Trip to the Market

A lazy afternoon was predicted by me

Little did I know for I did not foresee

An outing to nearby fruit and veg market

The produce is truly varied in this market

The varieties of potatoes and onions are many

The red tomatoes from fist size to tiny

The cabbages are occupying half a row

The bigger than footballs they have managed to grow

Carrots, cucumbers and zucchinis

Fennel, egg plants and moolis

The leafy vegetables and herbs are bright green

In bunches or heaps with a nice fresh sheen

The oranges, apples, mangoes and berries

Plums, peaches, nectarines such diversities

Past the fruit and veg are the cheeses

Hard, soft, goat’s, sheep’s, buffalo’s cheeses

Catering for cold platter as well as cooking with cheeses

Such a delight to see the feta, haloumi and ricotta cheeses

I always pick up something different to try

This time it was haloumi with chilli flakes to try

Row upon row of all sizes of pickle bottles

Olives, anchovies, sauerkraut, onions and gherkins in bottles

The range of sauces and spices, grains and oils occupying all the space

Catering for the multicultural populace

The breads and biscuits from far and wide

The nuts and sweets are all down one side

There is also a meat counter but I would not know

How to sing the praises of what I do not know

This market is such fun

I find something new to wonder with each run

Many products I have not managed to mention

Just because there are too many to mention

No wonder I spend a lot on impulse buy

For to try new things one must not be shy

What a nice way to spend an afternoon

Cannot wait to go again soon!

Visit to Sydney Market

In Melbourne we had gone to Queen Victoria Market which is a huge market held 5 days a week with Monday and Wednesday as closed days. This market has almost anything you could want from household things to clothes and accessories, fruit and veggies, meat and fish, bakeries, delicatessens, Italian shops and so on.

Now I had heard about the Sydney Market in Homebush and we tried visiting it one Sunday, only to find that there was an $8 parking fee. This is a wholesale market on all days except Saturday. On Saturday there is free parking and public is allowed to come and buy cheaper fruit and veg. Now I planned to go on a Saturday and buy some good food. This Saturday we finally made it. The market is in a huge warehouse with about six aisles of stalls selling all sorts of vegetables and fruits. There were cauliflowers and cabbages the size of footballs. There were so many varieties of potatoes, tomatoes and onions. I have never seen such variety of leafy vegetables and herbs – from spinach to silverbeet leaves, from chives to rocket. I also so a stall of different mushrooms and various root vegetables, squashes, cucumbers, gourds, ginger and garlic bunches. The profusion of vegetables was overwhelming. The varieties of peppers and chillies were also great. Now some of these vegetables are never going to be on my plate on the account of allergies but there were some which I had never seen even. I got my favourite bhindi (okra), tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, methi (fenugreek leaves), doodhi (bottle gourd) and cabbage.

Now fruit was also in abundance. The huge heaps of oranges and mandarins had small pieces to taste before buying. The oranges are Australian and very sweet. I was just finishing off the last bag I had bought and so did not get any. They are much sweeter than the Naval oranges from America that I had a few months ago. There were so many varieties of apples and pears too. There were boxes of pineapples, melons and watermelons. The mango season is just beginning and of course the bananas are making a comeback. The crop was wiped out in the floods in Queensland and the prices had rocketed but were now down to about $7 a kilo. I got some strawberries, apples and bananas.

I would have loved to just look at all the stalls and the variety of vegetables and fruits on display. I think I want to once visit just to see what is around and check out the prices. The prices are defiantly cheaper than the supermarket. For example, small box of strawberries were 4 for $5 while in the supermarket they were 2 for $5. The methi I got from the Indian grocers locally was $2.40 for one bunch while in the market I got 3 bunches for $3! Potatoes were $5 for a 5 kg pack and the same in the local green grocer is $5 for 3 or sometimes even 4 kg. One thing for sure if you have a space or actually a big family the buying of fruit and veggies can be done cheaply. The variety and the quality of the food are very good and healthy eating should not be an issue. I must also go and wander about the flower market and see what is about. I wonder if they have small pots and if it is any cheaper than going to Bunnings. Well I will be sure to let you know what the flower market is like. If it is anything like the fruit and veg one I shall have fun just browsing.