FoodScoop

Borough is unfortunately dead as a market for any ...

2010-10-10T11:33:11.753+01:00

Borough is unfortunately dead as a market for any but the bigger well positioned players. There are so many tourists and 'lunchies' that trade in the outer markets is dead for fresh or delicate products. Tourists can only buy what will travel so do not buy meat or veg. The number of new stalls in the Jubilee that did not stay long is very high this year and even well established players are living on past glories. I know that there are many stallholders waiting to see if it gets any better by Christmas if not they will be off. Many of the stallholders also attend other markets and are not prepared to work all day for next to nothing as that is what some of them take.
The management are relying on the gate figures as a guide to market health not spend per head, they have a totally blinkered view and believe if they say something often enough it will come true.
The only solution is an almost biblical throwing the tat and meal sellers from the temple and getting back to basic good food.

As a trader in the market since the early days, I...

2009-10-17T14:33:39.812+01:00

As a trader in the market since the early days, I can confirm that there are many serious issues of concern with the way the market has been, and more particularly, is currently being run.

Our collective problem is that any adverse publicity which we could raise as the only means available to us to challenge issues, would most likely be seen as traders merely 'windging' or prove to be counterproductive for trade in the market. The last criticism publicly aired at the 10 year celebration breakfast resulted in a distinct hardening of management attitute, and thus proved to make the situation worse.

The fact that the market has become so successful in respect to the number of visitors (as distinct from serious food shoppers), with a waiting list for entry, provides the management with the ability to dispense with any individual trader. 'Take it or leave it' would amply sum it up.

The fact that this is posted as 'anonamous', is testimony to the fact that I would find my position jeopardised by airing criticism.

I find it hard to believe that the trustees know precisely what is being done in the name of the market 'Charitable Trust'.

I agree that we need to get Jamie Oliver back to p...

2009-10-15T01:02:52.400+01:00

I agree that we need to get Jamie Oliver back to promote the market and make sure it stays on the right path. Hopefully the new management will realise how delicate things are for the market at present and DO something.

The grumblings within the ranks of the traders have been raging for ages now and as I am merely a regular shopper I did not know anything about matters going downhill until the wonderful Shipps tearoom was being forced to close.

In addition to signing the Shipps petition I also wrote to management at Borough asking why this was happening. With hindsight it is no surprise that the reply I received was heavy handed and dictatorial in it's tone.

Does anyone know what happened to the good folk who ran Shipps?

Firstly, thank you for initiating Borough as a ret...

2009-09-25T10:42:57.798+01:00

Firstly, thank you for initiating Borough as a retail market - I went that first weekend and was completely blown away by the food on offer and I have shopped there ever since. But I too am starting to worry that it will not survive as a food market but will introduce chains who will trade daily and simply push out the small traders who can't compete. It is criminal.

Don't think Boris would be any help, though Ken might have been. Get Jamie Oliver back perhaps - he used to shop there a lot and he does have the passion.

I think that there is a movement amongst the glitt...

2009-09-24T15:13:52.670+01:00

I think that there is a movement amongst the glitterati in the food world, towards the idea of meat as seasoning, almost, with vegetables taking centre stage: viz Nigel Slater's latest opus (which we'll be reviewing in October with a chance to win and featured recipes - just check the homepage) and Simon Hopkinson's new book focusing on vegetarian dishes - or more accurately, dishes which happen not to contain meat.

Books such as these are a gentle nudge in the right direction - and where Nigel goes, surely we all follow....

Mazc. I totally agree with gastrodiners.co.uk. ...

2009-09-20T22:10:47.095+01:00

Mazc.
I totally agree with gastrodiners.co.uk. Gordon
will be top of my favourite chef list. I made a special journey to see him in Glasgow at his book signing and then to the Good Food Show and he was he absolutely fab. He was wonderful with the people at the book signing and the Food Show was a delight. I hope that he is going to do it again this year - I will be first in the que. Let him promote British food and the very high standards in the kitchen which a great many other restaurants would be well to follow.
10.15pm. 20th September,2009

I run a blog aimed at showing non-vegetarians (suc...

2009-09-20T14:00:58.143+01:00

I run a blog aimed at showing non-vegetarians (such as myself) that you don't have to be vegetarian to love vegetarian food. Just as what was said above - nobody in this country is an actual carnivore. Even those that eat meat are omnivores and have at least some vegetation in their diets.

There is much scope for restaurants to realize that there are many people that are not vegetarians but wish to eat less meat.

If chefs challenged themselves even a little bit they could make wonderful meat free dishes that don't have to have the 'vegetarian' tag on the recipe. Trust me, there world of meat free eating is wider than nut roasts and goats cheese tarts. You wouldn't know it by the looks of my restaurant menus though.

Definitely higher quality meat in smaller amounts ...

2009-09-19T20:03:24.110+01:00

Definitely higher quality meat in smaller amounts it may well go some way to educating the correct size portions and the true value of a world full of finite resources.

So Kim, did you have a successful gluten free sour...

2009-09-17T18:28:12.994+01:00

So Kim, did you have a successful gluten free sourdough bread?

Before we engage further in this debate could we f...

2009-09-17T06:31:48.201+01:00

Before we engage further in this debate could we find another name for those who choose to eat meat than carnivore? Humans are omnivore, and those who choose to be vegetarian could digest meat. It would be distaseful, but not impossible. It leads to animals that are herbivore or graminivore being referred to as vegetarian. My cat is carnivore, I eat meat.

