Jesse, Brasserie Bread and bit of a Marrickville twist

Brasserie Bread a firm favourite with all at Marrickvile Market.  With Jess at the helm and the award winning artisan bread this piece will contain some great photos, some important information from the Bakery and a dash of some Marrickville Market love.

Brasserie Bread has had an incredibly long association with Organic Food Markets.  Can you enlighten us as to how this "introduction" came to be

Brasserie Bread has been actively involved in farmer's markets in Sydney for the past 7 years.  It's a very important part of our wholesale business.

check out a blog Brasserie Bread did with Jesse "here"

Farmer's Market shoppers also share their experience with lots of other people, both good and bad!  This certainly keeps us on our toes and gives us invaluable insight for future product development.

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No matter the weather, being an old hand at market life Jesse turns up, always up beat, always set up and always sells out!  Testament to his ability to his selling skills in a product that he not only represents but that he believes in and is it any wonder?  

With an AMAZING range of breads 

and sweet treats

what's not to love?!

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Your bread is known for winning many medals at many Easter Shows which is a testament as to how good your products are. What would be your best seller at any given time

Definitely our organic sourdough which is made with organic unbleached flour, Murray River salt and our 18 year old sourdough starter.

Our Quinoa & Soya Sourdough also have a big following.  It's packed with nutritious soya beans and five seeds including quinoa.

Do Brasserie Bread deliver to market sites or does the stallie collect from the bakery (which would then mean an extra early start for the stallies for sure!)

They pick up from our Banksmeadow Bakery

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So peeps does this not elevate Jesse to an all time high on Sundays?  Up early to bakery, off to market, set up, get ready and then sell out!!!!

MASSIVE in anyone's books and trust us at Easter time it's complete madness!  Them hot cross buns sell out despite orders being made weeks before!

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How would you sum up the world of Brasserie Bread in 5 words

Honouring traditions of artisan baking

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And on that note we thank Brasserie Bread for taking some time to tell us a bit about their story and to Jesse for being a long timer and when you see him, make sure you let him know you read the blog

Sharing the love with Aletia

You are a BIG fan of Marrickville Market.  When did this devotion begin

Gosh, probably about 4 years ago.  My friend's mother had started running the Chai Tent and it became my Sunday morning/lunch/afternoon hang out place.

Are you a "got my list in my hand, fly in fly out" type of person, or is it more of a "let's see what's on offer" and whatever will be will be type of gal

Definitely more of a "let's see what's on offer" type of person.  Although when I am buying my veggies I love that I can do it quicker than if I was at a supermarket.

I remember one time it was pouring with rain but the veggie guys at the end of the main drag were valiantly swishing water off their tent and assuring me that they are always there rain hail or shine! 

I like that quality in a local veggie seller.

Do you have a fave stallie whose produce you simply MUST buy each visit, and if so, who and why

Well the Chai Tent is a MUST!  I can't not have Chai on a Sunday now, which is difficult when I'm travelling for work.

I also really like the second hand clothing stall right in the middle (Responsibly Gorgeous) and have gotten a few bargains and very honest advice from Telma.

I also like perusing the bookshops, and The Bower is great if I need something practical for the house.

From a personal point of view, what is it about markets that makes not only an enjoyable experience but an important part of the local community

Personally, I know I can go there alone and probably run in to somebody I know.  Most of my friends go there and also most of the stallholders are local people who believe in community and supporting local products, rather than making a few bucks.

I think having it in a community space helps.  There are often people handing out leaflets about various local issues as well.

How would you sum up Marrickville Market in 5 words

My Sunday chill out space

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One thing we love when sharing stories from our shoppers is when they say they too are there supporting our producers rain hail or shine and for that an extra massively HUGE chilled out thank you to Aletia for sharing time, love and shopping during all types of weather at our beloved Marrickville Market!

5 Questions with The Coconut Shop

You have ben part of the Organic Food Markets mob for quite a while now.  When did you become a "family" member and how did you find us initially

Nearly three years ago after a trip to Fiji that inspired us to start The Coconut Shop we attended our first market at Riverside as it was our local market.  Shortly after we started at Marrickville.

photo courtesy of Flexi Hair (whose blog you can check out "here")

Why coconuts?  And can you tell us a little bit about why they  and their derivatives are important to our overall wellbeing

Coconut is one of the traditional foods of the Pacific Islanders and is called "the tree of life".  They have known for generations the nutritional and medicinal benefits. Coconut oil can kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi

and is made up of mostly medium chain triglycerides which the body uses for energy.

Where do you source your products from and are the coconuts harvested in an eco-friendly manner

As our range is large and varied, we source the products from several countries.

Certified Organic, Fair Trade and Sustainably Grown is our preference.

What would be your biggest seller at market, or does it depend on season

Coconut oil is now receiving great media attention so is in high demand along with young drinking coconuts.

