wrap run

You can look but don't touch!

Do you like Saturdays?

...I do.

What does it for you? A coffee / newspaper combo...James Martin on Saturday Kitchen...sleep until 12.30pm??? 

After the Monday-Friday tug of war with alarm clocks and time keeping, one is finally allowed to act like a lady of leisure and get some good loitering in before the weekend is out. I mostly improvise, but a recurring theme in the little play of my perfect day, is most definitely a run (as you can see by the attire) and if I can try and make it to the Duke of York Square market, it is the rainbow roti wrap from the Rainforest Creations stand.

A picture of health

This is SERIOUSLY good. I've tried a few things (ok...a lot of things) at the market...the pie, the gnocchi, the burger, the chorizo roll, the thai curry, the (fizzy) aubergine-not so good. I've cut at cheese. I've had a cookie. I've circulated and circulated until the stall workers look close to asking me to leave, but after a long long time, I can't shake this one off...I daren't try anything new. It pretty much covers everything I am looking for.

Box or roti?

Perfection being created

The cornmeal, lentil and wholegrain flour wrap seems to have a texture, after warming, somewhere in between a wholemeal pitta and a pancake and works as the most wonderfully comforting duvet sealer to a vibrant, tasty insulation. I've had the rainbox 'box' and after many tastings, it doesn't quite do it for me like the wrap. If I'm hungover, I crave the wrap. If I'm just hungry, I want the wrap. If I want to be healthy, I want the wrap. Whatever mood I'm in, I want the wrap. It's filling. It's delicious. It's colourful. Think tropical coleslaw, wild rice, lentils, chickpeas, avocado. WAIT. Don't get put off. Even the skeptics like it. Believe me. I've imposed it on most people.

Best hummus that you can buy by the pot

All there is left to do is find yourself standing in front of the Nick's fine foods stall and pick up the best brownie in London. Another array of delights. Carrot cake, date and walnut cake, mini lemon meringue pies, sometimes rhubarb, olive oil and lemon cake. The brownie though, was my hot topic at one point. I talked and talked about it and bored people to death. I raved about it so much that one weekend my friend played my own conversation back to me, as if she discovered it...I exclaimed in excitement, thinking she shared my exact reasoning, but alas, I had told her the week before...

'have you tried it?' 'oooh, you can tell that the raspberries have obviously been swirled in just at the last moment' 'I don't usually like fruit and chocolate together' 'the texture is amazing' 'this is the best brownie I've ever had' 'much better than that Flour Power City one'

Melt your worries away

Now go and find a good spot -I call shot gun outside The Saatchi Gallery. Sit. People watch. Enjoy.

market love

Borough Market

Le Marché du Quartier

Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday and located in London Bridge. I'm such a fan of this place. Once in a while, I used to walk here on a Saturday. A big walk, a big lunch! But now I have the pleasure in being able to eat here on a work day. SO much better on a work day.  Little gatherings of crowded suit wearers getting their teeth into a lamb burger, and snap happy tourists flittering from stall to stall. It's people coming together all in the name of food and drink. Word of warning: Saturday is very overcrowded.

Borough Wines

There are so many parts, too many to cover. So here are a few of my favourites...

A family run business, Le Marché du Quartier sources fine French food and wine. Large jars of cassoulet, confit, goose fat and bunches of lavender. I'm all for everything French. Heavenly.

Arabica Food & Spice Company

Arabica Food & Spice Company

Arabica Food & Spice Company

I've tested the tortelloni, the falafel wraps, the lamb burger, the beef burger, the chicken burger, the thai green curry, the melon/mozzarella salad and much much more, but I ALWAYS end up coming back to the Arabica Food & Spice Company. This Eastern Mediterranean delight has plenty of amazing dip tasters. The best taramasalata in town (p.s. proper taramasalata is white), delicious smoked courgette. The salad box is £6 for a choice of 3, but I try and fool them and ask for half and half and get 4. So full of flavour and moreish. Simply the best.

Brindisa

Brindisa

Brindisa

Still running after 20 years, and with some superb restaurants in SE1, SW7 and W1, Brindisa is still one of the best importers of high quality Spanish foods. Their shop is something of a treasure trove. Delicious membrillo and excellent for snacks in the form of padron peppers and salted marcona almonds.

The Cinnamon Tree Bakery

The Cinnamon Tree Bakery

The Cinnamon Tree Bakery

Baked in Camberwell, The Cinnamon Tree Bakery has fast become my favourite seller. High quality ingredients and many things wheat and gluten free. They won me over with the 'tweet tweet' biscuit. Using rye flour, raisins, dates, tahini, seeds and cinnamon, they are INCREDIBLE. To be honest they're filling enough as a breakfast! I tested their rocky road last November, but they took them off the stall to refine. They are now back and are chocolatey rich with vegetarian marshmallow.

Go there and see what takes your fancy!