Scenes from Druid/ Maltby Streets Saturday 2nd July

Signs and scenes from the Druid and Maltby Streets area.

St John Bakery: licence application to sell alcohol – bottles of wine

Large warehouse and passing cyclist

Nectarines and peaches@Tony Booths

Jacob's Ladder

Basque Pig

Gergovie Wines + Mons: two new openings in Maltby/Druid Streets, SE1

Trevor Gulliver (St John) breakfasting@Gergovie Wines

On the last Saturday of February two new outlets – Gergovie Wines and Mons the cheesemonger –  opened in the Maltby/Druid Street Arches area.  

Gergovie Wines

Bumping into Trevor Gulliver, boss of the St John group, at his Druid Street bakery this morning he told me about Gergovie Wines, which had just recently opened in Maltby Street. By the time we had done our circuit we caught up briefly with him at the new wine bar. Gergovie Wines is run by Raef Hodgson, son of Randolph Hodgson the chairman of Neals Yard Dairy, and Harry Lester. They work with 'a few of a new generation of winemakers eschewing chemical pesticides and fertilizers. In favour of letting the land speak (sing even).'

On their short list they have three producers from the Auvergne – Patrick Bouju from the Domaine de la Bohème (video from wine terroirs ); François Dhummes (story here on Bertrand Celce's Wine Terroirs) and Fred Gounan of Vignoble de l'Arbre Blanc. Gergovie also list another Loire – Domaine Saurigny from Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné in the Layon. The indefatigable Bertrand has also posted a story on Jérôme Saurigny. and there is also this write up of an exciting visit last year on Wicker Parker.

Unfortunately we were pushed for time, so only had time for a quick glance round but as I don't know any of the four Loire producers listed I will have to go back soon.

Incidentally Trevor told me that the St John Hotel is due to open at the end of this month.

Mons the cheesemonger
This small outlet of the famous fromage affiner, Mons, has opened in Stanworth Street, next to Neals Yard Diary. Mons is based at the old fortified town of Saint Haon le Châtel, close to Roanne and within the Côte Roannaise appellation.

Today we have:

We opted for a piece of this deliciously creamy and flavoursome blue

Website for Maltby/Druid Streets here.

See also The Bermondsey Trail by Saffron Strands.

Saturday mushrooms@Tony Booth + doughnuts, Druid Street, London

Still life with mushrooms

With being away recently, today was our first visit to Maltby/ Druid Street market area since late January. Clearly the area is becoming more known with more people about although there is still lots of space and the stallholders/shopkeepers have time to chat. I noted a fairly frequent succession of cars and taxis drawing up at the St John Bakery to buy bread, doughnuts etc.

Wickedly rich but light cream doughnut

Also two new outlets have opened in the Maltby/Druid Arches – Gergovie Wines and Mons the cheesemonger, which are the subject of the next post.

An Eccles cake in Druid Street

Now back in London after Christmas and the New Year in the Loire. Made a quick trip up to Maltby/Druid Street to do the shopping, which included buying some Seville oranges from Tony Booth. We were also tempted by the Eccles cakes@St John Bakery. Will be trying them with some cheese from Neal's Yard very soon. 

I gather that the opening of the new St John Hotel, in the building that used to be Manzi's near Leicester Square has been delayed until March.  

PS: The rich and spicy Eccles cake was excellent with some Cheshire and was also pretty good with some Stichleton. 

Maltby Street, Druid Street, The Ropewalk: developing apace

Monmouth Coffee Company, 34-36 Maltby Street, London SE1

We had heard that interesting things were going on around Maltby Street and nearby Druid Street in Bermondsey with various food outlets opening up in the railway arches, underneath the railway line into London Bridge. Today was the first time that we have had a chance to get down there to see what's going on. Our impression is that the number of outlets are increasing and that the area is developing quite quickly.

Some of the outlets, like the Monmouth Coffee Company, Neal's Yard and Fern Verrow (55 Stanworth Street) are companies that already have branches in nearby Borough Market. Some others like Tony Booth's L. Booth Mushroom Company (Druid Street) are companies that used to be in Borough but have moved out. I gather that the Borough Market trustees only gave Tony Booth a weekly grace and favour lease, so, once he found different premises, he left.

Equally there are other companies, such as the St John Bakery, that are new to this area of South London. The Bakery opened two days ago and this is believed to be the first time that Trevor Gulliver has opened an enterprise south of the Thames. As well as supplying their restaurants, it will also supply the St John Hotel in 1 Leicester St, London, which is due to open in December. Incidentally the raisin bread we bought here is delicious.

Doubtless Borough Market will continue to draw the crowds, it is more centrally located, has an established reputation and is more compact. There is, however, much that makes the Maltby-Druid area attractive. Firstly there is some of the spirit of the early days of Borough Market when it was first getting established. There is space to move about and shop – you don't have to arrive dead early on a Saturday to avoid the crowds. It is also, at least for the moment, easy to find somewhere to park. It is also a short walk from Bermondsey Tube Station on the Jubilee Line. Unfortunately the Jubilee specialises in weekend closures!

Details of what is happening in Maltby-Druid etc here.

L. Booth's new premises in Druid Street (above and below)

Topolski (Druid Street)

Perry Court Farm – organic meat (Druid Street)

St John Bakery, Druid Street (above and below)

Cakes (Druid Street)

Borough Cheese Company (Stanworth Street)

Fern Verrow (Stanworth Street)