Rolls Say,10 and his sister Regina,8, were stabbed to death by their father on February 13, 2011. Their throats had been cut and Rolls had suffered a head injury. They had also suffered knife wounds as they attempted to defend themselves. The father, Jean Francis Say, 62 was arrested at the scene and charged with two counts of murder. The prosecution said he killed Rolls and Regina to spite his estranged wife Antoinette, 44, after finding out he would be evicted from his flat. He had lost his entitlement to the property because she and the children had moved out. On December 8, 2011, he appeared at the Old Bailey to admit the murder of both children. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 30 years before parole.

I have two children of my own and I can’t imagine the crime that befell Regina and Rolls Say. It seems against every human instinct to murder your own children. This was the second time I had come to photograph a murder site where children had died. For some reason I expected to encounter someone who would object to my presence but when I got to Empire Square, the modern block of flats where Rolls and Regina lived, I was met with eery silence. It was a very bright winter day and light streaked through every crevice of the buildings. I photographed the entire building at first but gravitated to the entrance where some flowers lay. Among  the flowers, portraits of the 2 kids stood out, smiling as you would expect kids their age to do. The memorial was already wilting from the harsh sunlight and freezing temperatures. I hung around for an hour walking around the building. I could see the blacked out windows to the flat where the murder had happened. Finally as I was deciding to leave a woman came up to me asking who I was working for. She sadly told me what she knew and said that there had already been a dispute over the flowers. Some over zealous cleaner had tried to remove them after a couple of days. I had wondered already how long these makeshift memorials survived and who decides when to remove them. She said they should remain as long as they survive the elements.

An Interactive Map of the murder sites I have written about so far.

The Landscape of Murder Photos

The Caption Information comes from the MurderMap Website and the MPS Press Bureau

Photo Credit Getty

Rapper Jay-Z’s next business venture will be signing new talent, but not in the music industry.

Jay-Z started Roc Nation Sports, a sports agency that represents and manages athletes.  The native New York rapper and Yankees fan signed Yankee baseman Robinson Cano, who fired his agent and is currently negotiating a contract extension with the team.

Jay-Z has already ventured into the sports world before creating Roc Nation Sports.  He first befriended Alex Rodriguez and convinced him to stay with the Yankees in 2007, helping him become the highest paid player in Major League Baseball.  Rodriguez later went on to mentor Cano.

After Baseball, Jay-Z acquired the New Jersey Nets and moved the professional basketball team to Brooklyn in the new Barclays Center.  Following the acquisition and move, he became the executive producer of the NBA 2k13 video game by 2K Sports, a game that got generally favorable reviews.

Jay-Z isn’t the first rapper to recently venture into sports management.  Last year, fellow New York rapper 50 Cent started SMS, a boxing promotion company, after falling out with boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his TMT (The Money Team) Promotions company.

We started with the oyster with a smoked lemon ice and pickled shallots. The oysters were perfectly shucked with all of that beautiful liquor and the smoked lemon ice and shallots added to the dish without masking the essence of the oyster. Next, was the soup which consisted of champagne, fingerling potato chips, black truffles, and chives. They do a table presentation which was a nice touch. The bowl comes with all of the components and then a velvety texture of potato and cream is poured into the bowl. This dish was perfectly executed and tasty. That being said it was a little boring.

For the third appetizer we had fried cauliflower which had pickled chiles, a fried oyster,caper berries, fried parsley and some sort of sauce. I couldn’t put my finger on the sauce but this dish to me was almost great.  I’m a huge fan of salt but I found the cauliflower too salty. Then to pair it with salty caper berries didn’t make sense to me. The fried oyster was awesome. I also am a whore for any fried herb. I think with a little tweaking this could be a killer.

Moving on to the entrees we had octopus with butternut squash, soy, daikon, cilantro, lime, and peanuts. This dish was a knockout. The flavor was a perfect balance of salty, sweet and sour. The octopus was extremely tender. Killer dish period.

The pork belly with manilla clams, fresh soba, shitakes, and kimchi dashi was okay. When ordering I was most excited about this dish. Although all the flavors worked it was missing that pop. I couldn’t really put my finger on it. Maybe missing some sort of brightness. The pork belly was also overcooked. I know some people are picky about things that you have to chew more than once, but this was cooked to oblivion. I didn’t pick up much kimchi and the flavor of the broth tasted like nothing but ham.

