Portobello mushrooms
We visited the Italian Forum Markets last Sunday, its much anticipated return appearance after a prolonged hiatus.
The Italian Forum is an ambitious attempt to create an Italian piazza atmosphere within inner-city Leichhardt, Sydney's own celebrated Little Italy. There's a huge square, a fountain, restaurants and cafes in the courtyard, and balconied apartments in lemon-yellow overhead.
The markets were a mix of foods, flowers, arts and crafts. There wasn't as much food as say, the Good Living Growers Markets, but it was a pleasant way to spend a Sunday morning, following the snaking alleys with apartments looming above, easily imagining crowded washing lines overhead and an Italian grandmother sweeping the courtyard.
Infinity Sourdough
(based in Darlinghurst--I do have a soft spot for their
buttery crumbly hazelnut-packed shortbread!)
Infinity Sourdough breads
Homemade jams and pickles
Organic free-range eggs
Smoked trout pate from Cowra Smokehouse
Wood ear mushrooms
Nameko mushrooms
Nameko apparently means "slimy cap" in Japanese, and with their distinctive wet texture and a taste reminiscent of cashews, these are the second-most popular cultivated mushroom in Japan (after shiitake).
Chestnut mushrooms
Enoki mushrooms
Italian Forum Market
10am-2pm every Sunday
Forum Galleria, Fashion and Lifestyle shopping level
(above the restaurants and piazza)
23 Norton Street, Leichhardt, Sydney
i was there too! we bought some mushrooms (swiss and portobello) and i got a trout. twas wonderful! i'm going to enjoy this new little market, considering i live upstairs.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it missed the nameko mushrooms. How exciting. I have never seen them before in Oz.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit disappointed in the number of stalls! I was expecting alot more stalls and alot more food! But that didn't stop me in loading up on the nameko, chestnut and shitake mushrooms. I also managed to grab a bottle of semillion verjuice and dukkah/dip combo! MmmMmm yumm...
ReplyDeleteI was planning on going but was at the Forum the night before for a drink and ended up with a massive hangover so could only think of going to a greasy spoon, not gourmet markets! But it's good to hear they are interesting, especially with the mushrooms as I'm a mushroom addict, so I'll have to go next time they're on (weekly? monthly?).
ReplyDeleteSorry - "every Sunday" - yay!
ReplyDeleteI am definitely, DEFINITELY making the next Good Living markets. Can't wait!
ReplyDelete