Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people get together to eat
- Guy Fieri
While I was studying abroad in Switzerland, I got the chance to visit Madrid and it was in this magical Spanish city that I first discovered the world of Food Markets. Before that a market was a place you would go to and buy fresh and local produce to take home and cook them yourself, that is the market scene when I was growing up on the islands. The grand Mercado de San Miguel was a bustling, colourful and full of food...heaven simply...being able to taste, enjoy and learn about different cuisines under one roof was something absolutely mind blowing for me.
Simply, a food market is a place to eat, drink, listening to music, socialise, get take out, do a little shopping and much more. I do believe that every country, city or town should have at least one food market to celebrate not only the local cuisine but that of all the cultures that have ended calling that country home.
Cape Town is known for its Food Market scene and they have many spread across the city. I was lucky enough to visit five uniquely different Food Markets during my time visiting or eating my way through the Mother City.
First market on the Food Market Tour was the V&A Waterfront Food Market found within the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, we actually ended up going there twice. Walking through the entrance for the first time, right there at the start was Tunisian Delights which caught our attention with its choices but we said we would take a walk around the rest of the market to see what was on offer for a late lunch. There were so many choices to choose from; sushi on a conveyor belt to juice bars to an oyster bar. But our hearts or should I say our stomachs were set on what Tunisian Delights had to offer. I went for the Lamb Ciabatta and my sister had the lamb laffa simply because when you think of Middle Eastern food, lamb is the meat that is synonymous with such cuisine. We sat outside overlooking the Waterfront tucking into our meals and we were very happy customers. I would go back there in a heart beat for those perfect marinated lamb ciabattas.
We went back to the V&A Waterfront Food Market for a second time simply because there was a particular stall that caught my attention and I had to go back before I left Cape Town. My late Uncle Alex gave me a Cape Malay Cookbook for Christmas one year and I have had a chance to try its recipes (it is on my cooking bucket list) but reading the cookbook left me intrigued by the Cape Malay Cuisine and its many spice blends. So the Cape Town Spice Market stall was where I headed straight for on my second visit, although a pit stop at Tunisian Delights did cross my mind, but I was on a mission. I thought I had an idea of what spices I wanted to buy but when I got there I couldn't make up my mind. Luckily for me, the lady at the stall was an absolute star and guided me through the different spices on offer and her recommendations. I did in the end walk away with eight different spices, Butter Chicken, Smoked Paprika, Tamarind Paste, Biryani Powder, Peri Peri, Rice Spice, Garum Masala and Potjiekos, all of which I cannot wait to use along with the help of my Cape Malay Cookbook.
With such intrigue in the Cape Malay Cuisine, one place I had to visit to be able to understand this vibrant cuisine was no other than the world famous Bo Kaap. Walking up and down the streets that were lined with immaculately painted houses, you could understand that the vibrancy is part of their lives whether it is in their food they cook or the colour of their house.
The second market I visited was the Mojo Market in Sea Point on a Friday Night. It was the perfect time to visit one of Cape Town's newer markets on the scene. Entering this indoor market, you feel its vibe instantly; laid back but bustling at the same time, it also seemed to be a dog friendly market which sits very well with me. At the centre of the market is the main bar which you can get just about anything to drink there, my go to food market drink seems to be an iced cold Flying Fish
(a lemon flavoured South African Beer). The market was filled with live music and fantastic smells, after a drink we had a walk around the non food stalls first but that did not last long as the food stalls were drawing my attention. There is a wide range of cuisine on offer from Hawaiian to African Grill but it was the Argentinian stall Argie's Grill that was my final choice. I chose the Argentinian Beef Sandwich and I was not let down. The sandwich was quite a huge portion but I ate the entire sandwich, the beef was tender and cook just right. With our food, we made our way upstairs to the seating area which overlooked the market and had views onto the Sea Point Promenade. On our way out to catch our uber, I returned to Argie's Grill to have a take away dessert which could only be fried to order churros, which while waiting for the uber on a cold Cape Town night helped warm me up.
Part Two of Food Market Adventures to follow...