Although I was not able to enjoy the food at the Borough Market I was excited to find Cream Dream, a vegan pastry cafe. The bakery was going to be opened in Ukraine but because of the war they decided to open in London. All the workers are from Ukraine. 

Before I even entered the cafe, pink and flowers were spilling out into the street. When I first entered the cafe, I noticed that there was pink everywhere. They had flowers hanging down from the ceiling and there were fairy lights; it felt so magical. The environment was peaceful. The customers were not very loud and I could hear Ukrainian music playing in the background. On the walls, there were paintings by Ukrainian artists and one wall had pictures and information on different famous Ukrainian women.

The cafe sold many types of food such as sandwiches, wraps, and drinks, like coffee, tea, and lemonade, but my favorite foods were the desserts. The desserts were already made and displayed in a glass case to show off to customers. Everything looked so incredibly delicious I couldn’t wait to try them. I’ve tried 3 of their items and they all passed my expectations.

The first item that I tried was the honey cake with cherries, which is a traditional Ukrainian pastry. Honey cake is a very moist layer cake almost like it had a juice poured over each layer as they were being built. It had relatively large pieces or even whole sour cherries between the layers as well as some sort of cream. The outside of the whole cake was covered in crumbled honey cake. The cake was topped off with what I believe to be white chocolate in the shape of a honeycomb and just for a little extra, honey was put into some of the holes of the honeycomb.  The second item that I tried was the Rhubarb tart with almond, which was a tart with rhubarb on the top. I had never tried rhubarb before but I know people who like it so I was excited to try it. I was expecting something sweet which the rhubarb was not, but despite that I still really liked it. I was also surprised when I realized that the rhubarb had a layer of what seemed to be gelatin. This was quite new to me as I had never seen anything like it before. It made me wonder if it was a common thing to do in Ukrainian desserts and/or food or if it was just some fancy thing I’ve never seen before. The third item was just a tart but it was delicious. The outer walls of the crust were a little difficult to cut though with a fork but it was fine. I don’t see this as a particularly big issue because traditionally you are meant to eat it with your hands. The filling of the tart wasn’t particularly sweet either but I found that I quite liked it that way and honestly would probably prefer it like that rather than it being particularly sweet. The first time I went, I took a friend with me. They ended up ordering the strawberry tart and the magic lavender lemonade. Cream Dream sells lemonades and different types of teas including Ukrainian teas. I didn’t know this at first but the lemonade my friend had ordered was actually a type of tea that changes color when lemon juice is added.

There were no performers at the bakery but I did pass 2 performers in the tube station on my way back to the hotel. While they both sang, one played simple songs on his guitar and the other had an entire amp system set up. They had different styles of performing with the first reminding me of Jamaican music while the other was more pop rock.

I really enjoyed my adventure to the Cream Dream vegan pastry cafe. I’ve been twice and I definitely plan to go again and try a few more desserts!

Today we went to the Roman Bath house and saw the amazing architecture of the city and the ingenuity used in the creation of the bath house itself. I did the walking tour and because I needed something to keep my hands busy I also did the children’s scavenger hunt throughout my walk in the bath house. I did get to drink the water and it tasted like sulfur. Fun for the experience but terrible for a drink. It was very interesting how they utilized waterways and systems to create a bathhouse from a natural hot spring. I also think it’s interesting that the temple in the bath house would be Minerva(Athena for the Greeks out there) as it seems like there would be other gods that would fit better for the purposes of a bath house. I had lunch at a restaurant calleds Bill’s Bath House. It was fine but their cider could use a little work.  After the bath house we had high tea at the Pump House and it was amazing the music atmosphere and of course food and drink. This was the first time I had ever tried tea. I was drinking earl gray, and it was pretty good after three sugars. The scones were amazing and I did have a few of them but the other pastries mostly had some form of fish in them and I didnt care for them at all. I really enjoyed the live music and atmosphere. It made me feel fancy and passing Bath University I was making unlimited puns. The train ride back we were all wiped out and between naps on the ride back I knocked out a few Sudoku puzzles from a local newspaper. Now that I’m back at the hotel I’m ready to settle into some netflix and relax because today was exhausting.

Today we took a visit to Borough market, a lovely market with a ton of great food and quaint little shops. I didn’t stay too long as I had a headache but what I did see was really interesting. The market was cramped and felt like it was hidden away which gave it a feel of adventure and mystery. There were too many food stands to count and all of them smelled amazingly delicious. I had a cookie from a sweet stand as I wasn’t all that hungry. Some of the stands looked very interesting though like a kebab stand with a large hunk of meat they carved from and a hibachi stand where they made the fried rice and other foods in front of you. After looking around I thought many of the shops were neat but as I didn’t need to get clothes and wasn’t all that hungry I left without purchasing anything. I did pass by a pipe shop that looked really neat and had a very large gandalf pipe I thought about getting but as it was 90 pounds I turned and kept walking. I didn’t see any street performers when I was there but I also wasn’t really paying too much attention as I was considering today a snatch and grab cookie mission. Borough market is a very cool place to stop by for tourists looking to try new foods and get exotic clothing. Though it’s not my cup of tea I would say that anyone thinking about going should definitely give it a good try as it might surprise you and uncover some treasure you didn’t know you could live without. I would also advise to be prepared for the large crowd as there must have been about five hundred people by the time I left and with the location as snug as it is, it was quite an experience.  

