Parallel Palates from Burgundy to Borough
Author: Guest Blogger
Since moving to the big smoke in a little house near Borough Market, I’ve been taking full advantage of the fantastic local produce. Just a stone’s throw away the epicurean delights called yet again this weekend, forcing me to succumb to the sensational scents of the bustling market.
You just can’t beat good ingredients cooked by people who really understand food, and on Friday my flatmate (apparently a Master Chef in the making) knocked my socks off with a meal fit for the most particular of palates.
First up was a melt-in-your-mouth fresh pasta dish which oozed lashings of sumptuous St. Gall and parmesan cheeses from Neal’s Yard.
It was with some concern that I read a few months ago that Borough Market was to close. Too often the corporate power of the leading supermarkets suffocate independant suppliers; the life blood of such places as Borough market. I was just one of the many that stood up and complained bitterly about this and it seems, at least for now, that Borough Market is safe once more.
Having lived in London for a number of years, I frequently visited the market and the quality of the produce on offer was unsurpassed. The meat was of the highest quality frequently accompanied by a detailed provenance that is so often lacking in supermarkets and the fruit and vegetables were always fresher that their mass packaged counterparts. With the sheer variety of produce on offer, Borough Market is incomparable. Not to mention that shopping there is a lot of fun!
It is only when you use ingredients of the quality available here that you can truly appreciate how the right wine brings out the best of all the subtle flavours. Long live the independant market retailers and long may they tantalise my tastebuds with their offerings.
Many thanks Nick, I couldn’t agree more.
Hopefully the recent media interest stirred up by celebrity chefs will only help to make your point more poignant – I’ve certainly noticed more of a buzz in the market following Jamie Oliver’s recent program focussing on how much better organic chickens are – both morally & for tantalising your tastebuds! This is perhaps the key to the quality of the ingredients found at Borough.
I think this can be applied to any food and It’s worth spending that bit more on meat and veg you know have been treated well & will taste good – but perhaps this is a different debate for another blog!
Spot on. There seems to be a fundamental shift, being championed by the TV chefs, to be more thoughtful about the origins and ethics behind what we eat, and rightfully so. A classic example is the growth of fairtrade products.
I firmly believe that if you invest that little bit extra in good quality food produced ethically, it reaps dividends with it’s taste.
I absolutely love Borough market and would be devastated if it were to close. I cant agree more with the points made above. There is no substitute for good quality food and wine!
With reference to the blog, it made my mouth water. It sounds like you are onto a winner living with this man Gareth. I wish I had a live-in chef!!
Are there any stalls in Borough market that sell fine wine? I would love it if I could pick up everything in the one spot.
Borough Market has such a great range of produce. In between the Organic Cider and hot Mulled Wine stands, there are a couple of good wine stalls too – take a look at their webpage: http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/ for full details.
Having spent saturday afternoon in Borough market with a friend filling ourselves to breaking point with food, I can honestly say it is one of London’s best free places to wander around. (Made even better by watching rugby afterwards). Despite having a very savoury set of tastebuds, with accompanying penchant for more full bodied reds, I still find myself enjoying the coconut chocolate flakes on offer at some of the stalls as well as the chorizo rocket and pepper sandwiches, washed down with some spiced mulled wine. February blues? Not for me thanks!!!
Borough market provides a delectable pot pourri of foods and wines in a pleasantly relaxing atmosphere .
Its always nice to see a lover of great food and great wine combining the two pleasures!
What I think you should also mention is that the cost of the better quality produce on offer is fantastic. With Tesco and Sainsbury upping the prices of fresh food shockingly highly it is even more appopriate to make a Sunday trip to the market to stock up rather than buy low quality tat that is ‘microwave ready’ from a central London supermarket.
It’s a shame the market is only open on certain days of the week but that does add an air of exclusivity does it not?!
Perhaps it does add an air of exclusivity, and perhaps it also forces people to plan ahead and think about their ingredients before they buy them – get their brunch ingredients on Saturday for Sunday! (when it’s closed).
I thoroughly enjoyed you’re post Burgundy blog entry as I too am an avid lover of fine food, and of course the wine to go with it! And what you said about Borough market is true, their range of produce is truly outstanding and on your recommendation I visited the organic cider stand (perhaps one too many times) throughout my afternoon there! While I was wandering around I picked up some gorgeous marinated olives, hummus, baba ganoush and various other bits for a meze style platter I was making to have before the main meal I’m cooking for a few friends and was wondering if you could recommend a good wine to go with a mediterranean starter like that?
