A talk given by Jennifer Linford to Barnet Society on 20th May 2009. Jenny, who lives in Barnet, has been an author for 19 years and is an expert on London gastronomy and food retailing. She has recently published “The London Cookbook” lSL3N 978 1 902910 29 1.

A packed audience came to hear her views, particularly as The Barnet Society’s main area of concern currently is the state of our own market. Jenny certainly gave us a few things to think about. “We live in London and have a fantastic range of shops and markets, it is a rich treasure trove.”

The first main theme of the talk is that London is ever changing and constantly reinventing itself. She gave us a miscellany of examples.

In Soho there are a huge number of ethnic mixes which shows in the variety of food available and as each new group settled, they opened their own specialist food outlets There is a huge influence from the French -  Patisserie Francaise - and post - 1945 the Italians. The best coffee in London can be bought from The Algeria Coffee Shop in Old Compton Street. In the 1950’s the Chinese arrived here from the Limehouse area.
Of course, London is not just Soho and there is delicious food available all over. Martyns in Muswell Hill gets a special mention as a grocer of over a 100 years.

The Turkish bread at Xasser Halim in Green Lanes is worth a trip and Green Valley on the Edgware Road is the best Lebanese delicatessen. Our very own Rita (Hammersley’s, Barnet Market) gets the fish recommendation. If you want a fuller inventory please refer to Jenny’s “The London Cookbook” that is full of places to visit and recipes to cook.

Jenny then talked about markets of which, of course, Barnet Market has a long history. London markets, again a story of constant change, still has surviving wholesale markets. Smithfield (meat market) remains on its original site, Billingsgate (fish market) moved from its City site along the Thames to Docklands. Covent Garden (fruit and veg) has transferred to Nine Elms and has more variety than ever as “there are no seasons anymore”.

There still remain many retail markets and the second theme of the talk was the change to the “supermarket culture” and the threat this poses to the diversity of Food retailing. Markets are under threat not only from the supermarkets but developers with their eye on prime town centre sites. Portobello Road faces such pressure due to gentrification. Queens Market in Newham faced a planning battle with a supermarket (but won!). Farmers Markets are an idea imported from the USA only 11 years ago and have gained in support and patronage. Borough Market (in Southwark) has been trading since Roman Times and in the 1970's it was preserved by a trust when it was under threat by developers.

Barnet Market and Portobello Road are two historic markets currently in danger.

Jenny ended this fascinating talk on an optimistic note. “Is there anywhere in the world more diverse than London?”

Finally, we were treated to her homemade savoury biscuits with our cup of tea - see her hook for the recipes!