preparing food at home should always be simple and enjoyable. although using recipes provides exact instruction for those a little less experienced in the kitchen they should only be inspiration.

simple bright, fresh ingredients with a splash of your favourite acid, good quality olive oil and a little sea salt & pepper. fast food at its finest. 

good quality additions to finish with (pickles, relishes, vinegar's, dressings, cheeses, oils, toasted seeds & nuts, olives, tahini & hummus etc) can change the vibe from day to day. 

Your produce is packed in a calico market bag, please bring it back to exchange every time you collect a bag of goodness and kindly purchase with your first order.

We offer a complimentary bag wash service.

Don't leave home without your favourite market bag or basket to take home any extras that you order. 

reduce, reuse, recycle 

like the bananas not grown in sydney but in sunny queensland.

soft and black - ready to eat now
firm and green/black - ready in 1-2 days
hard and olive green - ready in 2-3 days

single - serve ready to eat in 2 - 3 days if left on the bench or windowsill, best not refrigerated.
$6 / 500gm (3-6 pieces depending on size) 

unwaxed & spray-free grown in orange, nsw

crisp, sweet & juicy for small snacks or small hands

$6 / 1kg

new season field grown from bundaberg in queensland. a beautiful growing region w rich volcanic soil & of course sunny & warm conditions. 

as spring & summer roll on tomatoes will pop up closer to us down the coast, these ones are a sweet & juicy start. 

500gm | $7

not grown in sydney but from our famous banana growing region in tropical northern queensland.

you are more likely to get smaller ones that are almost ready to eat. 

1kg / $5.50

steady stream of bloodoranges grown in griffith - only the best growing region in australia. their flavour is not unlike raspberries & cranberries dancing with navel oranges. 

cara cara’s are seedless, sweet and low in acid. their flavour is more complex than most navels with notes of cherry, rose petal, and blackberry! lol

$7 / 1kg

listen to blood orange's new album while you're at it

yes please

From those magic bakers in Bronte
available for pre-order Monday - Wednesday only 
or with early bird luck on market day.

Ficelle plain, multi seed & sesame seed (long baguette)

Ficelle multi seed (short baguette)

from the magic bakers in bronte

Country Sourdough & 

Kamut/Spelt 

If you would like bread on market day it is best to get in early as Iggy's sells out fast! 

spray-free grown in windsor & picked this week in the same orchard as the mandarins

$4 | 500gm

not a passion killer, panama's are rumoured to be the knees of bees to passionfruit appreciators. big, heavy fruit with lots of juice. in season.

panama $5 | 3 pieces
misty gem $5 | 250gm (approx 6 pieces)

photo | buffet digital 

grown by gerard kath at lecker farm in mereeba, tropical north queensland. these red papaya (much different to paw paw!) are sweet & juicy with a light perfumed flavour. so juicy you should keep them in the fridge for a chilled refreshing treat. I love them so much. 

$7 for one whole fruit

take a lemon from the basket if you like a citrus squeeze. 

(everything is linked!)
1 fresh produce!
2 a salad spinner
3 really good extra virgin olive oil
a good quality one (you deserve it!) the sky is the limit depending on your personal tastes. 09 olive oil will be popping up on the rooftop. your best one to finish with & a good but not so fancy one to use to make your vinaigrettes. 
in the next few weeks to talk about olive oil 

4 a few awesome vinegars  
balsamic preferably barrel aged for 25 years 
w aceto balsamic di modena on the label
champagne sweetens bitter & peppery leaves & cuts through sweetness of pumpkin, sweet potato or eggplant
sherry strong sharp flavour good w goats or feta cheese 

5 a mandolin 

Or a knife you respect enough to always keep sharp. come & have a chat on market day if you need advice on knives & sharpening.

etc..

I like to stop by The Essential Ingredient in Surry Hills because it has most of what I need & a lot of nice things that I don't (they also stock herbies) and have cheese.

