15. Come Saturday Morning

Come Saturday Morning - I'm going away with my friend

There is a lovely tradition that I've quickly adapted to (really - it was easy....) -- Saturday morning at the market. Now this market is not quite (at all) like the Guelph Market in appearance - but it is in its ethos:  a coming together -- a hub --  a celebration of local food -- an opportunity to connect with friends and meet new ones. The Eshowe market is called  Made @ Home. It is located in the front and side yard of a local resident, Ilona, (who happens to be my pottery teacher.)

We'll travel for miles in our Saturday smiles 

The market has 3 main areas - the cafe --  the market area -- and the garage sale area.

* The garage sale area is basically a consignment shop. One never knows what will show up there. I've seen everything from furniture to shoes to art supplies and there's always a large selection of books. The organizer collects 10% of the sale and the seller gets the rest in cash. There is also a community notice board.

A view into one part of the market area.

 * The market area has various regular items: The usual food line up is fresh produce, home baking (sweet and savoury as well as fresh bread), home canning of jam, chili and other sauces, honey, samosas, biltong (jerky), and did I mention home baking! Then there is the handicraft area - locally made jewelry, cards, pottery (by Ilona), sewing, and traditional bead crafts.Various locals provide the goods for this area. They don't have to stay to sell though. It is all done by Jeanine - who coordinates the market and garage sale area as well as being an artist who has some of her own items included.

* The best part of the market is the cafe. Ilona is a tremendous baker. Every week (she's up most of the night) she prepares about 6 items. There is usually a quiche and a savoury muffin (extra large) such as feta and spinach. Then there are the sweet items. Some of the recent offerings include apple strudel (amazing), plum cake, grenadilla (passion fruit) cheesecake (with homemade cheese), pecan pie and the list goes on and on. Then there are hot drinks. The prices are amazingly reasonable - and the portions are not skimpy. Eats are 16 Rand and hot drinks are 9 Rand. (The current conversion rate is 7:1) So brekkie is $3.50. (And if you can't stay - you can get take-away.)

One week's offerings

We'll Saturday laugh more than half of the day

* The other best part (can you tell I've been hanging out with kids) is the social element. The people in this community are very loving and connected and friendly. There are lots of hellos and visits. I've met and had conversations with lots of people. Some people make arrangements to meet at a certain time. Others just show up and see who they know - rearrange the chairs and move in.

Cafe - the market part is to the left.

* Birthday breakfasts for groups of friends are common.

* My first Saturday there the couple sitting beside us were from New York state - Buffalo area. They are over doing work on their PhD's in Social Anthropology.

The opening is to the kitchen.

* It would be hard to decide if there are more hugs or more coffees served in a morning.

And then we'll move on - 
But we will remember long after Saturday's gone...