Oysters & Oxtail

Gotta luv the catchy title of your blog.  How long have you been writing about your foodie experiences and why blogging

Thank you!  I started blogging in April 2012 mainly as a platform to practise writing. Food seemed like an obvious topic given that I was spending a lot of time reading about, shopping for and cooking it - why not write about it too!

What's great about blogging is that you can instantly self-publish and you can write exactly what you want.  Even if you don't care whether anyone reads it (which I certainly didn't to begin with), it forces you to be disciplined in a way that, say, simply writing a journal wouldn't.  I loved blogging so much that I started a food writing course with the University of Adelaide this year.  Unfortunately I had no time to keep up the blog as well, and it's currently still on hold while I figure out what's next.

Your article on Marrickville Markets is the perfect blend of words and photos.  How difficult is it to select which photos to include, or do you simply let the "moment" dictate or guide you to the end result

My post on Marrickville Markets has a far greater proportion of photos to words than most of my posts.  I really wanted to celebrate the markets and share the visitor experience with others

and I decided to just let the photos do the talking on this occasion.  After a good hour or so snapping away, I had an awful lot of photos and it was very difficult to edit them down - what's on the blog (which you can read "here") is just a fraction of what I took.

Marrickville Markets - as with so many markets - are so visually appealing and such rich, exciting material to photograph.  In selecting the best photos I think about composition, colour, texture - and with market photography I really like some element of human interaction.

How inspiring are markets like ours, to not only shop at but then to go and use the produce bought in a recipe book or two you may have lying around the at home

Absolutely!  The definition of my ideal Sunday would be to cycle to Marrickville Markets with my husband, buy lots of beautiful produce (and eat delicious things on the way round!), go home and cook a new recipe while listening to Radio National (I know, I'm starting to sound like a cliche!) and then eat it with a few glasses of wine.

From your perspective as not only a blogger but also a shopper, what is it about markets that make them "real"

What makes farmers' markets "real" is that direct connection with the people who grow and make the produce.  In today's Western world of food as a hugely commercial commodity controlled by a few powerful, faceless corporations, markets are increasingly popular as a way to experience a more authentic relationship with our food and where it comes from.  There's a beautiful sense of community that comes from sharing that experience of the market with other like-minded people.

If you had to sum up the world of Oysters & Oxtail in 5 words what would they be

For the love of food

**********

And on that note we say an ENORMOUS thank you to Oysters & Oxtail for not only sharing some of her time with us, but for writing an incredible blog on Marrickville Markets and sharing a little bit of insight as to why she feels markets like ours are an important part of today's busy, chaotic lifestyle where we all need to take time to "breath", enjoy the moment and get back to basics 

The City Gourmand

Being suckers for branding and names we LOVE yours!  How long have you been blogging and what is it about local markets and produce that started you on this journey

Thanks very much!  The City Gourmand started back in July 2011, so it's had a few birthdays already, which is difficult to believe.  Being one of those annoying Asian girls that takes photos of nearly everything they eat, it was almost a natural progression into the blogging world.  It's essentially a visual diary of the food that I love to eat. Don't be fooled by the blog title.  Yes, I love fine dining in the iconic cities (Barcelona, London and Sydney of course) but sometimes the best food comes from your own kitchen.

One of the best things about the food scene is the emergence of farmer's markets that have sprouted up in the most convenient locations.  Kings Cross Organic Food Markets just so happens to be my local.

It harks back to the days of our parents who would visit the markets several times a day, being without modern refrigeration.  Today, food travels halfway around across the world to reach our shores (the concept of "food miles") and defying nature's seasons.  Yes, you can have pomegranate any time of the year, except it is flown all the way from Afghanistan.

So the philosophy of Buy & Eat Local is actually a compelling one.  What's more, we can support Australian farmers directly, cutting out the middleman.  There is something special about forging a relationship with local producers or farmers.  This is something that I am passionate about and write about regularly (see "here").

What is it in particular about markets, such as ours that need to be embraced and nurtured from your point of view

Well first of all, we need to spread the word about organic farmers markets!  They may not be as convenient as big chain supermarkets, but your shop will certainly be fresher and of higher quality.

Organic fruits & vegetables have a certain stigma attached to them, namely the price tag.  The important thing to remember is you don't have to try and shift mountains. One or two organic items per week and you're well on the way to improve your well being.

