Borough has a long and distinguished history as a wholes
ale 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 tradition
al 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 to
urists 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 distil
led 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 u
sed 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 (200
4).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.
