Borough Market

Yesterday, I went with Ramu and Heather. We have Heather on loan from Louisville for 10 days. Borough Market is London's oldest food market. It was established on the south bank of the Thames when the Romans built the first London Bridge. It has occupied its present site for 250 years.

Borough has a long and distinguished history as a wholesale fruit and vegetable market. The wholesale market operates on all weekday mornings from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m., but the retail market operates only on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The market, which has focused historically on fruits and vegetables, has, in recent years, added stalls dealing with the fine food retail market.

Since the beginning of 2000, some of the market's most famous traders include Artisan Bakers DeGustibus, Furness Fish & Game Supplies, Peter Gott and Sillfield Farm, and the Spanish company Brindisa. This guy on the left was selling French cheese; Baby Blue is the one on his cutting board. I bought some, of course.

At a stand across from here, I got some Chorizo sausage.

The present market was first mentioned in 1276. During the 19th century it became one of London's most important food markets due to its strategic position near the riverside wharves of the Pool of London.

We went to the Market hungry. Ramu and Heather had an oyster from this stand. It was too early in the morning for me.

The present buildings were designed in 1851, with additions in the 1860s and an entrance designed in the Art Deco style added on Southwark Street in 1932. A refurbishment began in 2001. Work to date includes the re-erection in 2004 of the South Portico from the Floral Hall.

Stallholders come to trade at the market from different parts of the UK and traditional European products are also shipped over and sold. Amongst the produce on sale are fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, game and freshly-baked bread and pastries. There is also a wide variety of cooked and snack food on sale for the many tourists who flock to the market.

This stand on the left is chocolates, displayed in bowls made of hollowed out tree stumps.

We stopped for breakfast at Fish. I had poached salmon and poached egg on bubbles and squeak [potatoes and cabbage]. It was REALLY good.

After that we had a bit of mulled wine while we finished cruising through the Market and then we headed to the Whiskey Shoppe. I got some double distilled Oban. There is one time a year that they move a batch of whiskey to sherry casks to give it a unique colour [reddish] and taste, apparently. I haven't opened it.

Borough Market has become a fashionable place to buy food. It has been promoted by British television chefs and has been used as a film set. Notable films with scenes filmed in the streets around the market include: the Globe Pub was in Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004).

This line in the picture on the right is the line for people waiting to get a coffee. It is apparently "the" place for coffee at the Market. We didn't do that.

Come walk with us

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It's snowing in the UK

Last year in January, there was one big snowfall ... and it was big. Wimbledon received 12 inches [30 cm] of snow in one falling. Of course, everything was shut down.

This year, we have been getting snow nearly every day since the week before Christmas, though until this week, it was only a dusting here or there [less than an inch].

The big snow and Artic snap [it's -8c or 14F] began in Scotland over the weekend and has been making it's way Southward. On Tuesday, this is what it looked like in
Chesire outside of Manchester where one of my staff members was holed up in her house. They had 7 inches [17-18 cm] and it was still falling.

And this is what it looked like in Barnsley in North Yorkshire and Humber where another of my staff members was stuck in a hotel.

On Wednesday morning, I woke up to 3 inches [7-8 cm] of snow sitting on my car, but the Tube was working, so I headed off to work in Barking. I live in Wimbledon, and if you get on the District Line, 33 stops later, you'll be in Barking. Barking only had a dusting. By 3 o'clock though, the snow had returned and folks were scattering out of the office.

On Thursday morning, I woke up to at least 7 inches of snow sitting on my car and it was -4c [24F], so it was icy to boot. Tube still running, so off to Barking again.

This is supposed to last for the month!

2009 Year in Review

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It was a busy year!

My Back Yard

Okay, I have been home resting for the last two weeks, for the most part, and I have been highly entertained by the feedings going on in my back yard.

I bought a bird feeder that is "squirrel proof". Basically, what makes the first feeder squirrel proof is that it's made of wire mesh. I had one of these before. They are heavy duty, however, the persistent squirrels chewed through the wire mesh. The feed that's put in the feeders by the way, is peanuts. So as you might imagine, whatever gets to the peanuts can put on a lot a weight!

Since I moved closer to the Wimbledon Commons, I have noticed a distinct pecking order in whom has access to the peanuts. It's like the West Side Story unfolding in my back yard.

There are Magpies that are brightly coloured blue, black and white.

There are pigeons the size of chickens.

There are squirrels the size of Chihuahuas that lie in wait for me or Allie to leave the back yard having just interrupted their lunch.

There are Gt Spotted Woodpeckers with red rings on their necks and red butts. They have striking black and white plumage with large white shoulder patches. Red on back of head and under tail. Its presence is often announced by its loud 'kik kik' call or by its distinctive spring 'drumming' display.

There are parakeets [or parrots, depending on who you ask]. These are birds that were set free or escaped from domestic cages. The weather suits them and they are thriving, living in Wimbledon Commons and Richmond Park.

The Rose-ringed Parakeet, also known as the Ring-necked Parakeet, is a gregarious tropical parakeet species that is popular as a pet. This non-migrating species is one of few parrot species that have successfully adapted to living in 'disturbed habitats', and in that way withstood the onslaught of urbanisation and deforestation. In the wild, this is a noisy species with an unmistakable squawking call.

Okay, the birds I am really trying to feed are smaller song-birds. So I had to buy them a new bird feeder that is also squirrel proof! Except for the part where the squirrel can just push the top off and reach down into the feeder to eat! Hello-? I have now fixed the top of the feeder with two paper clips!

This one is a robin. It likes to follow people around, like when you are walking or hiking, and then grab the bugs that you stir up.

Okay Allie is pacing, waiting for a walk. Time to get our walking boots on and head for the trees!