Another thing is to be adventurous!  Don't be intimidated by weird or wacky ingredients.  Though Sydneysider food vernacular is rather impressive, there are things that we tend to steer clear of.  Try your hand at cooking offal or a new heirloom vegetable like kohlrabi!

And if in doubt, ask the stallholder - their passion for their product is infectious!

Through your writings and observations, have you noticed a trend in the way people are now shopping, where perhaps they are making their weekly market shopping an outing rather than a dash in and dash out type of experience

It is true that people are ridiculously time poor these days.  Life often tends to get ahead of us.  An early morning visit to the local markets can be such an enjoyable experience and it's a great way to catch a few rays.

Indeed, I have noticed that the markets have become a bit of a forum for families, pets and farmers alike....it's incredibly social.  

So the new routine is this: arrive and make a beeline for a coffee, grab a brekkie egg & bacon roll and then peruse at your leisure.  Or maybe a few quick fire rounds of "Guess Who" if you are Kings Cross!  I tend to buy as much as I can, be it fruits or veg from organic producers and supplement my shop at a grocer only if I have to.

The farmers markets are a wonderful way to slow down, if only for an hour so, and I think that many are now starting to realising this.

What is one of your more favoured meals to prepare using fresh produce bought at market

On a lazy weekend, stay true to the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!).  With minimal interference to such lovely ingredients, you can make an amazing spread for lunch or dinner.

In the same vein, I love making "Market Bruschette" with bits and pieces I've bought from the market.

Anything goes really... a few slices of sourdough, proscuitto, buffalo mozarella, heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil et voila!  I'm making myself hungry just talking about this!

If you had to sum up the "vibe" of shopping at Kings Cross Markets in 5 words......

These aren't necessarily "vibe" specific but:

• Community
• Buzz
• Abundance
• Variety
• Feast

**********

Insightful, articulated, absolutely what we strive to aim towards and humbled by The City Gourmand's words.  We thank her for such an inspiring interview and are certain that everyone who reads not only these words but also her own musings (which can be found "here") will gain a deeper understanding as to why buying local, buying fresh and keeping it real is so important these days of hustle and bustle.

Gobbled & Gulped

We LOVE the title of your blog!  What was the inspiration behind the name

I wanted a name that was fun and playful to reflect the feel of the blog.  I 'm a bit of a kid at heart and Gobbled & Gulped just felt right.

Though saying it proves to be a bit of a mouthful....scuse the pun!

What is it about food and locations that draws you to want to write about hidden pockets, tasty delights and new discoveries

I love a good time and I love it even more if that good time involves a good feed!  It's actually pretty simple philosophy.

the famous Bowen's Egg & Bacon roll

Luckily Sydney loves a good time and a good feed too so there's always something new to try and discover, and it's my hope the blog helps readers to discover some good times of their own too.

You are a fan of our Kings Cross Market.  When did you first "discover" this Saturday Morning Place To Be and Be Seen

I've known about the markets for a few years but only truly discovered them when I moved to Potts Point in early 2012.  Now they are so close to my backdoor they're practically in my backyard!

It's been great seeing the markets vitality grow with new stallholders and a greater variety of yummy food on offer.

Your photography is amazing!  Do you have a particular subject in mind when you choose a topic for your blog, or do you take a bunch at each location and then let it "present" itself to you as you write

Truth be told I'm a total novice, albeit one with a good camera...it's makes a difference!  Generally I have an idea about what direction I want to post to take, but I find it best to be flexible and above all patient.

Sometimes it can take weeks to pull together all of the shots I want for a full post.  On other occasions, like the recent post I did on Kings Cross Markets (which you can read "here") I had way too many photos from just one morning.

Then the hard bit's deciding which photos NOT to use!

In 5 words how would you sum up the world of Gobbled & Gulped

Adventures in food and beyond

**********

Massive shoutout to Gobbled & Gulped for writing an amaaazing article on our Kings Cross Market (if you missed the link before here tis again...just click "here" and while you're there you should see what else she wrote!) and we are over the moon that we were a place you discovered!

Ponytail Journal

Cute name for the blog.  How did you come to use this name and can you tell us what inspired you to become a blogger

I came up with the name Ponytail Journal in an attempt to best describe its purpose: a publication that explores my life as a model, food fiend, lover of all things functional and adventurer.

Ponytail Journal began as a place to collect my thoughts and people started to like it!.....And I started to like that people liked it!  So here we are!

