Travel Tuesdays #8 - Eveleigh Market, Sydney

I know it's a cliché, but time really flies when you're on holiday! I can't believe that it's been close to a month (3 weeks to be exact) since I set foot in Australia, and in a while's time, it'll be time to go home. Already I'm dreading the end, because I'll be going home to reality and I'll have to leave him here. On a happier note, this is what I hope to be the start of a food-based travelogue that I'll be writing about Australia, featuring good eats and sights in and around Australia, but mainly centred around Sydney and Melbourne, and perhaps the Gold Coast if I do any sightseeing there. 

One of the first things that I knew I wanted to do was to visit a farmers' market in Sydney. I had visited many a farmers' market in Europe while I was staying in Belgium, and I absolutely loved the atmosphere. What I regretted was not purchasing more local produce from the stallholders and experimenting with foods. (Back then, I wasn't as creative or culinarily sound as I am now) Naturally, this trip I'm rectifying these regrets. So far, I've bought zucchinis and chokos (or chayotes) and pumpkins - ingredients that I've NEVER touched or eaten in my entire life. Well, maybe pumpkins, but only in cooked form. Yes I know, I've a sheltered life. But I'm trying to expand my horizons now :] I do have other more exotic fruits and vegetables in mind, and I'll definitely be writing about those when I finally set my hands on them and cook/bake them! PS I've tried the rhubarb and berry combination and trust me, it's heavenly!

I went to Eveleigh Market on the first Saturday I was in Sydney, and it was awesome - I bought chilies, Asian greens, beurre bosc pears, a carrot cake and tried chocolates, fudges and other gourmet produce! We drove there, and there's public parking all around the area, though you might have to find yourself walking a bit to get to the market because of the limited lots. You can take the train or the bus there too, it's located pretty close to the train station and bus stop respectively. The market is really cool - it's located in this refurbished old railway station, called Carriageworks; and on certain Saturdays, they have local music acts performing there. See the interior here ----->

Eveleigh Market is a permanent fixture, as it is held every Saturday from 8am to 1pm. It's a farmers' market - this means that it is a market for local farmers and other artisan food producers (think artisan breads, wine the like) to sell their fresh produce to the local community. Of course, you can't have a market without edible food, so naturally things like coffee, muesli, cakes and chocolate are being sold too! On the first Sunday of the month, there's the Artisan Market, which I wasn't able to attend, but you can check out the website here to find out more. 

And here are more pictures from the market - I was relatively trigger happy!

Mmmm look at all those beautiful looking greens!

Oh look here's Kylie Kwong cooking in Eveleigh!

 

Did you know that carrots were originally purple in color? I just love how all the veggies still have their roots and most of them still have dirt around them. Gives me the feeling that these farmers just harvested these produce in the morning to bring them here for me :]

I finally got my hands on the famed luscious brown pear. It really was perfect poached and in tarts. 

What I love best about these markets - the smell of freshly baked bread. They even have gluten free breads available!

Look! They even have gourmet treats for your best friend!

Organic lemonade that would have been utterly refreshing on a hot summer's day, but I gave it a pass, because it was winter and it was cold. Brrrrr.

How about some organic and personally crafted toasted muesli? Sounds delish?

And to end a wonderful morning at Eveleigh, a luscious cream cheese carrot cupcake, topped with white chocolate curls. Perfectly spicy, and perfect with that cup of organic, single origin coffee on a cold windy winter morning. Cheers, mate!