Next was the skate with baby artichokes, parsley, capers, brown butter, and lemon. The plating was gorgeous and I liked the dish. The farro cooked in chicken stock and squid ink was awesome. When I got a bite of everything together I really enjoyed the dish. The only negative I would say is that the skate was a little overcooked. That being said I appreciate them having skate and sturgeon on the menu. People need to get past tuna, salmon and halibut.  There are other fish in the sea.

Finally we finished the meal with dessert. Let me start by saying I’m really not much of a dessert guy.  That being said, this was really good.  The brioche donuts were fried perfectly and tossed in cinnamon sugar. They then served this incredible espresso cream with some sort of foam, and chocolate dipped bacon. This is the best dessert I can remember eating.

The Gladstone, where I stayed

Bubbleology, where i tried my first ever Bubble Tea!

I went for apple, and I can’t say i was too impressed.

Absolutely destroyed a Nando’s

Then it was on to Brick Lane where I saw this awesome graffiti that I fell in love with.

And this!

We ended up in Beyond Retro (which is my new favourite shop by the way!) where I came across this beautiful puddycat among the scarves.

The next day was Borough Market, full of lots of yummy food

I was then taken to Monmouth (The most amazing coffee shop) and bought a Flat White (my new favourite coffee) which warmed me up after the harsh cold of England attacked

If you are ever in London and looking for a pub with good live music, I would definitely recommend The Gladstone Arms in Borough. I may be a bit biassed as I have a personal attatchment to the pub, but it does serve the nicest pies and Monday 8th March 2013 The Gladstone Arms will be hosting an Irish music night.I hope you all had a very lovely long easter weekend

Peddling all the way to Pitcairn is quite an undertaking, but it was a lifelong dream that actor and new film-maker Julian McDonnell set out to accomplish in his documentary Take Me To Pitcairn.

“I’m just a bloke. I’m an actor, though not a very good one,” he begins. “I’m a pedlar; I sell kites.” Holding a rather rare Pedlar’s certificate that allows him to traipse across Britain selling his wares, Julian has been trying to move into filmmaking and presenting. “I didn’t have a showreel so I got a little camcorder and started filming and interviewing people,” he says.

A lifelong fascination with Mutiny on the Bounty sparked the idea for Take Me To Pitcairn. “Since I was fifteen years old I’ve been fascinated by the romance, sunshine, adventure, survival , mystery and exoticism of it all,” he says. After some research he realised he was not alone in this. However pulling together the funds to physically get there was certainly not smooth sailing, by any means. “I’m a bloke with no budget and it’s an odd insular, isolated place, they only get about two ships per year,” he explains. After convincing a charter boat to take him for free, Julian set off to follow in the footsteps of the HMS Bounty mutineers. With several  hiccups along the way, including a difficult captain and plenty of colourful characters, it turned out to be quite a mission. “It’s basically a story of one man trying to get to Pitcairn island on a tiny budget and it looking like his dreams are basically going to be shattered,” Julian reveals.

The three year project started off as a simple historical documentary and quickly became a 55 minute travel romp docu-drama. Vox pops featured in the beginning of the film were conducted at the Thames festival while the sea-shanties were written and recorded by Julian’s sister L’il Lost Lou and the incidental music by Daniel Waples, both of whom frequently busk on the Southbank.

A screening of Take Me To Pitcairn along with a director Q&A will be held at the Roxy Bar and Screen on April 20 at 3pm. Admission: £4 (£2 for Roxy members). Phone: 020 7407 4057.
http://www.roxybarandscreen.com

Stepping out of his New York comfort zone Woody Allen’s 2005 London-based dramatic thriller Match Point reinforced for adulterers and criminals everywhere that bridges should always be the first stop-off point after a crime scene. The film climaxes with retired tennis pro Chris (Jonathon Rhys Meyers) using Blackfriar’s Bridge to artfully dispose of incriminating evidence after an affair with Scarlett Johansson goes terribly awry.

Best for…parallel universes

Arguably one of Gwyneth Paltrow’s most versatile roles (she plays a long-haired brunette, a short-haired blonde AND does a British accent all in one movie!) the 1998 Sliding Doors is a lesson to us all about the perilous alternate reality that can result from missing the tube. Filmed at Waterloo Underground, the film opens with protagonist Helen getting fired and missing her train by a split second as a result of a child not walking on the right hand side of the stairs, which has devastating effects, obviously.

