The Borough Market Cookbook: Recipes and stories from a year at the market

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Haigh, who was born in Singapore and whose mother is Singaporean, writes: “By tradition, Nonya Aunties engaged all their senses when they cooked. It was really important to gauge the smells and colour of the gravy; feel the warmth of the charcoal or wok heat; listen to the sizzle of the rempah, and the best bit, taste constantly. The Aunties cooked by agak agak or ‘guesstimation’.”

Of course, going there is the ultimate experience, but this publication gives a great insight into Borough Market, a whole year presented seasonally, bringing recipes to the table interspersed with trader interviews, a bit of history & general snippets. Come away feeling confident and excited to use your newfound understanding of ingredients, armed with the market traders’ unrivalled expertise and delightful seasonal recipes. Wee said in a statement that she wrote her book, a mix of cookbook and memoir, “in loving memory of my mother”, recreating personalised recipes and researching her heritage. “I credit her and her peers for their anecdotes, recipes and cooking tips. This was their story,” she said. “I was therefore distressed to discover that certain recipes and other content from my book had been copied or paraphrased without my consent in Makan by Elizabeth Haigh, and I immediately brought this matter to the attention of the book’s publisher, Bloomsbury Absolute. I am grateful that Bloomsbury has responded to my concerns by withdrawing Makan from circulation.” Observers also noted similarities between some recipes. “Ginger is thought to have healing properties – pukol angin (to beat the toxic gases and dampness out of you to relieve aches and pains). This is why postnatal mothers were given lots of ginger to ‘beat the wind’,” writes Haigh. Wee had previously written: “Ginger is thought to pukol angin (beat the toxic gases and dampness out of you to relieve aches and pains). Hence, post-natal mothers were given lots of ginger to ‘beat the wind’.”

Even the most Scrooge-like of characters would agree that the sights, sounds and smells make a visit at this time of the year a necessary ritual.’ Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has eaten at that restaurant. When choosing restaurants, our editors consider both high end and affordable eateries that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We're always looking for stand-out dishes, a great location and warm service – as well as serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve. This glossy new restaurant-wine-bar works both as somewhere to pop into for a chilled glass of white and some smoked salmon pâté or, for a more serious plate, sausages braised in red wine and porcini, with sage breadcrumbs.

This gorgeous book takes you on a tour of a year at the Market, from the beginning of spring, through Easter and Midsummer, to Apple Day in October and the switching on of the lights at Christmas - with the most delicious recipes highlighting the very best of those celebrations. There’s a modern-canteen feel to this restaurant, which bases its menus on what’s in the market that day. Food is cooked on a wood-fired grill, which makes for mighty flavoursome cheese burgers and delicious Barnsley chops. Across eight chapters, each devoted to a different category of stall, from the butchers to the greengrocers to the cheesemongers, that collective knowledge is brought to life through more than 80 recipes by Angela Clutton, award-winning food writer, Borough Market Cookbook Club host and Borough Talks podcasts presenter. With typical warmth and clarity, Angela explores how the traders’ expertise can be brought to bear in turning Market produce into stunning dishes. The book also distils their wisdom into features, interviews, tips and guides that demystify unfamiliar ingredients and processes, and explains not just what to buy (and why) but how to store it, cook it and serve it. Borough Market: The Knowledge provides stories, skills and expert advice from the market’s traders, plus over 80 exciting recipes from award-winning food writer Angela Clutton that will help you make the most of their exceptional produce. With stunning atmospheric photography, this is the definitive guide to shopping and cooking for every kitchen. Each chapter includes some articles on market related topics e.g. about a trader, a scene or event,

Wee writes: “Traditionally, the Nonyas engaged all their senses when they cooked – it was important to gauge the colour of the gravy, smell the aroma of the spices, feel the warmth of the charcoal heat, listen to the rhythm of the pounding and most importantly, taste the final product when the cooking is finished. As such, recipes passed down the generations were inexact. Cooking was by estimation or what the Nonyas called agak-agak.” Borough Market: The Knowledge does exactly what it says on the tin. Delving into the unique expertise of Borough’s market traders, this book is an encyclopaedia and a celebration of the food, people, and energy of the Market. It’s the ultimate preamble for cooking!” The wonderful thing about this book is it connects the recipes to the experts at Borough Market. From practical tips on how to prepare fresh crab or fillet round fish to making sense of why seasonality matters, The Knowledge is essential reading for anyone who cares about good food.” During December the dark green arches, corrugated ceilings, glass-roofed halls, and umbrella-topped stalls are adorned with fir and foliage, decorations made from Market-sourced fruits, herbs and spices, paper-chains carrying wishes and tidings of joy, and a good number of baubles, ribbons and twinkling fairy lights.