How would you describe marketeer life at Marrickville Markets

We love the vibe at Marrickville Markets.  It's like a festival every Sunday: the kids, the dogs, the happy customers and the friendship with our fellow marketeers.

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NEWSFLASH!!! Not only does The Coconut Shop sell all the goodies for our health, they also have some scrum sweet treats like..............

gluten free muffins

protein bars

even some cute as a button coconut men!

and for that we thank them from the bottom of our coconut-lovin-hearts!

Tis that time again!

@zintaa

@rpeachykeen

@maria

@mia

@missmialake

belle

@tiedynosaur

alanna

@kay_el_emm

@weebirdy

matt

bettina

@berlian19

Yue and Flexi Hair

Seriously cool to have a hairdresser at market!  Was it difficult when you first started out or did you already have a fairly well established client base from your mobile hair business for everyone to find you

It was difficult to start with.  I'm quite shy, so it took a lot of guts and I didn't know if it would work.  I was working at a salon at the time and still not totally confident about standing on my own.  But I had to move on to something where I felt I had more control in my life.

At first I had no clients whatsoever!  The very first day at market, I only 3 clients.  But the market was pretty small back then.

How long have you been in the hairdressing industry and has being at market helped grow your business with repeat customers

I have been a hairdresser for 10 years.  The market has definitely helped me to grow my business.  Being at market every Sunday is my place to be in the public eye.  This consistency has helped me build my reputation as a reliable and familiar face.  People know me as "the lady who does haircuts at market".

I have met a lot of people here; it's a great community.

What has been one of the more unusual requests you have had at market for a hairstyle and is there anything you won't do, or are you more of a "anything's possible" type of gal

Often bald guys will ask for a colour treatment, long hair or hair regrowth, and I'll suggest a perm! Just for a bit of fun.

It's not a salon and I don't have a basin or hairdryer.  Sometimes people come with a picture from a magazine of perfectly styled blow-dried hair and ask for that.

But I do my best without these luxuries.  Most people seem happy just getting their haircut at a market...it's a novelty.

we couldn't not put this in really!

How did you first discover Marrickville Markets: were you a customer first and then a stallie or stallie and then naturally a customer

I saw an ad for the markets 2 weeks before they opened.  I went down to see it on that weekend and there was no one there!  I misread the ad!!!

The markets started a week after that.  So I went down on that first day of trading.  I had moved to Shepherd Street (one block away) soon after that.  

I used to hang out at the chai tent as a customer before becoming a stallie.

And yes now I'm stallie and a customer!

I buy all my veggies at market and love the vegan cakes, coconut butter (it's the best!) and all the great variety.  I hardly need to go to the supermarket, it's great!

If you could sum up life as a hairdresser at Marrickville Markets in 5 words, what would they be

Unique

Rewarding

Caring

Ethical

Community

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Now it would be remiss of us NOT to use this particular opportunity to show off some of Yue's major clientele who are incredibly familiar to y'all

but if you not sure where to find her, it' simple!

Sharing the love with Naomi

When did you first discover the Sunday "mecca" aka Marrickville Markets

I stumbled across the markets years ago when I first moved to Sydney.   After moving to the area about 4 years ago we have been regulars ever since.

What was it that struck a chord within for you to become a regular visitor/punter/shopper/hanger-outer'er

Amazing variety of wholesome local and sustainable produce which is really important to me.  

Plus I really love the relaxed vibe and sense of community at the markets, which can be hard to find these days.  It really reminds me of some of the community markets I used to frequent growing up in Melbourne.

With it being incredibly child-friendly and with an insanely diverse range of produce, who would have to be your all time number one stallie and why

That's a hard one, there are so many great stalls.  For me it's probably Common Ground bakery where I get the best gluten free bread in Sydney.

They make their bread the old fashioned way using simple wholesome organic products.  

For my 3 year old it's Fayotopia and the pony rides.  She usually asks for a pony ride and face painting before she even has her brekkie on Sunday mornings.

Is there a weekly absolute "must buy because if I don't I will never heard the end of it from my family" item which must be purchased at all costs

Coffees and babycino from Alex's coffee are usually first on the list...caffeine is a priority!

Strawberries for smoothies and snacks throughout the week and Gluten Free Bread are always on my shopping list.

For those with kiddlettes and who have yet to discover Marrickville Markets, what 5 words would you use to encourage a look/see

Ponies, face painting, jumping castle, food, fun!  (ok technically that's 7 words but what more could a kid want??!!!)

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HUUUUGE thank you to Naomi for sharing her love of Marrickville Markets and on behalf of all the kiddlettes make sure you drag your parents along if nothing else to that they (the parents that is) can chai-chill and they (the kiddies) can jump or pony ride to the heart's content!

It would be most remiss for us NOT to include this lovely blog by Naomi "Gluten Free Mamma"