So the obvious question might be: Why would I include a picture of sweet limes below, as the first picture in this post, if I didn't get sweet limes at the Borough Market? Well, there's no real logic to it, these limes are yellow, which is unusual as you know because it means they were allowed to ripen, and they came straight from Pakistan to London in someone's suitcase as a token of affection from the people who work on our farm there.
Sweet lime and Jasmine trees were planted all over the backyard of our house in Lahore by A.'s grandfather and give off the most intoxicating mingling aroma when they are both in bloom in the summer. A. likes to bite into them when they are ripe and suck out the sweet juice but we haven't been there in a while, so someone was kind enough to think of him and bring some back.
I still find yellow limes unusual to look at, so you get to see a picture of them.
But on to the meat of the matter, so to speak: The Borough Market in the heart of London, very close to the Tower and London Bridge. It's huge, both indoor and outdoor, and chock full of most anything you can eat. We don't get there often enough I'm sad to say, and unfortunately we most often remember to go on Saturdays, which are by far the worst day to go, but when it's open only between Thursday to Saturday, there isn't much latitude for our addled parents-of-an-infant brains.
There you can find smoked shrimp pita sandwiches which I had never had before and which are quite good, I must say, though I was skeptic at first.
Various vegetable and fruit-sellers have more or less exciting wares, though my favorite stand has to be the one selling the dried fruits and nuts in the top left-hand picture below. We tasted some freshly-pressed juice combinations, some of which worked, others less so. We got lost in some corners and back-tracked through alleys leading us out when we were trying to go in. I exchanged amused glances with other camera-laden visitors, clearly food-bloggers. The best part was watching Baby Saffron take great interest in all the hubbub and products. Her ceaseless curiosity was only increased by the array of colors, the smells and the sounds before her.
The most fascinating part of the outing came when A. took her into one of the better fishmonger's stall where he spotted some beautiful razor clams. A. loves nothing if not good seafood and it was fun to not only watch him explain everything to her and see the wonder in her eyes as she surveyed all these odd-looking shapes below, but to see the delight the fishmonger took at her ready smile and undivided attention toward the fish. It doesn't hurt that she's pretty cute too...
I love farmers' markets, especially when they are large like this one, as you are always bound to discover something else you'd forgotten was in season or perhaps had never seen or tasted before. And one of my favorite things is the always-present stall with an unholy quantity of eggs, enough for you to bake every egg-containing recipe you might have at your disposal or perhaps make an omelet for a regiment. I don't know about anyone else, but that many eggs always makes me want to take a whole flat of them home and bake all day long (and I've done exactly that before in France).
And I haven't even mentioned such landmarks as Neal's Yard Dairy there, but just the fruits and vegetables will keep you occupied for quite a while. If you love food, you must definitely stop there while you are in London, provided it's between a Thursday and a Saturday of course (interesting market-visiting babies sold separately).