Best for…taking the law into your own hands

British crime thriller Harry Brown (2009) sees Royal Marines veteran / senior citizen Michael Caine taking the law into his own hands, south London vigilante style, after the grim Elephant and Castle housing estate where he lives becomes over-run with gangs who murder his friend. Filmed on the abandoned Heygate Estate, Caine single-handedly destroys the estate’s entire gang culture and dramatically reduces Southwark’s crime levels, which the police subsequently take full credit for!

Best for…aversion therapy

Set in a dystopian future Britain, one of the most disturbing scenes from Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 film A Clockwork Orange was actually shot in Nettlefold Hall above West Norwood library. While in prison sociopath Alex (Malcolm McDowell) is subjected to experimental aversion therapy for rehabilitating criminals, where he is drugged with nausea-inducing medication and forced to watch violent movies. The doctor administering the eye drops in the scene was actually a trainee physician; during the filming of the scene McDowell suffered a scratched cornea and was temporarily blinded.

Best for… unrealistically good real estate

Though her diary may suggest otherwise, singleton Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) enjoys quite a luxurious London lifestyle in the 2001 Bridget Jones’ Diary. Despite earning a UK-standard communications salary, Bridget’s iconic abode is a one-bedroom flat above the Globe Tavern in trendy Borough Market. More realistically one pivotal scene shows a stuffy Colin Firth awkwardly confessing his love for Bridget through the intercom to her flat while liquored-up onlookers scoffing late night kebabs cheer on.

Best for… getting stabbed

Playing pimp Derek in the award winning 2006 London to Brighton, Bermondsey boy Johnny Harris is the victim of a violent attack under the arches near the St James’ Tavern on St James Road in Bermondsey. Direct reference is made to the local pub when Derek tells his friend on the phone “I’m outside the Jaymo.”

Other notable mentions: 

Chevy Chase literally drives his family round the bend in National Lampoon’s European Vacation when he gets stuck on the Lambeth Bridge roundabout.

Wreckage scenes from The Fast and the Furious 6 were shot on Lambeth Bridge

In Mission Impossible Tom Cruise drops into the Anchor Bankside pub for a pint.

When vigilante Paul Kersey arrives back in New York for the 1985 Death Wish 3 he was actually in Lambeth where a number of scenes were shot at the old Lambeth Hospital.

Brad Pitt fought off zombies at the Heygate Estate for his upcoming zombie thriller World War Z.

Michael Winterbottom’s controversial 9 Songs is centred around Brixton’s O2 Academy where a pair of young lovers bond over their passion for live music.

Hugh Grant declares his love for Andie MacDowell on Waterloo Bridge in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne tries to lead a journalist away from a dramatic sniper attack in Waterloo station in the Bourne Ultimatum.

Start your day at The Kernel Brewery, which has moved from an archway in Maltby street to another further down in Bermondsey. It’s in between The Butchery and The Ham & Cheese Co..

Before you get to the brewery pick up some parmesan, buffalo mozarella, fennel salami, panchetta or anything on offer to scoff with the beer. You can also do a food shop for saturday dinner or sunday lunch.

The brewery is normally pretty busy from 12pm and kid friendly. There is always a lot on offer from tap to bottles. To their popular Citra and award winning London Export Stout.  At the moment there’s a     sour which is definitely worth trying if you want something different.

10 min walk to Partizan Brewing where head brewer Andy Smith serves your beers amongst his brewing kit. There were eight ranges (The Jolly Butchers stock the whole range) and a funny named beer called Wakatu, named after a hop from NZ. There were also prints on sale from the amazing Alec Doherty, who’s designs grace the Partizan bottles.

Next Brew Wharf which is situated in Borough Market, was very busy due to the popular location. Had their own Dark Ale, Pale Ale and Porter on tap brewed on the premises. The brewing kit is on show, if you want a nosy peak. It also had an extensive range of beers from London’s own Meantime Brewing Co., Europe, Australia and the USA. If you’ve not been to Borough Market this is definitely worth a visit.

Remember to bring lots of cash and a backpack to take suplies home.

Bottles from £2.40- 2.80.

We’ve also heard that Brew By Numbers will be opening its door soon so even more reason to head to Bermondsey/Borough area.

CeaseFirePA and a group of local politicians spoke out in favor of background checks in West Chester on Saturday.

In the most recent of a series of rallies staged by area gun reform groups, West Chester Mayor Carolyn Comitta and a handful of county officials held a pointed press conference in the borough on Saturday, the Delaware County Daily Times is reporting.

