Looking for a bit of atmosphere and some good pub grub after a long morning combing the stalls for treasures at Sunbury? How about a nice glass of wine to help you relax?
Pop into Staines town center and visit The Town Hall, a contemporary bar with enough space for all Six Nations. Part sports bar, part historical structure, The Town Hall offers indoor games and outdoor tables on a patio alongside fountains with a river view.
If you're in the mood for a warm sandwich, the Famous S&J Melt was nice, with a tangy sweet barbecue sauce to complement well-prepared chicken. And of course, you can never go wrong with a generous helping of curly fries and onion rings.
Yes, my British friends, have a good long laugh. I did not do my mental conversions well enough when I purchased Greek foods yesterday, fresh from Greece, almost right out of the shipping container. The warehouse pick-up point was as industrial as they come, complete with beeping forklifts and sky-high stacks of palettes.
I wanted great authentic ingredients for tonight's dinner, and Pathos Continental Foods offered just that. They have a cash and carry option for their web business, so I thought why not? The prices looked great, they had what I needed for my recipes, and I put in an order.
Don't know what I was thinking! The single container of pitted kalamata olives I ordered came in at a whopping 3.2 pounds, olive oil is in a 5-gallon container and I now have enough grilled eggplant to feed a small army of hungry Greeks. And that was just the beginning! Suffice it to say, we'll be eating olives until the new Millenium.
So, for those of you who need to know what I clearly will memorize, here are some super simple quantity conversions:
1 oz = 0.02 kg
1 pound = .45 kg
1 pt (US Liq) = 0.47 Liters
1 gallon (US Liq) = 3.78 Liters
Opening a Greek restaurant or catering a meal for 200 any time soon? Check out Pathos. They're your source!
Unless you know where you're headed, you might never find Hoo Hing (at least that's what it felt like to me!). Thank goodness for Katie my Irish voiced Tom-Tom girl!
Hoo Hing is a cash-and-carry oriental food specialist shop in a semi-industrial area of Mitcham. From the outside, it looks quite ordinary, but this mid-sized shop offers exceptional variety in its restaurant-grade cookware, produce, meats, shelf goods and frozen foods. Prices are competitive. Restaurant-size quantities are available.
Perhaps what impressed us most about Hoo Hing was the tiny cafe tucked into a corner next to the fresh vegetables. There you can order the most amazing dim sum, rice and noodle dishes, cooked fresh just for you. Char Siu buns and Pork and Prawn Siu Mai were fantastic (the best we've eaten in years), as was the roast pork rice. Fried wontons were decadent, but really satisfying.
If you like what you taste in the cafe, you can take it home with you. Hoo Hing stocks an excellent variety of ready to steam dumplings and dim sum in its frozen food section. Perfect for parties.
Definitely worth the trip!
Hoo Hing
Bond Road Off Western Road
Mitcham, Surrey CR4 3EB
As a tourist, you probably won't be able to purchase many things at Athens' Central Market, but you'll go home with stories galore. The market is very large, with one section dedicated to meats and another to fish and seafood.
On the outskirts of the market, you'll find olive bars, and stores of nuts and dried fruits, and produce that will make you very hungry indeed. I bought salted pistachios, feta and olives to snack on in the hotel room, and a fruit vendor gave me two ripe pears to balance the flavors.
When you enter the meat market, the first thing you'll notice are the animals - yes, animals - hanging from their toes perfectly skinned. I had to ask - was it a goat or a lamb? Turns out, the neat little row of heads straight out of a scene from Jurassic Park were lamb's heads (eyeballs included). A few stalls down and I spotted whole piglet and more furred and feathered carcasses than I could identify. I definitely spotted chickens, rabbits and goose. It's eye-opening (no pun intended) to see what goes into the the favored dishes of different cultures. Sometimes you might not want to know! And yes, they still had their teeth.
A note about the vendors themselves. They are almost all men, notoriously charming and overtly flirtatious. They love American women, even though their English may not be so strong. Expect to be called upon, and know how to react. My advice? Smile, nod and move on!
Adjacent to the meat market is the fish market, where the vendors try to out-yell each other. Since I couldn't tell what they were saying, I could only guess they were advertising their best prices and trying to snag some of the thousands of shoppers for their stalls. Fresh this week? Octopus, eel and pretty little blue fish. And of course, plenty of gorgeous-looking prawn. Floors are wet and slippery. Wear shoes and be prepared with cash if you buy.
