Tag Archives: Panettone

Christmas Gift List: Editor’s Pick

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It is that time of year. We might not be spending it together but I think this is the year we should go all out for Christmas. Zoom and FaceTime your loves ones and spend the day with your family. Take in everything you have. In 2020 we need to count every single one of our blessings and stay as grateful as possible. Let’s not sit in sorrow, let’s deck our halls and get our glitz on. Life is beautiful and we are strong enough to go on. Love to you all.

With that in mind, here are my top Christmas picks to make the day extra special.

Purdy & Figg – an all-natural, premium hand spray; the ultimate 2020 stocking filler idea. We all need to use hand sanitiser so we may as well make it stylish and luxurious. Purdy & Figg look stylish and smell amazing. Yes and yes.

Purdy & Figg was created by NHS nurse Purdy Rubin and a horticulturalist Charlotte Figg with a view to minimise the toxic chemicals we use on our skin and to create a product free of single use plastic. The sanitising spray is available in three amazing scents, comes in lovely, recyclable green or blue glass bottles with minimal, elegant branding, is all natural and eco-friendly and won’t break the bank.

Purdy & Figg is a family owned premium British hand sanitiser brand that comes in three scents; Wild Woody, Charlotte’s Floral and Original Citrus. Pricing can be found below:

  • 50ml bottle (contains over 300 sprays), £5.99
  • The Set of 3x50ml bottle in Wild Woody, Original + Charlotte’s Floral, £16.99
  • 250ml refill £21.99

Available to buy at www.purdyandfigg.com | Additional stockists: Heal’s, Skinny Tan, Joules, Naken, some local pharmacies and health food stores

Let’s not forget the little ones this Christmas with the Oral-B Stages Power Electric Toothbrush– available in 2 designs; Disney’s Star Wars and Frozen (for ages 3+).  Available in Frozen or Star Wars, both are gorgeous and will encourage children to brush their teeth. They also come with cute travel cases.

Oral B frozen and star wars kids electric toothbrushes

Dove Advent Calendar.

Dove advent calendar, Dove,

Dove have a great selection of advent calendars and gift boxes this year. This one was my pick. It gives you a little excitement every day. Great products too. Available from boots.com

Gorgeous gifts from www.sacla.co.uk

My picks are:

  • Pastiglie Leone Carousel Fruit Jellies.
  • Gluten Free Panettone by Vergani.
  • Giandujotti Chocolates by D Barbero.

Italian sweets italian sweets chocolate

Sacla have a great selection of gifts and these three are all delicious. Christmas is not Christmas without Panettone. The praline is divine and the fruit jellies are heavenly and come in a gorgeous tin that you can keep.

THE TRACKLEMENTS RANGE OF CHRISTMAS CONDIMENTS INCLUDING
NEW SPECIAL EDITION RHUBARB & APPLE CHUTNEY.

THE TRACKLEMENTS RANGE OF CHRISTMAS CONDIMENTS INCLUDING NEW SPECIAL EDITION RHUBARB & APPLE CHUTNEY

NEW MICROPLANE PROFESSIONAL SERRATED PEELER
Available from hartsofstur.com

Carluccio’s Christmas range.

I am a huge of the Carluccio’s Christmas range. My top pick is the CLEMENTE IN CAMICIA. The box is filled with segments of 20-day syrup soaked candied clementines that are covered in rich, dark, indulgent chocolate to create a pop of flavour once bitten into. Christmas just isn’t Christmas without them. 

For little ones who dream of life on the farm:

Childs Farm Tractor washbag gift set.

child's farm, Christmas gifts.

This wheely-good gift set is perfect for farm & tractor lovers, featuring Childs Farm’s very own Old ‘Red the Tractor’. The wash bag contains Childs Farm’s organic raspberry bubble bath to clean and moisturise all skin types, and cleansing and nourishing sweet orange oil hair and body wash, to leave hair shiny and tangle free – a great addition to your little one’s bath time routine this Christmas.

The tractor wash bag also makes the perfect accessory for little ones. They can store their favourite things in it, taking it to sleepovers, or even using it as their favourite new pencil case in school!

