From Partridge To Pimms Cup: A Photo Tour Of Borough Market In London

If you’ve ever had cause to question the quality of the food in the United Kingdom, the place for you to go to have that stereotype shattered with a cricket bat is Borough Market in London’s Southwark, right by the London Bridge (which is still falling down). One of the great markets of the world, Borough Market has existed in some form or another in the same general neighborhood since some time before William the Conqueror.

The best of British ingredients – and some from France and Spain and other parts of Europe – is to be found at the market, with over 100 stalls for vendors. Renowned butchers like the Ginger Pig offer a large selection of hand-made sausages, fresh-cut meat and unusual poultry (now we know where to go for partridges), and fishmongers like Furness Fish Market not sell not fresh fish, but offer stories of where exactly it was caught off the English coast it was caught.

Stop at Turnips for fresh fruit and veg. We spotted over a dozen kinds of plums, and the pumpkins were just coming in to season. For tippling while you shop pick up one of the many varieties of hard cider from the folks at New Forest Cider. We went for the warm one as it was starting to get nippy, or a Pimms Cup from the Cartwright Brothers, which you’ll need to wash down one of Mrs. King’s award-winning Melton Mowbray pork pies (we smuggled one of those home on the plane and came home to a chorus of: “You should have brought MORE!”). A can’t miss stop is Neal’s Yard to pick up some of their famous cheese. If the lure of smelly cheese makes your taste buds kick in to overtime, and you haven’t had your fill at Neal’s Yard, stop by the Raclette stall for a heaping helping of boiled new potatoes covered in freshly melted cheese from straight under the nifty raclette warmers. Or stop at Fish, for fish and chips and mushy peas and a cold bottle of Camden Hell’s Lager. Here’s a tour.

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Borough Market.

 

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Butchers at work at the Ginger Pig.

 

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Now you know where to go the next time you need to pick up a grouse or a partridge, straight to the Ginger Pig..

 

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Mrs. King's award-winning Melton Mowbray pork pies. Always served cold to showcase the pork and aspic inside. A swipe of mustard is acceptable.

 

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Wash it all down with some cider, hot or cold but always hard, from New Forest Cider.

 

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The Cartwright Brothers have all your tippling-while-shopping needs covered, grab a Pimms Cup at the market or bring home a nice bottle of port or mead or nettle wine.

 

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Black Pudding, all we know is that pig's blood is involved and people swear it's delicious.

 

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The Furness Fish Market, where you can pick up some kippers for breakfast, some paella for lunch or a hare or a pheasant for dinner.

 

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Fresh cod, hake and bass caught off the English coast at Furness Fish Market.

 

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Over a dozen different kinds of plums available from Turnips fruit and veg vendor.

 

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Late summer tomatoes. Oh lordy.

 

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Consulting over cheese at the world-famous Neal's Yard located at Borough Market.

 

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Decisions at Neal's Yard are difficult, but they are helped along by ample tastings.

 

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Not enough cheese at Neal's Yard, head back towards the market stalls for some raclette. What's better than melted cheese over potatoes?

 

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We need one of these raclette, cheese toasting machines for our house. STAT.

 

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Something sweet for you? A brownie served by a Frenchman, perhaps?

 

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Turkish Delight, pistachio flavored, rolled in coconut, from the Borough Nuts.

 

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The Borough Nuts packed up this box for us.

 

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Lots and lots of English beer from Utobeer, perfect for a rousing chorus of "99 Bottles"...

 

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Afternoon shopping