Murray River Pink Seasalt or Olssons is my preferred seasalt as they are mild & not too salty lol

SAVE YOUR GREENS! 

Picked in the western suburbs of Sydney after the cool evening on a Friday morning, these greens are amazing.

Chlorophyll filled tasty goodness.
Storing them correctly so they last longer and retain the prize is a good secret to know. 

Not everyone has the best quality fridge. That’s ok.
Follow these steps of respect and if you haven’t already indulged in them you’ll be enjoying your leaves vibrant and lively on Thursday and Friday, often longer. 

1. All vegetables are living organisms. Treat greens like a bunch of flowers, trim their stems, cut their ties, plunge wholly in cool water and tussle around. Simultaneously clean and revive. A clean kitchen sink is perfect.

In the Summertime soak for at least an hour or so (if the tap water is warm add ice blocks) they will suck up the water and spring back to life.
Still do this in winter but perhaps not so long. 

2. Drain the water, lightly tussle leaves and stand up straight.
Don’t use a salad spinner as this will damage their tender tentacles. Let drain for 15 minutes or so. If you know you’re not the whole plant eating type of person keep it real and trim whatever you know you won’t use. Throw in the ‘for soup broth’ container or whatever mindful disposal you choose. 

3. Gently pack your calico greens bag (complimentary and available on market day, just ask!) with your dewy leaves, give it a light shake to create space. Your market bag is just as good, a tea towel tends to squash.

4. Tie the handles loosely and store in your crisper. 

This method isn’t a free pass to neglect. Check in on them every day to either consume or remove baddies. We all know one baddie is enough to cause havoc. 

Depending on the the quality of your fridge and accidental neglect you might have to repeat these steps on Thursday.
I eat about 6 bunches of watercress or rocket a week plus herbs, I have three of these bags going on at once. This method works.

Fresh greens are so incredibly good for you,
don’t underestimate their power. 

as a devotee of simple cooking sans recipes and unnecessary ingredients here are a few musings about what you could do with your winter favourites. 

the weekly market lists are created with a balanced diet in mind with consideration to colour, texture and complimentary flavours. 

greens

rocket | if you feel like something different other than raw you can cook rocket as you would a spinach. this can be said for most other greens including lettuces that are delicious quartered and pan-fried with oil or butter.

watercress | the most nutrient dense green overall watercress is mostly used in salads but is awesome stir fried quickly whole with sesame oil, garlic and a little chilli or added to soups at the end. 

rainbow chard & silverbeet | you can use the stems separately -  slice or whole sautéed with butter or oil, add a little garlic & fennel. stems are awesome placed underneath roast chicken or pickled. cook your greens as soon as you can so they’re ready as accompaniments and save room in your fridge. always cook greens very quickly before adding to soups so that they stay beautiful and green or add at the end so they lightly 

garden chives & fresh herbs | on everything of course especially toasted iggy's with sliced tomato, sea salt, garlic oil & lots of black pepper. insert smiley face emoji.

baby endive | salad, soups, pastas or sautéed. really lovely fresh with roasted beetroot, lemon & goats curd. 

english spinach | I like to cook very very quickly with olive oil and garlic to add to pretty much anything over the next few days. 

in the middle

brussel sprouts | roasted, sliced with noodles, crispy fried with lentils, as a side cooked in a little broth w pancetta & garlic. in pasta with lots of parmagiano. (good pancetta is important!) or shaved raw in salads. 

capsicums | roast all at once, peel and cover with oil and slivers of garlic for use with pretty much everything. always perfect with eggplant. 

kohlrabi | salad, raw like you'd eat an apple, curries, soup, roasted, pickled, or placed underneath a roast chicken. often paired with fennel. 

fennel | shaved in salad (preferably with a mandolin - a must have kitchen essential), quarter & slow roasted, braised, in soup or pickled.  

