Market Days

As you probably already know, I love market days at the Powerhouse especially when it's a clear crisp Brisbane morning.  Jan Power's markets have been established for over a decade now and apparently Gourmet Traveller recently ranked the markets 22nd in Australia and 1st in Queensland in their Top 100 Gourmet Experiences poll.  Whenever I can I try to get there every 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, but you have to get there either quite early or rather late as the mid morning crowd surges to the point of barely being able to move an inch or two at a time!

What I love is that there's always something new that catches my eye; a new stall or display, the changing produce coming into season and then there are always the favourites to return to.  The first image is of the French Sin stall which I find the most tempting with it's beautiful marquee and freshly baked viennoiseries.  One particular fruit and vegetables stall which is a favourite goes to such effort to display everything on lovely old crates, worn timber shelves and rattan baskets.  Yesterday James and I left laden with fresh vegies, an armful of lilies and of course our mandatory pain au chocolat and pain au raisin.  I would love to know if you have similar markets where you live and what they're like!

I hope everyone is enjoying a lovely Easter.

Market Days

I love sunny Saturday mornings spent wandering about the Powerhouse Markets.  It is so refreshing after a week spent in an air-conditioned office and the fact that the skies cleared enough for a little sunshine to appear made me all the more glad to get out and about.  While James caught up with Stuart for breakfast at Lady Marmalade, I met up with Caroline for a market breakfast of my favourite pain au raisin from the French Sin patisserie stall and a Merlo coffee to clear the cobwebs before meandering our way through the produce stalls.  Fresh figs, basil, rosemary, mushrooms, garlic, semolina pasta and big bunches of pink asters were my picks.  The flower lady called her asters recovery flowers as they were the first plantings to bloom after the Queensland floods.  After posting about Parisian macarons during the week I was reminded to try the local market macarons... and they did not disappoint! Tiramisu, Lavender and Pistachio, yum!  Oh dear...

Powerhouse Farmers' Markets

We were graced with the most beautiful Brisbane weather on Saturday morning waking up to glorious sunshine and clear azure skies.  We headed over to the Powerhouse Farmers' Markets to pick up fresh produce and flowers for the special birthday high tea we were hosting the following day.  The markets were so busy with early risers but lovely and colourful with so much to tempt us.  Perhaps it's because I am still thinking of France but I definitely found myself charmed by all the French inspired stalls brimming with macarons and pain au raisin.  I loved the plum tomatoes in the baskets and the cake stall was amazing with towers of the biggest lamingtons I have ever seen! A wonderful way to start the weekend...

Fruit Toast

Sunday morning breakfast of the most delicious fruit toast picked up yesterday from Flour Power. That little bakery is the best kept secret in Brisbane. Although not so secret seeing every time we are there there's always a bit of a queue. Also the best strawberries as always found at Broadway markets. We've only just recently discovered this market thanks to the heads up from Anton and Oi Lai.