"Dolla, Dolla, Dolla!!" " Lovely bananas!" "Beautiful Queensland Strawberries!"
I couldn't stop looking around in awe of all of the fresh food (and the prices!). This lasted about 15 seconds before I was being shoved along into the sea of busy shoppers. These open air markets are a way of life for Melburnians. Before arriving, I was sure that I was going to drop quite a few Aussie dollars doing my shopping at a fresh, local farmers market, but was pleasantly surprised when everything was a mere fraction of what you would spend at a commercial shopping market.
How fabulous! And how very different to what I was used to at the farmer's markets in the States. You can eat fresh, local, healthy, and cheap! Since my discovery, a visit to Queen Victoria Market has now become a regular Saturday routine. I come home loaded up with fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, and delicacies for the upcoming week. Nothing compares to meals cooked up with these fresh, local ingredients!
Over time, I've come to realize my 'preferred vendors', from local farmers to seafood mongers to bakers....It's a great feeling to confidently purchase the best fresh seafood based on "Where have you been lately?! You gotta try the snapper fillets today" with a friendly wink ;), knowing you are going to end up with an amazing meal that night.
After visiting the produce aisles and the Meat Hall, I hit my guilty pleasure... the Delicatessen, which features delicious treats from all over globe. The vendors are happy to give you a taste as they all take pride in their goods. There's nothing like an afternoon mezze plate featuring all of your finds from the deli and of course, complemented by a glass of Australian shiraz!
And no trip to the market would be complete without a little treat for the way home....
Thanks for reading and welcome to The Recipe Diva Blog! I will be blogging daily on food, cooking, recipes found, recipes created, and whatever strikes me! I look forward to hearing your comments!
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