Today I feel like I’m on holiday. We’ve had a solid week of sun and every day apart from this one I’ve been cooped up indoors working. This morning the baby (OK toddler) and I were supposed to do a totally dull chore that we were suddenly relieved of. So we did what we rarely do now: we sauntered.
We sauntered to the Lewes Food Market, where a boy with a birthday was playing guitar. I was overwhelmed by the colours, the tastes (love how you’re invited to try so many things!) and a general sense of wellbeing. I felt like we were in France. Baby was given a spiced fruit bun by the Flint Owl Bakery seller ‘for being a cute kid’, and the fishmonger didn’t mind us coming back again and again to touch the crushed ice, peer right into the eyes of the mackerel, look at (and poke) the crabs, and have a discussion about his yellow gumboots.
I think I spent the equivalent of the monthly mortgage payment, but I came away with wild flowers, local squid, fresh bread, globe artichokes and vegetarian sausage rolls and bright wedges of quiche for tonight’s picnic tea. Our buggy looked very healthy and decorated.
The little one and I spent a long time discussing colours, talking to dogs, and being smiled at. (When he wasn’t standing in the middle of everything shouting “I’M DARTH VADAR” at me). Overall, quite a sensorily satisfying – and pretty relaxing – thing to do with a small child of a Friday.
And it does feel great to buy local and support growers, makers and bakers from our own sweet town, don’t you think?
I hope you enjoy the colour as much on your screen as we did at the market today.
P.S. If, like me, you draw a total blank on what you actually need in your cupboard/fridge and what to cook with all the produce before you, there’s a small book produced by the market called ‘The Market Year’, which focuses each month on a different grower or producer. There are a good selection of recipes featured too and the wonderful photographs are by local photographer Carlotta Luke.
THE ESSENTIALS
Where: Market Tower, Market Street
When: 9.30am-1.30pm, every Friday
Website: lewesfoodmarket.co.uk
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