Your bio includes you as being a "pursuer of goodness".  For you, what defines "goodness" and how much of a role does this play in your everyday life

I think to key to a great life is to seek out the things that make you happy.  For me "goodness" is the umbrella of things that make me enjoy existing in our weird and wonderful universe.

Most importantly food (that is REAL and honestly produced) is my sensory happy place. It's what makes me look forward to getting out of bed in the morning and also nourishes me with energy to explore and enjoy.

Goodness is also in the embracing of what life has to offer us.  Whether it be cross-stepping to the nose of my longboard, connecting with people around the world, or having a really good cup of coffee; the act of experiencing is always far more fun than the sum of its functioning parts.

You recently did a most magnificent blog on Orange Grove Markets for which we thank you.  How did you first come to hear of us and did you come with the specific intention to write a blog

I used to live close by Orange Grove Markets and it still holds a special place in my mind.  I am a strong believer in supporting food producers who take pride and care in their produce.

AND I had a little stall myself at Riverside Organic Markets called Spring St Chow while I was studying!  We sought to bring all the goodness we could find and share it in the sunshine wit the community.

Constantly travelling, I have come to the realisation that Australia is a pretty gosh darn unique and amazing place. With incredible land, things like farmers markets help to funnel all the produce goodness into a kind of culinary Disney Land.

How would you sum up the world of Ponytail Journal in 5 words

Hunting for goodness and adventure

**********

And on that note we would like to thank Ponytail Journal for not only writing an incredible blog on our Orange Grove Markets (which you can read "here"), but for also being a stallie at one of our other markets during her studies, and wish her luck on her quest to find all things good and real!

Gourmet Wog

How long ago did you delve in to the depths of the loving arms of Frenchs Forest Markets

It will be 3 years in August.  We moved to Frenchs Forest from Ryde in 2010 to be close to the beaches and still be close enough to the city.

I visited Frenchs Forest Markets the first weekend after we settled and have been coming back every week: rain, hail or shine!

There really is such a wonderful vibe, the community comes out in their masses and the stallholders are all so friendly, up for a chat and their passion for their products really shines through.

Now we LOVE the name of your blog: when was it born and more importantly how on earth did you come up with such a fantastically Aussie title which once heard will always be remembered

Why thank you!  Gourmet Wog came about really because I just wanted to document my culinary adventures somewhere where I can reflect back one day.

I love cooking...I really do!  I have a very demanding full time job, a crazy little toddler who keeps me on my toes and when I get home from work, it's very likely you'll find me in my kitchen experimenting on some new dish, whipping up dinner for the family and sometimes secretly stroking the bench tops!  It's highly therapeutic: chopping, banging and stirring away after a long day in the office.

The blog is only 4 months old and in that short space of time, I've gained exposure from a lovely community of followers from all over the world.  It really shocks me sometimes when I look at my stats and see where my visitors are from!  I really do get a kick out of seeing the variety of countries and cultures who tune in to my every post.

The name of the blog?  Well to be honest it's a bit of a laugh.  I really am a bit of a larrikin sometimes.  Now I'm not full sick or fully tabouli, but I do make a mean kebab with all the trimmings.

I do get the occasional negative comment from someone claiming I'm being derogatory, but come on! I am a wog! A proud one! And if I can't laugh at myself, then who can?!

Why the urge to blog about Frenchs Forest Markets

Every resident in the area really should take the time to visit, support the local community and get amongst it.  It's such a wonderful day out and should be experienced by all!

Is there a gotta-have-can't-do-without item that you can't not buy

The smell of the honey cured bacon and free range egg roll gets me every time as soon as I walk in to the markets.  

It's become a bit of a tradition to grab one, then go across and buy a "Green Monster" Smoothie from the lovely smoothie stand and then start my tour!

My kitchen is always stocked with Baby Green olive oil and when in season, organic tomatoes, lemons and garlic.

Also free range eggs are magnificent from the markets. The yolk is always so big, bright and orange.  You just know these chickens are being treated well.

What other delights can we expect from the Gourmet Wog

I love the journey this blog has taken me on so far and I'm looking forward to the next chapters: stories about my crazy family's antics, delicious recipes from Italy, Greece and the Middle East and my humble garden updates

**********

Well from the Organic to the Wog we love your blog  (which by the way you can check out "here"), the fact that you come to our market rain, hail or shine,and for sharing a bit of time on your crazy world with us!