Ashton Farmers Market

For people in the area, Ashton market is something of a legend! There's been a market in Ashton since 1284, and some very fine market buildings were put up in the early 19th century. Then, on the 25th May 2004, disaster struck and the Grade Two listed building was gutted by fire. Happily, like Peter Kay's Phoenix club, the market has been rebuilt and is now appropriately called the Phoenix Market Hall.
There's all the usual market paraphernalia. I've always found markets good places to buy cheap food. If you go on the last Sunday of the month, they hold a farmer's market and Ashton farmers' market is one of the biggest and best of farmers' markets. There's everything from bread:
and cakes:
fresh fruit and vegetables:
and I was rather taken by this stall which made me think I was back in Budapest with it's paprika hanging from the the roof:
He sold me some Spanish chocolate (sold in a block which you melt and add milk to make proper hot chocolate). I'd seen it elsewhere but not bought it as it was too expensive, but it's more affordable in a market. The store holder said the instructions were to add two big chunks of chocolate to a mug, but he thought it was better with three. We followed his advice and will be back for more!
They also sell an interesting selection of Mediterranean foods:
We always like shops that give out free samples, so had to stop at Helen Rawle's Cocoa Emporium.
She specialises in hand made chocolates, made with Valrhona chocolate:
She also does a nice line of small bags of different types of chocolate, ranging from Ivoire (white chocolate and 35% cocoa solids) to Abinao (very dark chocolate and 85% cocoa solids):
She's also attends Knutsford, Tarporley and Mossley farmers' markets, check her web site for details.

For cocoa bean lovers there's also Choco Lori, but we had spent up by the time we got there!:
Web: www.choco-lori.co.uk

Just for the record not everything was good that we bought in the market. We had some excessively salty potted beef and I bought a diabetic fruit cake (to make up for all the chocolate consumed by the rest of my family) which tasted stale. However I'd definitely recommend a visit to Ashton farmers' market.

Ashton Market
Tameside MBC
Council Offices
Wellington Road
Ashton under Lyne
Lancs
OL6 6DL

Web: www.tameside.gov.uk/ashton/market

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