The speakers, in tandem with CeaseFirePA—an organization that, according to its mission statement, aims to encourage Pennsylvanians to take a stand against gun violence—spoke out in favor of a proposal that would mandate background checks and more robust records for all private gun sales in the state….

read more at West Chester Patch

Defining strategies 

I guess I am not writing something new, but the last months have been eye openers and a great learning curve.  Looking at strategies and working methodologies, I have come to quite a full circle from looking at known territories to practically trying out new strategies in story telling.

Here I list some of them:

• Defining the story through the life of an individual or a family
• Defining the story in a philosophical way. Looking at symbols that would represent it
• Define a group (community and group of people) that belong to the story and narrate through them
• A combination of defining a group and what are those things that would link them

The strategy that worked better was creating the story as a whole. The estates became the main subject, and within them the residents that inhabit them. I have been taking portraits of residents in their homes.  This is to convey that the estates are not just brick walls, but that beyond them there are lives and stories.  Not only, working with their voices by taking audio recordings of their feelings over the planned demolitions has helped a great deal in defining the narration of this story.  By rendering them a voice which has not been listened to in the context of things has been very important to me. The campaign dubbed the “Peoples Estates” along with their petitions, discussions and preparation for judicial reviews is the thread that unites them and holds the story together.

Residents of West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates say no to demotion

West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates

When Jill moved into the estates she thought this would have been her last home

Harold is a resident of West Kensington estates for 20 years

Borough

http://www.boroughmpls.com/
#

730 North Washington Ave. Minneapolis MN 55401

612-354-3135

Chick 3 AKA Kristi

Dining without my companion chicks, this evening is a birthday outing with a dear friend.  Who wouldn’t love a great meal as a birthday gift?  I know how to show foodie love to the special people in my life.  The casual but eclectic space is open and welcoming and I love that the entire front of the restaurant is a window view of the cars driving by on Washington Avenue. I love the quirky framed mirror wall and cheese grater cleverly used as pendant lights.   Their patio is off to the side and should be a hit if warmer weather ever arrives in Minnesota.  It’s been a long and snowy winter season here folks!

Service at Borough is engaging and friendly.  Our server, Yusef, passionately described some of the dishes on the menu, aptly explaining their course offerings as moving from small to larger portion sizes.  Rarely do I encounter someone who is as adept at describing food as you’d imagine the chef himself would do if he were standing table side.  I was ready to give him a standing ovation for his contribution to one of the most enjoyable dining experiences.  Ever.

We started with what initially seems to be a simple mixed green salad, instead surprises await you with three creative presentations in parmesan.  My favorite taste of the evening, Octopus.  Bold flavors from the soy, peanuts and lime wonderfully complemented each creamy and tender octopus tentacle bite.  Slow braised, then grilled for the added layer of smokiness, this was one of the best dished I’ve eaten anywhere.  Beautiful, huh?

We split the Skate entrée, flakey and light tasting, paired with artichoke and a brown butter sauce.  Dessert, which came from the “Second” section of the menu, at the suggestion of Yusef, was the Foie Gras.  For you sweet and savory lovers, this is your happy ending to a great meal.  Brioche toast points,  a toasty marshmellow and a scoop of ice cream.  Trust me (and Yusef) on this one.

Last, but certainly not least, I suggest you do visit Parlour.   Located downstairs from the main dining room of Borough, it’s a dimly lit hideaway with it’s own energetic buzz.  Find a seat at the bar or one of the comfy high backed chairs.  Enjoy an abbreviated version of the upstairs Borough menu and some of the most interesting sounding cocktails in the Twin Cities.  The Whole Thing Has Gone Pear Shaped consists of spiced pear vodka, pear liqueur, dimmi, cinnamon and a fragrant sage leaf.  In a word, WOW.  What a great cocktail.

NYC – View from the top of the World Trade Center (copyright 2010 JoshWillTravel)

East River, FDR Drive (South Street), Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn.

 “People fight to the death over half-truths. The full truth would be too self-evident to fight for.”

 “Genius is one per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration. Talent is 100 per cent perspiration.”

“Peoples who make history get stuck in it.”

“Provincialism is not of location but of the mind.”

“Trade could not be managed  by those who manage it, if it were difficult” – Dr Johnson.

