Christmas buys for the larder

If you’re on the lookout for a few luxury items to stock up on over the festive period, this little lot should get you started.

If you’re on the lookout for a few luxury items to stock up on over the festive period, this little lot should get you started. Don’t shop for them on an empty stomach though, as the little mini mince pies will all be gone by the time you get home! Happy Christmas foodies.

Luxury Jaffa Cake Pudding

If you’re looking for some Christmas alternatives, this Jaffa Cake pud from Farmhouse Fare puts a different twist on festive desserts. With its light vanilla sponge covered in a smooth, rich velvet chocolate sauce and a hidden layer of tangy orange jam underneath, its definitely not your average Christmas pud. Based in Lancashire, Farmhouse Fare has won many awards for its hand made puddings, including Gold at the Great Taste Awards this year (2008). Puddings worth getting your spoon ready for.

bottlegreen’s Spiced Berry Cordial

This spiced bottle of luscious cordial can be drunk cold with the help of a little water, but really comes into its own as a hot drink. In fact, an inch of this cordial in the bottom of a glass, topped up with boiling water is as good as non-alcoholic mulled wine gets. It’s also a great hot drink if you’ve got a troublesome sore throat and its comforting hint of Christmas is just an added bonus.

Fudges Butter Stollen

The first thing you’re likely to notice about this luxury stollen from Fudges is it’s size. It’s pretty huge, and has been lovingly stuffed with almonds, mixed peel, nutmeg and lemon zest. It’s the perfect thing to have on the go, in the run up to Christmas when friends drop in. It’s also large enough to make the odd slice that you’ve helped yourself to, fairly un-detectable to the average eye, which is always a bonus.

Pedro Ximenez

This rich sherry is wonderfully redolent of Christmas with its caramel and sultana notes. Serve slightly chilled in a large wine glass, or pour over ice cream…or straight into your mouth (when the in laws aren’t watching). If you do open this bottle whilst you’re in company, be prepared to share it around. Despite its seriously sweet taste, even people who claim not to posses a sweet tooth, seem to love it.

Highgrove Goose Fat

This is the stuff of Gods as far as roast potatoes are concerned. Using to goose fat to crisp up your potatoes is an favourite trick, but there are plenty of other ways to utilise this lovely stuff. Instead of opening the jar, just for its use over Christmas and then forgetting about the rest of it, it’s worth using Highgrove goose fat for risottos, stews, omelettes, stuffings and for roasting vegetables, poultry and game. Roast potatoes love goose fat certainly, but there are plenty of other dishes you can conjure up as of Boxing Day, that respond just as well to a bit of luxury.

Fudges Mini Mince Pies

These luxury little mince pies tease your mouth with a taste of Christmas. A scoop full of mincemeat is tucked inside a pastry crust that tastes moreishly like shortbread. The great thing about mini mince pies is that you can probably equate four of them to their standard cousins, which means eating a whole plateful isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds. Suitable for vegetarians, but not suitable for throwing at reindeer.