Edinburgh Farmers Market Review
Our reporter spent a morning browsing Edinburgh's Farmers Market - here's what she found:Edinburgh's farmers market takes place on Castle Terrace every Saturday. On the day of my visit I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with almost fifty stalls, offering a great variety of local produce.
The first thing I noticed was the tempting smell of hog-roast and the queue forming to taste it. Bright red tomatoes and strawberries, grown in the Clyde Valley, were also proving popular and swiftly being added to shoppers' bags. Further on, ostrich burgers sizzled as they cooked, wafting another appetising smell under my nose. Fresh seafood lay glistening in the sunlight and a lobster was still twitching [a good sign of freshness].
‘The Rose Street Quartet’ played lively classical and jazz music for a munching crowd in the centre of the market. I took a few steps along the next row of stalls and the aroma of fresh soap replaced all the previous smells of food cooking.
‘Valvona and Corolla Panetteria’ had a tempting selection of foccacia, fresh pizza and walnut loaf. Selecting an almond croissant and grabbing a ‘latte’ from the ‘Grab n Go’ coffee stall I leaned against a fence to watch the scene. ‘The Crisp Hut’ was selling real potato crisps ‘cooked while you wait’ and ‘Carmichael Estate Farm Meats’ were doing a busy trade of venison, beef and lamb, complete with an accompanying recipe leaflet. There were oatcakes, candles, honey, fruit juice and organic vegetables to choose from and the shoppers seemed keen to buy. Ron, the jovial owner of Cairn O’Mohr promoted as ‘The strange Scottish Winery’ was shouting about his wares. I had visited the winery a few days earlier. [Read my Strange Scottish Winery review here!]
Edinburgh's farmers market is well attended by shoppers as well as stallholders and has a bustling, friendly atmosphere. It is one of the most professional farmers markets I have ever visited and it was with some reluctance that I left this vibrant scene, armed with several delicious purchases tucked under my arms, and a few more already in my belly.