MELBOURNE TRIP PART 6 FOODIES WALK

14/3/2013

The day before we left for Sydney, May booked us a Foodies Walk at the Queen Victoria Market.
We took the train down to the Melbourne Central Station for our breakfast.

The musical clock at the Melbourne Central shopping building.

Ever wonder what this tall building inside Melbourne CBD complex?
It is a Shot Tower completed in 1888 and rises about 50 metres high.  It was saved from demolition in 1973 and incorporated in the CBD complex and place under the conical  glass roof about 84 metres high.

It is the Shot Tower Museum. 

Entrance is through the R.M. William shop on the first floor. 

R.M. William is a shop specialising in handcrafted riding boots and Australian bushwear. 

The Shot tower has 327 steps to the top and it used to produce about 6 tonnes of lead shots weekly.  

As the lead shots are dropped from the top through the tower, it will solidified  and were collected here before further treatment.

Cute pillar at Melbourne CBD

More funny signboards

We met the Foodie Walk guide at the Electrolux shop at the QV market  and were given our goodie bag.  The shop conducts cooking classes as well.  You get to purchase the fresh produce from the market and are taught how to cook them at the shop kitchen. There were 10 of us for the foodie walk.  

I am sure many of us had been to the Queen Victoria Market (also known VIC market). It is a must-go tourist attraction nowadays.  But do you know that actuall this market actually sit on top of a cemetery site?

And according to the guide there are still some bodies buried under the sheds and car park!!!!   

The market was officially opened in 1878 and this  is one of the original lampost. The market was originally a wholesale and retail fruit and vegetables market but now it also has a large non-food related market - handicrafts, clothings and soveniers etc.     

The first stop to the meat section and this was one of the oldest butchery in the market.

Showing us what is the pig's caul- the lacey transparent fat/membrance of the belly. This is often used as a wrap for meat or for sausages.  But I remember my mother would used to render the oil out of these and used the oil for cooking!  

The guide explaining how the meats are brought into the stalls.  See the "railways lines" at the top that goes round all these meat stalls.

Another old timer here.

Next, we moved onto the Fish Section.

I liked walking in this market, its clean and bright. By the way the roofs of the market are covered with the largest solar panels grid- very eco-friendly.

So fresh and cheap especially the marinara mix. My sister Vicky use it to cook a very warming and delicious pot of Seafood porridge.

Big fresh live crab!

Showing off a live octopus!

Fresh Oysters - sorry no tasting for this! 

After seeing the poultry section, we moved to the next section - vegetables and fruits. 

There are purple carrots

and there are yellow carrots

This grandfather is from Italy and had this stall from the beginning.

This is something new to me..

Finger limes- it is actually small - the size of our little pinky 

the tiny flesh  - sourish, refreshing and what do you expect - it's  lime 

From here we moved to the deli and gourmet section- my favourite section of the market.  

Selling exotic and gourmet foods

This Kangaroo meat- braised and its soft and no gamey smell.

Fromage - the cheese are passed through the trapdoor into the stall

Malaysian satay sausages anyone?

Persian Fairy - like candy  floss

That "bell"  behind is actually aged cheese! 

 

Tasting the boreks - yummylicious!

Finally generous helpings of the "main course"  after all the little morsels  including the wine which we have tasted.

And desserts as well -

 

Chocolates!

A final photo before the tour ended.  We were also given vouchers to redeem our coffee.

We did some shopping- got some cheese, chorizo and anchovies and then took a coffee break before going home as we were full from all the food tasting.

We had to do our packing as we were leaving for Sydney tomorrow. May went for her evening swim while I cooked dinner for her and Wai Kit and Hyejung.  She had some fresh organic Pasta bought from the Farmers market and I cooked it Aglio Olio style  and added organic tomatoes  as well. Served with a green salad and the Char-grilled Chicken which she had bought from the shop on the way home. We mopped up the sauce/olive oil  with slices of  bread. Delightful and wonderful.