Yes, it's true, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". That is true for Sjoerd as well. I enjoy my gardening hobby to the Nth degree, that is certain...but I like to do other things as well. I am caught up for the moment and limited by soil and leaf wetness. So, I am caught up with what needed to be done as well as what I can do for the moment, so it was time to take a little trip. This time the Oosterse Markt (Eastern Market) was the destination. The Oosterse Markt is spread over quite a large amount of land. The five covered halls are divided into basically three areas: (1) The veg & fruit, sweets, spices (2) the "street food restaurants and (3) the rest. That means everything from bolts of cloth, electronica, gold buyers/sellers, carpets, religious material, cooking utensils and cutlery and of course mobile fones, music and other little nick-knacks. If you would like to get an idea of how this interesting place looks, just klik on the link below and while the text is only in Dutch, you can klik on the buttons over to the left to see the different markets. You can klik on the fotos over on the right hand side of the page or the words down below the picts that say, "Meer foto's en video's". Each market has a few fotos to look at. Here is the link: http://www.debazaar.nl/bezoekers/onze%2 ... se%20markt One can approach this market any way that they like, but I am in the habit of working it off one hall at the time--from one side to the other. Obviously if you are going there for just one or two things, then you go straight there, look in that section visit a few stalls and bargain for the item(s) and then be on your way. I do not go that frequently, so I want to see it all and try and tik off my shopping list as I go. Even if I do not buy anything, I just enjoy looking at all there is there to buy. I enjoy chatting with some of the stall holders and then punctuate the day with short breaks to eat or drink something. Ahhh--the atmosphere there. It is good, and brings back memories. One of my favourite places is of course the food hall--the variety of veg and fruit. The colourful pyramids of colourful and aromatic spice powders. The spices in rougher, un-ground forms. Canned things from the native countries of the vendors. Fresh bread. All these sights and smells really invigorate the senses. A very heady experience, indeed. The vendors invite you to try things. I found some giant green olives stuffed with a toe of garlic. It was salty, but quite tasty, so tasty that I had to have a little container full. There were some other ones with all manner of herbs in them and they were good as well. I needed some cardamom in the pods and they had that too. Lovely green ones. Gad, I shall have to make some food this week and use those. I sometimes make tea in which go some of these. I have had coffee made with this as well when off in Syria and Jordan. I wanted to pick up a few fruits as well and not all of what I wanted was in season, but some were. There were some huge mangos and some lychee's that found their way into my shopping bag. Moving along to the sweets section, I got a mixed bag of lokum (Turkish Fruit, Turkish Delight). I especially like the red ones with the rose hip flavour but I like the lemon, mint and others as well. Sometimes they are coated in cream of tatar and sometimes with coconut raspings. They are very sweet...but for those who are not faint of heart when it comes to 'sweet', then baklavá is the thing. Baklavá is ultra sweet. You have to REALLY love sweets to eat these. They are made of several things and two of the basis ingredients are walnuts or pistachios. they are made of delicate flaky dough and filled with something. I like the pistachio filling best. They all have exotic and image-invoking names, such as "Nightingale's Nest" and the Sultana's navel", "Vizier's Finger", Lady's Lips"...and many others. The pastries are cut into small pieces (because large ones would be overpowering), they are sometimes sprinkled with ground pistachio...and sitting in about 1/8th inch of honey. (Vendors commonly substitute corn syrup for this). It is also good. I chose 500g of six different ones. Oh dear..... I was able to pick up some Parmesan cheese from a fellow there. His picture is featured on the website that I linked to. On the way out at the end of the day, I also bought four fresh croissants and a large Turkish bread. Here you can see a picture of some things that I came home with. This morning, after the croissants, it was Mango time and here is one cut up and ready to eat. It was exceedingly ripe. There are a number of ways to clean and eat a mango--I find it easiest to cut and let the knife blade slide along side the seed. Then cut a grid in it (not going through the underlying skin) and then push upwards on the skin underneith. The mango half bulges upwards and the grid spreads and you have lots of squares of mango to bite off one at the time. This is not messy. Eating mangos can be very messy with the sticky juice running allover everything. You can sort of see how it will look when it is pressed upwards and ready to be eaten. I am sure that you folks have similar places that you like to visit. It remains a special place for me for a number of reasons. http://www.debazaar.nl/bezoekers/onze%2 ... se%20markt
So glad you took the time to indulge yourself at the market. Sounds like a place one could spend days visiting everything.
