Continental Market

The continental market is back in Belfast and kicked off this Wednesday and runs through until 19 December. Last year I went there for cheese and sausage and munched my way through them every lunch for a month - there were hundreds of cheeses and all kinds of sausage meats from boar to chorizo and the occasional French pastry for good measure.

This year however, to my dismay, there is a total lack of sausages and a limited range of cheeses on display. I was interviewed by a market researcher hired by City Hall and I told him I was disappointed with the lack of such products that were widely available last year.

Stalls have largely been replaced with wooden sheds and there is a bigger beer tent than last year with the added bonus of heating which is welcome so it's not all bad. Another welcome return is the burger bar selling boar, springbok and kangeroo meaty treats and another stall selling a scrummy looking bacon and blue cheese gourmet burger which might well be on the cards for today as I'm heading down to sample the joys of German beer after work.

Other delicacies worth checking out are the Dutch pancake stall, the French pattiserie stand and the Spanish shed serving up a hot steaming bowl of paella. Ones to avoid are the personally redundant embroidered tablecloths stall - seriously - what?

There's still plenty for everyone and a few stalls selling things for christmas - both for your home and stocking fillers so if you need to get something for a aunt or uncle then you should be able to pick something up.

It's open until 8pm on weekdays and I highly recommend going down to buy something for your lunch - who knows - you may see me and want to buy me that burger!