Borough markets, Pork Pies and Sausage Rolls - should be a song.

After such a long day yesterday, we decided on a quieter Saturday. Ches had made the observation; no that's not quite right, she had made the statement …. quite firmly …. that with my focus on photographing everything, she often felt as though I wasn't there. What she meant was, I wasn't in her company and I wasn't even in the moment myself. She has said this on previous holidays as well, which made me stop and think about what I was missing.

Rather than walk, see something memorable and photograph it and move on to the next, perhaps I should just go with the flow and see what appears next. Seeing as to how I had no guide books or list of places or things to see but only a destination, this was a good opportunity.

Drew had to renew his Visa, so he and Keith headed off to Croydon, some 17k south. The arrangement was that we would meet them at the Borough Markets near the entrance to the cathedral at noon. We decided to make the 4ks on foot, using Google Maps. How Easy.

We set out and I deliberately left my camera in my backpack. Ches and I had bought light weight waterproof hiking/skiing backpacks online They were supposed to have a strap across the chest to keep the shoulder straps from sliding back. The ones supplied didn't have them and for two weeks I'd been meaning to get some ribbon or string to do the job. I hadn't gone more than 200 meters when I said to Ches that hopefully we would find some string in the street. There was so much rubbish scattered around, maybe I'd get lucky. Down near the Barbican, what do we see lying on the footpath but a length of webbing with a buckle on one end; a perfect match to the straps on my backpack. Bloody Hell, this is freakish.

We were following the Google map but without any idea of what we would see along the way. I limited myself to photographs with my phone and enjoyed being in the moment. We worked our way down to the river, past and around St Pauls, along the river to the London Bridge. That's the "Modern London Bridge" as opposed to the "Old" London Bridge (1209-1831) and the "New" London Bridge (1831-1967) and in particular the Tower Bridge which is hundreds of meters further down the river. The "New London Bridge" is the one sold to an American and now constructed in Arizona. It was replaced by the "Modern London Bridge" and is 30 meters upstream from the former.

Why am I being so pedantic (apart from it being in my nature)? Because it means that the "Modern London Bridge" ends on the south side of the river, right beside the Cathedral and the beginning of the Borough Markets. Why is that important? Because it means that the Borough Markets which for centuries could only be accessed from the north of the city, by the London Bridges, is now actually at the foot of the bridge rather than 30m upstream. On foot, by bus and train (subway) tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people descend on the markets daily. On Saturdays, god knows how many pass through the markets. Even if they all only stay for an hour and a half like we did, I'd estimate a hundred thousand a day to be conservative.

The bridge and the markets were the scene of the terrorist attack in 2017, and now I appreciate why it was such an obvious target.

We exchanged texts with Drew and Keith who were delayed getting Drews passport, took our time crossing the bridge and photographing up and down the river and eventually braved the crowds down the staircase beside the Cathedral and found ourselves at the popular Paella and sausage stands. Crowds waiting to order and for food to be served almost blocked the pathway and then it got worse. Acres of market stalls, most under the railway viaducts were jammed with people.

When the boys arrived, we split up to go in search of the "golden fleece" or "arc of the covenant" or "The Best Pork Pie" in Britain. Actually, Drew found a seat and waited for us as his broken ankle wasn't going to survive the crowds. Ches and I found "The Ginger Pig". Time Out London had listed it as selling the best Pork Pies in the land. b*****, they don't sell their pies till late in the afternoon. We could buy almost any cut of pig for a mortgage on our house or a duck for $AUD63.00. Seriously.

I did discover that they had a side counter where they were selling sausage rolls. Hot out of the oven for $AUD8.00 and worth every cent. Twice the size of any sausage roll I've ever had, even in New Zealand which claims to be the Pie and Sausage Roll Hall of Fame. Oh my!!!! Fantastic!

This review says it more eloquently than I:

"The Ginger Pig Sausage Roll is a masterpiece on a par with Michaelangelo's David, only meatier. Although I don't think David was prone to comparable flaking. Imagine if you will a small fist. Not a child, no, not that small. But not an adult's clenched hand either, that would be absurd. Now imagine this fist to be made of the finest, perfectly seasoned sausage meat you have ever even imagined it possible to create. All encased in a magnificent pastry, which makes a tiny proportion of the magnificent whole. This my friends, this is what I am talking about.