Next to the Central Market are plenty of independent stalls that sell olives, fresh produce and nuts. Take the time to notice what's in season, and you'll know what to order in the restaurants at night. These artichokes look particularly nice, as did the shop dedicated to feta cheese and other Greek dairy delicacies.Perhaps we 'll order both at dinner!
The Central Market is located on Athinas Street near Evripidou, Eolou and Sofokleous Streets.
This afternoon I visited the Plaka, a historic shopping district that mingles fine jewelry shops with stores of fur coats, imitation luggage stands with tourist t-shirt shops. Stylish people are everywhere, shopping at open air market shops and expensive clothing and leather goods stores. You won't have to worry if you're looking for an open-air cafe to people watch - you'll find one on every corner.
It's an interesting area, with old architecture standing proud amidst new structures. In many ways, the area reminds me of New York City. As I walked for miles, I happened upon the garment district with shops of gorgeous fabrics and trim, and even more shops of wedding gowns and specialty clothing, then wandered into a more definite area of flea market type venues and moveable street-corner stands. What I mean by moveable is that the "vendors" would sell their wares until they spotted police, at which time they'd pack up fast and move to areas without police presence.
Nearby Monastiraki is the true flea market district, with vintage shops nestled side-by-side with tourist junk shops. I found a true gem in a shop just down the street from the Central Market. I'd tell you the name, but the reciept is all in Greek, and our alphabet doesn't translate neatly! The store was hard to describe, actually. Imagine four stories of crammed-to-the-ceiling vintage stuff (not all nice, mind you). Nothing is priced. French turn-of-the-century furniture sits next to old modems. Hand-painted icons are alongside Oreo cookie tins. There is barely room to walk without knocking something over. But I was delighted to find one thing I'd set out to purchase while in Europe - a 50-year old handmade wooden bread bowl. Now my trick will be getting it back to the UK and then home again to the US!
Busy train stations are not usually the home of fresh produce and fine food markets, but Sourced Market has carved its niche in food history by choosing St. Pancras station in downtown London as its permanent home. There you'll find the Britain's best-of-the-best in artisan food and produce, with brands such as Pate Moi and Burnt Sugar.
Though the market also tours to various locales around the city, at St. Pancras you can count on a changing selection of produce, hot fresh soups and sandwiches, gourmet pates and cheeses, fine wines, savories, sweets and more. Friendly staff will make great recommendations for a takeaway dinner or train journey snack - just ask!
Located at the international connection point for the Eurostar and local trains, the market is spot on for convenience.
Okay, so these books may not be "rare" in the truest sense of the word, but they are collectible to cooks who can never seem to have enough reference volumes in the library. Local charity shops - thrift stores as they might say in the US -- are a treasure trove for out of print books not readily available on the open market.
This week, I picked up a few gems to study and cook from at home:
-- Wild Harvest with Nick Nairn - Over 100 recipes from Scotland's hottest chef
-- Raymond Blanc - Recipes from Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons
-- Rick Stein's Guide to the Food Heroes of Britain
-- Soup Kitchen - The Ultimate Collection from the Ultimate Chefs including Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Rick Stein
-- Death by Chocolate by Marcel Desaulniers
The best part of these culinary finds? None of them cost more than a pound. Though Death by Chocolate is one of my favorite cookbooks in my US home kitchen (and I'm thrilled to have it on hand again), I hadn't yet worked with any of the others.
I've done a little research and discovered that Wild Harvest was Michelin-starred Nick Nairn's first cookbook, and he's gone on to produce more than 20 books and multiple television series. His fame in the UK is legendary. Better yet, he now runs a Cook School in Port of Menteith, Stirling, Scotland to teach New Scottish Cookery.
I can spend hours combing the shelves in kitchen shops (and frequently do!). Yesterday I visited The Art of Living in Cobham, Surrey. Offering a wide range of top-quality crystal ware and cast iron cookware, the shop is colorful and well organized.
Count on discovering artistic items to enhance your home's kitchen space and functional gadgets to make cooking easier.
My finds for the day: two sizes of white porcelain lidded terrines ready to be filled with my herb butter and country pate.
Need high quality aprons? Want a chef's jacket? Wishing for a pair of chef's clogs at a great price? How about professional grade knives?