“Only the eternal is new” – Collingwood

“Only reality is innovative” – Julian Marias

“All experience is past, yet we have nothing else to go on and are condemned for ever to remake the past in the future. All memory, too, is of the past.   Too great a past loads down an individual or a nation.” Blogsam

HarperCollins, 1999, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Photographs;

From the cover: John Majors autobiography is one of the most personal and revealing ever written by a former British Prime Minister. Eagerly awaited, the account of his childhood, rise and fall is scrupulous and unsparing.

Majors early life was extraordinary; his rise through Parliament meteoric. Soon a favourite of Margaret Thatcher, he became Foreign Secretary and then Chancellor of the Exchequer. When Thatcher fell, he fought and won a shrewd campaign to succeed her.

With the difficulties of the Gulf War and the Maastricht Treaty behind him, and the Poll Tax abolished, John Major went on to win a remarkable victory in the general election of 1992. He brought down inflation and ushered in a solid economic recovery. He made the most decisive steps for a generation towards peace in Northern Ireland. Yet within months of the 1992 election his government was in troubled waters. John Major is candid about his fight to keep sterling in the Exchange Rate Mechanism and for the first time makes public his reactions to defeat on Black Wednesday. He is frank about the civil war that emerged within his own party over Britains relationship with the European Union. He is honest about what he won and what he lost, and about friends and foes within his party as well as outside.

In his leadership of his party and his country and in facing up to the new order after May 1997 John Major acted with a dignity rare in politics. The Tories continuing internal struggles since their defeat serve only to intensify interest in his leadership through the Conservative Partys last period of power this century.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper. Text complete, clean and tight.

Black boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. [XXIII] 774 pages. Index. 9½” x 6¼”.

This book will be eventually reach my delightful website…(added to my Biography category.) but get 60% off buying from this very blog blog… Buy it now for just £2.60 + P&P! Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

More than pizza, pastrami, and cheesecake, nothing says New York City like a Black & White cookie.  Before moving to New York, I had the opportunity to eat inferior versions of all three of these things, but Black & Whites were not so easy to find outside of the city’s limits.  On top of B&Ws’ rarity in others parts of the country, half cookie, half cake, half chocolate, half vanilla, this cookie is the embodiment of any jaded New Yorker’s indecisiveness.  With so many cuisines at one’s fingertips at all hours of the day, it can be hard to make any culinary decision—and so the invention of an iconic dessert that makes it that much easier for New Yorkers to have it all, all at once.

Since New Yorkers also always expect only the best, I decided to go on a journey for the city’s best Black & White, and so commenced the Battle of the Black & White.  Relying on the opinions of an expert panel of sweets-eaters, including a man who has been devouring Black & Whites for over sixty years (my father), five B&Ws were chosen based on reputation alone and judged on icing taste and texture, cake consistency, and, of course, the B&Ws’ ability to strike that perfect chord between cookie and cake.  After a grueling skirmish, (much more taxing to my belt buckle than anything else), the results are in!

In last place (although, keep in mind, these are all cookies so nobody is really a loser here) is Prospect Heights’ Joyce Bakeshop.  I had high hopes for these smaller B&Ws after visiting this cute and cozy location with (by far) the friendliest staff.  The cookies weren’t wrapped in plastic—another good sign!—however, these were the smallest of the five, and not the cheapest ($2.75 each).  Joyce Bakeshop’s buttery icing was delicious, but was gooey and so didn’t harden like a signature B&W.  Furthermore, the dough was more crunchy than cake-y.  In the end, it seems Joyce Bakeshop might have been trying to give a new twist to the original B&W recipe, but strayed too far from norm.

Representing New York’s corner delis is Midtown’s Ess-a-Bagel.  For all chocolate lovers out there, Ess-a-Bagel’s B&W had, by far, the best chocolate icing ($2.25 each).  However, the B&W is all about the ying and the yang, and unfortunately the chocolate icing was not enough to boost Ess-a-Bagel’s overall score.  Slightly dry cake and a packaged taste, Ess-a-Bagel’s B&W lands at fourth.

Next came Brooklyn’s Junior’s ($2.25 each).  Known for their cheesecakes, Junior’s B&Ws’ cake, fluffy and moist with a homemade taste, did not disappoint.  The only thing keeping Junior’s from the top was a slightly-too-sweet icing, both chocolate and vanilla.

