Saturday 1 November 2008

Green Flea Markets at West End

Today I finally made it to the Green Flea markets at West End. I had been wanting to go for ages, but my abilities to get to a market early on Saturday morning are pretty much always hampered by work. But this week I am on holidays - so hurrah!

The markets are at Davies Park on the corner of Montague Road and Jane Street in West End. Drive all the way to the end of Vulture Street and turn right, and it is just up on the left. There is free street parking around, though be prepared to take a little bit of a stroll as there are lots of people wanting to park.

The markets were wonderful! Produce stalls were mixed in with other market stalls through a lovely, windy park. With trees! Very nice and open air, but no under cover so keep this in mind if it is raining. The pathways between stalls are also quite narrow, so be prepared for a bit of hustle and bustle.

There are several very large produce stalls, along with smaller ones. There is were two special mushroom stalls, a stall that specialised in heirloom tomatoes (see below), a few organic stalls, jam stalls and then some. All of this was mixed in with clothes, bric a brac, massage, fabrics and various other stalls. Plus the most awesome portable barber ever seen. There was also a variety of fast food stalls.

Sol Breads is an organic sourdough bakery that has a lot of vegan breads. It also had a stall at the markets - hurrah! This is a yummy loaf of Pumpkin And Pepita Bread I bought. I am going to take it down the coast with me on Monday to make lots of yummy sandwiches.



And what market trip is complete without yummy fruit and vegetables? Pictured below is my haul for today, though I am very cranky I forgot to get mushrooms despite the presence of TWO mushroom stalls! Anyway, moving on. To the left of this photo is a lare variety of heirloom tomatoes. There is a great stall there that has boxes of all these different and amazing tomatoes, and you can just mix and match for $10/kg. I am not sure of all the names of them, but I am looking forward to exciting salads and I shall let you know how they measure up.



And finally, the most exciting find of all - VEGAN CUPCAKES! Hurrah! Take that other non-vegan cupcake stall. Like, whatever. These cupcakes are cruelty free and the money made goes to charity. I forgot to ask what the charity of the week was today, I was so excited about the cupcakes. The cupcakes are $3 each, and they also had mini cupcakes for $1. They are packed up in brown paper bags, so that is why the icing is a big smooshed. Next time I will take my own containers to put them in and preserve all the beauty! Below, starting from the left and moving clockwise: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Lemon and Cookies and Cream. Thus far I have eaten the lemon - yummy! And licked up some of the other frostings from the paper bags - also yummy!



One vegan experience that I saw, but did not partake in, was the YKillAMooCow food stall, selers of the famous vegan dagwood dog, as well as pies and sausage rolls and other such things. Dagwood Dogs didn't go on sale until 10am, and I was there at 8am. I would have tried one, even though I was never a fan of the dogwood dog, just in the name of research. But I wasn't going to wait. The early hour of the day and the increasing heat of the day also just meant I couldn't actually face the prospect of a meat pie or anything like that, even to take home. Sorry vegan troopers, next time!

All in all, a great morning spent. And I will try and go back there again, on the few times I can. Damn working! Interferes with the shopping and the eating! Tee hee. ;)

2 comments:

  1. What a beautiful pile of produce and cupcakes! It's the fluffy frosting, I can't resist.

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  2. The markets sound fantastic! I tried some Sol rice bread at a cafe near me but the next time I went back they weren't going to re-order it :(

    The cupcakes look yummy and it's a shame you didn't get to try a pie but it sounds like they are always at the markets so you will have to go back!

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