Sue at the studio: October 2011

First Bloomsbury London Farmers Market

Bloomsbury London Farmers Market begins to warm up

I couldn't resist a trip to our first local Farmer's Market in Torrington Square - just beyond Waterstone's book shop - on Thursday. I went early when many of the stalls were still setting up and the golden light seeping through the plane trees made it feel just like a market in France. It wasn't a huge market but there is space for it to grow as I am sure it will. Even if you go just to look it's impossible not to have the odd nibble with many samples on offer - in particular delicious and perfectly ripe fruit, cheeses, let alone cakes...

Some of the stall were one-person operations - Lois Lawrence "Plumbun" impressed me with "I cooked all the cakes yesterday". Others were family or family + businesses. The friendly guy on Nut Hall Farm's goat cheese and produce stand had plenty of stories to tell about belligerent goats and I had an interesting squirrel conversation with the lady on the fruit and veg stall (Brambletye Fruit Farms, I think!) selling fresh cob nuts and hazel nuts - the ones the squirrels didn't get. Apparently they had sent a shipment to feed the red squirrel population of Brownsea island! But I suspect most of them were snitched by the pesky common grey variety!

There were plenty of lunch opportunities (for those NOT watching their weight) - free-range meat burgers from Woodwards Farm, Giggly Pig's delicious free-range pork bangers and faggots. Different stalls offered free-range produce breakfast rolls, lamb burgers and plenty of pastries and pies - even fresh paella - plus plenty of seasonal fresh fruit and pressed apple juice to wash it all down with.

For the shopping basket there were treats like beautiful courgette flowers and the Bath Soft Cheese Company's blue and brie-type cheese were succulently oozing with flavour and perfect ripeness. Now I am making myself hungry again.

I will be back another Thursday having planned my weekly shopping needs and looking forward to the promise of more and different goodies on offer.

For more info see www.lfm.org.uk