In second place, the esteemed and most expensive William Greenberg Jr. Desserts ($3.50 each).  One would expect a lot from this Upper East Side, Madison Avenue establishment simply from the fancy name—and overall, these cookies come with the most expectations (even Oprah has given them her stamp of approval).  William Greenberg Dessert’s B&Ws’ cake was moist and stayed that way the longest.  Their chocolate had a hint of coffee that made it that much richer, and the vanilla icing was sweet without being too sweet.

In the end, heavy-hitter William Greenberg’s B&Ws’ slightly skewed cake-to-cookie ratio kept it from taking first prize.  Instead, in first place is…(rolling pin drum roll please)….the Upper West Side’s NUSSBAUM & WU!   Right next to Columbia’s campus, Nussbaum & Wu’s B&W is the biggest for your buck ($2.75 each) and their combination of fluffy cake and fondant icing struck the perfect balance between the crunch of a cookie and the softness of cake.  The icing was sweet but not too sweet, and there was not too much cakey-cookie and not too little, making this B&W just right.  Furthermore, obviously baked that day and having never been wrapped in plastic, Nussbaum & Wu’s B&W tasted the most homemade.  Congratulations Nussbaum & Wu, you are the winner and will undoubtedly be helping Columbia’s students reach their freshman fifteen for many years to come!

For a week or two the arrival of the new Pope will silence the snarls.  Then someone will dig up allegations that he colluded in extinguishing the Marxists guerrillas in the 1980s who were hellbent bent on wrecking Argentina as a nation with western leanings.  These allegations will form part – just you see  –  of the nasty undercurrent of anti-religious sentiment slopping about in our decadent West.  Bigotry is always unpleasant and doubly so when it is the bigotry of disbelievers  – a sort of evangelical  nihilism.  One begins to wonder at the sanity of its proponents.  If you don’t believe in something, why go on about it?  Shutting up would be good.

I’m a bit of a Borough Market regular myself. On the coldest day of the year, I was surprised to find the market more packed than ever, as the legendary aromas just draw people in.

If you’re walking into the market from the London Bridge end, heaven awaits you…

Trust me, this could be lunch…

If there is one thing I keep going back for it is the organic chicken wrap; it is simplicity itself with mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce, but because the chicken is such good quality, I can guarantee you’ve never had one as tasty. Wyndham poultry sits in the middle market. You’ll stand there with sauce running down your hand, dripping onto your shoes, but I promise you it will be worth it!

It’s ok, I’m organic..

As I waded through lusty stalls laden with homemade cakes of all variety, I stopped in my tracks when I saw a sight that both delighted and horrified me at the same time.
Cheese.

Donations to Free The Cheese Fund made here..

There it was. Oozing out of sandwiches and gorged onto potatoes in quantities that had the lactose intolerant of us quaking in our boots. I watched in awe as a strange contraption melted the Somerset raclette off its surface, and seethed in envy as innocent potatoes were smothered with it.

EAL blows the lid off the raclette racket..

This stall was Kappacasein and you’ll find it in the Green market.

The legend that is Borough, I salute you.

PRICING: Wyndham Poultry chicken wrap – £4.50
Kappacasein melted cheese sandwich/Raclette and potatoes – £5/6
RATING: 8

RATING: 8
PRICING: Borough Club Sandwich – £7.50
WRITER: ADRIAN LEACH
WEB: www.boroughmarket.org.uk

Fully Paid Member of the Borough Club

Just outside the City boundaries across London Bridge in SE1, lies the much celebrated and well-loved Borough Food Market. Now the market has a rich and varied history, all of which you can read in much more detail elsewhere, but I am amazed at how many people do not realise where it is, let alone that it actually exists.

As recent as 2010, the market was in danger of becoming extinct due to the expansion of the Crossrail network but fortunately for us with taste buds that stretch further than a subsidised canteen, a compromise was struck between the two parties involved and the market has now benefitted from a little tidy up. Now, although it’s as glamorous as a fat fella in a pair of speedo’s and Jimmy Choos (so last year dahlings), please remember that this is an inner London market and if you’re looking for glitz and glamour then maybe a SW3 postcode may suit. But it is food you are after not décor, so let’s stick to the point of this blog page eh?

Smellivision not provided..