My children have never been washed in anything other than Child’s Farm products. I heartily recommend them.

Ergofoam onderdesk footrest ergo foam

Because I have a bad back I recommend the ErgoFoam ergonomic under desk footrest as a gift for anyone who also has a bad back.

ErgoFoam is an ergonomic under desk footrest, designed to facilitate better posture, relieve seated load, and increase circulation. Flipped over, the rest becomes a rocker, and long work hours become a chance to infuse some movement into a desk-ridden day.

Awarded ‘Best Under-Desk Foot Rest of 2020’ by Wirecutter, the ErgoFoam team believes in good design and good results, and it remains their mission to help people feel their best each day. ErgoFoam‘s models are available in a variety of sizes and styles.  It gives great support and I am a fan.

Luxury Wish List Items.

A KitchenAid.

INTRODUCING THE PEBBLED PALM COLLECTION:
ARTISAN STAND MIXER WITH NEW SEASONAL BOWL OPTIONS

 

BISSELL SmartClean Pet Cylinder Vacuum
TANGLE-FREE BRUSH ROLL REMOVES STUBBORN DIRT AND HAIR

This is a pet-owner’s best friend, especially around
the festive season when it’s wet outside and paws
are muddy, fur is damp and tails wag pine needles
into the carpets, curtains and cushions. Exceptional
bag-less vacuuming power rapidly removes dust
and debris.

What are your Christmas picks? Share them with us. 

The Frost Food And Drink Christmas List

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panettonecarluccio

panettonePanettone from Carluccio’s

It is just not Christmas without it.

http://www.carluccios.com/shop-online
iseapasta

I Sea Pasta

Organic seaweed pasta. Original, healthy and delicious.

From planetorganic.com

vodka

Żubrówka Embossed Bison Grass Bottle

Żubrówka Vodka, the Original Bison Grass Vodka, has over 500 years of tradition and history. Żubrówka’s exceptional character is emphasized by a single bison grass blade that is hand placed in every bottle. Each blade of bison grass is hand-picked and dried under natural conditions, making each bottle of Żubrówka an exceptional gift this Christmas.

For the perfect Christmas cocktail our brand ambassador, Przemyslaw Matuszewski, suggests our legendary Apple Zu, an extraordinarily smooth and aromatic cocktail, with a festive twist.

Glass
Highball

Ingredients
50ml Żubrówka
100ml traditional pressed cloudy apple juice
Squeeze of lime

Method
Fill a highball with ice, add all the ingredients and stir
Garnish with a few slices of apple and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon to tickle your festive tastebuds.

Available at Tesco.com, Waitress.com and Sainsburys.co.uk

courvoisier-vsop

Courvoisier VSOP

Cognac is experiencing a revival this year, with the discerning drinker opting for spirits steeped in sophistication, history and glamour. Whether you drink a quality cognac such as Courvoisier neat to enjoy the pure flavours of lavender and citrus, tobacco and patchouli, or as a part of an aromatic cocktail before dinner, let Courvoisier help you celebrate this Christmas.

Luxury cognac house Courvoisier has been an expert in celebration since the opening of the Eiffel Tower in 1889 where its cognac was served as a drink of choice. The cognac can now be served at your own Christmas celebration, alongside your favourite Christmas indulgence. For a real delicacy, try our VSOP with your smoked salmon or alongside your coffee and a decadent chocolate Christmas treat.

Since no celebration is complete without Courvoisier, make sure to add a drop of luxury to your Christmas festivities this winter.

A gift for cocktail lovers – Courvoisier VSOP

Courvoisier VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a distinguished cocktail. This blend of Courvoisier is an elegant mix of cognacs that are up to 10 years old, from two of the finest crus in the Cognac region.

For a cocktail that is as indulgent as it is delicious to serve at your festive soiree, try the Courvoisier Champagne Cocktail with your chic canapés.

Tasty and decadent stuff. We love it. 

