London’s frenetic energy is easy to get swept into. Easy to move with the flow of the crowds, easy to get lost in the people watching and easy to surrender the the organized chaos that beats at the heart of the city. One of the best places to do so is Borough Market — a microcosm of its own.
Despite it being the middle of the week and not the weekend, it’s pact. The sounds, smells and sights all seduce the senses — and I start to salivate as it washes over me. Large quantities of risotto, paella, English pies and tarts tantalize the taste buds as I pass vendors who expertly serve up their delicious cuisine. Businessmen and tourists alike flock to a stand selling mushroom risotto and the scents wafting from the stall make it apparent why. It smells incredible — and I’m not a fan of mushrooms. Every patron I see leave the stall has a huge smile and a bowl of fungus based goodness.
A stall offering goods from a local bakery entices me to stop and check them out — if only because they are selling the best looking jammy cookies and I can’t simply walk by. They are perfect. The shortbread cookie is the right amount of flaky and breaks nicely, not too sweet. The jam is not gooey or sticky and the ration between the two is just right.
Further on, a specialty store selling Croatian delicacies piques my interest — since my trip last fall, I’ve been trying to find good Croatian food state side and I can’t. At least, not where I live. The aroma of truffles and the bags of Istrian fuzi lure me in and I walk away with my foodie treasures knowing that once I’m home, they won’t last very long. I love Borough market — and despite it not being overly large, it’s easy to lose hours to walking through the stalls and shops eating and drinking my way to a euphoric bliss.