In the frantic rush of the working week, do your find yourself mindlessly munching on the same things week-in, week-out? In a bid to widen my culinary horizons, I left my desk for a lunch time browse around Borough Market. Brimming with home-grown and far-flung bounty, London’s millennial market is the perfect place to seek out wholesome products while also treating myself to a little of what I fancy. From breakfast al-desko through to post-work tipples, here’s a few of my top recommendations.
Bored with Belvita, my first stop is Mini Magoos the home of wholesome, sugar-free cereals. Having squandered too much of my salary on sawdust-style sludge in the past, I’m relieved to find I can try before I buy. Packed with pumpkin and linseeds, the cinnamon and ginger granola is surprisingly sweet and crunchy and perfect for a furtive breakfast al-desko. At an eye-watering £5.00 for a small pack, it’s a hefty investment but if it stops me snacking on biscuits mid-morning perhaps it will be a cost saving.
With breakfast taken care of, my thoughts turn to lunch. In a bid to revolutionise my lacklustre sarnies, I head to the breads where Artisan sourdough jostles for supremacy with Russian and Lithuanian Rye breads. With sliced bread sadly lacking in substance, I stock up instead on heavy-weight Focaccia and Ciabattas and kiss goodbye to soggy Tuna Mayo.
Hunger pangs stirring, I find myself at the meat market where home-grown pheasant and venison compete with exotic Bison, Crocodile and Ostrich in the widest and wildest meat selection I’ve ever encountered. One of the leanest meats around, Ostrich trumps both chicken and turkey in terms of fat content and contains only a fraction of the cholesterol found in beef. Could Ostrich cold cuts be the new posh cheese and pickle I wonder? If not, you can always pick up an Ostrich feather duster at the market instead.
In need of refreshment after all this meat and bread, my next stop is to one of the market’s many smoothie stalls where my five-a-day is served up in one single cup. Using the ripest ingredients, the drink feels rich and indulgent and proves a meal in itself – reminding me to dig out my neglected liquidiser, left languishing in a cupboard since this time last year.
From energising fruit concoctions to post-work tipples, a tempting array of alcoholic indulgence is also on hand to help you ease into the weekend. After exploring Surrey’s stunning vineyards last year, I’m delighted to note that English wine is thriving at the Wine Pantry while lesser known Lebanese, Austrian and New Zealand numbers can be found at Borough Wines. Beer lovers can also celebrate the end of Dry January with a choice of over seven hundred varieties of amber brew at Utobeer.
Leaving with my purse a good deal lighter, I feel excited about the prospect of tomorrow’s Ostrich and Focaccio lunch break sarnies. A winning combination which will surely knock any offerings from Pret out of the park. What my colleagues might think remains to be seen.
Borough Market is open from:
Monday to Thursday 10.00 – 5.00pm
Friday 10.00 – 6.00
Saturday 8.00 – 5.00
For more information, visit: www.boroughmarket.org.uk
What’s your favourite lunchtime delicacy? Share your thoughts here.