Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm from mid November – 23 December every year.

Website:http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/frankfurtmarket

Summary:

This is my second vist to this market – came last year. Its a hugh market with around 100 stalls selling anything from craft to food. The arrangements seemed identical (who and where) to last year.

There is a food court at the Colemore Row end of Council House. There you can eat  (hot food) and drink beer and wine.

The hot food stands include: burgers or mushrooms with fried potatoes – not McDonald and chips, crepes, flamed grilled hams with coleslaw etc – this is a very impressive stand jsut to watch, pretzels filled with various fillings, garlic bread, grilled german sausages in buns etc…

The drinks stands offers a variety of german beers (which you will not easily get here) on draft. There are also a variety of mulled wines. With drinks you pay a deposit of £3.00 or £3.50 on your glass or mug which you will get back when you return your glass. You are also encouraged to walk away with the glass as a souvenir. The food range from about £3- £7 depending on what you are buying.

At the otherend of the Council House, you can sample German wine and if you go right up to Paradise Circus, you can find a few interesting non German stalls selling organic cider and various crafts.

There is also another “pub” selling beer half way up New Street. You can also find a baker (various type of country and rye bread with a selection of cakes) and a German Deli up this end of the street. The Brockwursts are excellent – £20 for 20 – I buy them every year. They also sell cheese.

Throughout the market you can get all sorts of sweet things from chocolates to stollen etc……

Most of the shops are craft shops selling games, pottery and art deco type products.

This is a fun place to come – if it stays dry, as its all out doors.

Eddie

Dec 2009

Web address: http://www.italiancont.co.uk/

Date of visit: 17 November 2009

Opening hours: dawn till dusk , 7 days a week.

Telephone number: 01628 77011o

Summary:
Carmelo and his wife + relatives still manage this gem of a store in “north” maidenhead. It does not look much from the outside but ……..

This is the retail outlet of Camelo’s vast wholesale empire (up the road) which supplies Italian Restaurants in the SE of England.

You can still get milk, potatoes and domestos here (similar to your local Indian shop) but then he also sell a range of goods that you cannot get anywhere else.

To start with, the deli will sell you a variety of Italian ham, cheeses, salami and polish meat products. You can also get fresh Italian sausages which when mixed (with the casing off) with minced beef makes excellent meat balls with your pasta. Check out the end bits of prosciutto (Parma Ham) as they make excellent stock.

He sells both fresh and dry pasta and you can get several sizes of spaghetti (normal to angel hair). There are also a great selection of olive oils.

His “off lisence” is another treasure trove – you can get XO brandy and Krug champagne but its his collection of Italian wine that is truelly amazing. He sells tignanello (Antinori) – a great Italian red that is rated by Parker at one of the great wines of the world at just over £40 a bottle – comapre with French first and second growth, this is a steal.

He also stocks a great range of grappa and beers. You can get the usual and unusual beers such as Cypriot and Mexican. In case you want to do cocktails, he also has a whole range of “support” ingredients.

In his frozen goods department, you can get bacallou croquets and octopus – by the way, frozen octopus is actually better than fresh octopus and its more tender.

He also socks a range of spices, fresh herbs and squid ink. You can also find diabetic (sugar free) jams and biscuits.

When in season, he sells Italian vegetables and fruits – white peaches, swiss chard, radiccio……..

Be nice to him – he is the one behind the till and you will get a discount on your beer or wine (by the case) and one of his expresso.

Eddie