my journey.  And because there's never enough time to share everything when you're in the moment, I will continue to share my most special moments and memories in the days ahead.  

To kick things off, today's post is dedicated to London's superbly fabulous Borough Market.  To say it's my kind of place is an understatement of grand proportions.  As soon as I arrived, I smiled broadly and deeply and took in as much of this treasure as I could before heading off to my appointment across town for Afternoon Tea (but we'll save that for another post.)  

My first encounter at the market was a full-on cooking demonstration with a menu of roast duck with baked heritage carrots and whole roast celeriac--not too shabby.  Had it not been for the lunch of gourmet fish and chips I had just consumed before arriving, I would have been all over that duck. :)  Thankfully, I was able to snag a copy of the recipes for my own keeping and relishing, and I have every intention of recreating those delicacies in my kitchen.

The market combined the best of outdoor gourmet food purveyors (think endless varieties of freshly baked breads, cheeses, chocolate truffles, ciders--I warmed myself with a scrumptious apple cider--fresh fruits, and so much more) with quaint eateries serving up the best in seafood, coffee, chocolate, and so on, to a specialty kitchen shop, bakery school, fresh flower market and more!  There was literally something for everyone and every taste.  And bringing it all together were the fabulous views of astounding architecture, both old and modern, that surrounded me, to inspire even heightened wanderlust.  

I could truly envision myself spending untold hours taking in this foodie mecca if London were my home--or at least if I had more time to spare while visiting.  But, alas, that's what repeat visits are for, no?  

A perfect view of the London Shard: purported as the tallest building in Western Europe

I don't imagine any future jaunts to London will be complete without a visit to Borough Market.  Without a doubt, it represented the epitome of...

Happy Eating & Happy Travels!

Shaved Vegetable Salad

Spring on a Plate: Shaved Vegetable Salad

With Spring finally making its arrival, one of things I relish most is the lighter touch I can give to dishes.   With this inspiration in mind, and with the kinder weather in tow, I plan to ramp up my visits to local farmers markets to enjoy more of the fresh, vibrant produce that’s perfect for spring eating.

I got a slight head start recently with this simple, yet elegant and delicious, Shaved Vegetable Salad.  Driven by the vegetables’ vibrant colors, I love bringing this dish together, in a matter of minutes, and enjoying it as an appetizer or light lunch course.  Oozing with the vibrancy of this season, it is nothing short of Spring on a plate.

Happy Eating!

Shaved Vegetable Salad with Classic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Zucchini

Yellow Squash

Asparagus

Brussels Sprouts

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Generous pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Sprinkling of fresh herbs (optional)

Method:

For Salad: Using a vegetable peeler, shave raw zucchini, squash, asparagus and brussels sprouts. Stack the zucchini and squash shavings and roll into small circles.  Stand the circles up on the serving dish and adorn with the asparagus and brussels sprout shavings.  Drizzle with the vinaigrette (recipe follows) and garnish with a sprinkling of fresh herbs. 

For Vinaigrette: Combine the vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.  Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the vinegar mixture and continue whisking until the dressing thickens.  Store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Sweet Auburn Curb Market

This past weekend I had the pleasure of taking in brunch at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, the oldest public market in Atlanta and beloved by locals and foodies from near and far, alike.  Laden with a rich history, it's the perfect dine-n-shop destination for the finest in produce, seafood, meats, baked goods, and specialty items (think gourmet popcorn!), along with some of the best indulgent eats, which include an ice cream stand that was the catalyst behind my latest visit.

High Road Craft hosted its recently launched Saturdae Brunch and served up mouth-watering sips and eats, including decadent cafe mocha, freshly pressed juice, fried apple pie, and a berry delicious waffle creation, paired with its signature, soo-soo good frozen cream, for an over-the-top sweet satiation.

The menu offerings

Tossing caution (and calories) to the wind, my companions and I relished every bite we took, along with the friendly and attentive service we received from the High Road team.  If you're looking to make your Saturdays a tad bit sweeter and more scrumptious, then email Saturdae@highroadcraft.com for reservations or just drop by while you're in the market. Brunch seating is between 10 a.m. and noon.

Can you tell I was enjoying it? :)

And if you're looking for more savory eats, not to fret.  With offerings of everything from gourmet burgers and franks to Jamaican cuisine to Mexican fare to a coffee bar and much more, you're guaranteed to find something that suits your tastes and leaves you eagerly awaiting your next visit.

What could be better than feasting on delicious food, followed by shopping the freshest, choicest selections of produce, meats, seafood and bakery items? 

A fun art mural of the market's treasures

So as soon as you can, run--don't walk--to the Sweet Auburn Curb Market for an exceptional experience in good food and Southern hospitality.

Happy Eating!

Market Bounty

My day is off to a relaxed, yet productive, pace.  With quiet time, breakfast, a load of laundry (and even a bit 'o pinning -:) ) under my belt so far, my "to do" list for the day is in full swing.  And in the not too distant future, I'll be heading out to run a few errands--including a much needed trip to the farmers market to stock up on fresh produce, some poultry, meat and seafood cuts, cheeses and a few select staples like turbinado sugar, kosher salt and Ethiopian roast coffee.

The bounty of my local farmers market makes me relish the abundant goodness of fresh, quality and delicious food.  While I'll likely have to navigate strategically among the crowd to avoid shopping cart crashes, I love the pulse and energy that I typically encounter--everyone buzzing around for their choice finds--and it energizes me to get through what for some might be considered a most mundane, if not shunned, task.

Great meals are made of great ingredients--and I'm always assured of that when I partake of market bounty.  

Happy Eating!

Tell me: How do you like to shop?  What's your favorite food market?

Natural Goodness: Farmers Markets

Photo Credit: Gadling

Now that Spring has sprung, local farmers markets are once again opening their "doors" and spreading their tents far and wide to offer the best in fresh, locally-sourced, and seasonal eats.  

The glory of the local farmers market can't be emphasized enough when you consider just a few of the myriad benefits they bring to a community such as: boom for the local economy, the ability to buy direct from the farmer/producer, access to certified organic foods, and enjoyment of quality, in-season eats.  It presents the world of food in its most basic, yet satisfying, form.  

And these days, there's more and more of them to love.  From Manhattan to Los Angeles to Atlanta to Portland, and indeed country and worldwide, the local farmers market is increasingly becoming a community staple and a great way to take in the best of a local area. 

I'm always excited to dive into local markets and take advantage of all the goodness they offer up.  I encourage you to do the same, if you're not already, knowing that your support has far-reaching impact for the producers, as well as the communities, at-large.   

To help you get started, the Department of Agriculture has provided a farmers markets search tool to assist you in finding a market in your area, throughout the United States.  A great resource, alike, for home base and when your travels take you away from home.  If you're outside of the U.S., check the web and ask locals, to help in finding markets near you.

Now, all that's left to do is to get going!

Happy Eating!