If you enter the market from Borough High St. to the left of Southwark Cathedral down some steps, you will come across some stalls that are not detailed on the official website (www.boroughmarket.org.uk). You will be met by some large pans of paella, hot cider and just further along on your left is a stall just before you enter the “Green Market” section, that I am sure went by the name of Bermondsey Bangers. I am unsure if that’s still what they trade under but anyway, you will hear the music (on my visit, it was late 60’s Ska and Blue Beat blazing out which gets my seal of approval) and if arriving after midday, you will see the queue. Be patient, it’s worth the wait I promise you and anyhow, it will give you time to look at the menu boards. The staff are extremely friendly, humorous and clearly enjoy the job. You can select (and I can personally recommend) the beef with Jalapeno peppers, the pork with organic garlic and venison with black pudding. These “sandwiches” (Baguettes) are packed with a skewer type, sausage shaped mixture of your choice.

You may have to busk for your lunch..

Both my colleague and I plumped for the Borough Club Sandwich (again). At a hefty £7.50 (yes, it’s a pleasure my wallet allows once a month), the customer is treated to a soft baguette the size of a horse racing jockey. Filled with rocket salad, grilled chicken pieces, bacon and grilled halloumi, it’s not exactly small and your doctor would not recommend one but this does the trick on a Friday dinner time after a heavy night out. Add your choice of condiments or sauces (Mayo and Salsa Verde is always a winner) and do remember a fork (you’ll need one to dismantle it without spillage) and get stuck in! It certainly beats a sandwich made and packed on an industrial estate on the outskirts of Berkshire or Essex during the night and although costly, it fills you up. My advice – do not plan much for dinner that evening.

Jockey’s Delight. 5 to 1 at The Clogged Artery Race at Borough!

Borough Food Market is open fully on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays (see website for details on how to get there, various stalls and travel connections, etc).

Not my fault though! Somebody broke into my house taking my beloved camera, taking with him not only my camera, but also my chance to update this blog and keeping in contact with you guys for a long time!

I have replaced my nikon d300s for the same model, but this time, second hand. What they did not steal and nobody will be able to remove is my passion for cooking and photography!!

But lets stop talking about this rather dark episode and move to a more interesting subject.

A couple of Saturdays ago, I paid a visit to London Borough Market, a holy place for good food.

My eyes got fixed in a beautiful cut of sirloin steak from the Northfield Farm stand. It just had the perfect colour and I love the idea of shopping where you know the name of the butcher, the farmer and where the animals were.

Such a beautiful peace of meat had to be cooked in a simple way to give the maximum importance. I just cooked them 2 minutes in each side in a really hot grilled pan. For the garnish, roast potatoes with rosemary, also simple.

A meal from a different world!! Quality come with a prize, but the stomach get really happy.
I leave you a peace for your enjoyment.

Gorgeous tinkling on the piano, and later came a saxophone player and a singer… small band!

As I’ve blogged about Borough Market before, I won’t excite your taste buds too much with snaps of cheeses, fresh fruit and veg and other tasty treats. But, I will show you the tasty-ness of Roast. As the name suggests I thought the best thing to have would be a roast – and as roast pork belly was on the menu that’s what I had. Any excuse for some crackling really.

To start with I had whitebait with tartar sauce. Whitebait usually freak me out a little bit as I have a massive phobia of bones in food, so obviously as you eat the whole fish – head, eyes, bones and all I was a bit dubious. With massive amounts of tartar sauce my phobia was soon forgotten… Boy, they were yummy.

Then onto the roast itself… the pulled porky bit was so tender and the crackling was so crunchy and crusty. The potatoes were perfectly fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside and didn’t go all gloopy with the gravy – always a test of true crispy-ness.

I am usually not a pudding person and much prefer a starter but I saw the people on the next table with this orangey pot thing so thought I fancied that! It was a tapioca pudding with caramelised blood orange, which for those who don’t know what that is – it’s basically like a creamy mush with orange jelly. I haven’t described it as yummy as it was. Initially I was a bit unsure but after a couple of mouthfuls I finished the lot… and eyed up the sticky toffee pudding!

Head to Roast for a really tasty meal after Borough Market – but be warned, you will have to book to fight the yuppy mummies out of the way!

Having lived and studied in London Bridge for 5 years, I would battle the lifts in Guy’s Tower to run to the market for lunch and get back within the hour for afternoon clinics. London Bridge has a sense of nostalgia about it, lots of good, vivid memories.

To be honest I don’t know where to start with this post, so I am going to go with more of a picture diary!

No shortage of good cheese and bread! Personal favourites : Artisan Bakery and 18 month Comté cheese

Truffle, one of life’s luxuries : Although I clearly can’t afford a chunk of it, I did indulge in some of the oil.