Well, to go with a meze-style platter, I’d opt for a Lebanese wine such as the 2005 Massaya Classic Red. It’s made in a modern style in the heart of the Bekka Valley and boasts a palette just as colourful as the array of flavours you’d find within the platter. Fermented in stainless steel with ageing in barrique, this is a rich yet very elegant wine with morello cherry, cassia and spice to the fore. Stylistically the antithesis of Musar.
Or, for something a little more traditional, try the 2000 Ch. Musar, S. Hochar. Serge Hochar, apart form bearing an extraordinary resemblance to politician Jack Straw, has pioneered the wine industry in the Lebanon. His wines are unique in style, with lifted aromas and exotic perfumes of liqueur de kirsch and wild strawberries. The palate is broad, indulgent, made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and a little Carignan – an excellent foil to the cuisine of the region.
I tend to find that many of the smaller local markets such as the Islington Farmers Market (http://www.lfm.org.uk/isling.asp) which attract a more down to Earth stall seller.
Having enjoyed some overpowering cheese from Neals Yard last night and being hit with an equally overpowering bill, I think there is room for the smaller stall, you don’t have to be in Borough market to get great produce.
I would have to agree with both Susan and Katie (not like me to perch on the fence-but hey ho!). Borough market is an absolute pleasure but as with most things in London tends to be somewhat on the pricey side.
Luckily I get to travel around the UK and can therefore often stop-off at farm shops and farmers markets hither and thither and sample some of the great delights that the UK has to offer. Two weekends ago I was lucky enough to be in Gloucestershire and took advantage of buying some mouth-watering, locally farmed and produced Gloucester Sausages–made from 100% Old Spot and reared on windfalls from the apple orchards the pigs lived in.
I found these went exceptionally well with a Rhone wine I had-La Rosine, which is a 2003 Syrah. Very elegant and went perfectly with my casserole of sausages. However, when I have the remaining porkers they will be matched with some farmhouse cider that I picked up at the time.
I also managed to get to Stroud farmers market and treated myself to a large slab of gorgeous Single Gloucester–the taste, colour and aroma of this so-called peasant cheese is just wonderful and for me much more interesting than the Double variety. However if anyone has a tip for me as to which wine I could pair with it I would be eternally grateful.
I also cooked a fantastic rack of lamb (even if I say so myself) this weekend and washed it down using Katie’s recommendation–2004 Morey-St. Denis from Dujac Fils et P
Last night I had some amazing pork which I got from the Ginger Pig – well worth the 40 min trip from my flat.
My girlfriend and I would definately recommend it to you all – it was more expensive than your usual supermarket pork as you would expect, but well worth the difference!
Thanks Dan, glad you liked the Ginger Pig – for me it’s one of the best butchers out there.
Their website is great too as it includes a lot of background information on their stock and great recipes to try out: http://www.thegingerpig.co.uk/recipes/index.html
Being based in Southwark, I’m not that far from Neal’s Yard myself and having read your blog I popped in for some St Gall to try in a pasta dish last weekend. I have to say it was absolutely fantastic and despite being very busy the staff at Neal’s Yard were very helpful indeed. They are quite happy for you to try a few varieties yourself, and I think that is an experience in itself.
We tried the dish with a rich, full-bodied Chardonnay similar to the one you suggested and It was perhaps a little too popular-couldn’t seem to get rid of my guests! Do you know where the cheese was from as everyone was asking?
I’ve just had a peak at their website: http://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk and have found the following info:
“St Gall is made by Gudrun Shinnick in the picturesque farm that she shares with husband Frank and Frank’s mother. Gudrun herself is German, having trained in Germany before setting in Co Cork and marrying dairy farmer, Frank. Frank’s family are traditional Irish farmers, who have maintained a closed pedigree Friesian herd since Frank’s father’s time. Orange-brown rinded, St Gall has the shape of a millstone with a creamy yellow centre with small round holes suspended in the paste. It has a velvety texture which feels creamy in the mouth and flavours that are fruity, nutty, long and complex. Sometimes it reminds us of hazelnuts.”
They have profiles on all their cheeses which I think is very useful!
Interesting Susan about the Islington market – have been looking for a good food market in North London, given I live near Camden! Had to do Borough again on saturday – anyone else had the simply outstanding Chorizo sandwich with peppers and rocket near the giant cow statues? That sandwich surely is a raison d’etre!