Taht sounds like a special place -- 2nd best to a trip to another country. You've got me thinking about mango now... And I have to say, while I like all kinds of olives, green olives stuffed with garlic are one of my favorite kinds.
Yes CHERYL--I was due a bit of free time, and that place was just the right place for me to go. Cheers. DAISY--It is indeed a special place. I am sure that you would like it. Man,oh man--those olives are just scrumptuous. I wanted to get some black ones stuffed with garlic, but that did not have any. I am very partial to black olives, but these big, fat green ones were ver-r-r-y good, I must say. I am taking it easy on them and only eating one now and then, for I shall miss them when they are gone.
OH!!! We LOVE baklava here! Shame on those vendors for polluting the pastry with corn syrup! Honey is the only acceptable sweetener. Kevin's family is from eastern Europe and we have some delicious family potlucks. :-D Poppyseed kuchen....OH YUM!!! I would love to visit such a market.
Sjoerd, The market was a great way to spend time while the garden dries out ( and grows weeds for you to pull ) the items you brought home look delicious. That is a big Mango! Looks so juicy and yummy.
Oh...you know it then, CAROLYN!--It really is criminal to substitute corn syrup for honey--a question of profit motivation, I suspect. I can only imagine what sorts of tasty potlucks you guys have to eat. The cake is good, isn't it. I have had some while visiting Germany. I can imagine that you would like visiting that market. I thik most people would. Well KAY--I was back to pullin' them weeds again today. Ouch! I can feel it. The mangos are juicy and very sweet. I am pleased with them--I am a tropical fruit nut.
It all looks delicious. I grew up in a town known for its mangoes ... the Bowen mangoes ... and I am their biggest fan. There is an art to slicing up a mango, but it seems you have it all sorted.
Our market is no where as inviting as yours Sojerd but I still like to go to our wet market once in awhile. I am sure you can imagine how the market is like here. My favourite area is the seafood and meat area. If I am in Holland again, the "Debazaar" is a must visit for me, it is so interesting and yummie!
Cheers BERNIEH--I did not make it as far north in Queensland when I was over there, so I am right away curious about the "Bowen Mangos". Are they green, yellow or what? KK--I like markets of all kinds, and Malaya has many. They are so colourful and interesting....and some have places to eat in them. I do like the food so very much. I think that you would like being in the eastern market here.
The first market I visited like that was the 9th Street Market in Philadelphia. That was many years ago since we lived there the first year we were married and we are coming up very fast on 50 years. The second was in Milwaukee when we lived in Wisconsin. The third was in Phoenix and was an oriental market. I loved going there but one year it never reopened after the winter. Here there are no such markets that I know of. I miss them. I'm glad you have such a great one! dooley
Your market looks like a fun and tasty place to visit. So glad you enjoyed some time away from the Garden...even though you love your Garden we wouldn't want you to become a dull boy . Is the Turkish delight a type of candy, I seem to remember buying a box when we went to Ephesus and Kusadasi. I also remember so very rich & tasty Baklava.
I loved some of the items at the market. They had some great photos online for the market. Fun to see. I had a salad last week that had mango, crab and avacado on mixed greens. Can't remember the spices used in the dressing, but I imagine I saw some in the photos. Yuuuummmm!
Thanks DOOLEY--You have some good market experience too, I see. Hahah...GAIL--you are a caution! I guess that you would call the Turkish Delight a "candy", yes. Those are two interesting places top visit in Turkey. Did you pick up some earthen ware in Kuşadası. That is one of the two well-known places for earthenware, you know. And Baklava...to look at you, you'd never know that you like to eat that! hahaha... Thanks for your comments. I'm glad that you liked the posting, JEWELL. I liked some of the fotos they showed on their website....but its nothing like what you can see with your own eyes. I should have taken some fotos myself, actually.
Sjoerd: All that looks and sounds way to yummy. Here in Wis. we have farmers markets but noting like that to go too. I'd never be home if we had a market like that to shop at. The Turkish delight reminds me of the C.S Lewis book; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The evil queen bribes Edmond with them. Back in the 90's I went to Eugene, Oregon. On Sat. they have a farmers market with all sorts of veggies, crafts, music, breads, sweets and hippies. Yup, hippies. It was a very interesting. I to love Baklava. I very seldom eat anything with corn syrup in it. It is so bad for you. Well I better go and get hopping along. My Mom and I have a play date set up.