yellow beans  | swiftly blanched in salted water then in an iced bath is best. Back in the pan to heat with olive oil  and your favourite flavours. Straight up with well smashed roasted pistachios or hazelnuts, chives and fresh watercress is pretty good. Chopped in soups for some golden business.

broccoli | blanch in salted water all at once, refresh in iced bath to eat along the way. stems can be shaved into salads raw or chopped and added to noodles. the leaves (or rabe) are perfect for soups or in the pan like a kale.

cauliflower | whole roasted is definitely most peoples game. rub with a mix of smashed garlic and chilli (with or without turmeric, extra pepper and sea salt) finish with a gremalata (add pecorino or anchovy or toasted smashed nuts) or lots of fresh chopped herbs. slice into steaks and roast. a million curries and soups. crumbed and fried or pureed.  

roots

purple haze dutch carrots (purple outside, orange inside) | roasted, pickled, grated in salad, not recommended in soups as the purple will turn your soup a funny colour. raw as a snack!

butternut pumpkin | the best slow roasted for that natural caramelising, of course the classic soup, curries.

purple beetroot | roasted is best in winter, but shaved or grated raw as a finishing to salads is refreshing and hydrating or lightly pickled on the side. a light curry with coconut* or in chocolate cake.

the leaves can be used in place of spinach or creamed with rocket & chard.

*curries don’t need to include a whole lot of dried spices. light curries are beautiful and if the dried spices you have aren’t fresh they can overpower everything and taste dusty. I prefer to use all fresh ginger, turmeric and curry leaves, a little garlic, plenty of black pepper with fresh tomatoes or coconut cream and heaps of fresh herbs. toast your dried spices before combining and using for a better overall flavour profile.

When making soups merge away from store bought stock or broth they are extremely watered down and won't effect the end result at all if you're using fresh ingredients. When making soups try not to boil boil boil, instead leave to lightly simmer over a longer time.

Good quality roasted bones, water, apple cider vinegar, onion, carrots, celery, any other vegetables, bring to simmer and let it slowly, slowly do its thing, skim impurities of the first few hours. I do mine for 24 hours (overnight I set an alarm but thats just me!) for exact quantity breakdown hit a google search. 

If winter has your favourite jeans feeling too snug and you feel like you need to take a little digestive holiday to keep the good vibes rolling then stop by for a few tips on how to improve your flow through how you eat, drink and live. If you’re mindful of your lifestyle choices you shouldn’t need a massive overhaul, 

Simple things that are easy to find around you. I don't know what reishi, ashwatanga, cordyceps or lions mane is so none of that kind of thing. sorry.

Most importantly the following is a holistic approach to maintaining your edge. Staying sharp and keeping your flow steady and strong. Eating well is a major part of it but not something that flies solo in staying healthy. I'm no expert but over the years have spent a lot of time personally fine tuning my lifestyle. These are things I like to do.

Drinking hot/warm water

Famously easy way to improve digestive flow. More easily absorbed by the body which means faster hydration. There is no scientific evidence to suggest drinking lemon water in the morning improves digestion but it does create an appetite to contintue a fresh approach during the day.

I use the 750ml size Swell bottle. Keeps hot in winter for 12 hours and chill in summer for 24 hours. Sprig of mint is nice and also a digestion ally. 

Vegetables

A fact rather than a shameless promotion! Fibrous, full of magnesium and ridiculously easier to digest than meat plus they taste better. Cooked beetroot, butternut pumpkin and zucchini are especially good for digestion, as are root vegetables.
 
Vegetables take between 30-50 mintutes to digest, pulse and grains about 2 hours. Too many pulses will not help you though. Meat takes about 12 hours (^&#!). Add leafy greens, herbs and evoo for extra goodness. Try splitting your meals half and half over a few hours. 

I personally don't advocate eating meat at all or if so very, very rarely for a myriad of reasons of which I would be happy to talk about in person on market day. come and see me! 

Dark greens, rocket and herbs

Eat more. Especially rocket mint, coriander, parsley and dill. Cooked kale is better than raw if you’re feeling the bloat. 

