If the thought of doing multiple dashes to the supermarket for all the many trimmings you need for Christmas is bringing you out in a cold sweat, it might be time to look elsewhere.
Shopping locally, and from a marketplace, can save you time and money as well as massively cutting down on your food waste.
And markets in Greater Manchester don’t get much better than Tommyfield Market, a historic space right in the heart of Oldham.
The vast number of traders based here can sort you out with everything from your meat to fruit and veg to your smoked salmon for Christmas Day breakfast – and even kit you out with a hamper that takes all the hard work out of the day.
Right in the centre of Tommyfield Market is the aptly-named Meat in the Middle, where a steady stream of customers wait patiently for butcher Nikki Fairchild.
Nikki is on a mission to save people money this Christmas. She says: “Every year we do a capon, which is an extremely large chicken and cheaper than a turkey, saving about a tenner.
“They’re very popular with large families because they can feed seven or eight with leftovers.”
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Nikki has been part of Tommyfield Market since the stall was known as Ashworth’s Butchers – there’s been a meat trader in this spot since 1974.
“It’s just the name that’s changed,” she says. “We still sell the same good products; we always sell local, English, fresh. And we try to keep the costs down – if it comes to us cheaper, that saving goes to the customer. If we can do a deal, we will do it.”
She’s also a big believer in the market’s commitment to selling products that are not just affordable but good value too.
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Nikki says: “[Shopping here] is cheaper than going to the supermarket and you get a lot more for your money – not just meat, but for anything. It’s a friendly place and it’s reasonable. And there’s a really good atmosphere at Christmas, it’s bustling.”
Next door is Hen House, run by Kelly Bentley, who’s already busy taking orders for their cooked Christmas hampers.
Each hamper, priced between £40 and £100 (and feeding between two-four or 10-12 people) features kilos upon kilos of meat, as well as sauces and pigs in blankets.
Kelly says: “We cook them so people don’t have to cook themselves – it takes the pressure off Christmas Day cause all you end up doing is staying in the kitchen.
“It gives back family time because some only get Christmas Day off, so you can spend it with your kids and playing with toys, you don’t have to worry about the food burning or cooking all night.”
The Hen House started selling its hampers about five years ago and demand has previously caused such ‘bedlam’ that this year the range has been narrowed down so staff can cope.
Kelly started as a Saturday girl at 14 and worked her way up to manager before buying the business.
She thinks demand will be greater than ever because of the high costs of energy bills.
She says: “[We’re] thinking it’s going to be busier this year because of the cost of gas and electricity – the thinking being that people not only don’t have to make it, they don’t have to pay the bill for cooking it too.”
So onto the trimmings, and you want to head to Shaz Dar at Taylor Produce.
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This institution of Tommyfield Market has been selling fruit and veg for 30 years, including all the usual Christmas trimmings – potatoes, parsnips, carrots etc – as well as catering to an array of cultures and celebrations year-round.
Shaz says: “We’ve got the whole [range] here but Oldham is very multicultural, so we cater to Polish, Pakistani, African [diets] with things like cassava, mooli, yams and chillies.”
He thinks people budgeting more tightly this year might benefit from buying their vegetables loose so as not to overspend or waste food.
“At supermarkets everything is pre-packaged and sold in bags. We do loose stuff so you use what you need that day and that really helps customers.
“We have handpicked fresh produce every day and at a reasonable price, we’re very competitive and keep our prices as low as possible.”
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Outside the main hall, Mark Crossley has been selling fish from his unit for 35 years and has seen people experiment with their main courses on 25 December. But he thinks this year might be different, with customers spending more cautiously.
“Over the years customers have looked for an alternative Christmas dinner and fish has become an alternative. We’re a diverse town with a widespread customer [base] so families want something else, it’s not just about traditional turkey or a sit-down dinner, it might be salmon, or a buffet,” he explains.
“But it might be different this year with the cost of living. People are [already] diversifying and having cheaper fish: maybe not salmon, maybe red fish [instead]. Products are dearer than they have been and it’s a different time for all of us.
“But in the run-up to Christmas we’ll be here for them and we’ll have plenty of fish products.”
Featured image: Supplied
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Inside Tyga, as a Manchester favourite changes its stripes for a new era
Danny Jones
We recently had the pleasure of visiting Tyga, Manchester city centre’s latest Indian restaurant, which has taken the place of former local favourite, Asha’s.
The Peter Street spot had always been a great place for a curry and progressive takes on the nation’s staples, often pulling inspiration from the Rajasthan region, but now the unit is the start of a new chapter.
In truth, the food was always pretty damn good here – often truly great, even – as we found out the last time we reviewed it; however, it’s clear that there’s been a greater honing of the concept.
Put simply, Tyga is trying to elevate what the team already did so well, whilst adding an extra layer of fine-dining refinement.
@the.manc Peter Streets Indian spot Tyga, has had a serious glow-up, bringing a more refined, fine-dining take on Indian cuisine while keeping all the bold flavours at the heart of it. The 24-hour slow-simmered lamb shank is an absolute must, as is the butter chicken which just melts in your mouth. 😍 It’s not just about the food here though, with an extensive cocktail list that brings theatre to the table, they’re the perfect accompaniment to your table full of scran. It’s the perfect spot for date night, celebrations, or when you just want to seriously impress someone over dinner. 🍸 Get it booked. 📍 47 Peter Street, M2 3NG #themanc#tygamanchester#manchesterfoodie#manchestercurry#wheretoeatinmanchester♬ original sound – The Manc
You hear sentences like a ‘contemporary twist on cuisine’ and ‘modern approaches to classics’ recycled quite a lot, and we get it: it can be a great way to get across that you’re trying to push culinary tradition(s) forward, but it often feels a bit of a throwaway term that’s used far too much.
