I wanted...I bought...I made

Highlight of the weekend was definitely Jaey and Marie coming for dinner Sunday, the house in France was finally sold and they are the ideal people to celebrate with. Making a plan for the week Friday I was thinking tofu and steamed peppers made the tomato and aubergines from a recipe by Skye Gyngell with plenty left to be a side dish to sausages Saturday then aubergine and tomatoes baked with herbs Saturday, Sunday had to be whole ends of rump roasted rare with chips and watercress and bearnaise with pear and gooseberry crumble to follow turns out gooseberries are no longer in season so made a beautiful prune and almond cream tart and the whole meal kicking off with fish - cured mackerel, hot smoked salmon and cucumber lightly marinated with soy and sesame. Monday was bound to be a little quiet so figured leftover beef with salads creamy potato and steamed beetroot with the last of the cress for simple and perfect plate of food. Tuesday risotto lentils with a light topping of chorizo, Wednesday chicken with lentils realised I did fancy risotto so had it with wild mushrooms and the last little piece of smoked ham, Thursday there is always the noodles actually there was still the chicken so had it marinated with garlic, pepper and coriander then grilled and served with cucumber salad!

Went to Rippon Cheese in Pimlico to start as I wanted some aged gouda and they usually have some. They did and I also bought a small goat cheese, soft and delicate and wrapped in vine leaves. Spent £9.70 then back out to catch the bus in pouring rain

Then to Greensmiths for vegetables - aubergine and plum tomatoes, Maris Pipers, and a giant beetroot - cost me £7.40 when I added in a little seeded loaf. The rain set in before I made it back to the bus stop.

Then to Borough, set out in watery sunshine, first to Ginger Pig for some truly amazing end section of rump left in a piece to roast and some sausages, Cumberland are the man's favourites, spent £30.80

Neals Yard was busy, the market in general was building up for the Bank Holiday I guess, bought milk and yoghurt, £4.70

Went to the French salt and butter stall for creme fraiche, they sell it in little jars and it's the best - £2.20

Cheese from Gastronomica, a piece of Pecorino and a lump of Parmesan, £12.40

Eggs from Lizzie at Wild Beef as the skies started to darken - £3.40

Then off to find the Sussex fish stall via L'Artisan for a bag of chocolates - £2.50

But was no fish, bugger! Has been mega windy so wasn't sure if it was because the boats weren't going out or it was the Bank Holiday. Bought olives from Fresh Olive - £3.50 - and was delighted to eavesdrop the young man next to me explaining that though he didn't like olives he tried them once a year in the hope that one day he would as it was a really posh thing to eat!

Sampled some of the beautiful smoked scallops at the Irish smoked stall but bought a beautiful piece of salmon hot smoked with whiskey and molasses - £12.50

And the rain started teeming down. I popped back into the market to the Marché for a baguette - £1.30 then ran for the last bus of the day, skies black, streets awash. This is not summer!

Lack of fish to cure meant back to the market Saturday morning, with the man for the first time in ages. Went to Neals Yard and bought a white loaf - £3.90

Then to find the Sussex fish stall wasn't there, damn! Went to Shellseekers who had lovely mackerel but would fillet them but not skin them for me as the skin was too thin. Peeved I went off to Furness where they also tried to talk me out of skinning the fish but agreed to try doing one. It was fine so they did another - £5. It is one of the things that is really changing at Borough, traders used to always do what customers want but now they don't care so much, I guess the huge turnover of shoppers doesn't require it

Then back for more creme fraiche - £2.20 on the way to Gastronomica for a La Tur and a couple of interesting looking little discs of cheese marinating in chilli oil, £8.50

Off to the French cheese stall out the back for a tin of olive oil, costs £15.95 but lasts for ages

Finally picked up some apple juice from Chegworths, a bargain £5 for 3

Spent a massive £113.85 - it's good to celebrate!