If you have only experienced small markets like I have in my life, Central Market  will seem more like a small city housed in a large building. It is grand, and a not to be missed experience for any food lover visiting Valencia!

Discovering Central Market
I was in Valencia, Spain for about a week when one evening I was musing about my plans for the next day. Eager to check the famous food market near where I was staying, I made it my main plan for the next day. I had my GPS in hand, but honestly it is a bit tricky to find if you are directionally challenged like me, and even if you aren't, because the streets of Old Town Valencia are not laid out on a square grid, they twist and turn which is part of the areas charm. The streets basically all look the same if you aren't familiar with the area, every side street is narrow and covered in graffiti, and the buildings are so tall it is impossible to get your bearings from any landmark.  In other words there is a strong likelihood you will get a bit lost. When you do finally land on the steps of Central Market for the first time, you know you are about to walk into something special. It is impossible not to be struck by its grandeur. The Market is large, rectangular and built predominantly of brick. A central dome and four corner towers are focal points. The colourful ceramic tile work is vibrant and incredibly beautiful. 

The market was built between 1914 - 1928, and covers more than 8, 000 square meters (86,000 sq ft). It is one of the largest public markets in Europe. and offers a unique, authentic and historical experience for locals and tourists alike and is an integral component of Valencia's food culture. 

What can you buy at Central Market Valencia?
The market is organized into different sections, each dedicated to a specific type of product. 
The variety of what is offered in this market is incredibly varied. It is home to hundreds of stalls. Of course there is tons of meats, cheeses and seafood if that is your thing. While there aren't any vegan cheese products or things like that, there are an incredible amount of whole foods stalls. Fresh vegetables, fruits, freshly pressed juices, dried fruit, preserves, pickles, condiments, roasted vegetables, dry goods, breads, wines, beers, & sweets. I didn't investigate too much about whether any sweets were vegan friendly other than I was able to buy vegan chocolate and turron, which is an authentic almond based nougat, the vegan option I love is one with just the almond and sugar like a peanut brittle in Canada but SO much better. 

Central Market Valencia Hours of operation
The market is open 6 days a week from 7 am until 3pm. They are closed only on Sundays and public holidays. It is an extremely busy place (I was there in December). In addition to the market stalls I noticed there was a restaurant or cafe place where you could sit along a bar and order food and a drink. 

I also found the vendors to be really friendly. They are happy to talk a bit about their products and traditions. One woman was helping me pronounce words in Spanish when I was trying to order. (I'm studying spanish), and I chatted for awhile with another woman selling turron, tasting some samples before I made a purchase. 

How to locate the Central Market
I used GPS on my phone to navigate my way to the market. It's pretty easy to get turned around in old town Valencia in my experience. Even with GPS I took a few wrong turns because the streets aren't just on a simple square grid. They twist and turn. That is all part of the fun though. I spent a lot of time in this area in the span of a couple of weeks and I discovered new places all of the time. (With GPS in hand to navigate my way out again!!!) Pro tip because I screwed it up and got really lost my first day, make sure your GPS is set to pedestrian mode, not car mode. (You can't really drive in this area unless you are a local business or person living there from what I can tell). 

If you are staying in an apartment in Valencia and are able to cook, you could definitely shop here and get a ton of variety of whole foods to prepare. If this isn't an option you can definitely find some things to take home with you where ever you are traveling from. I am bringing back turron and chocolate when I head back to Canada. Even if you don't buy anything, the Central Market in Valencia shouldn't be missed! 

Whipped Feta Board with Carrot "Smoked Salmon"
​Recipe Difficulty : Easy

Whipped Feta Board
​Recipe Categories:
Vegan Cheese
Whipped Feta
Vegan Feta   
Holiday
Christmas
Brunch
Appetizer
Vegan Smoked Salmon

What is whipped Feta?
Whipped Feta is creamy, spreadable and delicious way to enjoy vegan feta cheese. I make mine in a food processor, blending the ingredients together until smooth and creamy. 
You can use it as I do in this recipe, or in wraps, sandwiches or get creative and use as a base for another dip adding whatever you'd like! The variety of feta I use has a good amount of acidity, other brands I use don't necessarily have the same level of brightness, so if you were trying to use something else, I would just make sure to give it a taste, and if it needs an extra squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar, you can add it in. 

Whipped Feta Board Trend

This whipped feta board is a spin on one of the most popular trends happening right now that I have noticed. If you haven't heard of a "butter board", you might be a bit late to the game but that's ok. It's not a complicated thing at all, butter is spread onto a board, and topped with anything you'd like. Often fruit, nuts, spices, herbs etc. Honestly I'm not a huge butter fan. I use vegan butter occasionally when it makes sense, in baking or for a treat spread onto a biscuit or something. I definitely am not interested in eating gobs of it on bread or crackers. Kinda gross to my mind, but that is just me! But a Whipped Feta Board using one of my favourite vegan cheese? That is right up my ally. It is definitely healthier too if you are using a feta alternative like Fresh Start Fauxmage which is almond based. I'm all about using whole foods and natural ingredients as much as possible. I don't think you have to sacrifice taste to nourish your body and enjoy food over the holidays or any time of year. 

