Jugernauts

Your blog Jugernauts is a fantastic mixture of pictorial with the odd paragraph or two thrown in to the mix.  What drew you initially to want to include Marrickville Markets

I was doing all these restaurant write ups and then realised that the markets don't tend to get written about as much so I thought I'd do a section for it as there is a lot of good food to be had there.

I also sell tees and have sold at other locations (newtown/glebe/finders keepers) and I appreciate the hardwork these vendors go through (packing, setting up.  It's a labour of love so yes I wanted to reflect that in my blog with a section dedicated to the markets.

And I had to include Marrickville Markets because I discovered it so late and it was such a different one.  More food focussed, less knick-knacks.  I had just to the AROM to check out The Bowery but the markets just kind of impressed.  

The stalls are unlike just anything I've seen at other markets.

As a blogger do you find at times it can 'take over" all other normalities in life; ie: are you driven to distraction by the irritating need to have to work to pay the bills, yet all the while yearning to simply go taste, photograph and celebrate via blogging

My blog is an extension of my lifestyle which is very much still in subsists of heading out to experience what Sydney (well, a lot of it is in the Inner West as I live in Newtown and just run around the local area) has to offer.  It's part of my life very much at the moment.  The blog is never far from my mind and being able to blog on the ipad (on the go) helps!

Who is one of your fave stallies and why

There's some great food to be had there:the satay tofu burgers, the truffles, the snag stand, some excellent home baked goods and vegetarian butchers

And of course the organic fruit & veg sellers.  It's a nice mix of eats and the tree lined "arcade" means you can just sit in the shade and take it all in...with the band playing.

It is one of the better markets around as it's not just a barrage of standard food kiosks in a market (location).

What is it about these markets that makes it such a unique experience from your point of view

The really good thing about Marrickville Market is that it adjoins The Bowery and Reverse Garbage and that's a highlight.

The organic produce, the hand made cheeses and truffles (again...having the truffles at market is just great!).  Also some superb pastries to be had.  The dulche de Leche Brownie is amazing!

It's one of the few markets on a Sunday...it's easy!

If you had to sum up Marrickville Markets in 5 words what would they be

Gem, artisanal, innerwest, organic, lazysundays

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Huge shoutout to Jugernauts for sharing some time not only blogging about Marrickville Markets, but being part of this blog and allowing us to include their photos.

You can check out the write up on our markets here

Taste for Travel

Taste for Travel: A sensational title which encapsulates the two things you love to do.  How long have you been blogging and what drew you to it initially

Food and travel are inseparable.  Taste for Travel was launched just over two years ago.  I've always been interested in journeys, as I've done a few of my own, but I'm even more fascinated by other people's journeys: what they discover and how travel changes them.

I love writing about my own backyard as much as I about other people's.  My first book "Asylum: Voices Behind the Razor Wire" told the stories of asylum seekers fleeing from persecution and torture and their journeys through Australian detention centres.

Blogging about travel and journeys on a less traumatic level than that was also a welcome antidote to my austere diet of editing disaster news in my day job.

How or what lead you to discover the delights of Orange Grove Markets

I was excited to discover Orange Grove Markets: my daughter used to work close by and she encouraged me to visit.

Orange Grove is a gorgeous yummy example of community connectedness, and a showcase for innovation and sustainable products.

When I lived in Greece, I would go to the weekly produce markets down the road to get my fresh fruit and veg, and have a gossip with the locals.  Markets are a meeting place and a vibrant experience for the whole family.

Children should be encouraged to taste and explore food sources and meet the people who make them.  Too many of their (children) food selections are pre-cooked or packaged in hype.  Markets are a tradition and a key to survival in many cultures, almost unchanged over the centuries, and have an even greater role to play today.

Some travellers go to museums, I go to markets.  As I said in the post on the market in Aix-en-Provence: "Supermarket food shopping is a disconnected task.  There's nothing communal about it except you're in a store with other people also pushing trolleys.  You have no interaction with the producers of the food you choose to buy".

We live in a concrete jungle, but visiting an open-air produce market reconnects us to the earth.  I find it holistic.

