After a gorgeous stroll through Salisbury, my friend Katy and I were thrilled when we came upon the Salisbury farmer’s market held in the town square.
It was positively bustling with people filling baskets and bags with fresh flowers, ripe cheeses, and all sorts of fruit and veg.
I was in absolute heaven when we entered the cheese part of the market. I nearly swooned at the incredible prices and wished I had a huge suitcase just to fill with wheels of French brie, tangy cheddar, and creamy soft goat cheese. We somehow managed to limit ourselves to just three, and happily tucked into them when we got home.
I am a true blue market lover. I’d happily shop only in farmer’s markets for the rest of my days if I could.
I love the big crusty loaves of fresh bed piled in marvy wicker baskets, bins filled with crisp apples and juicy pears, and am a sucker for meat wrapped in paper from the butcher.
I like the funky handcrafted items you find, like these fabulous felt slippers with pompoms.
But most of all I like the wonderful mix of people: pensioners in their comfortable walking shoes, business women decked out to the nines, and kidlets running about underfoot trying to wheedle candy and ice cream out of their long suffering parents.
Markets have such a cozy community feel. There’s something so nice about meeting up with dear friends for a cuppa or chit-chatting with perfect strangers about the quality of mangoes or the price of asparagus.
After we made the rounds of all the stalls, Katy and I climbed creaky wooden stairs up into the loft of a truly ancient pub for a bit of lunch.
How nice it was to remove our winter wrappings in the cozy warmth of the pub, visiting happily as we ate our way through toasted chicken and cheese sandwiches and baked potatoes topped with fire-roasted tomatoes and brie.
What is your favorite part of an open-air market?
This looks like it was so much fun, Krista! I love the ambiance…I could stay all day just walking around (especially once I discovered that cheese vendor, lol!). 🙂
It really was, Faith! 🙂 I absolutely loved strolling about and stopping wherever took our fancy. 🙂
my mouth is totally watering now Krista…..love going on the journey with you….via internet!
Oh thank you, dear Delia! 🙂 I hope one day we can go adventuring together again. 🙂
gorgeous! love! want to go!
Thank you, dear Margo! I want to go back SO badly. 🙂 Let’s go together, shall we? 🙂
I would have bought a suitcase for the cheese. And I wish we had better farmer’s markets here. I know that if I went to Santa Monica it would be fabulous, but driving 50 miles seems to defeat the purpose to me.
50 miles IS rather a stretch, Deanna. But if the cheese was REALLY good, maybe it would be worth it? 🙂
That was a lovely day 🙂 I’ve just arrived home for the weekend, so I will be heading to the market tomorrow to stock up on some more cheese! Your photos make it look absolutely gorgeous 🙂 xo
Oh how fun, luv!! Please give my love to your family and eat something delicious for me. 🙂
I’ll have two of every kind of cheese please! Oh yes, and some jester slippers, too.
Heh, heh, I love those slippers too, Duchess. 🙂 They’re just so darn cheery. 🙂
I’m such a big market person! I wish that we had them where I lived. That woman’s black purse is GORGEOUS btw.
It IS a fab purse, isn’t it? I love markets too, Andi – so much. 🙂
salisbury is a lovely place. had a dreamy “mini-break” with creaky stairs there once in the cathedral close. i would highly recommend it. thx for taking me back! xoxo
What a wonderful place to have a mini-break, Paradis! 🙂 I didn’t know you could stay in the cathedral close. I will DEFINITELY have to investigate that when I return one day. 🙂
What a great time Krista, I haven’t been to England in so long and would love to go back – especially to spend a day at the markets! Gorgeous photos as always 🙂 & bon weekend!
I’d really love to return too, Tuula. 🙂 It’s such a fascinating and inspiring country. Hope you have a wonderful weekend too! xo
What a great place to visit. …….. I love wandering through markets, in any country, they really do have that community feel. …………. I don’t even have to buy anything……..But all that cheese…yum
I agree completely, Neil. 🙂 It’s so inspiring and fun. As long as I’ve got my camera I’m a happy girl. 🙂
That is SUCH a gorgeous market! I wish our farmer’s markets were that vibrant!
I love it too, Joanne! Such a perfect mix of colorful flowers and slippers mingled with gorgeous breads, strong cheeses and fresh meat. Mmm. 🙂
Oooh, what a market! So pretty! I adore a good market. And those potatoes topped with brie and tomatoes – amazing!
Aren’t those potatoes fantastic, Katie?! 🙂 I need to repeat that recipe at home. 🙂
Scrolling down through the photos I couldn’t help but notice the Patisserie Valerie….my name sake…wink. My favourite part of an open air market is the rare finds like unusual veggies or cheese.
How lovely, Val! 🙂 I love the rare finds too!
Oh so familiar, I even found myself checking out the faces. 🙂
I love that, Linda! 🙂 Wouldn’t it be fun if WE met at that market one day? 🙂
OMG, those kids slippers are just too cute!
I love them too, Elra. 🙂 So darling. 🙂
I adore farmers markets, too! And you’re so right about the cheeses! What incredible prices. I like the brightly colored slippers with pompoms. Very cute, and I’d bet comfy and warm.
Can you believe the prices, Stevie? I was in heaven. 🙂
Oh, and I totally forgot to ask in my last comment: is this the town that the Salisbury steak comes from?
Good question, Stevie! I just looked it up and it was invented by an American physician, Dr. J. H. Salisbury (1823–1905). 🙂