Oysters & Oxtail

Gotta luv the catchy title of your blog.  How long have you been writing about your foodie experiences and why blogging

Thank you!  I started blogging in April 2012 mainly as a platform to practise writing. Food seemed like an obvious topic given that I was spending a lot of time reading about, shopping for and cooking it - why not write about it too!

What's great about blogging is that you can instantly self-publish and you can write exactly what you want.  Even if you don't care whether anyone reads it (which I certainly didn't to begin with), it forces you to be disciplined in a way that, say, simply writing a journal wouldn't.  I loved blogging so much that I started a food writing course with the University of Adelaide this year.  Unfortunately I had no time to keep up the blog as well, and it's currently still on hold while I figure out what's next.

Your article on Marrickville Markets is the perfect blend of words and photos.  How difficult is it to select which photos to include, or do you simply let the "moment" dictate or guide you to the end result

My post on Marrickville Markets has a far greater proportion of photos to words than most of my posts.  I really wanted to celebrate the markets and share the visitor experience with others

and I decided to just let the photos do the talking on this occasion.  After a good hour or so snapping away, I had an awful lot of photos and it was very difficult to edit them down - what's on the blog (which you can read "here") is just a fraction of what I took.

Marrickville Markets - as with so many markets - are so visually appealing and such rich, exciting material to photograph.  In selecting the best photos I think about composition, colour, texture - and with market photography I really like some element of human interaction.

How inspiring are markets like ours, to not only shop at but then to go and use the produce bought in a recipe book or two you may have lying around the at home

Absolutely!  The definition of my ideal Sunday would be to cycle to Marrickville Markets with my husband, buy lots of beautiful produce (and eat delicious things on the way round!), go home and cook a new recipe while listening to Radio National (I know, I'm starting to sound like a cliche!) and then eat it with a few glasses of wine.

From your perspective as not only a blogger but also a shopper, what is it about markets that make them "real"

What makes farmers' markets "real" is that direct connection with the people who grow and make the produce.  In today's Western world of food as a hugely commercial commodity controlled by a few powerful, faceless corporations, markets are increasingly popular as a way to experience a more authentic relationship with our food and where it comes from.  There's a beautiful sense of community that comes from sharing that experience of the market with other like-minded people.

If you had to sum up the world of Oysters & Oxtail in 5 words what would they be

For the love of food

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And on that note we say an ENORMOUS thank you to Oysters & Oxtail for not only sharing some of her time with us, but for writing an incredible blog on Marrickville Markets and sharing a little bit of insight as to why she feels markets like ours are an important part of today's busy, chaotic lifestyle where we all need to take time to "breath", enjoy the moment and get back to basics 

The City Gourmand

Being suckers for branding and names we LOVE yours!  How long have you been blogging and what is it about local markets and produce that started you on this journey

Thanks very much!  The City Gourmand started back in July 2011, so it's had a few birthdays already, which is difficult to believe.  Being one of those annoying Asian girls that takes photos of nearly everything they eat, it was almost a natural progression into the blogging world.  It's essentially a visual diary of the food that I love to eat. Don't be fooled by the blog title.  Yes, I love fine dining in the iconic cities (Barcelona, London and Sydney of course) but sometimes the best food comes from your own kitchen.

One of the best things about the food scene is the emergence of farmer's markets that have sprouted up in the most convenient locations.  Kings Cross Organic Food Markets just so happens to be my local.

It harks back to the days of our parents who would visit the markets several times a day, being without modern refrigeration.  Today, food travels halfway around across the world to reach our shores (the concept of "food miles") and defying nature's seasons.  Yes, you can have pomegranate any time of the year, except it is flown all the way from Afghanistan.

So the philosophy of Buy & Eat Local is actually a compelling one.  What's more, we can support Australian farmers directly, cutting out the middleman.  There is something special about forging a relationship with local producers or farmers.  This is something that I am passionate about and write about regularly (see "here").

What is it in particular about markets, such as ours that need to be embraced and nurtured from your point of view

Well first of all, we need to spread the word about organic farmers markets!  They may not be as convenient as big chain supermarkets, but your shop will certainly be fresher and of higher quality.

Organic fruits & vegetables have a certain stigma attached to them, namely the price tag.  The important thing to remember is you don't have to try and shift mountains. One or two organic items per week and you're well on the way to improve your well being.

Another thing is to be adventurous!  Don't be intimidated by weird or wacky ingredients.  Though Sydneysider food vernacular is rather impressive, there are things that we tend to steer clear of.  Try your hand at cooking offal or a new heirloom vegetable like kohlrabi!

And if in doubt, ask the stallholder - their passion for their product is infectious!

Through your writings and observations, have you noticed a trend in the way people are now shopping, where perhaps they are making their weekly market shopping an outing rather than a dash in and dash out type of experience

It is true that people are ridiculously time poor these days.  Life often tends to get ahead of us.  An early morning visit to the local markets can be such an enjoyable experience and it's a great way to catch a few rays.

Indeed, I have noticed that the markets have become a bit of a forum for families, pets and farmers alike....it's incredibly social.  

So the new routine is this: arrive and make a beeline for a coffee, grab a brekkie egg & bacon roll and then peruse at your leisure.  Or maybe a few quick fire rounds of "Guess Who" if you are Kings Cross!  I tend to buy as much as I can, be it fruits or veg from organic producers and supplement my shop at a grocer only if I have to.

The farmers markets are a wonderful way to slow down, if only for an hour so, and I think that many are now starting to realising this.

What is one of your more favoured meals to prepare using fresh produce bought at market

On a lazy weekend, stay true to the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!).  With minimal interference to such lovely ingredients, you can make an amazing spread for lunch or dinner.

In the same vein, I love making "Market Bruschette" with bits and pieces I've bought from the market.

Anything goes really... a few slices of sourdough, proscuitto, buffalo mozarella, heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil et voila!  I'm making myself hungry just talking about this!

If you had to sum up the "vibe" of shopping at Kings Cross Markets in 5 words......

These aren't necessarily "vibe" specific but:

• Community
• Buzz
• Abundance
• Variety
• Feast

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Insightful, articulated, absolutely what we strive to aim towards and humbled by The City Gourmand's words.  We thank her for such an inspiring interview and are certain that everyone who reads not only these words but also her own musings (which can be found "here") will gain a deeper understanding as to why buying local, buying fresh and keeping it real is so important these days of hustle and bustle.