Stocking Fillers for Foodies – Whether you give a stocking packed with lovely gifts or prefer to give just one or two special items this Christmas, here are some suggestions for foodies.
Mulled wine is synonymous with Christmas, so finding this little box of spices from Steenbergs will make life easy. Steenbergs’ Old Hamlet Mulled Wine Spice Cube (20g, £4.50, steenbergs.co.uk, Amazon, Cotswold Fayre), is ideal. Perfect for home chefs who love doing things the traditional way, each 20g cube contains four muslin spice bundles, each for 75cl of red wine or juice and delivers all the warming flavours without sugar or additives. Blended in the UK with cinnamon, allspice, lemon peel, and cloves, these muslin pouches are home compostable.
Tesco has a fabulous range of great value festive nut selections for just £2.90 a 150g bag (£2.50 for clubcard holders). There are five different varieties: Belgian Chocolate Orange Nut; Sweet & Salty Belgian Chocolate; Salted Caramelised Nut; Hickory Smoked Nut and Belgian Chocolate Brazil Nut – and they are delicious.
If, like me, they’re a fan of licorice, they will love this little bottle packed with flavour from Danish confectionery brand LAKRIDS BY BÜLOW. Designed to enhance dishes and drinks with a liquorice twist, this syrup adds a touch of gourmet craftsmanship to a wide range of recipes, from iced coffee and cocktails to desserts and savoury dishes. Available from lakridsbybulow.co.uk RRP £8.95.
Peanut butter is enjoying some really interesting additions nowadays, so either (or both) of these will delight any peanut butter aficionado. Tracklements Yumello Fresh Chilli Jam Smooth Peanut Butter uses just a few, simple ingredients including high-oleic peanuts, prized for their naturally sweet, rich flavour and healthier fat profile. No palm oil, no refined sugar, no unnecessary additives. The smooth texture is deeply roasted and stone-ground, delivering a bold, nutty taste that’s pure and unmasked. It’s then paired with Tracklements award-winning sweet and hot Fresh Chilli Jam, with a gentle heat from fresh red chillies. RRP £4.99 / 215g available online from www.tracklements.co.uk, www.yumello.com and fine food delis and farm shops nationwide.
Another rather whacky peanut butter (that is surprisingly delicious) is from Butter Bike, makers of bold, all natural nut butters. It has a limited-edition Sage & Onion Stuffing Peanut Butter. Deep roast, hi-oleic peanuts meet sage, rosemary, garlic, crispy onion and a touch of flaked salt for a distinctive seasonal spread. Proudly made in the UK, this peanut butter is vegan, gluten-free, and packed with protein. At around £6 a 285g jar, there are some other delicious flavours too, like Gingerbread or Chocolate Orange. Available from selected farm shops, plus Selfridges, DELLI, Wholefoods London and Not on the High Street.
I’ve talked about the wonderful Louisa’s Honey before but thought it worth mentioning the lovely gift sets – a perfect way to let someone find their favourite honey. For around £18 you can try four 50g jars of various different honeys. Available from Amazon, Elys Wimbledon or directly from Louisa’s Honey here
Dubai Chocolate has been the chocolate craze this year and a rather special way of giving some that are not in a bar form is from Farhi – renowned for premium ingredients and indulgent handmade bonbonnieres. They have launched Dubai Chocolate Truffles which are really delicious. £10 for a pack of six in a perfect little stick pack that will slip into the stocking nicely. From Farhi direct, Not on the High Street and Yumbles.com.
With fabulously designed, highly distinctive cans, and even better contents, a can or two of delicious English sparkling wine from The Uncommon at just £6 for a 250ml can of white or rose sparkling (or both!) will be a welcome start to Christmas morning. Available from Waitrose or from Tesco (for a 18.7ml can at £4)
And of course, you should always put some chocolate coins at the bottom of that stocking, preferably with a satsuma (I don’t think it’s actually the law, but it’s what our family has always done). High ethical producer Divine Chocolate has some lovely chocolate coins that are available at Oxfam shops – either a giant coin or a bag or smaller ones – for under £4
But maybe you just want to surprise an adult loved one with one rather magnificent gift in their stocking? Then consider this: Laurent-Perrier “Bubbles”, a new Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé limited edition metal jacket. Since 2017, the iconic Cuvée Rosé bottle has been adorned each year with a distinctive metal jacket. With Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé,the Pinot Noir maceration technique gives the wine a refined blood orange-pink hue, with ruby reflections. A fragrant bouquet of freshly picked red fruits—raspberry, red currant, strawberry, and black cherry—unfolds gracefully. On the palate, the wine reveals a vibrant harmony of fresh fruit, complemented by floral and subtle spicy notes. The rrp for the Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé “Bubbles” limited edition is £87 (75cl) from Ocado or John Lewis and selection online retailers.
If you’re lucky, you’ll be invited to share it.
The Seasoned Gastronome