The Baby Lamb Scam? How many of you know that mos...

2009-09-05T21:53:39.630+01:00

The Baby Lamb Scam? How many of you know that most commercially grown lamb gets killed at 4 months.....because the farmer is paid the same price whether it weighs 19 or 25 kilos. Argument:today's housewife wants small cuts......really? Would she if she knew it wasnt even weaned? We need a campaign to pay the farmer for grown lamb, hogget, mutton AND butcher it accordingly. Fixed contracts prevent later grown lamb also in favour of NZ imports. Will you read this Hugh and Jamie and do something about it? Rare Breed lamb is bigger, tastier and also grows a desirable fleece - lets change the spec. Julia Desch Beech Hill Farm Black Pedigree Wensleydale Longwools.

keep well

2009-08-22T14:25:39.162+01:00

keep well

Found your blog on Google and have enjoyed reading...

2009-08-12T10:49:50.019+01:00

Found your blog on Google and have enjoyed reading your posts. Nice work!
organic food

Rob - That's one hell of an action approach... Wou...

2009-06-01T16:34:24.819+01:00

Rob - That's one hell of an action approach... Would one even be allowed now with Health and Safety? But he was right - see Harold McGee and Heston for a start.

It was a fascinating interview. The most interesti...

2009-05-29T23:44:46.509+01:00

It was a fascinating interview. The most interesting insight into his approach I felt was his description of how he came to write the Action Cook Book for men. He realised that he had to attract men to cookery with a scientific, laboratory approach. So, when describing how to make a dish, he didn't write about the ingredients. He asked the reader to imagine the difference between putting a hand into a hot over at 250 degrees, and putting his hand into a boiling pot of water at 100 degrees - "the relationship bettween heat and temperature is the key to all cookery" were Deighton's words of wisdom.

Actually, the omega-3 fat in free range chicken co...

2009-05-11T17:51:00.000+01:00

Actually, the omega-3 fat in free range chicken comes from the grass. In ocean raised salmon, the omega-3 fat comes from eating the algae. Animals can't create essentially fatty acids, they have to get them from plants. They are present in a good amount in grass, but not it corn or soy animal feeds.

your blog is feel good

2009-04-27T06:26:00.000+01:00

your blog is feel good

When is a farm shop not a farm shop? When it does...

2009-03-31T12:35:00.000+01:00

When is a farm shop not a farm shop? When it doesn't support local producers and farmers and doesn't provide a good way of local people having access to good local food without the middle man of the supermarkets!
We are in the process of setting up our own Farm Shop on The Cowdray Estate in West Sussex and I have done loads of research into what constitutes a good farm shop - hopefully we will get it right in June when we will sell meat and dairy from the estate to our very supportive community. Long Live the "proper" farm shops!
Billy H

The book sounds great - I really like the idea of ...

2009-02-25T20:20:00.000Z

The book sounds great - I really like the idea of the celery and cashew soup - I'll be giving that a try soon...

I have lots of books that I like, but the one I re...

2009-02-22T22:54:00.000Z

I have lots of books that I like, but the one I reach for time and time again for fail safe recipes is 'Best Kept Secrets of the Women's Institute: Soups'

The book is divided into sections, each dedicated to one of the four seasons detailing appropriate soups for that time of year.

The recipes are laid out with clear and simple ingredients lists and directions. A selection of the soups are illustrated.

Being from the WI, you can be reassured that the recipes are thoroughly tried and tested. The directions are easy to understand and there are useful notes in the preface.

I am not a chef, I am a home cook, so I like to use recipes that reflect that: simple, tasty and unfussy. I know soups are in essence very easy to make, but what this book also does is provide inspiration, how to concoct something warming and delicious from the random selection of vegetables that you happen to have in the fridge that day.

I often see what is available in the cupboards and then scan the index for entries that match, with satisfying results. From a classic Cabbage or French Onion to the more unusual Chilli Bean and Celery & Cashew there is something for every taste in this book.

From the complete novice to an experienced and competent home cook such as myself, everyone will find this book a useful addition to their kitchen library.

(http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0743221125/ref=sib_rdr_dp)

Great - go for it. Check out my recipe and get goi...

2009-02-10T15:08:00.000Z

Great - go for it. Check out my recipe and get going. I would highly recommend it. As well as being great fun, it was also the most flavoursome bread I've ever eaten.

I've always thought about making a starter but som...

2009-02-09T18:09:00.000Z

I've always thought about making a starter but somehow have never got round to it. I think this is the encouragement I need.

Hi Kim - Kim here(bizzarely!) Check out figsandlav...

2009-01-25T21:03:00.000Z

Hi Kim - Kim here(bizzarely!) Check out figsandlavender.blogspot.com fir the results of the natural leven...will post it on here too. Let me know how you get on with the quinoa starter!

Just came across your blog looking for gluten-free...

2009-01-25T04:29:00.000Z

Just came across your blog looking for gluten-free naturally leavened bread recipes - I'd love to hear how your rice sourdough turned out! I have a hankering to start up my own gluten-free sourdough starter, so I'd love to hear about any experimenting you've done! I'm thinking of trying out a quinoa or quinoa/millet combo for the starter... hope to hear from you! i have a blog too, affairsofliving.blogspot.com

Hopefully the smell can be 'exterminated'

2009-01-15T16:39:00.000Z

Hopefully the smell can be 'exterminated'