Private: Blog & Recipes Archive

Thank you for coming back; this is our thirteenth installment of Vendor Highlights, where we dive in and explore a different vendor each week, allowing you to learn more about them and discover their story and some hidden gems. Today, we would like you to have a glimpse at the story behind Craig and Cucina Italiana:

In 2013, the restaurant began as a market deli, a modest culinary endeavour with a simple goal. Five years later, the vision evolved into Cucina Italiana, a transformation driven by a desire to carve a unique niche in the culinary world. The owner, Craig had a history with the place, having worked there during the time of the previous owners. It was in 2002 when this journey officially began.

What truly fueled Craig’s passion for this establishment was the love for its open concept, where interaction with customers and fellow vendors was a daily delight. Over the years, meaningful friendships were forged within the restaurant’s welcoming walls. The hustle and bustle of lunchtime brought an exciting rhythm to the place, a testament to the warm community that had formed around it.

When trying to craft the perfect menu, Craig was faced with quite the journey of trial and error. It was in these moments of experimentation that the restaurant’s identity took shape, guided by the constant desire to offer customers a truly memorable dining experience. This is the story of Craig and his restaurant, Cucina Italiana, a place where culinary passion, community, and the pursuit of perfection converge to create a memorable dining destination.

Vendor highlights are all about shining a spotlight on the heart and soul of each vendor and learning more about the who, the what and the why around their story. If you’ve enjoyed this journey, join us again next week for another vendor and a new highlight as we continue celebrating the outstanding contributors that make our Market a genuinely magical place.

We are super excited to start up our Market Loyalty Card program this Monday! When you spend a minimum of $10 at any participating indoor vendor locations, you will receive a sticker, once your card is full, you will receive a $25 CGM Gift Card. One sticker per transaction. Once cards are ready to be redeemed, you can be bring it to the Office (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm).

You can get your Loyalty Card at any of the participating vendors or in the Market office. The card itself is the size of a business card to easily fit into your wallet.

This is the list, folks! See who you can find at the Outdoor Farmers’ Market this Saturday, October 12th from 8AM to 1PM on the Rotary Square. Click on their names to find information on pre-orders and to learn more about their farms and businesses! 

• Den Besten Trout Farm; smoked rainbow trout, sausage rolls and fresh eggs
• Carver’s Natural Farms; chicken products, and fresh eggs
• Blanbrook Bison Farm; bison products
• Janssens Farm Fresh Produce; fresh produce
• Greystead Gardens; fresh produce, preserves
• Our Fields, fresh produce, preserves, honey
• Joyce Farms; fresh strawberries
• Wandering Bee Flowers, fresh cut flowers
• La Houlette de Vie; fresh baked organic naturally fermented bread
• The Whole Grain Hearth; fresh baked sour dough bread & pastries
• Pastry Culture; fresh bread, cinnamon rolls, tarts
• Helm Baked; gluten free baked goods
• Morsels, vegetarian savoury baked goods
• The Dough Joe Bakery; gourmet cookies
• Polina’s Nostalgic Treats; traditional Persian treats
• JBogal Foods; homemade frozen pierogies 
• Pillitteri Estates Winery; VQA Ontario Wines
• Harvest Moon Trading Co.; preserves, granola, mustards, and more
• Proper Heathen Hot Sauce, quintessential hot sauces
• The Brisket Man; hardwood smoked brisket & pulled pork
• Skilled Accents, sustainable handmade products
• Paradigm Spirits; whiskey, vodka, ready to drink cans, bitters
• London Brewing Co-Operative; organic craft beer
• Jumping Ovens, gourmet beef, chicken & vegetable pot pies
• Mia’s Paws; high-quality pet products made with hand selected raw, organic and natural ingredients
• Adorn by Pree; handmade polymer clay jewelry and accessories

Our annual celebration of food, fall, and community is back again! Growing Chefs will be at Market this Saturday, October 28th to host a wonderful variety of fall food activities!

🍎 Pie Contest
🍎 Apple Tasting
🍎 Fresh Pressed Cider
🍎 Pumpkin Bowling
🍎 Gourd Tic Tac Toe
🍎 Gourd Checkers

Find the Fall Food Fest out on the square from 10am to 1pm along with the Outdoor Farmers’ Market! Let’s celebrate food, friends!