Denny's in Leatherhead, Surrey is an industry supplier of uniforms and footwear. Located in an industrial area, the walk-up trade counter is open to the public and offers cash and carry convenience. Retail shops in Soho and London.
To view the online catalog, visit www.dennys.co.uk. Online purchase and delivery available.
Farms with more than a hundred years of history are worth visiting, and Garsons is one such Surrey farm. Growing since 1871 in the sand-dusted fields near the River Mole, Garsons supplies the London wholesale market with fresh produce.
At the site, a well-appointed garden centre offers outdoor clothing and wellies, kitchenware and furnishings as well as a wide range of indoor and outdoor plants. The Farm Shop is a testament to local produce and international goodies. Though the meat section is small, the selection is first class. An impressive cheese and deli counter represents tastes from all over Europe.
In Spring through early Autumn, Garsons offers pick-your-own fields of strawberries, raspberries, asparagus, runner beans and sunflowers.
Who doesn't love being surrounded by the freshest-of-fresh food, visitors from all over the world, and food vendors who absolutely love what they do? Borough Market 'neath the London Bridge is always a fascinating gourmet destination with plenty of surprises in store.
When we stepped inside the bustling Green Market, our good buddy Luke enjoyed a tiny pretzel (that we all ended up sharing!), while we picked up Dutch cheeses, handmade French rabbit terrine and cheval with local venison (pigs trotters, roasted fennel and smoked garlic). Delicious!
Over in the Jubilee Market, Roger of Villanova carved us slim layers of Prosciutto Sardo di Desulo, and in the Middle Market butchers at the Ginger Pig sliced made-to-order veal chops just for our dinner. A glass of mulled wine, a study of ready-to-be-plucked-and-cooked birds, and a quick run to the Utobeer shop and Flour Station Bakery and we were on our way to cook and savor all night. What a wonderful feast to share with friends!
Here's my thought on the matter. Why settle for second best at the dinner table when Borough Market is just a train ride and a tasty afternoon away?
Borough Market - open Thursday, Friday and Saturday
- By tube to London Bridge or Borough underground stations
- By train to London Bridge mainline station
- By bus to London Bridge, Borough High Street or Southwark Street
- By foot along the Thames Path on the Southbank or over London Bridge from the City
What a pleasure it is to walk into a shop dedicated to the finer things in the foodie's life - fresh farm-raised meat, homemade pies, and savory treats. Green's of Pangbourne is such a place.
Quality of ingredients means everything to the aspiring gourmet, and Green's is dedicated to providing nothing but the finest selection. In fact, the shop has been awarded a most prestigious accolade. Green's is South England's Butchers Shop of the Year for 2009. Impressive!
The staff is friendly and charming, and the service impeccable. While we visited the tiny shop, the aroma of slow-simmered beef and vegetables filled the space, triggering an amazing burst of hunger. Known for its meat pies, Green's makes a wide assortment of the delectable pastries and sells more than 1000 each week. Since most top-crust pies are similar in appearance, Green's uses a clever code to tell them apart- they label each pie with pastry initials to identify the contents.
Known for the quality of its meats, Green's turns out sausages by the hundreds, if not thousands each week. I'm intrigued by the variety - especially the venison and red wine sausage and the pork, chili and apricot. To satisfy our curiosity this first visit, we opted for the traditional pork sausage. And of course, we stocked up on Green's homemade mango chutney to use as an accompaniment.
But the pies are warm and ready to eat now, and my kitchen smells beyond good.
Don't worry. I won't disappoint, hungry readers! I promise an interview with the legendary chef Philip Cripps in the near future and we'll talk about his skills at turning out free-range scotch eggs, French quiches, and the comfort food of all comfort foods, cottage pie.
In the freezing, windy cold (somewhere around zero C on the thermometer), I braved the elements to visit Sunbury Antiques Market at Kemptown Racetrack. It's the largest biweekly antiques market in England, with nearly 700 stallholders. Some liked to bargain, some were firm on their prices. As the hours drew toward closing, the bargaining seemed to get better.
It was fascinating to visit the stalls and peruse the incredible range of memorabilia, furnishings, collectibles and ephemera. Quite truthfully, I could have wandered contentedly for another few hours in spite of my frozen fingers, but I arrived as some of the dealers were already packing up to get out of the cold. The artwork was amazing, the furniture beautiful and the deals aplenty.