Hello, everyone!! Welcome back to my blog. Today I will be entertaining you with tales from Borough Market and beyond. 

Yesterday began with a wonderful trip to the Sky Garden in the Walkie Talkie building (I love how Brits name things). The view from the top of this building (I believe it was the 35th floor) was absolutely stunning! As someone with a fear of heights, I was hesitant, but I actually went outside! Thank you to tall, glass barriers that make me feel safe because I can’t fall over them! Also, shout out to the cafe at the top of the building that had the best raspberry croissant ever! 

After our quick trip to the Sky Garden we made our way to Borough Market where we were tasked with trying a new type of food to write about. I will admit that I was nervous about this because I am a comfort food person and don’t tend to venture out. However, after a little searching with Kaylee and Cori (and a quick stop at The Free From Bakehouse) I found an Israeli food stand with chicken shawarma, something I have actually wanted to try for a while. (Don’t tell anyone, but the reason might be because they eat shawarma in the Avenger’s after credit scene, and I was obsessed with that movie for years.) The stand was called Shuk;, and a quick search revealed that this means “a market” in Hebrew. 

I was sadly unable to watch them prepare the food because of the setup, but ordering was very easy, and the employees were so nice! Also, I LOVED THE FOOD!! I wasn’t sure what to expect and was worried it would be too spicy for me (I have a very low spice tolerance). However, it was perfect. Others might find it a little bland for what it is, but it was just the right amount of spice for me. The dish consisted of chicken, garlic toum, tomatoes, pickled cucumbers, kraut, croutons, chug, harissa oil, and baby gem, all stuffed inside a delicious soft pita. I ate it like a burger, and it was definitely falling apart by the end, but I often say that the best food is typically messy food.

While venturing out was challenging for me, and I did find the market overwhelming, I was proud of myself for trying something new, and I enjoyed the food a lot. I don’t know that I love the crowded, smelly, market environment, but it was worth a quick trip to try something different. In short, sometimes change is not a bad thing, and I now have a new dish I can add to my list of favorite meals! Tune back in tomorrow to hear all about out exciting trip to Bath!!

Borough market was a very happy place for me. I am a foodie. My metabolism is my favorite part about myself. I can just eat and eat without failure. It’s awesome. So Borough Market was right up my alley. Never have I seen so much diversity at a food market before. I would estimate that there were 500 people at the market. Not going to lie, it was very over stimulating. There were just so many options to choose from. I’m generally a very indecisive person when it comes to food, so figuring out what I wanted to eat was extremely difficult for me. Because it was my first time, I wanted to check out every place and weigh out my options before I landed on a final decision. This wasn’t easy. There was a place called the Black Pug that had a sandwich that looked to die for. I really wanted to eat there because apparently it’s popular on TikTok and that’s typically a good indication that it was going to be great. The sandwich was literally called, “The Best One”. At least I think that’s what it was called. I kinda had trouble retaining information because I was so hungry and overstimulated.

That’s what it looks like. Yea. Heavenly. But unfortunately the line to eat there would’ve been a 2o minute wait and I just didn’t have it in me to wait that long. So I scourted the area for a Plan B. I knew that I wanted something that I couldn’t get anywhere else. I very tempted to get Shawarma but I’ve already had that like 4 times in the past week so I had to stay from it. I eventually landed on this Iraqi Kebab place. It seemed adventurous enough so I was like screw it, I gotta make a decision. I ordered a lamb and chicken tikka kebab wrap thing and it was a lot of food. The lamb was easily the best part about it. It came with tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and flatbread.

It was pretty amazing honestly. it looked like more than I can chew, but if you know me, I love a challenge. Especially when food is involved. I’d give that meal a 7.5/10. Nothing insane, but it did the trick. I also ended up eating the rest of 3 other people’s food which included Mac n cheese, an Indian dish, and some ice cream.

Overall, I will be going back and trying that Sandwich. It’s calling my name.