Courvoisier Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 part Courvoisier VSOP
1 Demerara sugar cube
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
Top up with Champagne

Method: Soak a sugar cube in bitters and drop into a champagne flute. Cover with Courvoisier VSOP and slowly top with champagne.

cocktailfromjar

Casso Cocktails
Available from cassococktails.com

Casso Cocktails has launched in the UK with a delicious range of ready-to-shake cocktails. Served in their signature individual jars and available in both glass and plastic format, opportunities for cocktail sipping moments are now endless.

The carefully curated range features five ‘twist on the classic’ flavours; Raspberry Cosmo, Coconut Mojito, Apricot Mai Tai, Peach Appletini and Grapefruit Sling. With equal focus on flavour and convenience, this delicious array of cocktails has been developed under the discerning tastebuds of Casso’s in house mixologist team, perfect for those unforgettable Christmas parties.

A great idea. Just add ice for a delicious cocktail. 

harveys-bristol-cream

Harveys Bristol Cream

Let’s face it, Christmas isn’t Christmas without Harveys, so what better gift to bring to your next Christmas party? This year the UK’s favourite sherry celebrates its 220 year anniversary and has launched a new campaign celebrating the timeless moments that Harveys has been a part of.

Harveys Bristol Cream is not only the UK’s favourite drink at Christmas it’s also a world renowned icon for its quality and heritage, This unique blend of Sherry combines the character and body of aged olorosos with the aroma and finesse of finos and amontillados, sweetened with the addition of high-quality Pedro Ximenez wine. It has a deep golden colour with a full, fragrant aroma and rich, mellow and long-lasting flavours.

This Christmas classic is the perfect way to embrace the festive season whether it’s to refresh your palate with a classic serve over ice with a slice of orange, shared amongst friends over Christmas party snacks, or alongside the inevitable stocking sweet treats and heaving Christmas cheese board. You can even impress your festive guests with a simple Harveys cocktail like our delicious Frosted Apple & Ginger recipe below:

Harveys frosted apple & ginger
Harveys frosted apple and ginger is bursting with effervescent flavours and is great served in a punch bowl so you can share with friends

Recipe:
Fill a highball glass with ice (crushed ice looks even better!)
Pour over 50ml Harveys Bristol Cream and 50ml premium pressed apple juice
Top up with a dash of ginger ale
Swirl with a cinnamon stick and leave in the glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and apple slices

 

A Hamper

hampermini2 hampermini hamper

We got sent this wonderful hamper full of delicious and original products. Unfortunately it didn’t have a label and we couldn’t see a press release. We just had to feature it anyway. Please let us know if you know where it is from. Thank you!

 

Merry Christmas from Frost Magazine. 

Great Christmas wines for a fiver

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four quality wines

Very cheap and very good

Anyone wanting to buy good wines this Christmas is in for a treat. There’s a bit of a price war at the cheaper end of the market. Aldi has been selling its very excellent ‘Exquisite Collection’ wines for just over a fiver and recently announced that it would be selling its wines on the internet, for home delivery. All of this has created consternation among the other retailers.

Asda has responded by putting some excellent wines on sale at a fiver and labelled them as ‘Extra Special Selection’. I bought about a dozen bottles yesterday and I can tell you that the ones I opened are excellent.Most of them are well known varieties  such as Chardonnay – slightly floral and citrus – Sauvignon Blanc- flavours of tropical fruits. but there are one or two more unusual varieties such as Viognier and Fiano – which is from Sicily and has undertones of lemon and rosemary. They are superb wines and the sort of thing you might normally expect to pay about £8 or £9 for.

As part of the range there is a pouilly fume, which is a classy sauvignon blanc, which has a slightly flinty flavour. This cost £10.75 and was a decent wine and reasonably priced. It’s a well known wine, so it’s a good thing to impress your friends.

In the middle of the photo is a slightly smaller bottle. This is a bottle of sauternes, which was also a fiver. This is a dessert wine and very reasonably priced. It’s a lovely thing in the house to have over Christmas. It has a lovely, slightly resinous flavour of dried fruit. Serve it in small glasses and offer it to friends who come around. In Italy they drink it with biscotta or a slice of panetonne. But it would be equally nice with a mince pie.

Christmas Gift List For Foodies

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At Christmas it is impossible to go wrong with an edible gift. Especially if it sparkles or is chocolate. Here are our favs.