Your blog is a great mixture of not too many words so as to distract and just enough photos to entice.  Is it difficult to maintain this balance or is it as adage says "a picture is worth a thousand words", thus letting the photos do the "talking" as it were

Thanks for your observation.  The internet is awash with information and flooded with blogs and pictures. It's tough to get people's attention and hold it long enough to draw them back.

Attention spans can be very short now, and I try to keep the blogs succinct.  My rigorous journalist training is a handy tool.  Every word and every picture counts.

People want to discover places for themselves and shape their own experiences, not be told every detail in advance.  I hope I just provide enough information to entice.

What struck you most on your visit that prompted the blog initially

The almost carnival atmosphere at Orange Grove: the colour, tempting aromas, variety, value for money and chatting to the stallholders.  Each has a story to tell.  I only just scratched the surface

How would you sum your personal experience at Orange Grove Markets in 5 words

Community, innovation, delicious, fun, more-ish

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Wanna see what she wrote about?  Too easy! Simply click "here"

Massive thank you to Taste for Travel sharing some time, insight and most of all for sharing her love of our markets via her blog!  Honestly if you haven't already, you really should take the time to read what she writes....definitely makes you want to get out there and try EVERYTHING!

vegeTARAian

Can you give us a little bit of insight and history in to the world known as vegeTARAian

vegeTARAian is the creative outlet and inspiration for my exploration in to the world of food and cooking.  I share recipes, veg friendly eating options in restaurants and conversational pieces on ethical eating.

I'm particularly interested in reconnecting with food, to become more aware of what we are eating, local and seasonal produce, reducing food waste and raising awareness about factory farming.

As the food revolution as grown and become more accepting of alternate eating styles (eg: vegans, vegetarians, gluten free'ers etc), what have been some notable changes you have observed both personally and objectively

It's really exciting to see people genuinely showing an interest and being more accommodating to those of us with different eating requirements.

I find eating out so much easier now than it was a few years ago.  Restaurants are increasingly offering veg friendly options and where there isn't and advertised option, most venues are happy to alter a menu item if you ask.  

There are also a lot more vegetarian/vegan brands stepping in to the mainstream, available in supermarkets which is fantastic!

How did you come to discover Marrickville Markets and what was it that compelled you to write the beautiful piece that you did

I really enjoying exploring the Inner West, it's just an area that fascinates me.  When my sister moved to Marrickville she told how me how great the markets were and I just had to pop down and check it out and I'm SO glad I did!

I love the community feel and that you can spend the whole day there - chatting with the stallholders to learn more about their products, having breakfast and/or lunch with all the fresh and delicious snacks for sale.

Your blog with its innovative, creative and user-friendliness makes it not only for a fantastic read, but it is also educational and celebratory.  

How do you strike that all important balance where you don't drown people in words and select the appropriate photos to accompany whichever topic you are focussing on.

It's important to stay true to myself in my writing - I think people see right through you if you aren't genuine and honest.  While I'm still new to the world of photography, the one thing that stays with me is to think about what I want the images to say before taking the photo.

A lot of text isn't needed when you've got images that do a good job of telling the story.

For those who have been to Marrickville Market but maybe not been at the point to simply dive in and give it a go with Raw and Vegan, what 5 words of encouragement would you give

Local and fresh is best!

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A MASSIVE thank you to Tara and sharing a little piece of her world with us.  You can check out her amazing blog "here" and be transported in to the delights of alternative eating fabulosity.

Dear Asparagus

We LOVE the title of your Blog. What were the reasonings behind it

I don't remember exactly how I came up with "Dear Asparagus".  I think I just wanted something quirky and food related, and that seemed to fit.

How long ago did you join The Land of Blog and drew you to it initially

I had been reading blogs for a while and loved seeing what everyone was cooking & eating and where they were eating out, so decided to start my own as a procrastination from the HSC (which was a few years ago now).

On of my friend started getting bored when I continually told her what I was eating for breakfast etc ("and I soaked the oats overnight"...) so I decided to have my own outlet to write all of these things that perhaps others might want to read.

I don't particularly mind if nobody reads it though.  For me it's there as a diary and I can refer to it, or look up a recipe I've written.

At the same time, it is nice to have followers and comments and it's like, "hey! Somebody likes to read what I write!"

