Saturday at Borough Market

Whilst I was gazing in awe at La Boqueria in Barcelona (see posts passim) it appears that half the Spanish market stallholders were in South London. The 250th anniversary of Borough Market has just taken place, and they were in England to celebrate.

On a Saturday morning the market rings quietly with the sound of last night’s hangovers. As the morning progresses it fills with a definite sense of excitement and anticipation – and that’s just the customers. People come with open mouths, rumbling tummies, pushchairs and lists. First stop is the Monmouth Coffee Company for a fresh brew; next stop is Flour Power City for a chocolate brownie to go with it. The pyramid of brownies welcomes you to the market and this is how Matt Jones makes them:

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160/gas4. Butter and base-line a 20cm-square baking tin with baking parchment. Gently melt
400g dark chocolate (at least 55% cocoa solids) with
325g unsalted butter
in a bowl over hot water until smooth, then cool a little.
Whisk
6 whole eggs, 2 yolks and 300g caster sugar together until pale. Fold the melted chocolate mix into the eggs.
Sieve 50g cocoa powder with 80g plain flour then fold everything together until evenly mixed.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 20 mins until slightly risen at the edges. Allow to cool completely in the tin.

Serves 12
(Recipe from BBC Olive Magazine June 2006.)

As May breaks through the miasma of winter the market comes alive with wonderful English asparagus fresh from the countryside, fresh violet coloured garlic from France, cockles and mussels, wild mushrooms, fish and bread and meat. So many baskets, so many dinner parties…