FRUIT AND VEG VOUCHERS / GIPSY HILL AS A VILLAGE FOOD HUB? / ….AND COOKING ON A BUDGET. ALL AT CRYSTAL PALACE FOOD MARKET
With the economic climate as it is, we are always trying to find ways to make the market more inclusive and accessible. Through our work on the Lambeth Food Partnership, where the focus has been on food poverty this year, Laura and I have managed to introduce ROSE vouchers into the market and into Telia’s on Church Road. These vouchers are handed out to families in need with young children to be spent on fruit and veg only. We also have a food bank collection every week (in the yellow bucket) and this week’s requests include toilet roll, toothpaste and instant coffee.
We’re also working with the Lambeth Food Flagship on how we turn Gipsy Hill into a village hub. Their vision is that everyone in the borough has the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to grow, buy, cook and enjoy healthy food with their family, friends and community. Share any ideas you may have with them at the market tomorrow and you will be entered into a fantastic prize draw if you’re a Gipsy Hill resident.
Our next project will be a series of six cooking workshops called “Cooking on a budget”, partly funded by Croydon council. The first one will be with Rachel de Thample on the 14th of November. Rachel will show us how to shop and cook wisely to create a budget meal for four.
Our latest Crystal Palace Transition Town newsletter is out. Get the lowdown on how 40 locals were recently fed lunch made from ‘waste’ food, learn about the new Transition Babies group, and find out how to get involved with the new community led Energy Garden in Crystal Palace station – combining plants with renewable energy sources!
Guest stalls this week
Guest lunch by Bromley Crepes. Sweet organic crepes : choose from lemon and sugar/nutella/nutella and banana. Organic galette made with buckweat flour from Doves Farm: choose from cheese and oven baked ham/cheese and pickles/ grated mozzarella, pesto and tomato on the vine. So good to have crepes back.
Gluten free by Elvira’s Secret Pantry. Cakes: Apple & plum, Victoria sandwich with hazelnut & coconut chocolate spread topped with fresh strawberries (oooohhhhh), Pumpkin & chocolate, Lemon and raspberry polenta, nutty brownies, Courgette & hazelnut, Vegan choccie loaf. Savoury tarts: Spinach & leek, Asparagus, mushroom, tomato & olive with a selection of vegan tarts as well. Oh yes – and lots of breads.
Cakes by Eat & Mess. Here we go ……… Chocolate guinness cake with cream cheese frosting – Spiced apple cake with cinnamon frosting and salted caramel drizzle – White chocolate rose cake with blackberry compote and rose white chocolate ganache – Carrot and walnut cake with winter spices and cream cheese frosting – Individual victoria sponge cakes with raspberry jam and vanilla butter cream – Ginger bread loaf cakes with a glace ginger glaze – Millionaires shortbreads – Victoria plum bake well slices – Cheesecake brownies – Classic dark chic brownies – Black forest cherry brownies – Gingerbread dinosaurs (with proceeds going to CP dinosaurs fund) – Snickers tiffin bars jammed packed with nutty goodness – Bags of acacia honeycomb shards ……… oh yes.
Wine by Wine Scouts Pedro reports, “Come and taste either a biodinamic Italian red Ciu Ciu Bacchus Piaceno, (with a delightful nose of strawberry, morello cherry and liquorice root, this wine has an uncomplicated juiciness that begs for a second and third glass, the blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese bringing flavours of ripe plum, earthiness and minerality) – ‘take a breath’ – or a lovely French white Folle Blanche Luneau-Papin (a dry white wine, 100% Folle Blanche, a variety used in the Loire Valley to produce a lovely, refreshing perfume similar to Muscadet or Picpoul which work ideally as an aperitif, or with oysters). Both wines are new on my list.”
Bodhagaia “Himalayan salt & clay face masks as well as a lovely body scrub are the extras on offer tomorrow plus all the normal range – including my ever popular deodorants. Oh yes – I’m off to India for a while so come and stock up while you can before I go.” Esme
Regular stalls this week
Lunch – weekly: Deli items from Comfort & Joy, proper ham sandwiches (or pastrami – and you can add cheese too) from The Charcuterie Board and Jacob’s Ladder burgers are back at last!