Still wondering how I managed to resist these beautiful pastries and meringues!

This gorgeous flower stall caught my eye, and I always read the facts about wheatgrass as I use the powder in cooking, but am yet to try the shot!

Supermarket vegetables just do not compare to these organic beauties! I personally cannot abide raw tomatoes but even they looked good today!

Borough Olives – best olive stall in the market. Personal favourites : Green Olives stuffed with almonds and Black Olives in sundried tomato dressing.

Raclette – mounds of cheesey goodness! A great snack/lunch. Another good one is The Veggie Table : delicious halloumi burgers and salads.

Temptation from sugary treats got the better of me and I indulged in some herbal tea and macarons at Patisserie Lila, cute little tea shop on the edge of the market. I always end my trip here or with a hot drink/nibble from Monmouth coffee or Konditor and Cook.

My purchases :

Black Truffle oil : I went for the black over the white as I like the more peppery flavour, although the white is the more popular.

Seggiano Pesto : Favourite green pesto of all time!

Tahini : Great nutty flavour and a very nutritious addition to salads/dips and into cooking

To be honest I have just touched on a few of the wonders of the market, the are so many more little gems waiting to be discovered (and eaten). If you haven’t been to Borough Market and you like food, please visit immediately! x

Time for a week’s worth of people, kicking off with one of the many traders in Borough Market. Her stall was laden with delicious bread (gutting, given that the detox denies me that), but it was her hair that caught my eye. She acknowledged that I was taking her photo, but I didn’t have the courage to ask her name…

My latest collaboration with Richard can be found a few blogs back at The Future Is Papier Mache. If it’s other city views you are after, then you won’t go far wrong with Mike Osborn‘s work – some stunning shots there.

Jenni Ruiza says growing up in the Bronx she hated it at first but looking back she loved the experience. Growing up in Parkchester as the only child with her parents was not the best thing for Jenni. However, Jenni does remember some highlights such as the oval-shaped fountain during the summer and the christmas wonderland in the winter, one of New Yorks favorite shopping stores Macy’s; and the overall strong Latino community as Jenni quotes “I never felt like I was out-of-place.” Jenni mentions that for now she will remain living in the Bronx for several reasons. Always having lived in the borough, she feels safe, comfortable, its cheaper and that her closest friends and family live here as well.

I asked Jenni what she liked about the Bronx her exact words were “The cheap ass cab rides, the amazeballs Spanish and Italian food, the cute little lounges and bars that keep popping up and the fact that it’s SO HUGE.” Everything isn’t always peaches and cream. Jenni has her dislikes as well. What aggravates Jenni the most about the Bronx is the timing of transportation when going into the city. She also added the dog manuever that never gets cleaned up and how long it takes for snow to clean up after hectic winter storms.

Differentiating the Bronx from other boroughs Jenni says… “It’s definitely one of those boroughs where people feel a sense of pride because of what they did to the borough and not what was forced on us through gentrification. People who live here usually always end up giving back or contributing to the community and I kind of like that we’re becoming modern from within, rather than outside sources forcing us to change.”

If you want to have a good time Jenni suggests for some cooling, The Bronx Beer Hall for the best borough-owned on-tap brew and Tosca Cafe for brunch. As for nightlife Raine Lounge was her pick. I actually visited Raine Lounge with Jenni myself and it is one good choice for some nightlife in the Bronx. In my opinion it was decent in terms of the transportation getting there, the quiet location, and the lounge itself was beautiful. They have this Moroccan theme going on that brings a tranquil vibe. Hookah is provided, drinks arent watered down and the music was on point.

So there you have it readers. Now you know why the “boogie down Bronx” may have got its nickname. And from Bronx native Jenni Ruiza herself she gave you the pickle on what its like growing up in the Bronx as well as still living there. Having a lot more to explore within the borough is one of Jenni’s primary focus as she continues to stick to her roots. For Jenni growing up as latino in the Bronx shaped her as the individual she is today. Jenni Ruiza now 26 has definitely launched out of being “just another latino in the Bronx”. She is now writing sketches and screenplays, performing improv, have a radio show called “Comedy Girls” on blog talk radio, and working on an upcoming series named “Becoming Ricardo”. Jenni Ruiza is definitely on the rise to stardom and is fully equipped to become a successful women of Latino race in her career endeavor theatre.