That being said, while there’s definitely a feeling of familiarity to this recently refreshed foodie lineup, this is one of the times and places where it actually seems like that phrase means something.
While the building and stunning venue itself might have stayed largely the same, bar some knick-knacks being swapped for a few different tiger-based decorations, the authentic clay-pot lamb, ‘Tyga’ prawns, salmon tikka, and Vepudu spiced stir fry show some real innovation.
A lot of these might be rooted in a kind of food we know very well here in Britain, but these latest iterations in recipes and experimentation with their components result in some very cool creations.
The ember wings were smoky and moorish in a way that we’ve not had in a restaurant like this before, and the lamb chops alone were worth ordering by the wheelbarrow full.
Small plates have also been thrown into the mix more seamlessly this time around, too, as have some of the Indo-Chinese options that feel less like a footnote now and, instead, like a continuation of the tweaking and trying out new things seen throughout the rest of the offerings.
Even the vegetarian/vegan section of the menu has been lifted in certain aspects, too, with previously popular dishes being brought back better and more beautifully presented than ever.
Before we forget, a special shout-out goes to those beetroot dill patties.
Speaking of presentation, although they might have simplified some stuff (such as the okra fries that simply need to be dumped on the table and be devoured in seconds by gannets like us), as mentioned, plenty of other bits have been levelled up.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that they’ve just been voted alongside some fellow standout spots by the Asian Catering Federation.
They’ve never shied away from a bit of pageantry, and nothing has changed in that respect.
Everything from the plating to even giving you a rotating water jug that revolves on a single point and never spills has a bit of flair, without being too much or straying into gimmicky territory.
Most importantly of all, whether you want a classy room for your next date night, somewhere intimate the next time you go out for tea with your partner, or still fancy a more banquet-style feast for you and your mates in the form of the updated ‘Maharaja’s Grand Platter’, Tyga can turn its paw to any occasion.
A massive street food festival is set to return to Rochdale this month
Lydia Mastrolonardo
A popular street food festival will be returning to Greater Manchester this month, filling a historic square with food traders and live entertainment.
That’s right, Street Eat is coming to Rochdale once again, to supply us foodies with our fix of mouth-watering food and thirst-quenching drinks, all held within the magnificent Rochdale Town Hall Square.
Year upon year, this flavourful festival has shown up and impressed us, guaranteeing itself a spot in our annual diaries as a staple spring-time event.
It truly does deserve all of the praise it gets, with more than 3,000 people showing up last year, all with one common interest – proper good food.
Street Eat is a true celebration of the town’s rich history, diverse arts scene, creativity, talent, variety of cultures and of course – food. Boasting a range of local favourites and stalls including Italian, Spanish, Thai, Indian, English, American cuisines and more, it successfully captures what Rochdale is all about.
This year, Street Eat is pulling out all of the stops, with stalls like the prosecco bar Sip and Sparkle and multi-award winning independent brewery Wakey Wakey, as well as tapas from La Mancha, pizza from Vicolo del Vino, Indian inspired street food from Bombay Brew, Thai street food dishes from Issan Friends and many more. Whether you’re feeling adventurous and want to try something new, or are there to support your favourite local restaurant, there’s something for everyone.
Street Eat will take place in the Rochdale Town Hall squareThere’ll be food and drink aplenty from local tradersStreet Eat returns to Rochdale in May
If it’s a sweet treat that you’re after, there will also be cookies from Mason’s Creations, waffles and crepes to be found at Brew Box, and sugary classics from The Traditional Tuck Shop, as well as many other dessert stalls to satisfy those sugar cravings.
Why not check out which of The Manc’s favourites from our Rochdale guide made it onto the festival menu?
The excitement doesn’t just stop with our tastebuds though – Street Eat also hosts lots of free entertainment across a variety of bars and live music stages, which all draw in the crowds and give it a proper festival feel.
This year you can expect a variety of music genres, catering to all ages with everything from singalong classics and pop hits, to Rochdale Music Service’s very own rock bands, brass band and choirs. Not to mention a performance from Turners Dance School to get everyone in the mood for getting their groove on as the music takes us into the evening.
Street Eat welcomes people of all ages, with lots of free activities to keep the kids entertained too including rides, Punch and Judy shows, face painting and even a caricaturist sketching free portraits.
One thing is for certain – Rochdale Business Improvement District (BID) can put on a good party.
Organiser and BID manager Paul Ambrose said: “Street Eat showcases the vibrant and high-quality food and drink the town has to offer, as well as being a great day out.
“It’s a fantastic event, giving us the opportunity to champion the very best local food and drink. Street Eat brings friends and families together, celebrating our vibrant town centre eateries and showing what a foodie hotspot the town is. We do all we can to make the event as affordable as possible and entry is free.”
Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council said: “This is always such a great day out and Rochdale Town Hall Square is a wonderful setting. Street Eat is a great celebration of the incredible food and drink offer we have here in our town.”
Great food, drinks, community, music and freeentertainment in the sunshine – sounds like the perfect Saturday to us.
Admission is free and Street Eat will run from 11am to 7pm on Saturday 30 May.
For more on the line-up, head HERE and search #StreetEatRoch on social media.
Daisy Jackson -
23rd November 2022 