It's not for the faint of heart. Or indeed probably for anyone with anything approaching a heart condition, the Ginger Pig's response to someone online asking for how many calories are in one was along the lines of "If you're asking, then it's too many for you". My suspicion is that it's not as high as you'd suspect - they are massive things, but fill you for hours and hours, and while they are no salad-substitute, for the most part this is meat, rather than the pastry-intensive competitors it has out there.

I'm such a fatty-bumbum that I often get two, one for now and one for not-quite-now."

I've obtained the recipe, but suspect we also need to travel to North Yorkshire to source our pork. The Ginger Pig began some 25 years ago when they bought a derelict small farm with three Tamworth pigs. Now they've established a network of likeminded farmers to supply them.

Next to The Ginger Pig was "Mrs King's Pork Pies". Their website claims "When Elizabeth King started making pork pies back in 1853, little did she realise exactly what she was setting in motion. And she would probably have been shocked—and more than a little proud—if she knew that her name would be immortalised at one of the world's most famous markets more than a century and half later.

These Melton Mowbray pies now have dedicated PGI status, meaning they can only be made in a particular way in a specific area of Nottinghamshire. Each pie uses fresh pork and rich jelly, cooked inside golden brown pastry."

We'll never get to compare the Ginger Pig with Mrs King, however we really don't care. Ches and I bought two large pies (enough to feed four of us). Unbeknown to us, Keith also found the Ginger Pig had no pies, so purchased a Mrs King Pork Pie and a Mrs King Game Pie.

All pies were consumed on consecutive nights later in the week, and as far as we're concerned, we weren't that upset not to have tried the Ginger Pig's pies.

Between the Ginger Pig and the section of the markets where Drew was waiting, there was a grid lock like no other. A mass of people converged form four directions and were reduced to a stationary mass by the people already ordering from food stands. We retreated and worked our way out and around into a side street and back to Drew.

Keith returned shortly thereafter with his two Mrs King pies and we ate our sausage rolls with flacking pastry scattered all around.

Mission sort of accomplished, we returned home. Not directly. We caught the wrong bus, changed some time later and finally found ourselves coming up City Road and past "The Eagle". Home for a quiet afternoon.

Following are recipes for Sausage Rolls and a great description of the Borough Markets. If you have the stamina or have made a cup of coffee and need something to read … press on.

RECIPE: THE GINGER PIG'S SAUSAGE ROLLS

PUBLISHED: 15 MAY 2014

The Ginger Pig make the best sausage rolls in town (as voted by us). Here's the recipe so you can make these porcine goodies yourself at home.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 8. Takes 2 hours, plus chilling and overnight resting.

For the filling:
700g (1lb 9oz) minced pork
175g (60z) pork fat, minced
115g (4oz) fresh breadcrumbs
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp chopped sage
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the puff pastry:
600g (1lb 5oz) strong white flour, preferably 'oo', plus more to dust
450g (1lb) chilled butter
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 egg, beaten

METHOD

1. Place the minced pork and pork fat in a bowl and mix together, then add the breadcrumbs, 125ml (4fl oz) water, the herbs and seasoning. Mix with your hands until evenly blended. Set aside.

2. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Melt 50g (2oz) of the butter and mix with the salt, vinegar and 230ml (8fl oz) ice-cold water. Add to the flour and mix to a smooth dough. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

3. Place the remaining butter between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll out to the thickness of your finger. Roll the pastry out into a rectangle just twice the size of the fattened butter. Unwrap the butter and place in the middle of the pastry. Folding over the pastry edges like an envelope, totally encase the butter. Roll this out again to a rectangle the same size as it was before the butter was added, then fold three times, like you would a letter. Roll out once more, turn 90 degrees and fold three times again. Seal in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Repeat the rolling and folding four more times, adding a little dusting of flour each time, and chilling after each repetition. (In total, the process should be performed five times.) Wrap and leave to rest in the refrigerator overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Roll the pastry out to approximately 41x26cm (16x10in). Work the sausage meat into an even, long roll and place along the length of the pastry. Brush the exposed pastry with egg, then roll over and crimp the join together with a fork. Cut into 4 sausage rolls. Brush the outside of each with egg, place on a baking sheet and cook for 50 minutes. Serve warm.

