English tomatoes, Canarian potatoes, chilled cider

“FROM WORKING HERE, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE AWARE OF THE SEASONS AND ACTIVELY BUY THINGS AT THEIR BEST”

Behind the scenes at Borough is a small team of dedicated professionals whose job it is to keep the wheels of this historic market turning. Most of them are completely obsessed with food, thanks in part to their daily exposure to exceptional produce and expert traders. We’ve asked them to share their thoughts on the ingredients and dishes that spark their excitement when summer rolls around.   

Bethan Davies is Borough Market’s Head of Comms & Marketing, responsible for the many ways the market communicates with its customers, traders and the wider public.

What’s the item of summer produce you most look forward to?

Tomatoes. When they’re at their most fragrant and delectable, they’re my favourite thing to eat, often just with a generous sprinkle of salt. I like the unpredictability of British fruit and veg and how it challenges me to think about what to cook. Working for the market, I know it’s incredibly difficult for our traders to predict when certain seasonal produce will be in stock, but that makes it even more important to be aware of the seasons and the weather and actively buy things at their best.

What’s the most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten on a summer holiday. Where was it and what was it?

In 2012, my friend Sam and I had been staying in a cheap all-inclusive in Tenerife, where we ate buffet meals all week. We decided to treat ourselves to a dinner out on the last night. We picked a traditional restaurant, where we ordered Canarian potatoes – new potatoes, cooked in salted water to the point of evaporation, which leaves this amazing crust, served with red and green mojo. We also had the most delicious, perfectly seasoned, rare steak. After a week of bland food, the flavours were magnified, and our tastebuds were in shock! I spent months trying to recreate that green mojo and I often cook my potatoes with this method even now.

It’s a perfect barbecue day. Are you the one firing up the barbecue or part of the crowd sitting with a cold drink while someone else sweats over the coals?

I’m the sides queen in my family. I always do a really simple new potato salad with avocado, lemon and cress for gatherings, and you’ll find my beloved tomatoes in there too, layered with fresh cheese and herbs. I’m lucky to have some amazing cooks in my life, so more often than not I’ll let them do incredible dishes cooked over fire and I’ll happily provide the drinks! My special is a salted watermelon margarita – refreshing and perfect to make in a pitcher for ease.

What’s your ultimate barbecue dish?

I don’t think you can beat a perfectly cooked steak. A generously sized cheaper cut like bavette served rare and sliced crossways (not with the grain – that makes it chewy!) before being doused in a herby, tangy sauce is my idea of heaven. I also really love grilled pineapple sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar – a simple, delicious summer dessert.

If you were planning your ideal picnic, what foods from Borough Market would you add to your basket? 

I’d create the perfect sandwich: a fresh ciabatta big enough to hold layers of Italian ham, mozzarella, some sort of chargrilled or pickled veg, a handful of rocket and a generous layer of mustard mayo. Squished, wrapped in paper and sliced for easy munching – the dream.

Where in London would you take your Borough Market picnic basket for an afternoon in the sun?

I love the Southbank. I used to visit a lot as a kid and I’ve always enjoyed the buzz and proximity to all the plays and exhibitions. The Queen Elizabeth Hall rooftop garden is a great spot for a picnic – it’s free, has amazing views and is perfect to sit and enjoy the sunshine before maybe making an impromptu decision to see something at the theatre.

What’s your summer sundown tipple of choice? In an ideal world, where would you be sitting to enjoy it?

My ultimate summer drink is cider. I’ve gone on a long journey of discovery since my teenage ‘cider and black’ era and now really enjoy the wide range of styles available, particularly at Borough Market. The spectrum of flavours and methods means I never get bored of trying different ciders. But each time, that initial sip makes me think of long, lazy summer days, fun times with friends and inevitably some questionable decisions. Ah, life experience! And if I could be anywhere, it’d be in Hout Bay in Cape Town, where they do sundowners better than anywhere else I’ve been.