Yesterday we went to the Sky Garden and Borough Market, which were really cool to see! Sky Garden provided a wonderful view of the city and had some pretty greenery inside. After a week of visiting various markets such as Seven Dials, Camden, and Spitalfields, I was not expecting Borough Market to be like it was. I was told before that it is London’s biggest market, so I was picturing an even greater version of the others if that was even possible. The others were all a collection of independent vendors selling clothes, jewelry, or trinkets. There were always a ton of meal options from the food vendors, too. But Borough Market didn’t seem to be selling any clothes or knick-knacks but had a wide array of food. However, most of the food was not just a ready-to-eat meal, but more like a place for supplies. They had so many meat, cheese, and bread booths. There were so many huge wheels of delicious looking cheese everywhere, meats marinating or hanging out to dry, and beautiful loaves of various breads. It looked like the ideal place to go grocery shopping really, where it is all supporting local and really fine quality products. There was also a large amount of seafood around. It was one of the main smells I was getting when walking around, but it smelled so amazing I was craving some yummy seafood so bad. We saw one of the seafood vendors had a ton of raw fish, shrimp, and even some octopus and a huge monkfish! It looked so funny, all slimy with its mouth open, and I of course thought of the scene in Mamma Mia (the movie) where Tanya screams when she sees one. Belinda and I got lunch at Borough Market, at a place called Brood. We shared an order of paella and a box of Mediterranean food. I hadn’t had paella in a long time, and this one was full of chicken, shrimp, and muscles. The chicken and shrimp were both good, but the muscles ended up being my favorite bite, which surprised me! The paella had a really good flavor and we enjoyed it. Our Mediterranean box, however, was not as enjoyable. We were both disappointed, it wasn’t very tasty overall, but we still got to try some new things. It came with lamb, which I’ve had and loved but didn’t enjoy this flavorless version. There was also some chorizo, which I did think was very yummy, and ended up being the only thing in this box I enjoyed. It had a little salad with tzatziki that again didn’t seem to have much flavor. It also had some halloumi, which is made form sheep and goats milk and I had never tried it before. It was okay, I didn’t hate it, but it wasn’t my favorite. However, I am interested in trying it again since I don’t know if it was just this restaurants that wasn’t as good. Despite what was definitely not the best meal I’ve had this trip, I still really enjoyed Borough Market. I liked it because it was selling food that I knew locals were buying. Even though I know we were still probably mostly surrounded by tourists like us, it still felt more like a local farmers market of sorts (just very large-scale and crowded). I got a little sample bite of cheese that was delicious, I got to see that funny looking monkfish, and I had some yummy paella, so overall a fun time! I will always enjoy being around the people, seeing what they wear, hearing how they speak, and enjoying the beauty of all those intersecting lives. 

I have decided after going to Borough Market that I am plagued with the curse of indecisiveness. It felt like I spent more time panicking over which cuisine to eat than trekking from America to the UK. Immediately overwhelmed with options, I paced through alley after alley, scrutinizing menus, sniffing my heart out, and grunting with distress. I don’t think I looked down once, so I am sure I stepped on at least one Brit’s shoes.

One thing about me is a love a good curry. Any and all types. I crave spice in my bones. However, I realized that every dish I had gotten before Borough Market on this trip was some type of curry, whether that be Indonesian or Carribean, so I set a standard for myself to step out of my comfort zone. I told Shawn to hold me accountable and to say, “No, Eden,” if I said I was going to get curry. I was so indecisive almost to the point of tears, and seeing an authentic Thai curry booth did not help my decision in the slightest.

After waltzing around the Market like a headless chicken, I gave myself three options: Indian, Iraqi, or Japanese. I had never in my life seen Iraqi food and was overjoyed by the thought of it. However, after careful thought, I decided against it because I am not the biggest fan of lamb. Also, although the Japanese looked delicious, it is very easy to find Japanese food in the States. I decided on Indian because I know that there is a large population of Indian citizens in England, so I knew the food would be delicious and have heart.

I ordered something that I cannot remember the name of, and which I tried my darndest to pronounce, and found it very delicious. It was like a paneer panini with a chickpea mixture inside and a chickpea and onion salad. I felt a little bit extra American when I ordered it, but they knew exactly what I wanted and had great customer service. I watched them make it on a skillet, which was interesting and came out quickly. It was scrumptious, but I felt myself swelling to the point of un-comfortability, so I saved the rest to give to Louis, or the “food trashcan.” Finding a place to sit was hard, which would be one of my complaints about the market. More tables and chairs, please! It would also be nice for them to have a bigger bathroom than just a single stall(because you know how long the ladies always are), but you win and lose some.

I absolutely had to try this dessert place called Humble Crumble that I had read about on the internet, so I splurged and got a rhubarb crumble, topped with frozen custard. My tastebuds were happy, but my bank account was not. What I loved most about the dessert was the mixture of texture and temperature: hot fruit at the bottom, crunchy crust in the middle, and smooth, cold cream on top. What I have noticed about being here is that a lot of things are less sugary than they are in America, which I enjoyed because the sweetness was not overwhelming.

It was very exciting to see all the food from different cultures– food from Tel Aviv? ARE YOU KIDDING ME! So cool. It is one of those things I would have probably never experienced without going on this trip. Did I drop a lot of money on overpriced food? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Enjoy this picture of the before and after me humbling crumbling. Trust me, it was good.

Toodles!

xoxo Gossip Girl