Had it with tradition? Jaded by the same dinner, the same snacks, every, single, year!? Yeah? That makes two us! Here Shopping Vouchers bring you our guide to steering clear of convention (and the big name supermarkets) to help you deliver a uniquely delicious break from the norm’ this Christmas day.
Abel & Cole work their organic socks off, scouring the country to find all sorts of fabulous fruit and vegetables and beautifully made foods. They know exactly how your food is made, how it's grown and what does, or more importantly doesn't, go into it. This year they can basically provide Christmas in a box – anything and everything- but we particularly recommend their Christmas Day Fruit & Veg Box. For £25 you will receive the highest quality parsnips, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, carrots, herbs, lemons, clementine’s, *deep breath* and Arran Victory potatoes. Having tried them, we cannot recommend them enough!
Nobody knows why we love chocolate, yet the cravings are very, very real. So who better to turn to than this time of year than our favourite luxury brand, Chocolate and Love. The UK based firm, who have been winning so many food awards this year they must be losing count, quite simply, supply the best chocolate we have ever tasted. Why not order some of their ‘Filthy Rich’ bars, with their Fairtrade premium quality cocoa sourced from the Dominican Reblic and Puru. Or maybe our personal favourite, the ‘Crush Diamonds’, made with dark milk chocolate and cocoa nibs, it won Gold 2-star in the Great Taste Award earlier this year. Your mouth will thank you whichever you choose!
Bored of blinking Turkey? Yeah! Us too! So why not try one of this utterly mouth-watering Rolled Beef Sirloin joints instead. Forman and Fields our offering their finest Welsh Beef cuts, starting at £31.50, and serving 6-8 – you’d be mad not to try them. Their Welsh beef has won two recent Observer Food Monthly taste tests by Masterchef’s John Torode and was praised for its wonderful depth of flavour. It is raised in the Vale of Clwyd on a diet of cereals, grass and hay and hung for at least three weeks before being cut into joints. Truly world class!
If you absolute insist on having a ruddy Turkey, then be sure to accompany that with a good ol’ Chardonnay! Nothing can beat a classic Chardonnay, and we understand you may want to argue with us, but we’re afraid to tell you it was proven by Decanter magazine a few months back (the results are in the January edition). They went for a Chassagne Montrachet, but one of the top new world chardonnays would be equally impressive, such as the beautifully creamy Maycas Quebrada Seca Chardonnay 2009 (5, £20,Wine Society; Berry Bros & Rudd has the 2008 at £24.95; 14% abv), from Chile, or Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2008 (£19.90, Tanners; 13.5% abv). Louis Felipe Edwards Gran Reserva Chardonnay (on offer at Majestic for £6.99 if you buy two or more; 14% abv) would be a keenly priced alternative.
