One of the great joys of my life is being able to go to Flemington Markets with Pete. The produce is amazingly fresh, the atmosphere is great and best of all, it’s a clear marker to the start of the weekend. Now that I have a pocket camera, I wanted to share some of the sights that greet us at the markets whenever we visit. There are lots of photos – I just couldn’t choose which ones to leave out!
Everything at the markets is ridiculously cheap – for example, these 59g free range eggs were $6.50 for 30. I indulged and bought a carton of fresh duck eggs as well – perfect for pastries and cakes.
. . . . .
This is Jimmy the Tomato Man. He doesn’t have a computer at home, but told me he’d get one if I put his photo on my blog. How could I refuse? We bought a $10 box of tomatoes from him, but passed on the eggplants this week, even though they were a bargain.
. . . . .
Since we started going to the markets, mushrooms have become a part of our weekly diet. I bought half a kilo of these today, although I really don’t know what they are. I think they called them “brown caps”, but I’d love someone to enlighten me. Thanks..
Edit: I’ve just been told these are King Brown mushrooms, an Australian cultivar of the trumpet mushroom (thanks Barb!). More info here.
I also bought a half kilo of fresh Shitake and some Swiss Browns – it’s going to be a big mushroom week here.
The mushroom ladies share a stand with a lovely elderly gentleman who sells sugar snap and snow peas. He was so pleased when a customer asked him if he was in his sixties that he gave him his goods and his money back! I tried telling him he looked even younger, but he wasn’t buying it..
. . . . .
An impulse buy from Morris and Jody’s stall – a box of super sweet black grapes – 10kg for $16. Pete was murmuring something about “grape jelly” under his breath…
. . . . .
Our rule at the markets is to buy from the specialists whenever possible. These photos were taken at our favourite potato and onion stand, run by a cheerful cluster of larrikin lads. They have a huge range of potatoes – from the cheaper, more common types, to a dozen or so unusual varieties – Nicola, Kipfler, Charlotte, Pink Eye, Dutch Cream, Royal Blue and one that has bright purple flesh. We’ll often buy a kilo or so of something unusual to play with in the kitchen.
They also sell Australian and imported garlic, as well as boxes of ginger at various ages (young, medium, old, very old).
. . . . .
We stopped at Maurice’s dried fruit and nut stall to buy a kilo of Australian blue lentils for Maude. I didn’t even notice the new sundried cherries and blueberries until I uploaded this photo – must make sure to pick some up next time I’m there.
. . . . .
Highlight purchase of the day? Two kilos of gorgeous Californian cherries for Small Man, who is a complete cherry addict. He was overjoyed to see them!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Hey Celia, on thursday I was at Paesenella and on Saturday I was at Flemington. Are we travelling on similar paths this week or what?! Wouldn’t it be funny if we actually crossed paths without knowing/recognising each other?
Spice, that is funny!
The sugar snaps and tomatoes are my fave purchases – the snaps are always so fresh and reasonably priced, and the old gent who sells them is such a charmer. So…what did you buy at Paesanella? Anything interesting?
Ah always interesting stuff from Paesanella. Always ricotta – I love the warm, fresh ricotta. Many moons ago when I was a student I lived very close to a small cheese factory. My flatmate would bring home ricotta from there on her way back from rowing training at the crack of dawn…still in its little plastic basket, dripping and warm. Our goal was always to eat as much of it as we could before we had to put it in the fridge as that totally changed the taste and texture. So I have a little recreation of that each time I go to Paesanella. I bought some lovely goats cheese as well this time – Le Petit Prince or something like that. Gorgeous.
I know exactly what you mean about the ricotta. There’s something special about it when it’s so warm – it tastes like cream! Did you know that if you want to store it for a while, you should drain out the whey? Apparently it’s the whey goes sour much faster than the curd, so it will keep much better without it. Of course, then it loses that lovely creaminess…more reason to scoff as much of it as possible while it’s still hot. Le Petit Prince, yep, they talked me into trying that a little while ago too. Very nice, but I’m almost overdosed on goat cheese for now. Do you like blue cheese? My new favourite (I think it’s even ousted the St Agur) is an Italian blue called Basajo – pronounced “ba-sigh-oh”- which is infused with fresh grapes. I love, love, love blue cheese!
Celia
Hi Celia,
How are you? I have been on your blog for the last two hours and must say, you inspire me! But, where to start! I want to try everything.
I think you need to take another picture of the shiitake mushrooms. We have been getting amazing ones lately. Bring your camera on Friday if you can. Also the boys told me your treats a few Fridays ago were amazing! They couldn’t stop eating them.
Thankyou so much for all these amazing recipes. I am off today, so i am going to make my way to Surrey Hills to buy some chocolate. My daughters birthday is coming up so i want to make her those chocolate brownies you brought us. Also my husband loves hot chocolates so i need to make a batch of that.
Take care and looking forward to seeing you soon
Roula
Roula, your dad was supposed to share those butterscotch bars with you!! :)
Will see you this week, and I’ll bring my camera along! If you go to Chefs’, look out for their Callebaut chocolate – it comes in 2.5kg bags.
Celia x