When I was a kid there weren’t (or at least I don’t remember) the farmer’s markets and markets that you see now. What we had was more of a co-operative where there was international food, a deli (with a lot of international wares and cold meats), a butcher, a bakery, and a fruit and veg market. It still exists and when I host Christmas I still go there to get all of the things I need.
It was where I fell in love with a continental loaf (which is apparently also called a continental pasta dura loaf) which I still miss even though it’s been almost twenty years since I could eat wheat bread. It was also where I developed my love of fruit and veg because all of the fresh produce was always so good. I was never very adventurous with my cold meat but my parents loved a bit of mortadella (olive or what I always thought was something akin to capsicum but is apparently a berry) and all sorts of other cold meats you couldn’t get at Coles or Woolies back in the day.
Nowadays, there are still places like that but we also have more and more markets popping up. There was one in South Lake not long ago. We can see this shift in two of the books that were on this year’s Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year Notable lists, both focussing on markets. Having read the books I thought it was about time I wrote a blog about markets.
The Books
Market Day by Carrie Gallasch and Hannah Sommerville
When a girl is given a coin to spend at the market, she thinks carefully about what to buy. She is tempted by the towering stacks of fruit, spinning rides and glass jars filled with sweets. But it isn’t until a stranger gives something to her, without expecting anything in return, that she knows exactly what to do with her coin..
Shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year – Early Childhood
Off To The Market by Alice Oehr
Sunday is market day. We are looking for pumpkin, apples, eggs, and bread. What else will we find? Where did it come from? And what will we make with it? Learn all about produce in this delightful child’s tour of a food market, full of fun facts, delicious new discoveries, and charming characters.
Notable for the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year – Eve Pownall Award for Information Books.
Market Day: A Story Told with Folk Art by Lois Ehlert
On market day, a farm family experiences all the fun and excitement of going to and from the farmers’ market.
Songs
Cooking
As we come into colder weather and with me recovering from the dreaded COVID, my mind has turned to making a vegetable soup. Once we have all of our fresh vegetables (in all of the colours of the rainbow to make sure we’re getting lots of different vitamins, minerals, and nutrients) from the market you can make a hearty, filling, healthy vegetable soup.