How to make the ultimate sausage rolls Chloe Scott for Metro Wednesday 30 Apr 2014 6:00 Puff pastry is best - but filling your sausage roll is a matter of great debate. Chloe Scott cooks tried and tested recipes to make the ultimate sausage rolls. With the fashion for dude food in Britain, the sausage roll, once a humble picnic snack, has become a rather macho, meaty affair.

The most chichi ones I've ever heard of were made by Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi, whose rolls bulged with suckling pig and foie gras and were served with a brown sauce. Not HP, mind you - this was a truffle jus with almond oil and balsamic vinegar. That type of thing might be beyond home cooks but it proves sausage rolls can boast big flavours.

At Barnyard, the London restaurant set up by wunderkind Ollie Dabbous, chef Joseph Woodland has also produced some impressively fancy sausage rolls. Can a sausage roll really be a signature in a quality restaurant? Absolutely, he says. Asked for tips (and a recipe), Woodland adds: 'The key to a good sausage roll is the moistness, that it retains all the fat content as opposed to it leaking out. We achieve this by whipping the meat to emulsify the fat and the protein, and adding just enough breadcrumbs to combine without making the mix stodgy. It's not rocket science, just a little TLC.' In pastry terms, the consensus is that puff is best.

But the filling is another matter, with a multitude of opinions. I try Delia's pork rolls with sausage meat, sage and onion but, on testing, quickly realise that while they're appealingly simple and easy to make, there are some far superior meat options flavour-wise.

One thing the experts seem to agree on is that you need meltingly good fat. Woodland includes 200g pork belly and 100g smoked streaky bacon, both minced. Rose Prince in the Telegraph's Baking Club series includes 1kg pork mince - a mix of pork belly and lean meat and four rashers of dry-cured bacon, finely diced. Mrs Beeton recommends pork and beef suet but the bacony nuances are sadly missing. I conclude that pork belly with fatty bacon is the best way forward for this recipe.

Breadcrumbs can be another disputed ingredient. On testing, those with fewer breadcrumbs (just 2tbsp or so) are best because the flavours aren't as muted and the rolls seem lighter. Include too much and the result is stodgy. Woodland's special ingredients add a little mystery alongside the meat and breadcrumbs. They're mace, nutmeg, Dijon mustard, Braeburn apple and Worcester sauce. The rolls are dark brown and billowing with a sticky, porky and sweet interior that's moreish. The apple and pork are great together and definitely get my vote.

I'm fast becoming a fan of Anna Hansen and her Modern Pantry book (Ebury Press). Her recipe outshines most of the others because it uses onion, thyme, sweet smoked paprika and black pepper. Her filling is 50g pork back fat, 300g pork shoulder and 300g belly, minced. Once baked, they impart an elegant smoky and sweet spiciness. This, with a little bacon and a judicious amount of Woodland's inspired choice of apple, is very good indeed.

In contrast, as part of my mission, I make The Ginger Pig's sausage roll from Ginger Pig Meat Book (Mitchell Beazley). It uses minced pork, pork fat and fresh breadcrumbs, mixed with dried herbs, chopped sage and seasoning. The meaty flavours are certainly enhanced but I find it a little plain.

One final twist to note comes from Rose Prince. Alongside diced dry-cured bacon and ciabatta breadcrumbs, she includes sweet sherry, suggesting Madeira. I try a splash of some very delicious Tio Pepe Pedro Ximenez. Yes! It's a winner with the smoked paprika and appley nuances. This picnicking nibble is a punchy little number.

Chloe's sausage rolls:

INGREDIENTS Serves 6

The filling:

350g pork mince (ask for pork shoulder, minced roughly)

150g pork belly, minced roughly

150g streaky bacon, finely chopped or minced roughly

20g fresh breadcrumbs

1tbsp sherry vinegar

1tbsp Pedro Ximenez or any sweet sherry

Half an apple, grated

1 medium white onion, peeled and grated

1tsp smoked paprika

2 level tsp chopped fresh thyme, stalks removed

2tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and lots of black pepper

The rest:

1 egg, beaten

Vegetable oil

500g puff pastry

METHOD

Step 1 On medium heat, cook the onion in a little oil in a frying pan until caramelised. Place it in a large bowl.