This event is free for all, but please consider making a donation to Growing Chefs♥️

We are entering the fourth week of The 519Pledge For Socks & your donations are creating change in our community!🧦 Consider donating a new pair of socks to @519pursuit this Saturday, outside at the Farmers Market 8–1 💛

Winter happens fast and can happen overnight. For friends facing homelessness and extreme poverty, there is little to no time to prepare. Survival is at the front lines of day-to-day living and we are hoping to keep people warm. Starting the day with a clean/fresh pair of socks can re-energize and support one’s overall health and comfort. With the weather fluctuating and environmental factors changing all the time, friends facing homelessness and extreme poverty can be found in damp, cold, or sometimes very wet socks. We want to change this! We want to make sure no toes go cold this winter!

Lucy Morgan will be performing outside on the Rotary Square this Saturday from 8:30am to 10:30am.

Lucy Morgan is a singer/songwriter from Port Stanley, Ontario. She grew up with music in her life from the very beginning and performing has always been in her blood. She believes music is our universal language and feels so blessed to provide a space for others to connect emotionally through her songs. Lucy released her first single “I Really Loved You” on all streaming platforms in 2020 and released her debut EP this summer!

Connor Morand will be performing outside on the Rotary Square this Saturday from 11am to 1pm.

Connor Morand is an award-winning alternative pop singer-songwriter from London, Ontario. His crossover blend of contemporary pop with influences of hip hop and indie rock consistently push the boundaries of anything traditional and familiar. Connor’s combination of soaring vocal melodies and smooth guitar playing make for entertaining and lively shows in performances all around the world.

This Saturday, join us in the market kitchen for our cooking class hosted by Hannah Howey. Hannah will be demonstrating how to decorate a Pumpkin Spice Cake.

From now until November 11th, we will be taking sock donations for the 519Pledge for Socks. Please help our community and consider making a donation!

SATURDAY DEMO SCHEDULE

• Saturday, October 28 | Hannah Howey – Decorating; Pumpkin Spice Cake
• Saturday, November 4 | Polina Shadman -Persian Jewel Rice with Chicken
• Saturday, November 11 | Kimi Abdullah – Holiday Appetizers; Pineapple & Prosciutto Tarts and Strawberry & Rose Danishes
• Saturday, November 18 | Ankita Vaidya – Old British Curry

Doors open at 10:40am, class starts at 11am. No registration is required. First come, first served.

We have teamed up with Budweiser Gardens, Dundas Place, Downtown London, Eldon House, The Grand, and Museum London and are excited to announce the return of the Downtown Candy Crawl on Sunday, October 29th from 12pm–3pm! 🎃

Families will have the opportunity to trick-or-treat 🍬 at participating businesses while exploring the downtown core. Click here for a full list of participating businesses!

Families are also welcome to come by the Market for our Halloween Boo-Bash 👻 we will have 100 free treat bags and cookies for kids dressed in their best costumes, face painting and glitter tattoos from Team Dotsy, a bouncy castle, live music and a boo-tastic photo opportunity 🖤🕷

Enter the costume contest by posting your costume on social media using the hashtag #LDNCandyCrawl. Prizes will range from $150 Downtown Dollars, tickets to Disney On Ice: Into the Magic, tickets to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Gift Cards, Spa Treatments, Pokemon Cards, Comics and so much more!🧟

Learn to make one of Indonesia’s most infamous dishes: rendang. The rich beef curry made with coconut milk and a blend of spices that is unlike any other dish. Kimi Abdullah, co-founder of Petojo Food and regular cooking class instructor at Covent Garden Market, will guide you through her recipe and method for making rendang at home.

ON November 9th, share an intimate evening with only 12 guests that includes an interactive cooking demonstration, multi-course Indonesian meal including non-alcoholic beverages, chef-curated rendang spice kit, and printed recipes.

Menu includes Green Papaya Soup, Beef Rendang with Coconut Rice, and Coconut Ice Cream with Caramelized Bananas.

This event is a great date night or evening out with your friend. This is an alcohol-free event. The meal will be served family style. Dishes are gluten-friendly, meat is not halal.

To get your tickets, click here!