By Lisa Higginson
As Ramsbottom prepares to host its famous annual chocolate festival, Taste of Manchester asks Whitefieldâs very own Willie Wonker, John Slattery, of Slattery Patissier and Chocolatier, five chocolatey questions...
1) What is the best thing about Ramsbottom Annual Chocolate Festival?
It is a great opportunity to try and to buy lots of different chocolates from different chocolate suppliers and enjoy two days of pure chocolate! The Ferrero Rocher challenge is also a highlight and is good fun to see.
2) Slatteryâs is taking part in the festivalâs intriguing âEvening with Hot Chocolateâ on Saturday, March 27. What can visitors expect from the event?
This is a three-course meal that is part buffet and part table service. Each course has got a big chocolate element in it, even the savoury dishes, so it will be very interesting for diners. It will be a first for the area and is something very exciting.
3) Describe Ramsbottom Annual Chocolate Festival in five words:
A Fun Family Chocolately Weekend
4) What is your favourite type of chocolate?
I really like a good quality milk chocolate. I prefer a creamy milk chocolate to dark chocolate and I usually like to have it with a nice glass of red wine.
5) Tell us a secret about chocolate?
Chocolate is good for you. It has been proven to break down fatty acids, which helps the heart, and like most things it is good in moderation. Scientists have also found that the shell of a cocoa bean, which is removed during the chocolate-making process, can be good for fighting plaque. A new chocolate is currently being developed that incorporates some of the shell so it could be good for our teeth!
Slattery Patissier and Chocolatier
197 Bury New Road
Whitefield
T: 0161 767 9303
W: www.slattery.co.uk
For information about Ramsbottom Annual Chocolate Festival, which takes place on Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28, visit www.ramsbottomchocolatefestival.com