Step 2 Next, follow Barnyard's technique of whipping all the mince together in the mixer to emulsify the fat and protein. Mix the minced meat with the cooked onions, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, herbs and all the other filling ingredients.

Step 3 Fry a little mix and cook through to check the seasoning. As required, add more salt, paprika or any seasoning you wish from the list - but don't go overboard.

Step 4 On a floured surface, roll out the pastry into two rectangular sheets, approx 40cm by 15cm so they're about 5mm thick.

Step 5 Divide the raw meat mix into two and shape into long logs. Place each one just off-centre of each pastry sheet, length-wise. Roll both sheets over and press them down with a fork to seal. You can freeze them uncooked at this point.

Step 6 If you're cooking them now, brush the outside with the beaten egg. Lay them on a greased baking tray on baking parchment.

Bake at 180C until deep golden and cooked - about 35min. Leave to cool for at least 10min before serving.

"This is no ordinary market. In the rough and tumble society of the waterfront and docklands along the Thames, this market in central London was said to have had its origins around the year 1014. Despite the Thames now having many bridges to join both banks, back then, there was only one bridge, the famous London Bridge that allowed for cross-river access.

Although it may seem funny, even unlikely now, the residents of Southwark located on the southern side of the Thames and closest to this market, once fought against the city of London encroaching upon it. Today, it is an important part of London's South Bank.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, this area came alive with market traders transforming this area into a thriving commercial hub. Pubs sprung up as did theatres and other less than salubrious places of entertainment.

Following years of mayhem in the streets, corruption, difficulties with infrastructure and a growing need for a more secure, harmonious environment, the Borough Market as we see it today was formed. In the 19th century, increased population in London and the arrival of the railways further extended the value of the Borough Markets.

In the 1860's a railway viaduct was built right through the market, improving its accessibility and opening it up for further expansion and trade. Evidence of the railways can be seen with the overhead viaducts, closed in glass roofs and incredible steel beams and girders that keep everything in place.

Change brought about this market in the first instance, and for centuries delivered the ongoing improvement and attention that it needed to survive and adapt. The 1970's in London brought with it even more change, this time in a way that would negatively impact this market. The population turned towards the convenience and comfort of the supermarkets, which were popping up all over London, enticing those who were once market goers into the bright and shiny stores.

Like any good story, the wheel continuously turns and what was trendy five minutes ago is persona non-grata five minutes later. Fortunately for the Borough Markets, the food, diet and health trends of the world's population have put the markets firmly back in the popular trends once more. With a substantial number of fresh food and fresh produce providers, artisanal food makers, growers, bakers, cheese makers and the like, people are continuing to flock to the fresh markets all over again.

As you look around the crowds that come here on a weekend, it's hard to think that will ever change. One thing is certain, however. History shows that change will continue to occur. The Borough Markets will do what it has done for the last 1,000 years. It will morph and move and blend with the changes of the day, but I'm betting it will still be around in another 1,000 years."

Quite simply, because it's good fun. Whether you are a die-hard foodie looking for the latest food trend or inspiring ingredients to cook with, or just hungry and looking for somewhere to eat in the Borough Market, you'll find your calling.

If you are looking for something easy to take home for your dinner, or a special treat to surprise someone at home, you'll also find that here. A quick drink, tick. Somewhere to catch up with a friend, yes you can.

It's noisy, it's crowded, wonderful smells both compete and mingle with each other, fighting for your attention. The best time to visit these markets is on Saturday. Here no nook and cranny is safe, with people wedged into the most unlikely of places, usually with a plate or hand full of something delicious.

There's not a lot of seating here, just shops, stalls and restaurants heaving with people as they try to supply them with some of the tastiest food around. As such, people will sit on anything they can find, even the street gutters!

As the day rolls on, the side streets become even livelier with people sharing conversation and a pint and spilling out onto the road.