Delicario Christmas Gift Hamper

image courtesy of Alex Scazney

There I was, reading the press release lauding the luxury brand Delicario  but thinking, oh yeah, really? I mean could this ethically sound niche online delicatessen also be professional and efficient? Well, I’m sorry to be picky but so often things fall apart after the order goes in, and then … the… w-a-i-t, the packaging and mishaps, the presentation… Hey ho, the first step was to obtain a sample and only then could I attest to the quality of the product, not to mention the ongoing efficiency.  

We should at this point bear in mind that this old duck, the editor of Frost Magazine, is on yet another diet, so yes, a soupcon of something artisan wouldn’t breach the dry bread and water regime surely. But then it all went very wrong. 

Postie brought … roll of drums, and  a ting from the triangle …  a Delicario wicker hamper  the next day. Forget the solitary jar of something, here was a cornucopia of goodies from small artisan European producers, all regulated and directed from the head office: Birch Barn  in Kent, Delicario (www.delicario.com )

Diet, what diet? As I unlatched the black wicker straps I found myself wondering if the efficiency would be matched by quality.  Well, see of yourself. Here we have Arke extra virgin olive oil. The olives are picked by hand and milled within 12 hours, in a low temperature to respect and exalt the flavours as the attached label explained. Oh how wonderful to read this about the olive oil. It could not have come from anywhere but a sustainable artisan concern. 

Then, the Sauginon Blanc, Nube ,  De Leza Garcia from Spain, grapes grown in Rioja. Oh my word, serve chilled,  breathe in the scent, taste the dry smoothness. Really, it IS just so smooth.

This we drank with Italian Pate of Artichokes. Dream with me… Subtlety of flavour to die for, and of  course, Italian, I should have known. I have been in love with all things Italian after the ticket man at the Uffizi  (I believe it was), said when I asked for an old person’s entry. ‘Ahhh, but not old, merely experienced.’ I nearly fainted with joy that someone had recognised me for what I am.

The only draw back to our little moment of pate and wine heaven was that Dick and I should have been eating it with Inspector Montalbano on his balcony overlooking the sea,  none of us speaking as we savoured every bite, and added just a spot more Arke extra virgin olive oil on the tomato salad.

Then, of course, for Madam Fatty, just one or two sweet orange/chocolatey treats made by Kucino, Italy. I sat hearing the waves lapping, watching the moon rising…

And in the morning, Mandarin Marmalade on toast, so very British, but actually Italian, tasting of mandarins, and a very finely cut marmalade, almost a puree I’d say. Delicious.

 So, bravo the hamper, with each item sensibly packed, the bottles safely swathed, and even a personalised note that came with it, Dear Margaret, the experienced woman from Yorkshire …  Well, no, not the latter.

Delicario (www.delicario.com) is a niche online delicatessen working with small-scale sustainable producers of authentic regional European delicacies with an ‘international farm to table approach’, launched by a small team of specialists working in the luxury services industry with a passion for food and travel. Steering clear of mass production, the emphasis is on sourcing natural ingredients, harvested and processed with dedication to detail, as you can tell,  by often family-run businesses and sold online as individual items, gift boxes or hampers.

The Delicario website (www.delicario.com) is  consumer friendly which with my IT expertise (nil)  is something I seldom say. It’s easy to navigate through a list of well-presented specialities including charcuterie, truffles and mushrooms, wine and champagne, paté and creams as well as artisan pasta, sauces and baked as well as sweet treats. In the dedicated hamper section, there are suggestions tailored to all occasions such as the ‘Delicario Christmas Temptation Hamper’ with Damien Buffet brut rosé champagne and Vossignoria cheese laced with truffle, Ascolano olives from Piceno and Croccantino dark chocolate from Campania.

The ‘Delicario Dinner for Two Hamper’ includes the finest Bellota Iberian ham, Calabrian Capocollo and Marettimo cheese with sprigs of thyme, accompanied by the ‘haute- couture’ of champagne, followed by pure Wagyu beef rib-eye and a full-bodied Barbera D’Alba. Dessert is of course included as chocolate lovers indulge in Piedmont hazelnut cake smothered in dark chocolate fondant. Each gift box and hamper can also be individually tailored by selecting products from the Delicario range.

Gift vouchers and personalised greeting cards offer a personal touch.

Founder Marco Rosa and his team are eager to start fulfilling orders including Christmas hampers and gift boxes at Birch Barn in Kent. He remarks, “Having the experience of working with well-known, luxury brands for over 25 years, we have seen a shift by consumers towards conscious shopping for high quality, sustainable and often organically grown goods. The secret of successful cultivation has been passed down through several generations of mostly family-run businesses. Every product has a story to tell!”

“Our mission is to bring the best European artisan flavours to the table of appreciative customers, particularly during a period when travel to new and unexplored places is complicated. This year, Christmas cheer comes in gift boxes and hampers that capture the very best of authentic ingredients to create a ‘dining out experience’ in your own home.”

About Delicario

Based at Birch Barn in Kent, Delicario (www.delicario.com) was established by co-founders Marco Rosa, Alexander Scasny and Andrew Dack as an innovative online ‘international farmers market’, selling individual items, gifts and hampers of artisanal delicacies sourced from hand-picked regional producers all over Europe. Avoiding mass production, Delicario believes in the unique spirit of natural ingredients, harvested and processed with love by small family businesses, always with sustainability in mind. Each product has been thoughtfully selected to inspire celebration and harmony in flavours around the dining table.

One day I will visit and interview the team. It really is my kind of set up, and I know it will be yours. I recommend Delcario with no reservations whatsoever. I’ve had a simply wonderful time, and am about to throw the weighing scales out of the window, Life is truly too short, for ‘experienced’ women like me to be fretting. Besides, I will take an few more turns around the sports village cycle track, on my sit up and beg, stately as a galleon, and care not if I hold everyone up. So there.

I am so delighted, as I have found the perfect Christmas gift for my four children. They will love their hampers.

Annie Clarke is a Random House author. Her latest novel is Christmas on the Home Front.