Cookham Recon - The Butcher, Bakers and Kangaroo Song Maker

In my bid to learn more about Cookham and area, I did some investigative work this morning.

First, I went to the Cookham Country Market. It's a local market that happens every Friday from 8:30-10:30am at Pinder Hall, one of Cookham's meeting halls that is located conveniently close to me. The local market is part of a larger co-operative that helps to organise local markets across "England, Wales and the Channel Islands". It does make me wonder about Scotland. Are there not enough people there who are interested? Do they have their own co-op? Do they like doing it without a co-op? Enquiring minds want to know.

Back to the market. It wasn't very big, there were about 8 tables set up. They were selling cakes, cupcakes, minces pies and Christmas cakes for bakery items. There was some yummy fudge made with goat's milk and a stand with jams, jellies, marmalades and chutneys. Along with this, there was a stand with fresh eggs, a stand with very reasonably-priced jewellry (I feel like Bridget Jones's mother saying that) and a couple of stands selling cards. I didn't take a good look at the cards, as I wasn't interested - I was after food - but I think they were seasonal Christmas cards mainly. I bought a cake, some mince pies and some chutney, which totalled around 6.40. Pretty good prices, if you ask me. So if you are in Cookham and have time to head down on Friday mornings and want a few treats, I would recommend it. I've already tried the cake and it's delicious.

On the way back I stopped off at Maceys. Keith Macey is a local butcher who offers organic and free range meat products in his butcher's shop. He's normally open Friday through Sunday. Nice work if you can get it! Probably more goes on than just that, I'm guessing. Anyways, he's a nice fellow and we had a little chat as he is often over in Bavaria as one of his marinade/spice suppliers is near Nuremberg. I bought some minty lamb kebabs, so can report back to you later today or tomorrow as to how they were.

Lastly, I was reading the Cookham website and saw that Rolf Harris was at the opening of the new Indian restaurant near us on Monday. I don't know if he's a Cookhamite (thanks to Anonymous for telling me the correct term for a Cookham local) or from somewhere nearby. Who is Rolf Harris? Shame on you for not knowing! He's an Australian icon and you probably know his work, even if you don't know his name. He wrote and sang the classic "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport", which I am certain that 90% of you have heard. My Hashing friends will also recognise a rather lewd version we sing occasionally at Hash (but that I won't repeat here). He also sang one of my and my dad's favourite Christmas songs - "Six White Boomers". What fun it was as a kid to jump around the kitchen like I was a kangaroo pulling Santa's sleigh. Anyways, I hope Mr. Harris had a nice meal at Little India; we hope to make it there soon ourselves.