Meat by Jacob’s Ladder Farms: Jayne reports,”We have some of Fidelity Weston’s organic pork this week (and we’ve made some new pork and chilli sausages (yum), which are 20% off along with all the sausages. We’ve also got lots of our own grass fed beef and lamb and plenty of bones for stock and dogs!”
Handmade pasta (gluten free or traditional) from Pastificio Mansi. Pastas: Cavolo nero & Italian sausage ravioli, Gorgonzola and pear half moons, Kale & pine nut ravioli Gluten free: Kale & Parmesan, Artichoke & pecorino Sauces: Broccoli and almond pesto, Fresh tomato.
Cured sliced meats from The Charcuterie Board: Our weekly pie instalment from Owen goes like this. “Oh my God, Crystal Palace loves pies – almost as much as slicing. Amazing. So many pies this week, it’s obscene, come get ’em. Ham, pastrami, bacon, ‘nduja, crackling, salami, Beer Sticks and air-dried muscle meats sliced by Elliot’s fair hand this week. Ham sarnies as ever, with rolls provided by Chas = yum. We also have ciauscolo and soppresada for you – if you don’t know what they are, Google them. They’ll change your life forever.” The Charcuterie Board supplies British cured meats from Moons Green & Native Breeds.
(Ciauscolo = Not your typical Italian sausage. It has the texture of a paté and is eaten spread on a piece of bread. Soppresada = an Italian sausage made from a mixture of coarsely ground or chopped lean and fatty pork, typically seasoned with hot chili peppers or peppercorns. Used as a trendy topping for pizzas.)
Cheese from Blackwoods Cheese: Blackwood’s Cheese are an artisan cheesemonger based in Brockley, who use organic milk from Kent, and also have a selection of cheeses from Neal’s Yard.
Herbs, flowering plants & teas from Gipsy Hill Herbs: Sarah is delighted to announce the launch of a whole new range of herbal teas, infusers and sugars. “Our flavoursome organic tea blends are being developed with a qualified herbalist to provide optimum health benefits. Find meadowsweet and cinnamon: a rich, spicy and warming tea, delicious with added honey, containing the same active ingredients as aspirin and traditionally used to relieve acid stomach as well as headaches. Relax deeply with culinary lavender: a wonderfully relaxing and soothing aromatic tea. And for all us women of a certain age, a double whammy of Everyday Menopause Tea: a nutritive tea for mind and body combining sage, red clover, nettle and rose petal to balance, alongside Women’s Blend: a cooling blend of sage, elderflower, red clover and linden flower to reduce those hot flushes and night sweats. Infusers Teapots for two or mugs for one – elegant, perfect for brewing and dishwasher safe. Lavender Sugar Grown and dried on a Cotswold farm, this lavender is mixed with sugar to make a wonderfully aromatic addition to cakes and biscuits. Want to recycle your old plant pots? Please return your plastic pots to me for recycling! (Clean of course). All plants grown with minimal environmental impact on a small independent nursery in Wallington. Follow Sarah on twitter – @GipsyHillHerbs.
Sustainably caught fish from Veasey’s: Dan says “It’s been a fair week’s fishing in the Channel, we are amazingly still seeing a few summer fish still around such as Red Mullet & John Dory (although its no guarantee that we will have any on the slab). What I can ensure is that we will have plenty of local Sea bass that will be a good size and plenty of Dover Sole and Plaice. You will see that the Plaice are beginning to develop more Roe, some consider this a real delicacy.” You can place an order in advance, or make a special request by phone on 01342 822906, by email on [email protected] and on Twitter @FishmongersFR Veasey and Sons. Find their recipe page here and here’s one for any flat fish.
