Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Markets / David Lebovitz does Borough Market

David Lebovitz does Borough Market

by Jeanne Horak on May 9, 2006 5 Comments in Markets

David-lebovitz-borough-market © J Horak-Druiff 2006

One of my favourite food bloggers these days is David Lebovitz, an American who blogs from Paris (when he has time, in between writing cookbooks and leading chocolate tours!!).  So I was thrilled when Johanna called a few weeks ago to let me know David would be in town.  Of course, if you love food, there is no better way to spend a Saturday morning than rambling around Borough Market, and since David hadn’t been and Johanna and I were due a visit, that’s where we decided to meet up.  We found David sensibly ensconced outside Neal’s Yard munching on a toasted panini (or similar!) absolutely oozing the most divine cheese and onion flavours.  If I hadn’t already had breakfast, David would have been in grave danger of being mugged for his panini…

Borough-Brindisa-ham © J Horak-Druiff 2006

 

But luckily he was spared bodily harm and the three of use set off into the market, chatting, nibbling and generally having a ball.  The first stop was Brindisa, home of all things Spanish and delicious in London, where a most charming young man let us take his picture while he expertly sliced our jamon. There were a couple of hams to choose from but both Johanna and I made a beeline for the Joselito Gran Reserva Iberico ham (made by a small family business from pata negra pigs and reputedly the best ham in Spain).  A wander around the shop also led us to their splendid selection of Spanish vinegars and oils, which were displayed for tasting – and ideal for photographing!  All kinds of interesting stuff like Spanish Jerez vinegar and of course a superb selection of olive oils.

 

Borough-vinegars © J Horak-Druiff 2006

 

From there, we moved on to inspect some of the wonderful fresh produce and meat, nibbling on little free samples wherever we went.  It’s actually quite astonishing how much stuff you can taste in a morning at Borough – everyone is so proud of their wares and David remarked on how friendly all the stallholders are, and how willing they are to chat to the punters.  Funny how it takes a visitor to point out the good things about your home town… 😉

 

Borough-fish © J Horak-Druiff 2006

 

Borough-garlic © J Horak-Druiff 2006

 

Borough-hares © J Horak-Druiff 2006

 

A wander around the fresh produce stalls brought us (amongst other things) to these three items.  First up, at one of the butchers that always has game (name escapes me now) & usually has some sort of animal hanging up outside, there was a collection of fresh rabbits and, on the far right, a fresh wild hare.  Now to someone who grew up in the suburbs, hare & rabbit seem to be much of a muchness, but in the chiller cabinet they had rabbit and hare meat side by side – and they couldn’t be more different in appearance!  Rabbit is to hare what chicken is to ostrich – hard to believe the living beasts look at all similar.  At one of the fruit and vegetable sellers (the one with the singing cashiers!), we found every sort of garlic – smoked, pink, white, giant… and these delightful rose-coloured bulbs.  And of course the fishmongers and their beautifully fresh wares always leave me with the urge to rush home and toss some fresh fish on the BBQ…

 

Borough-mostarda © J Horak-Druiff 2006

 

As we wandered in and out of the shops surrounding the market, we popped into Gastronomica, a charming little Italian deli where Johanna wanted to get some mortadella.  The mortadella was so redolent with truffles that the smell filled the entire shop while the meat was being sliced – heavenly!  While Johanna was getting her truffle fix, David and I were wandering around taking photos when David turned to me and handed me what appeared to be half a glace cherry on a stick.  “Here – try this.  It’s mostarda!”  Popped it in my mouth and yes, it was indeed a cherry in sweet syrup… but then I got a hit of sinus-clearing mustard.  Wow!!  What a little flavour bomb!  It turns out that mostarda is an Italian relish and does indeed consist of fruit that had been preserved in a sweet syrup, but the unique touch is to add some powdered mustard seeds, for that palate-cleansing kick. According to this (Italian) Wikipedia entry, the word mostarda comes from the Latin mustus ardens or burning must (must being the fermented grape juice that originally formed the base for the syrup, and the burning coming from the powdered mustard seeds) and it is supposedly mentioned in writings as far back as the 1300s.  However, it is believed to be an even older recipe than that because the use of swetness and spices was a common way for the Romans to preserve fruit, and it seems likely that this is where modern Italians got the idea from.  There are variations of it made from Piemonte on through the Veneto and down into Emilia Romagna, most of which differ in terms of the fruit used. Amongst otheres, you find Mostarda di Carpi (apples, pears, quinces and walnuts), Mostarda di Uva e Fichi (figs and candied citron), Mostarda di Mantova (apples and pears), and Mostarda di Cremona (made with mixed fruit, and probably the best known).  You will notice that the tureen in Gastronomica said “Mostarda di Vicenza”, but from what I can gather this is made with apples, pears and quinces, whereas what I had far more closely resembled Mostarda di Cremona, so I am going to assume it was Cremona that I tasted.  Either way, it was totally delicious and I can imagine few better ways of rounding off a meal than with cheese, biscuits and a spoonful of mostarda.  Thanks for introducing me, David!