Extra Special Louis Bernard Champagne from ASDA.com

champagne

Silver medal award-winning Premier cru. Fresh and elegant. Rich with biscuity hints. A very good champagne indeed. From Asda.

 

Asda Extra Special Mixology Belgian Chocolate Truffles

asdachoc

These are just amazing. Come in champagne, mojito and strawberry daiquiri. They are scrumptious beyond words. Nothing artificial, they taste like the real thing. Yum. From asda.com

Asda Extra Special Belgian Chocolate Bauble Truffles.

asdatruffles

A medley of chocolate truffles with salted caramel truffle and a rich Christmas Pudding inspired fusion. Unique and yummy. From asda.com

Carluccio’s Clemente in Camicia

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There are almost no words to describe how delicious these candied clementines covered in chocolate are. Just WOW. From http://www.carluccios.com

Carluccio’s Vin Santo e Cantucci

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This gift set from Carluccio’s is superb. Amazing cantucci and vin santo to dip it into. Yum. www.carluccios.com

 

Arabica Spices: Ras El Hanout, Kabsa Spices, Za’atar and Lebanese 7 Spice. 

spice

Great spices to put in soups and stews, on meat or anything else you can think of. Make great stocking fillers. Arabica Food and Spice was born out of a passion for the food of  the Levant — the sun-drenched lands of the Eastern Mediterranean

Its founders, Jordanian Jad and Londoner James have travelled extensively through Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel to procure the finest Levantine produce. Our range boasts a culinary kaleidoscope of delicacies, epitomising the breadth of flavour, colour and texture of one the world’s finest food cultures. http://www.arabicafoodandspice.com

Carluccio’s Panettone

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It’s not Christmas without panettone and this one is amazing. An Italian slice of heaven. From http://www.carluccios.com

 

 

Morrisons Christmas Range: What To Buy For Christmas

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It may seem strange to see a Christmas article so early but there is a reason: most companies have their Christmas PR days in July. There is always a lead up needed for Christmas articles. It is the same in acting, you film the Christmas specials six months early. By the time Christmas comes I feel I have been celebrating it for at least half the year.

Morrisons has launched an excellent Christmas range. The food is well-selected, reasonably priced and sourced by professionals in their field. Here are some reasons why I think Morrisons is great for Christmas….

Morrisons source livestock straight from farmers. They also sell black summer truffles at £99.99 a kilo…which means you can buy your own truffles for £3 or £4.

In 2011 they pledged to have more than 50 promotions each week to make it cheaper for customers to get their 5 a day. They average 93 promotions a week.

None of their fruit or veg goes to waste, what is not good enough for customers is given to animals.

I was lucky enough to taste some food made by Neil Nugent who is Morrisons Executive Chef and Head of Innovation, Ray Craven, meat specialist and Martin Clayton, bakery specialist. I have picked out my highlights below from the UK’s fourth-largest grocer.

Mince Pie & Cream Flavoured Popcorn.
The acronym OMG was made for this popcorn. It just tastes divine. Available from October 15.

Morrisons Best Champagne Brut has won the Which? Best Champagne Award twice.
“I am very prod of our Morrisons Best Champagne Brut as I handpicked the blend myself. It is multi-award-winning and adds a certain elegance and style to any meal or celebration.” Arabella Woodrow, Wine Specialist. I have tasted a lot of champagne and this is now my favourite. It just tastes amazing. No wonder is has been voted Best Champagne twice.

Beetroot Smoked Salmon, Smoked Halibut and Smoked Salmon
This salmon is delicious. I really liked the Beetroot salmon. The halibut was good too. A tip from Morrisons is to buy your salmon in advance and freeze it. Salmon has a long shelf life.

Christmas Tree Tear and Share Bread
This tastes great and it looks fun too. Wrap uneaten piece in cling film to make them last longer.

Panettone
Freshly baked and with 15% more fruit this year. Morrisons makes good panettone. I will be buying this again for Christmas.

Other highlights: Soda bread by Bryn Williams, White Christmas Pudding created by Claire Clarke MBE, Crusted Turkey by Nigel Haworth and Rustic Country Pate created by Pierre Koffmann.