On the slab…
Dover Sole, All sizes £25 per kilo
Naturally Smoked Haddock – £17.95kg
Wild Line Caught Sea bass – £17.50 per kilo
Cold Smoked Salmon – £3.50 per 100g
Organic Salmon Fillet – £4.00 each or 4 for £15.00
Kiln Hot Smoked Salmon – £2.50 per 100g
Channel caught Cod – Fillet £15.95kg /Whole £7.50kg
Manx Kippers – £1.75 each
Cornish Sardine Fillets – £1.50 per 100g
Large Lowestoft Kippers – £3.00 each
Line caught Cornish Mackerel – £8.95kg
Whole Hot Smoked Mackerel – £5.00 each
Shellfish…… Porthilly Rock Oysters – £1.20 each Live Mussels – £6.00kg Palourde Clams – £12.95kg Beachy Head Crab – £9.50kg Poole Lobsters – £27.50kg
Storecupboard refills from The Grain Grocer: Wade says, “Try using our nuts & seeds to make a delicious #dairyfree milk, perfect heated on colder nights!” Plus, we’ve got coconut oil back in stock. Don’t forget if you bring your own container you get 5% off. In a rush on Saturdays? You can now pre order on the website for click and collect.”
Raw milk, butter, cream etc: From Hook and Son’s farmer Steve’s own organic herd near Eastbourne. There is sometimes ethically raised rose veal from their own herd, alongside organic yoghurt, butter, ghee, cream and yoghurt drinks.
Fruit, veg & salad: Stein & crew at Brambletye, Jason, Paul, Tim etc at Brockmans, Adrian et al at Wild Country Organics and our own CP Patchwork Farm posse.
Brockmans: For all our market news, tweets & photographs: Brockmans Farm. Check out more pictures and videos on the farm Twitter feed.”
Brambletye: Watch out for the first of the new season Concorde pears.
Patchwork Farm: Buy, sell or swap locally grown produce. Please do bring any excess seedlings you might like to exchange. Everyone’s welcome to volunteer on this stall – just ask at the stall. We’ve still got quinces & salad!
Eggs: From Brambletye & Hook.
Bread: From Chas & Momo’s Thornton Heath bakery, Bread Bread (at the Grain Grocer) and Brockwell Bake (on Jacob’s Ladder).
Handmade Palace: Lots on the stall this week. You can also book local pottery courses and find out more about the new exciting upcoming event the SE Art Trail 21st/22nd Nov. Gift wrapping available. Email Beth for more information, or to ask about joining.
Antenna Cafe: will be open all day for coffee, cake or glass of something stronger if you prefer.
Buskers Paradise: Music from Steve Broe & friends. Want to play? Get in touch with Steve via the facebook page.
Would your kid like a taste of being on a stall? Free stalls available for kids, run by kids, swapping books, stickers, cars etc. Get in touch via email. For ages 6 and up.
Into yoga/ballet/zumba or more? Check out the classes at Antenna Studios.
Check out our next door neighbours Haynes Lane Market. It’s a treasure trove of eclectic collectables in there!
The Foodbank: The foodbank needs toilet paper, toothbrushes, instant mash & instant puddings. Including the latest drop off (Tuesday 13 October) we’re now up to 625.7 kilos! Thanks everyone. Collection point at the market every week.
Check out our latest Transition Town newsletter.
Good stuff locally
Want to volunteer at ‘The Triangle’, Barnados? Nicola says “We are able to offer volunteering opportunities for 16 year olds-up to elders and anyone in between. We offer comprehensive training which includes safeguarding, health and safety training etc. Like all organisations, individuals would have to fill in an application form, be interviewed and will also have to do DBS checks. We want to create a valued and learning environment for everyone and can help volunteers build a portfolio of work that they could present at college or work interviews.” Email Nicola for more information.
We are proud to be part of Crystal Palace Transition Town. Wondering who we are, what we do, or how you could get involved? Our blog section is a great place to start.
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CRYSTAL PALACE FOOD MARKET bottom of Haynes Lane / top of Bedwardine Road. Saturdays 10 am to 3 pm.
Now on two sites – the normal Antenna car park site and also in the Haynes Lane market courtyard.
“Meat, vegetables, fruit, eggs, honey, bread, cakes, salads, hot foods, the Cafe Thing, coffee, tea, pastries, cheese, dairy and munch munch more.”
West Norwood Food bank collection: every week at the market. Their shopping list – which changes every so often. – can be found at
http://norwoodbrixton.foodbank.org.uk
(The above is copied from an email; which mentions various links – for full links please go to the market website – Thanks)