To market: Adelaide Central Market

So much has changed since Adelaide central market was officially opened early on a summer’s morning in 1870, but quality produce and great service are still the order of the day at this local favourite.

Source: Tom Donald

A tempting waft of freshly baked sourdough is evidence that the 144-year-old Adelaide Central Market is changing in subtle but significant ways. Wild Loaf, a stall that opened in October 2012, is the first to bake all its loaves inside the market. Fanis Katsarelias and his son, James, figured that creating the aromas of a working bakery would help bolster sales for their bold new venture, and they’ve been proved right.

Formerly the owners of Square Waterhole Vineyards at Mount Compass, the Katsarelias family became more famous for the food they served at their cellar door on weekends than for the wine. After selling the vineyard, they continued peddling their food at the Victor Harbor Farmers’ Market until rising demand prompted their move into the city to start a hands-on sourdough bakery using only natural ingredients.

They don’t complain about starting work at 4am – firing up the ovens, shaping their rested sourdough into baking tins, slashing their tops in patterns to distinguish different bread types – because the market draws a strong, consistent stream of customers. “The aromas get people interested, then we cut up breads and get people to taste them – and we’ve got them hooked. Whenever we give away free samples, sales go up,” says Fanis. “If people can see handmade goods, they equate that with quality.”

Customers come to the market to see, smell and taste, but also to learn more about food. Recent renovations that have introduced an open floor plan through the combined Say Cheese, Dough and Smelly Cheese Company stalls – all owned by Peter Heaney – enable staff greater ability to interact with customers. The shoppers are hungry for information, and specifically ask for explanations about the differences between certain sheep’s milk and cow’s milk cheeses, why they are ripened for different periods, and what determines the stall’s Sexy Cheese of the Week. “That starts a deeper, more detailed conversation between us and our customers,” says Say Cheese manager Dianna Battistella. It also leads customers to sign up for The Smelly Cheese Club’s regular cheese masterclasses and tasting events. “This is the future of markets,” says Dianna. “It’s where a food lover comes to learn about food and be introduced to the very best.”

Entrepreneurial butcher Richard Gunner is also expanding his passion for distinctive produce. Having achieved an outstanding reputation for quality foods through his successful Feast @ the Market stall, built on branded meats from his family’s livestock properties near the Murray River mouth, Richard has also opened Something Wild, a new food exotica specialist selling everything from crocodile, kangaroo and camel to foraged wild mushrooms.

Still, it’s a comfort to many shoppers that some things in Adelaide Central Market don’t change at all. Although Con’s Fine Food, which is the market’s largest and most complete delicatessen store, has grown in size since Greek migrant Con Savvas started it with his three brothers in 1959, its look and personality remain unaltered. With more than 500 different food items, up to 15 staff crammed tight between serving counters and storage spaces, and a continual stream of suppliers making deliveries, Con’s stall remains a blur of perpetual motion.

Con’s three sons – Alex, Ross and Anthony – now drive the business. Ross and Anthony have both worked in other industries, yet ultimately came back to work at Con’s. They joke that the market is like the Hotel California. “You can check out any time you like, but can never leave,” says Ross, with a wink.

“Ultimately it’s all about the service to our customer, listening to what they want and delivering it to them,” says his brother, Alex. “Some things change, but the fundamentals always stay the same.”

 

Shopping list

Lucia’s pasta sauce
Lucia Rosella opened Adelaide’s first spaghetti bar in the Central Market in 1957, and her famous pasta sauce recipe is now sold in jars by her grandchildren Lee, Simon and Emma Bugeja at Lucia’s Fine Food Store. Shop 3, [phone], lucias.com.au

Belgian milk chocolate
There’s so many tempting treats to choose from, but a cup of molten chocolate from the tall Belgian milk chocolate fountain with a serve of fresh fruit proves irresistible. Shop 66, [phone]

Fig and walnut loaf
This favourite from Wild Loaf is richly aromatic with a pungent mix of cassia, allspice, clove and nutmeg. Shop 43, (08) 8231 26260, wildloaf.com.au

Weisswurst
The classic white South German pork sausage from Barossa Fine Foods is made to a traditional recipe – blanched with parsley, lemon and ginger. Shop 60, [phone], barossafinefoods.com.au

 

Adelaide Central Market, open Tuesday to Saturday, 44-60 Gouger St, Adelaide, SA, [phone], adelaidecentralmarket.com.au

 

Recipes

Goat's cheese tarts with beetroot salad

Inspired by the fresh produce available at the Adelaide Central Markets, these tarts have a lovely rich filling and, offset by an earthy, sweet and acidic beetroot salad.

Omelette with tofu, greens and kecap manis

A simple dish inspired by the fantastic variety of foods available at the Adelaide Central Markets. This omelette is packed with texture and spice and is great for breakfast or an easy weeknight dinner.

Carpaccio with shaved vegetables and salsa verde
This carpaccio is inspired by the gorgeous meats and produce available from the iconic Adelaide Central Markets. Make your own salsa verde for an elegant and flavoursome foil to the rich eye fillet. 

 

 

Photography Tom Donald.

 

As seen in Feast magazine, October 2014, Issue 36.