Ok, I didn’t plan this, but one of the oldest open air food markets was in our hotel’s back yard. I did plan on going to several food markets, but I had no idea that the second I walked in that I would feel like I was entering a food dream come true.

Imagine if your local farmer’s market tripled in size and almost every vendor was cooking AND selling fresh local foods. My pictures can’t convey the wonder of it all…especially the fabulous smells. Everyone was stirring, frying, cutting, tasting…I was overwhelmed with happy plate-ness and cooking bliss.

Hand-tied homemade sausages. The ties were not just knots, but bows.

I was on a mission for a meringue.

I didn’t eat all of these, but I could have. I got a brownie chocolate meringue. Holy Queen Elizabeth was that a good idea. We also had cheesy bread twists, lavender-mint earl grey tea, and cheese onion pasty.

We ended up in food markets in Shoreditch, Spitalfields, and an Asian market outside the Southbank Center.

I took a Soundpic of the Southbank market so you could hear the moment! Just press play to listen.

And everyday we walked by this giant frying pan of wonderful at an outside restaurant.

John said I smiled every time I saw it. Yes, yes indeed, I did.