 

Borough-David-Johanna © J Horak-Druiff 2006

 

All this strolling and tasting is hard work, so we thought it was time to grab a cup of coffee – (not at Monmouth where David had been severely told off earlier in the day for unintentionally including an out-of-focus image of somebody in his photograph…  See how we food bloggers suffer for our art! ;-)) and sit down to warm up and chat.  We had a great time discussing the vagaries of living abroad, the vagaries of food blogging, and of course drooling over the idea of attending a chocolate tour in Paris with David.  All too soon, it was time for David to move on and so we said our goodbyes and resolved to meet up again.  Johanna and I swung back through the market where I collected my Joselito ham, a fresh ciabatta, some huge fresh artichokes, and stocked up on Gloucester Old Spot bacon from The Ginger Pig, before heading home after an afternoon well spent.

Come back soon, David!  It’s only a couple of hours on Eurostar 😉

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

Thanks for subscribing! We have sent a confirmation link to your e-mail address – please note you must click the link in order to start receiving updates.

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Paola’s pasta primavera
“Around the World” meme »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. johanna says

    May 12, 2006 at 2:18 pm

    hate to appear as a know-it-all, but believe it was raclette David was having – there’s this man with his cheese wheel next to Neal’s Yard Dairy and he melts the raclette under a grill, spoons it over some boiled potato and garnishes it with pickles… funny how I’ve always been drooling over the idea, but have never made the effort to queue up – same for the Brindisa grilled chorizo sandwiches which apparently are divine, but that means that you have to stand in line for at least 30 minutes before getting your hands on one, and I am just not patient enough for that! we should go again soon, it’s althemore pleasant in summer!

    Reply
  2. keiko says

    May 18, 2006 at 1:01 am

    Hi Jeanne, thank you for the great post – though I don’t think David is coming back soon, he LOVES France 🙂
    I love Johanna’s shopping cart!

    Reply
  3. David L says

    May 21, 2006 at 3:33 pm

    Settle down, it was indeed a sandwich, not the raclette. How could I resist a perfectly-grilled cheese sandwich?!
    But it wasn’t as yummy as that tasty Spanish import (I’m talking about the ham, I think…) Unfortunately the reverberations from that less-than-charming woman at Monmouth scarred me (and scared me) for life from returning to London (someone should alert the tourism office about her) so you and Johanna will just have to come to France and let me show you around, sans the free samples, but perhaps I can find someone to be nasty to you here. But there’s no grilled cheese sandwiches, but there’s plenty of good cheese. And chocolate!

    Reply
  4. Bill Belew says

    May 23, 2006 at 4:37 pm

    You lucky woman! David Lebovitz AND the Borough Market? What better weekend could there be? I am still trying to convince others to go on his chocolate tour with me. Thanks for taking us all “along” on your morning!

    Reply
  5. Jeanne says

    May 24, 2006 at 11:19 am

    Hi Johanna
    I did waver when I was reading about the raclette on David’s site, but in the end I was sure he’d said he was having a sandwich so I went with sandwich – and I was right! [see David’s comment]. But next time we go I will queue up with you to have the raclette as it looks totally divine. And if the weather doesn’t improve soon, we’ll need something to keep us warm when we go!!
    Hi Keiko
    I know – and given a choice, I think I might choose Paris too! J’s shopping cart is great, isn’t it? I always end up weighed down with packets while Johanna looks cool and calm with her cart…
    Hi David
    Hmmm, are you subversively reopening the Great Grilled Cheese Sandwich Debate??! Seriously though, that sandwich smelled like heaven. And as for coming to Paris, yes yes yes! “I can find someone to be nasty to you here” – no, surely not in Paris?!? :o)
    Hi Bill
    I have to say, in the foodie world it doesn’t get much better than Borough Market with a bunch of bloggers… And David & Johanna are particularly good company! Thanks for stopping by & hope to see you again.

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Thanks for subscribing! We have sent a confirmation link to your e-mail address – please note you must click the link in order to start receiving updates.

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Beef, ginger & butternut squash stew in the Wonderbag™ (GF, dairy-free)
  • Deconstructed avocado Ritz with ruby grapefruit (GF, pescatarian, dairy free)
  • L’Atelier Robuchon, Mayfair (2024)
  • Perfect broccoli and Stilton soup (keto, low carb, GF)
  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Oxtail and red wine potjie
Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Jan Ellis pudding - a classic South African dessert
My big, fat South African potato bake
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential
Asynpoeding (Vinegar pudding)

Featured on

Also available on

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Beef butternut ginger and clementine stew - Wonderbag
Avocado and shrimp in a pink sauce with ruby grapefruit segments
Bowls of broccoli and Stilton soup
Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2025 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by Assistant

Copyright © 2025 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT