We visit Teignmouth Farmers' Market

Nosferatu street art in Teignmouth 

Our journey to Teignmouth Farmers' Market actually started several weeks ago when we met the irrepressible Collin Pereira of India In A Jar at Newton Abbot's Friday market. We got chatting, bought a couple of excellent samosas and sampled his unique curry pastes. We've sporadically thought since that we really should get back to Newton Abbot to buy the Minced Chicken Paste which we both liked, but hadn't gotten around to it so when I saw on Facebook that Colin would be at Teignmouth's Farmers' Market today it seemed like an ideal opportunity both to set ourselves up for great curries and to explore the town. The markets are usually the last Saturday of the month, the exception being December's market this year which is pre-Christmas on the 17th.

Teignmouth Triangles monument 

Teignmouth did appear rundown as we approached over the bridge from Shaldon, but once we were strolling within the town centre and along the seafront it gave a much better impression and I liked that there are lots of independent shops alongside the usual retailers. We parked over the road from the railway station so were only a street away from the market which is held in a smallish open space called the Triangles. Teignmouth Triangles were part of a regeneration project undertaken by Teignbridge District Council and Teignmouth Town Council and this monument was erected to commemorate the works' completion in May 1995. There weren't many stalls, but all looked to have high quality produce at reasonable prices so we ended up on a bit of a foodie spree!

Our first purchases were individual pies bought from Cockleshell Deli in Christow. The stallholder assured us we would love the pies and even offered money back if we didn't - he hadn't met Fussy Dave before! - but he was absolutely right. Dave had a Steak And Ale Fatboy Pie and I had a Roasted Sweet Potato Filo Pie. Warmed through for lunch once we got back home, both were delicious. And if Dave says so, that's praise indeed!

Abbey Meadow stall 

Next to catch our eyes was the Abbey Meadow stall. Abbey Meadow is a fantastic Community Supported Farming initiative near Brixham which practices sustainable natural farming. They're still fairly new having begun in 2013 and this is just the type of project I have been looking to support since reading The Omnivore's Dilemma earlier this summer. The stall had various meats including goat. I do love Curry Goat so we bought a half kilo and I will let you know when I slow cook it in the week just how good it tastes!

Finally we got to India In A Jar where we bought our long awaited Minced Chicken paste! We also picked up a couple of good ripe tomatoes from Tibbs Greengrocers and Dave made up our first India In A Jar curry tonight. It really is really good! Dave says using this paste was much easier than measuring out lots of spices individually and the flat smelt divine all afternoon while it was slow cooking. We served the curry up with a brown basmati rice I bought at Torquay Indoor Market and a little plain yoghurt on the side in case it was too spicy. The whole meal was great and I wish I'd got the two-jars-for-a-tenner deal instead of just buying one!

Teignmouth was also hosting an Arts And Crafts Market today which we walked around but had already spent practically all our money on food! There is a definite arty quarter to the town and Dave thought he had visited T.A.A.G. Arts And Community Centre before, years ago when our friend Marta showed some of her artworks there. Teignmouth has a strong cafe culture with a good variety of tempting independents. I enjoyed spotting creative touches such as this mosaic wall art and the Nosferatu image pictured at the top of the post. We looked in a couple of vintage-antique shops and I loved some boots in the window of Brodequin Shoemakers.

We both enjoyed our Teignmouth visit and would certainly return to explore more of the town and, when we've saved up again, to have another splurge at the Farmers' Market!