Everything is made in Britain, in fact, most things are made in Chobham. With around 40 producers, there's a wide variety of items for sale; eggs, veg, baked goods, children's clothing, jewellery & decorative items to name a few. As the market is run as a co-operative, being behind the stalls is more of a formality than necessity. As everyone sells each other's goods there's a lot of movement but it all feels smooth & customer-orientated. Looking at a cake & no one's behind the stall? Rather discreetly, someone from the market appears to answer any questions & do the sale. The producers are happy to have a chat about where the food comes from, and, if it's a craft, the story behind it's creation. I had a lovely chat with Caroline Rutter, who sells stained glass, about the inspiration behind a number of the pieces for sale.
For foodies, the Chobham Country Market is a must. As part of the market, there's also a café so you can shop and stop for a cup of tea to enjoy with your cake. Local cooks produce not only sweets, but also a range of savoury dishes like quiche and pies. For a quick meal, it's fantastic to be able to buy something home-made. We bought a quiche lorraine for lunch & warmed it through in the oven, delicious! This of course followed on from the blackcurrant Victoria Sponge for elevenses and Cumberland sausages for dinner. The raspberry jam & lemon curd (the sign of a good lemon curd is that it's a sunshine, not a slightly fluorescent, yellow) I bought are an ongoing treat. After visiting the market, one does eat well!
In the run up to Christmas and the search for the perfect present, a place like the Chobham Country Market is the perfect hunting ground for a unique gift. For children's clothing, it's a treasure trove of hand-knitted jumpers & there's a wide selection of hand-crafted jewellery in addition to unique items for the home. Free-range turkeys can also be pre-ordered.
Chobham Country Market takes place every Thursday in the Village Hall from 9:30am - 11:00am.
If you can't make it on Thursdays, the market will be open during Chobham's Christmas Extravaganza.