Recipe Notes about my Whipped Feta Board
I had a lot of fun creating this recipe for my friends over at Fresh Start Fauxmage, in collaboration with Save da Sea Plant Based Smoked Salmon! If you have been following me for awhile you know I love Fauxmage. Using this plant based smoked salmon product was a first for me. I really enjoy it, love it in this recipe and am looking forward to working with it in the future. They've done a great job creating a product reminiscent of smoked salmon, but made from carrot. 

This whipped feta and plant based smoked salmon board is perfect holiday fare to share with your family and friends. Serve it up on your brunch table or with evening munchies and drinks. The greek style feta is whipped with a bit of cream cheese, olive oil, lemon zest, & cracked pepper, then spread onto a serving board and topped with fresh dill, thinly sliced red onion, carrot smoked salmon, & capers. Serve with your favourite bagels, toasted with olive oil and cut into bite sized pieces. 
​
Plant Based Product Features
Greek Style Fauxmage Feta 
Save Da Sea Plant Based Smoked Salmon

Serves : 2 as a main event with perhaps a salad, 4 - 6 if having other nibbles. 
Yield: 16 “bites” 

Ingredients:

• 1 x 180 g container Greek Style Fauxmage
• ¼ cup plant based cream cheese
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• A pinch of ground black pepper
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 2 of your favourite bagels
• ¼ of a red onion, thinly sliced
• A small handful of dill sprigs
• 1-2 tbsp capers
• 1 x package Save Da Sea plant based “Smoked Salmon”

Method: Whipped Feta Board

1. In a food processor, combine greek style feta fauxmage, vegan cream cheese, 3 tbsp olive oil, black pepper, & lemon zest. Pulse, scraping down sides until smooth and creamy. 
2. If not using straight away, transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use. 
3. When ready to serve, spread the whipped feta mixture about ½ inch thick onto a serving board (or two small serving boards if necessary).
4. Scatter over top sliced red onions, “smoked salmon”, capers and fresh dill springs. 
5. Sprinkle with more cracked pepper if desired. 
6. Serve with olive oil toasted bagel pieces. 

Method: Bagels 

1. Preheat your oven to 425 F
2. Slice each bagel in half, then cut each half into 4 pieces. You will have a total of 16 pieces. 
3. Drizzle the cut side of bagel pieces with a bit of olive oil, place cut side down on a baking sheet, and pop into the oven until the side against the pan is toasty and golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve with whipped feta “smoked salmon” board. 

Borscht 
This delicious vibrant soup is inspired by Borscht, but I made it without any intention of trying to be authentic. I just wanted to create something delicious and full of good for you ingredients. I love that this recipe is made using whole foods (except a bit of olive oil). The result is a meal that is humble, but it's so good I would serve it to anyone. (as long as they like beets, and dill!) With that being said I didn't have some Ukranian folks comment that it was like the Borscht they have had so I like to read up on what is authentic. Mine technically is pretty similar I think.

About Borscht
​Borscht has a long and rich history dating back to at least the 16th century. It is thought to have originated in Ukraine, where it was made with fermented beet broth. Over time, the recipe for borscht has evolved and today it can be made with either fresh or fermented beets. Other ingredients often include potatoes, carrots, onions, beans, and a variety of meats such as beef or pork. It can be made vegan or vegetarian by omitting the meat and using vegetable broth instead. The soup is typically served with a dollop of sour cream and or a slice of rye bread on top. (I use cashew cream in my recipe to add some richness that meat would otherwise give). 

Borscht became popular in other Eastern European countries, such as Russia, Poland, and Belarus, and it is now a staple in their cuisines. It is often served as a hearty and flavourful soup during the colder months, and it is also a popular dish at festive occasions such as holidays and weddings. 


My Soup Recipe Notes:
This soup has beets, red cabbage, potato, carrot, white beans, homemade veg stock, onion, garlic, cashew cream, fresh dill, apple cider vinegar and a few ingredients to give it a bit of complexity. Marmite is something I like to add, as well as a bit of Braggs or soy sauce. It doesn't take a lot.

The flavour of this soup is sweet, in a lovely way, from the beets, and it has the perfect amount of acidity from the apple cider vinegar. The cashew cream brings balance to the sweet/tart and of course, creaminess. You have to plan ahead a bit when making cashew cream, the raw cashews need several hours to soak. With olive oil grilled multigrain bread for dunking alongside, I find this whole situation to be irresistibly good. 

This soup makes a big batch...probably about double the amount of many of the other soups I have on my blog. I use my big stock pot to make it. If you wanted a smaller batch go ahead and halve the recipe. It isn't one I have tried to freeze...I don't find potatoes freeze the best...but perhaps I will try that sometime.