fourways garden pavillion green marketSaturday proved to be the perfect day for the launch of the Fourways Garden Pavilion Green Market in Johannesburg, as a week of torrential rain finally gave way to some sunshine.

After struggling to find parking in the busy Leaping Frog Centre, I was greeted by a wonderful, bustling little produce market in the nursery, with stalls selling all sorts of delicious goodies. This was the first market of its kind that I’ve been to in Jo’burg, and I found it to be an incredibly relaxing little slice of all things natural in the middle of the busy city.

The organisers wanted to keep things simple for the launch, but the variety of things on sale was very effective. There was a stall selling a wide variety of organic veggies grown on a nearby farm in Fourways, and a baked goods stall providing a host of delicious breads, croissants, brownies and other treats, which I’m told can be ordered in wheat- and gluten-free varieties.

For caffeine addicts, there was a stall selling different varieties of fairtrade coffee beans, which one could purchase either in convenient bags to take home, or have ground up and made into delicious cappuccinos to enjoy while browsing. There was a delightful couple selling natural cheeses made with vegetarian rennet, and whose fried haloumi I cannot speak highly enough of. There was an extensive assortment of olive products (oils, tapenades, chutneys, and so on) as well as antipastis, chilli products, pestos, and some unusual cereals, preserves, and jams – imagine cranberry-yoghurt crunch or whiskey marmalade for breakfast!

Carnivores could frequent a stall selling all types of sausages and salamis, and to round it off, a dessert store selling the most scrumptious milk tarts, quiches and cakes was manned by a lady who was more than willing to provide passers-by with samples of her wares.

All of the stallholders were extremely friendly, and the nursery setting and ambient music made for a wonderful atmosphere. There is place for the kids to play while the adults can enjoy their purchases at the tables set up to accommodate tired shoppers. While small, the market had everything one could possibly desire in terms of fresh produce. All in all, the launch was a very successful event, and I am expecting great things to come from this little market.

The Fourways Garden Pavilion Green Market will initially be held on the first Saturday of each month, running from 08:00 to 14:00.