Farmers' Market

The first Sunday of the month again . . . and that means Farmers’ Market in Romsey.
As always, I bought a tray of farm free-range eggs which will see us through for a week of more, although to enjoy the best from them we need have eggs for the next few days while we can still regard them as fresh.
Yet while you can get tasters of cheese, bread or locally produced wine, beer or cider, even buffalo burgers, the stall which always fascinates me is the one from the fish market at Portsmouth.  But then, even while we are away, if it’s anywhere near the coast, I always look for the fish market or that part of any produce market which has fish on display.
Not that I think fish are particularly attractive to look at; in fact, most are downright ugly.
But somehow  I have that fascination for the fish market. Perhaps it’s because I enjoy fish cuisine, and if I had my way I would probably eat rather more fish than meat.. 
I always think it was a sad day to see conventional fishmongers disappearing from our high streets, although fish counters at supermarkets do a pretty good job these days, and appear to be more adventurous in the type and variety of fish they now sell.
You can always guarantee to have top choice if you are lucky enough to be near one and take the trouble to seek out a fish market, but one of the problems with fish is that it needs to be prepared and that’s where the skill of the fishmonger is invaluable. He or she will also get rid of the waste bits for you, so that they are not producing a distinctive odour from the dustbin between collections.

Even so, I always welcome the appearance of the fish stall at the farmers’ market, and I’ll be back in a month’s time, if only for a bag of winkles!