High Fives to these vegetable advocates for producing inspiration on a plate. Ten of the best.

Matt Wilkinson's Simply Dressed Salads

Peter Kuruvita's Lands Of The Curry Leaf

Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall's Much More Veg

Sarah Britton's My New Roots

Carter Were's Carter's Cookbook (soon to be released Dec 2019)

- follow her on instagram until then!

Green Kitchen Stories - all books are awesome

My Darling Lemon Thyme's A Year In My Real Food Kitchen

Anna Jones's A Modern Way To Eat

Ottolenghi Plenty More

Salma Hage's The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook

Healthy oils

Especially good quality extra virgin olive oil & avocados. Reasons are obvious.  

Ripe Bananas

Packed with potassium which is awesome for smashing water retention and moving things along. High in fiber. Tasty with Coyo yoghurt and prunes.

Oats 

Replacing a few evening meals with plain oats, raw honey & probiotic
yoghurt. I prefer Coyo because it has nothing added, just straight up coconut plus ABC probiotic cultures and tastes the best.
 
Oats are packed with melatonin and potassium, two things that help increase relaxation. Oats also cleanse the palate too and are easy on the digestive tract.

Fermented things

sauerkraut, kimchi & miso. 

Yoga, Movement & Meditation

Movement melts the tension stuck in your muscles and joints and practised meditation and breathwork improves oxygen to the heart increasing blood flow thus improving digestion. Less stress is the best.
 
Asanas work to twist your torso, build strength in your core and encourage over all flow in the body. Yoga flow. 

I am a member of One Hot Yoga in Potts Point. The studio is set at 37 degrees and the flow is slow, with longer held poses and definitely combines a mind and body workout. If you are keen to try a hot yoga practise be well hydrated beforehand and remember to breath! The heat is just a sensation and a deep calm breath will help overcome this. 

Sweat it out!

Every Saturday when you pickup your whole foods there is an amazing opportunity to take your effort to the next level. The Locals Market is the only market in Australia that is located within a space that can improve your well-being in more ways than one. Paramount Recreation Club offers something for everyone.

Movement
Workout
Yoga

They also run a 30 day trial for $30

Meditation

Setting an intention for your motivations is the best way to begin and receiving direction from a meditation teacher is ultimately where you should begin.

I recommend:

Garry Gorrow 

Tim Brown 

Vedic mediation teacher's based in Sydney and respected worldwide. 

So many apps, so little time! The word is out - mediation is the modern way to turn on, tune in, drop out. A few good ones to start with would be:

Simple Habit

Headspace

The Broadplace is a great place to start for approachable and relatable introduction to meditation with online workshops and e-books. 

Herbalist & Nutritionist

Erin Lovell Verinder

If you would like to further incorporate plants as medicine in your life I would only recommend connecting with Erin. A herbalist, nutritionist, health expert and wellness writer. She resides in Byron Bay but is regularly in clinic at Orchard Street in Bronte. She also conducts face-to-face appointments via Skype. 

Not Drinking Alcohol Or Choosing Wisely

This is a sneaky one at the very end, a contentious subject. I don't drink and after 15 years of more than a little friendly nudge I just don't anymore and am a genius in hindsight. Yay for me and you're welcome to internally roll your eyes. 

If you like a drink to chill then at least drink good quality wine. Life is too short to drink shit wine, I'm sure you've heard that before. Organise yourself and have a little stash so you don't have to hope for the best at the nearest bottle shop upon a recommendation from whoever is there on the night pushing a variety that they need to move. 

One bottle of cheap and thoughtlessly made wine under the guise of a pretty label can surely turn all your other good intentions south especially in your gut. Towards the end of my drinking career I only purchased wine from Joel at DRNKS he only pushes the best organic or biodynamic, sourced from family-owned labels and is made with limited to no additives. You can then educate yourself a little in the long run and they can deliver the same day etc. Have fun and don't forget to hydrate.