Barossa Farmers’ Market. A taste for everyone
Another week and Di is writing about another market…No! Wait! Don’t go searching for a new blogger yet! This market is different! I can sum it up in two words: Taster’s Paradise. (Okay, now you can look for a new blogger.)
Still with me? Good for you.
Barossa Market is a every Saturday and the majority of it is in a building. I always appreciate covered markets! A good portion of the produce was outside but a lot of the fun stuff was inside.
Every tried loquats? The texture is like a firm papaya (or paw paw in Australia) but the taste is like a nectarine.
As soon as I walked in the door, while I was waited for my eyes to adjust to the lack of sunlight, my nose started pulling me to the first kiosk. Spices! Sweet and rich. Could it be? Yes! Homemade Chai Tea, all hot and ready. A taste I have had little of in Australia. I was still blinking and trying to read the price for a cup when a woman offered, “Would you like a taste?” I probably looked stunned because she repeated it louder and clearer. This time I had enough where-with-all to say yes, whole heartedly.
It was lovely, good sweetness, lots of cardamon (my favourite chai spice) but after I finished telling her how much I enjoyed it, discovered it was $25 a container of spice. Certainly more than I could finish before we went home so I regretfully left her and her sweet smelling stall behind.
Next door was a flower stall, also sweet smelling, but of course, no samples. So It wasn’t until three more stalls where I’d had a dukkah tasting, a sliver of sausage, and a bit of muffin that I finally noticed the pattern. Everyone that could was offering samples! Many samples! Samples to compare! Samples to share!
One of the original merchants of the Barossa Market, fantastic olive oil. Try one crushed with lemon.
As usual, myself and my market buddies had gone off in different directions as soon as we entered, G in search of coffee and H in search of dinner supplies. Many times I would think, “Ah! Must come back here and get their opinions before I buy!” Well, as fate would have it, many times I did just that and what I had planned to buy was gone! I should have bought those mulberries as soon as I saw them!
Apparently, this sample techniques works far too well. The merchants set up their wares and two hours of frantic sampling and selling later, they are sold out! However, there was still plenty for me to spend money on. Had a most intriguing tasting at the beer kiosk. Yes! Beer! At least six different kinds! I, naturally, had to try the maple porter to which the merchants had to laugh, because although almost every thing in their beer is from Australia, the maple comes from the same place as my accent. While I was proceeding to sample the chocolate stout I was joined by G, and then H. Funny how we all gathered around the ales, isn’t it?
A true Farmers’ Market, they even had baby chicks for sale!
In the end we bought some delectable olive oil, a well hung lamb loin, some new dukkah, two perfectly ripe eggplants, four assorted cheeses (we meant to get only two but he talked us into another and then one more leapt into the bag as a treat from the merchant) and, of course, some of that wonderful beer.
My advice to you if you ever find yourself able to go to the Barossa Farmers’ Market: don’t eat breakfast, go early, buy quickly before they sell out, and enjoy the taste samples. Warning, you will probably spend more than you expected!
Di Foodie 