My favorite find: 150 year old Chinese silk embroidered wrap skirts in a rainbow of gorgeous flower colors. I resisted the temptation to buy, but I'm wracking my brain to figure out a place in my home for such amazing textiles.
My treasures for the day? A lovely and very old footed copper pot and a vintage type tray.
My bargain for the week? The olivewood mortar and pestle I bought at a local vintage shop for two pounds (about $3.50).
Going back to Sunbury with a group of friends in two weeks. This time, we'll go armed with a wish list . . . but always be open to the unexpected surprise just waiting to come home!
Okay, I must confess. This package caught my eye in the local grocery, and I snatched it up after having a good giggle. Simply had to share with all of you.
Somehow, though we both speak the same language, American slang has not infiltrated Great Britain's food packaging. :)
How many varieties of olives have you tasted lately? At Borough Market (and plenty of upscale food markets in the US), olive bars offer a range of flavors, from pleasantly mild with a salty essence, to fiery hot and garlicky.
Pitted or whole, olives make a fabulous snack any time of day.
Try a few new flavors today. You might surprise yourself by stepping outside your comfort zone.
In spite of the rain we made our way from the museum to Borough Market today, the greatest single foodie paradise in all of Europe.
For those of you who haven't had the pleasure, imagine this. Acres and acres of gourmet food stands, produce stalls, flower markets, tiny jam and confection shops and open air cafes, tucked beneath the structures of London Bridge. For more than 250 years, Borough Market has brought together the best of the best of small European farms, bakeries, cheese producers, fishmongers, butchers and more. Heaven on earth!
My destination today was clear when we arrived at the market. To find Real France Fine Foods and purchase some of the best salt known to chefs: fleur de sel.
My bonus: discovering a delectable treat in Real France's unpasteurised butter with crispy sea salt. When biting into a piece of baguette spread with the butter, a first taste will reveal a creamy texture. Then, as the butter begins to melt, tiny salt crystals add a new dimension of flavor. It is spectacular!
I also indulged in thick wedges of their salted and unsalted butter, cut fresh from the block. Next visit I'll be certain to buy a Chabichou du Poitou, a creamy goat's milk cheese in a natural rind made in the Poitou-Charentes region of France.
For lunch this afternoon at Black and Blue Restaurant, I had a mixed green salad with pancetta-wrapped grilled goat cheese over sliced campari tomatoes. It seems to me that the Chabichou would be perfect served this way, accented by just a touch of balsamic and olive oil, and of course, fleur de sel.
But my true goal for today was the salt. Fleur de sel is delicate, melts easily and seasons to perfection. It is highly prized by chefs. To read an article about how Real France's Noirmoutier fleur de sel is harvested, visit my website, www.michellecooks.com.
As a passionate cook, I keep two bowls next to my stove at all times: a bowl of fleur de sel for finishing the flavors of my dishes, and my "proprietary" blend of seasonings that evoke the essence of herbes de Provence. Real France has taken my two standby seasonings and combined the two treats into one with an herbes de Provence sea salt. Can you see me smiling?
Like I said, Borough Market and its vendors - foodie heaven on earth!
For those of you who know me well, great food is always on my mind. So of course, I had to brave the snow and ice to go to market! Bob the Produce Man kept doubling my quantities - it was the end of the day and he didn't want to take home so much. Don't know exactly how, but I ended up with what seemed like a truckload of fresh spinach. I cooked it for days!
Surprising though it may be looking at this wintry picture, Nick and I walked home from here with crates of raspberries and strawberries, succulent dates, fresh bundles of thyme and oregano, juicy oranges, absolutely beautiful red and yellow peppers, English cucumbers and kiwi.
And we've discovered that the three-foot refrigerator in the kitchen can't possibly hold all of that great produce, but our entry hall that hovers around 40 degrees makes perfect overflow cold storage space!
I truly love living in a village. Everything I need is just a short walk away - fine groceries, dry goods, services, transportation. I've become very English with my shopping trolley to wheel behind me as I walk! Most days, I don't even miss having a car.
People here are quite trusting, and honesty is the unwritten rule. It's very interesting to shop here. The stores expect customers to supply their own shopping bags. At the grocery, a scanner is provided for those registered in a shopper's program. Customers will walk through the shop and scan and pack their own merchandise as they go along. No need to check out - they've already done it via the handheld scanner. They simply return the scanner and leave when they've packed up their bags. I just can't imagine this happening in America. People are too suspicious by nature, and petty crime is too prevalent. It's quite refreshing to become a part of this culture.
Wokingham itself has it's own charming character. History is everywhere, interspersed with modern conveniences. At the town's market center, the old church sits on the edge of a pedestrian plaza. Each week, produce, meat and other vendors set up stalls in an open-air market. Pubs are on every block and they always seem to be packed with locals.
The homes are also quite beautiful. Here's a great shot of the Tudor home next door to me at night in the snow. While it once was a private residence, now it houses the local "surgery," or doctor's office.
Tonight we celebrated Ed's birthday with a cocktail party. Of course I forgot to take pictures of the big event. Chris and Jen, Carla, Mike and the kids were all here for dinner, drinks and desserts.
Let's talk a bit about entertaining with an impossibly small kitchen. It's a challenge, even for a seasoned hostess like me! The flat came furnished, but with only the essentials in cookware. One bowl, no serving platters, etc.
So, before the party, I hit up the "charity" shops in town and bought up all of the crystal glasses, bowls, and plates I could find - for pennies! I've been amazed to see how lovely the items are, even in shops filled with castoffs and donations.
Reading is a town just a few train stops away. It's actually a city, filled with commerce and SHOPPING! The Oracle Mall is situated on the River Kennett, and many of the streets surrounding the shopping area are pedestrians only.
Mike and Nick went to a movie, and when they came out, the entire city had been blanketed in white! It was beautiful, and all through dinner with Ed at Bella Italia, the snow kept coming down. It was truly invigorating. Of course, Nick got stuck pulling the shopping trolley through the snow so Mike and I could photograph. He's a jolly good sport!
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Hoo Hing
Nearby Monastiraki is the true flea market district, with vintage shops nestled side-by-side with tourist junk shops. I found a true gem in a shop just down the street from the Central Market. I'd tell you the name, but the reciept is all in Greek, and our alphabet doesn't translate neatly! The store was hard to describe, actually. Imagine four stories of crammed-to-the-ceiling vintage stuff (not all nice, mind you). Nothing is priced. French turn-of-the-century furniture sits next to old modems. Hand-painted icons are alongside Oreo cookie tins. There is barely room to walk without knocking something over. But I was delighted to find one thing I'd set out to purchase while in Europe - a 50-year old handmade wooden bread bowl. Now my trick will be getting it back to the UK and then home again to the US! 
Busy train stations are not usually the home of fresh produce and fine food markets, but Sourced Market has carved its niche in food history by choosing St. Pancras station in downtown London as its permanent home. There you'll find the Britain's best-of-the-best in artisan food and produce, with brands such as Pate Moi and Burnt Sugar.
Though the market also tours to various locales around the city, at St. Pancras you can count on a changing selection of produce, hot fresh soups and sandwiches, gourmet pates and cheeses, fine wines, savories, sweets and more. Friendly staff will make great recommendations for a takeaway dinner or train journey snack - just ask!
My finds for the day: two sizes of white porcelain lidded terrines ready to be filled with my herb butter and country pate.
In Spring through early Autumn, Garsons offers pick-your-own fields of strawberries, raspberries, asparagus, runner beans and sunflowers. 
Over in the Jubilee Market, Roger of Villanova carved us slim layers of Prosciutto Sardo di Desulo, and in the Middle Market butchers at the Ginger Pig sliced made-to-order veal chops just for our dinner. A glass of mulled wine, a study of ready-to-be-plucked-and-cooked birds, and a quick run to the Utobeer shop and Flour Station Bakery and we were on our way to cook and savor all night. What a wonderful feast to share with friends!
The staff is friendly and charming, and the service impeccable. While we visited the tiny shop, the aroma of slow-simmered beef and vegetables filled the space, triggering an amazing burst of hunger. Known for its meat pies, Green's makes a wide assortment of the delectable pastries and sells more than 1000 each week. Since most top-crust pies are similar in appearance, Green's uses a clever code to tell them apart- they label each pie with pastry initials to identify the contents.
But the pies are warm and ready to eat now, and my kitchen smells beyond good.
lt, tiny salt crystals add a new dimension of flavor. It is spectacular!
my website, www.michellecooks.com.
modern conveniences. At the town's market center, the old church sits on the edge of a pedestrian plaza. Each week, produce, meat and other vendors set up stalls in an open-air market. Pubs are on every block and they always seem to be packed with locals.
