Moss Cider...

In the 80s and 90s Moss Side had a fearsome reputation in Manchester as the centre of gang and gun crime in the city. 15 years on it's a much calmer place, crime rates are down significantly and the area is being touted as the next big thing in Manchester's residential portfolio.

One resident, Dan Hasler, noticed that there were many apple trees in the area that were never harvested. He decided to do so and the collected fruit was turned into cider, cleverly called Moss Cider. It was rather good. Over the years the amount of production has gone up on the UK's only urban cider, as the group behind it have foraged in the city and asked for donations from people's gardens. If you donate you can have a few bottles of the finished cider.

Manchester's foodie community has cottoned onto it and, while stocks last, you can find it in some of the city's trendy restaurants. I have yet to taste it so difficult is it to come by.

They are now planting apple orchards in the city. There's a fairly large one on the site of an old bus station awaiting development near Alexandra Park. And now there is this tiny one on the terrace outside the classical splendour of the Manchester Art Gallery on Moseley Street just off St. Peter's Square. It must be the tiniest and most urban orchard in the country if not the world.