This Little Piggie Went to Market

Two words have the power to make the cash fly out of my wallet: Borough Market. This location offers a selection of food that would satisfy the Ghost of Christmas present--I have never seen such an elaborate spread of food in all my life. It was a crazy, hectic experience pushing my way through the crowd in the open-air, outdoor food court. Elbow to elbow, I and hundreds of hungry eyes mentally gobbled up everything from venison burgers to fruit smoothies to cheesecake.
When we were first released into the fray by our professors, I felt like a deer in the headlights looking out at the chaos before me. A million different options presented itself, and everyone was running around in every square inch of the streets. As a matter of fact, Borough Market is so big that it stretches across the road to the other side. Within about ten seconds, however, we all scattered (we tend to be so busy that by the time we eat, we can do some serious damage with our starving forces).

The crowds at Borough Market

Stalls line the sides of walk ways, and they branch off in several different directions--it's the best kind of maze possible

It's hard to list off all the food I ate that first day; the memory is blurred by the intense food coma I experienced afterwards! We liked the place so much that we went back again today to try the next round of flavors, so just for the record, I didn't eat ALL of this in one setting. I did document most of it with pictures, though, so here's a sampling.

Meet an English pork pie: a solid hunk of pork inside a pie crust. It was similar to a chicken pot pie back home, but not with as many juices.

Lifting this beautiful dish of spaghetti-sauce-covered spinach and Ricotta ravioli to the sky in thankfulness (and see Mom, I am eating my vegetables).

A brownie crusted, chocolate and vanilla cheesecake. I got this the second day; the first day I got a chocolate gateau cake, but it disappeared before I even thought twice about pictures. At first, you feel a little odd walking around a market with a full piece of cake in hand, but it's totally normal here. Since there are so many people around, there's no shame in eating as you look for more food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fruit stands here are as enticing as Rossetti's "Goblin Market." Waling through the section of cherries, strawberries, raspberries, grapefruits, and more, your nose is overwhelmed with the actual smell of summer. Getting through that gauntlet of temptation without spending at least a pound proved impossible my first day.

As I already mentioned, the crowds the first day we visited were overwhelming. As full as the stands were with food, so were the streets bursting over with people. It was impossible to find a table, and we even had to wait our turn to sit down against a pillar in the street. Fortunately, it didn't curb our appetites--hehe, there's a sidewalk pun. (Note the half-decimated pork pie in my hands and the remains of a slice of watermelon I also devoured.)

Experiencing Borough’s Market was an excellent opportunity for a glimpse into the daily lives of locals. The take away food was our main focus since we don’t cook while we are here, but the fresh food stands were clearly there for the regular customers. Down every walkway you could find loaves of bread, wheels of cheese, and fresh, uncooked meat, from duck to scallops to fish, for you to take home for dinner that night. Being immersed into that world of buying and selling right out in the thick of things—right by the London Bridge tube station—was one of those key moments when you realize, “Wow, I live here” (for a month). I felt like a regular Londoner, especially since we went back and navigated easier the second time. As a dedicated foodie, I love to try new foods and experience an area’s signature cuisine, so trying little bits from each stall definitely made the excursion priceless.