On this gloriously sunny English summer’s morning, I jumped onto the DLR* with sprogs 1 and 4 in tow and headed up to the market to grab a few foodie delights and meet up with with some old work colleagues. The bignoseduglyguy raiding party foraged far and wide, seeking out unusual ingredients, tasty snacks…and all the stalls with free samples. These included organic cheese, smoked eel, cockles, pain chocolat, a stonking espresso made with organic beans. Purchases included bunches of fresh samphire harvested in the fens of Norfolk, unsalted anchovy fillets and organic smoked streaky bacon. Further along I also picked up some wild beef sausages from a very nice lady whose stall had been mentioned on The Archers and whose chalkboard was given over to celebrating Matthew Pinsent’s fourth Olympic Gold earlier this morning – apparently her son used to row at the same club as Pinsent. All this activity had worked up appetites and thirsts and so, after a pit stop for chips (sprogs) and steak and salad ciabatta (me), we wandered over to The Market Porter for a lunchtime pint or two before wending our way home again.
*Travel tip for London parents: Buying an off-peak Zone 1 & 2 family travel card for me and the eldest sprog (No. 4 goes free) meant that all three of us could travel anywhere in Central London just £2.10. This is cheaper than if I had paid for just myself with my Oyster Card. Credit for this thrifty wheeze goes to SWMBO.