Do you find yourself easily distracted during your day job (and study), wanting to simply drown yourself in food and all its glory

Haha!  Food is very distracting, especially when you work at a food market!  I suppose lots of my study breaks are for eating purposes and I always find myself the night before an exam preparing more elaborate meals.

Surely it counts as food chemistry study!?!

During every interview we have had for our own blog, we have noticed that the number one all time fave vegetable is kale.  What (in your opinion) is it that keeps it consistently at number one on the organic hit parade

Yes, kale is everywhere!  You walk through the markets and everyone is carrying bunches of it.  I love kale for its versatility: whether it's the base for an omelette, added to a minestrone or baked as "chips".

Quick tip: roughly tear the leaves and "massage" them (yes! that's right "massage them") for a minute with sea salt, olive oil and lemon.  They soften and taste less bitter (see recipe here: Kale Chips).

If you could sum up Orange Grove Markets in 5 words what would they be

Molives, community, early starts, friendly, you-must-try-the-pork-or-beef-roll-from-the-butcher's-lunch

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Huge thanks to Dear Asparagus for not just writing INCREDIBLE blogs but there are some sensational recipes just a waitin for you to try!

Dear Asparagus "Eat Your Freaking Vegetables"

The Adventures of Miss Piggy

What is the history behind Miss Piggy and her insatiable need to blog all things food!

I first came across food blogs when a friend of mine started the blog "Street Food". Before that I had no idea what a blog was, let alone a food blog.  From reading "Street Food" I discovered more food blogs and I just loved the sense of adventure and community that surrounded them.

Food bloggers all seemed so social - always catching up with each other.  It seemed like a great way to meet new friends who also shared a love of food.  

I'd just moved back to Sydney from Outback NSW, I needed more friends and I wanted to explore Sydney's food scene once again.  Hence Miss Piggy was born.

Food blogging is a great way for me to share my experiences of cafes & restaurants - many of whom are in Western Sydney where I live.  

I also love being able to share information about ethical eating and hopefully educate some readers about how to make better/kinder choices when shopping for food: especially meat & eggs.

Part of this education process is raising awareness of alternatives to shopping at supermarkets....like farmers markets!

Who initially guided you to our markets?

I've always known about Orange Grove Markets as a friend of mine used to live just up the road and did (most of) her shopping there.  That was about 10 years ago before farmers markets really hit their stride in Sydney.

The Adventures of Miss Piggy Orange Grove Markets

My niece also used to live near Marrickville Markets and I visited them after hearing about them so much.

The Adventures of Miss Piggy Marrickville Markets

I do love the organic feel of Marrickville Markets: it feels like you're a million miles from Sydney when you're shopping there.

I found out about the other markets (eg: Rouse Hill) thanks to Twitter 

The Adventures of Miss Piggy Rouse Hill Markets

What is it about markets that appeals to Miss Piggy so much

Animal welfare in farming (and in general) is a passion of mine and I try to follow a path of ethical eating as much as I can!  I try to only eat free-range meat and eggs where possible - especially at home.

I loving shopping at local farmers markets for free-range meat and other produce as it gives me an opportunity to talk directly to the sellers (and often the farmers themselves) about their produce and how their animals were raised.  That's just not something that can be done when shopping in a supermarket.

Given your appeal and fame status within the world of all things food, what has been one of the best reactions from a stallie you have written about in your blog

I'm not sure that any of the stallholders actually read my blog, but they are always happy to have a chat when I mention that I want to write about their staff for my blog.

The stallholders are always happy to pose for a photo and I think the most eager to pose has been the young chappy who sold fudge with his Mum at Rouse Hill Markets. HE knows the value of social media that one!

What 5 words would you use to encourage those who have yet to discover the delights of Organic Food Markets to get out there and give it a go?

Farmers Markets will change your life!  GO!!!

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Miss Piggy we thank you and we MUST let you in on a secret: marketeers and stallies DO read your blogs as do we and we thank you for sharing a little bit of your blog time and allowing us to include some of your photos.

For those who have yet to read The Adventures of Miss Piggy do not delay!  

The Adventures of Miss Piggy