Honest2Goodness Market

I have been living out in the sticks of Meath for just over a year now. It has been a huge challenge to adjust to country life – the quietness, the daily commute and not being able to just pop out to the shops for a quick bit of clothes shopping!! One of the things that has helped make this change easier has been the Irish Food Bloggers Association and the sheer wealth of knowledge that is passed on through it and Twitter. Through Twitter and the IFBA I have come to know a lot more about the area I live in, been given information on what places to visit that are close by and what I shouldn’t be missing. One of these not to miss places is the Honest2Goodness Market in Glasnevin. Before my move to Meath I had a vague idea of where Glasnevin was, now it’s part of my daily commute into town!

I had visited the market a few times previously but generally in a rush after work on a Wednesday evening where I just grabbed a few bits. So when the IFBA announced a blogger food tour I was all up for it. A Saturday filled with food and chats how could I pass that up! The Honest2Goodness Market is easy to find as it is very near to Glasnevin Cemetery and only a few yards from the local Woodies in the Dublin Industrial Estate. The smell of pizza wafting from The Gourmet Street Pizza van will also signal the way!!

We started off the tour with a lunch in the Market Café.  This is a lovely bright space with a range of lunch options to choose from. All the food used comes from the market and it is a really good showcase of what people can make with the produce they buy. Spoilt with choice I eventually went for the Turkish Meatballs in a Pitta Pocket which was full of flavour and which was fun to eat too!

 

We also got to sample some of the pizza from Gourmet Street Pizza which was done just how I like it – thin and crispy.

After filling up on a great lunchtime feed we started our tour. The market houses 20 stalls all filled with an abundance of gorgeous looking food.  The idea behind the market is that you could do your weekly shop here instead of at the local supermarket. You could buy your bread from Arun Bakery who are sourdough specialists, get your jams from the Big Red Kitchen and choose from a huge range of fresh fruit and veg.

The Big Red Kitchen

Some beautiful purple garlic

Sourdough from Arun Bakery

I would love to talk about all the stalls but am going to stick to the ones that I bought produce off and which has now been throughly sampled (read devoured!!)

The Whole Hoggs make and sell all their own traditional pork products. Their range of sausages are delicious and their pork and leek ones are a firm favourite in our house. I also sampled what I think was a sundried tomato one, which was subtly sweet. It would make a great lunchtime feed and I will be back to buy more. They are also in the process of making their own chorizo so that will be one to watch out for.

Blas na Talún make a whole range of delicious goodies such as marshmallows, traybakes and tarts. Their pear tartlet, was one of the best I have ever had and I eat a lot of tarts! They don't have a website or Facebook page so you will just have to go to the market and meet Sheila and her husband yourself.

 

The Pieman sells a range of savoury pies which cater for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters. I bought the Rabbit pie which was filled with rabbit, carrots, lemon and tarragon and encased in a shortcrust pastry. It got me serious brownie points when I bought it home to the boyfriend. 

 

  

Sticky Fingers Bakery believes that everyone can enjoy scrumptious food regardless of their gluten tolerance and so none of our products contain gluten, wheat or yeast. I have had gluten free cakes before but haven’t been impressed as they always taste bland or are too heavy. Both the breakfast muffin and the baked jam doughnut were light and full of flavour! Therese has a special touch with these cakes and you would never know they were gluten free unless you were told.

I also just want to give a quick shout out to The Purple Pantry a brand new business which had their first day at the market. They produce a range of preserves, spice blends and squashes. I am waiting to get my hands on their plum squash next week!

 

I will now leave you with some cake shots from the Wildflour Bakery whose cakes are as beautiful to look at as they are to eat!! I have three words for you: roasted white chocolate!

Honest 2 Goodness Market: http://www.honest2goodness.ie
136A Slaney Close, Dublin Industrial Estate, Glasnevin, Dublin 11
Every Saturday 9.30am-4pm. It's not running on Wednesday until further notice.

There are lots more pictures from the market over on the Facebook page if you want to check them out.