Having recently moved to cosmopolitan London from deepest Hampshire, I'm still regularly dumbstruck by the abundance of fine food that I now find myself surrounded by. Whilst I may have been able to experience an authentically rural Farmers Market in my previous life out in the sticks, in reality the opportunities to purchase quality ingredients were few and far between.
In contrast, I can hardly walk down a street in the capital without stumbling upon some delectable deli, enticing ethnic vegetable market or beautiful bakery. On every corner there's an intriguing independent coffee house, ideal for the girl whose best gossiping accessories are a chai latte and a wedge of cake. Here in the big smoke you no longer need to visit Starbucks for your daily espresso fix - though there are also plenty of those if you still can't tear yourself away!
When it comes to the hunt for decent produce in London, there's one place that stands head and shoulders above the rest: Borough Market. An Aladdin's cave filled with wonders that will set your mouth watering and your tastebuds tingling - icecream made with goats milk, super smoothies packed with wheatgrass, crème caramel all the way from France...you name it, they sell it.
So it was simply a matter of time before I joined the throngs of eager tourists and hungry locals in the pilgrimage to this foodie Mecca. Borough is a hive of activity on Saturdays, so I'd recommend arriving in time to grab breakfast when the market opens at 8am, or visiting on a Thursday or Friday afternoon if you'd prefer a more leisurely stroll through London's top delicatessen.
A full-on sensory experience, I found it easy to lose myself in the maze of stalls and its litany of culinary delights (as the gallery of snapshots below demonstrates). The only difficulty I had was resisting the temptation to tuck into my gooey chunk of Artisan Foods' chocolate brownie before having lunch!
Check out Katy Riddle's diary of taste sensations at The Feelgood Foodbook
Comptoir Gourmand's mountain of crisp meringues
Pieminster's perfect pastry cases and flavoursome fillings
If you prefer savoury treats to ice-cream, look no further - mozzarella balls with pesto
Drunk cheese! This wine-soaked cheese from L'ubriaco has an amazing fruity flavour
Irresistible hot duck confit rilette rolls courtesy of Le Marche de Quartier
A rainbow of vitamin-packed fresh fruits and juices in the Middle Market
Experience the full sights and smells of nautical life at Furness Fish and Game
Lunch! A healthy and delicious quinoa burger with carrot salsa and houmous from The Veggie Table