FOOD: HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVE AT CHRISTMASTIME

One of the loveliest things about the festive season is picking out your favourite foods and deciding what to add to the drinks list.

Whether you’re getting in a few indulgent extras, planning quality time with someone special, shopping for Christmas dinner or stocking up on bubbly for New Year’s Eve, it’s that time of year when it’s OK to spoil yourself.

For inspiration to tempt you beyond your usual tipples and treats, this top 10 checklist of food and drink providers is a great place to start. It even includes something calming to keep handy, in case you overdo it.

Serve up first class canapés made with the very best ingredients from artisan suppliers, add a premium twist to your usual gin and tonic, or delight your guests with a fabulous new centrepiece on the big day.

You’ll find lots to get your mouth watering here.

With its depth of flavour and a versatility that makes it a pleasure to cook the way you want, Lamb has become an increasingly popular alternative on Christmas tables – and it’s sure to wow your guests.

Centuries of traditional farming techniques and a healthy amount of rainfall – just think of all that luscious green grass – ensure that Lamb has a distinctly superior quality, so you can feel confident you’re choosing the best.

Indeed, it has a protected geographical indication (PGI), putting it up there with Jamón Serrano, Prosciutto di Parma and the very best cheeses that might also grace your table this season.

Why not try roast Lamb with gin and cranberry or a spiced Welsh Lamb casserole? Or simply present a classic leg with all your favourite trimmings? However you serve it, it’s sure to add some Christmas magic.

If you want to give your guests a real treat this Christmas, be confident that your luxuries are sustainably sourced – including your caviar.

Lemberg Caviar House offers a premium range of salmon and sturgeon caviars (the widest in Europe), ensuring the quality and traceability of its products, from harvesting to handling to delivery.

Its most senior director visits the global regions where its caviars come from to ensure the bar remains high in everything Lemberg does, and yet its range is reasonably priced, with sturgeon caviar from £22.50 for 30g. With these prices, you can enjoy spoonfuls of caviar.

Its sturgeon varieties include Amur Royal, Osietra and Beluga – perfect for adding rich, nutty flavours and luxurious textures to your serving platters. Or if your tastes favour something different, Lemberg’s salmon roe include jewel-like orange-hued Keta salmon caviar, and its Gorbuscha, both caught wild in Alaska.

These, along with the brand’s range of delicious smoked and salted salmon, are available in the UK online and from a newly opened shop in London’s Kensington at 3A Campden Street, W8 7EP.

Visit lemberg.uk to find out more and stock up on your party season treats

While you’re busy buying presents for one and all, surely you can treat yourself too and give your coffee maker an upgrade?

Lavazza’s A Modo Mio range is already much loved for its Barista Technology system. It is precision tuned for the ideal measure, optimal brewing temperature and pressure, slow extraction and perfect cream coverage.

Its most favoured model, the Deséa, puts all that coffee-loving brilliance into a sleek machine with one-touch simplicity.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Deséa makes your coffee how you want it – like having a personal barista at home. Choose from five milk-based recipes and four different coffee sizes, all from the same machine.

Right now, you can get this fabulous model half price (see below) or, even better, sign up to the Lavazza coffee subscription and you can snag yourself the Deséa for just £1 if you commit to nine coffee deliveries. (The frequency of delivery can be adjusted.)

Find the Deséa for 50 per cent off (just £124.50) at lavazza.co.uk or on Amazon

For gifting and stocking up at home ahead of the festivities, SPIRITLY offers a curated selection of premium spirits and fine wines, delivered directly to your door for utmost convenience.

Even browsing the SPIRITLY website will get you in the mood to raise a glass to winter’s finest moments. Its expertly chosen selection of wines and spirits includes trusted brands and a host of exciting labels that you’d usually only find in the most discerning, independent stockists. Indeed, it also showcases an exclusive range of speciality wines and spirits, and small craft brands from across the globe.

From Indian whisky to Mexican rum, spirits are easy to browse by type and country of origin. You’ll find more specialist spirits, too, including low and no-alcohol options. Explore wines by taste and region, and be inspired by cocktail recipes graded for ease of preparation and accompanied by a handy tick list for you to shop the ingredients as you go.

From rare treasures to delightful discoveries, SPIRITLY offers a seamless journey from the first click to the last sip.

Explore spiritly.com’s world-class range today and let SPIRITLY deliver the extraordinary directly to your door. Continue your journey of discovery on Instagram

Created by coffee enthusiasts who love the culture surrounding the beverage as much as the taste, hubb has a simple brand ethos: elevate coffee experiences on the go and at home. It’s all about the space that coffee creates in our day, the social connections it encourages and the simple joy of finding the perfect pour.

As an effortless yet flavourful addition to your goodies list this Christmas, why not try hubb’s Nitro Cold Brew? This iced coffee is a serious treat – speciality grade Brazilian coffee with a tiny droplet of liquid nitrogen added to provide a creamy texture and deliver a smooth mouthfeel guaranteed to make your day. Served in 250ml cans, it brings coffee-shop quality to your kitchen.

Made with 100 per cent natural ingredients, including ethically sourced coffee beans, Nitro Cold Brew is rich and luxurious but entirely plant-based. Hubb’s Nitro Cold Brew comes in three variants: original Black Coffee, Black Coffee + Brown Cane Sugar and Oat Flat White.

Shop now at hubb.coffee and use code NITRO20 for 20 per cent off your first order

Made for spending in some of Britain’s best-loved restaurants, pubs, bars and hotels, the Dining Out Gift Card turns eating and drinking out into the perfect present.

Whether the recipient of your present loves a Sunday lunch in a cosy country pub, cocktails in a smart city bar, afternoon tea in a stylish brasserie or date night at a steak restaurant, with the Dining Out Gift Card they will find that great food, great drinks and great times are always on the menu.

With over 1,600 venues to choose from across the country, including Miller & Carter, Toby Carvery, Harvester, All Bar One and Browns Brasserie & Bar, they can be sure to find somewhere that suits their tastes.

The Dining Out Gift Card can be purchased online to be sent out in the post with an accompanying greetings card, or via email. Alternatively, get the gift card as a shareable link to send to friends and family via SMS or their social media channels.

Visit thediningoutgiftcard.co.uk to make your purchase and find your nearest venue

For dressings and prepping your favourite dishes, not all olive oils are equal.

The Artisan Olive Oil Company curates a delicious selection of oils, vinegars and aperitivo, including one extra special product for this season – the Nobleza del Sur Early Harvest “Day” Picual Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

This early harvest, single estate, single variety, cold extracted olive oil comes from Andalusia and is nurtured by Nobleza del Sur, one of the world’s most awarded producers.

Created in the second week of October 2024 from an early harvest of picual olives at the Vista Alegre estate in Andalusia, this green olive juice was created in just four hours from tree to cold extraction.

With an ultra-low acidity (0.1 per cent), it offers herbaceous and fruity green aromas and its profile is balanced, starting with a green and fresh taste with a slightly bitter and spicy finish. It is also particularly rich in polyphenols with over 800mg/kg. Perfect for adding a generous drizzle to appetisers like pan con tomate or for dipping – why not try it for yourself this Christmas?

Shop now at artisanoliveoilcompany.co.uk

For that someone special in your life who shares your love of wine, why not give the gift of an unforgettable experience that will immerse them in the world of viticulture?

The Mount Vineyard, in the charming Kent village of Shoreham, produces award-winning still and sparkling wines. Open Wednesday to Sunday all year round, its tasting experiences are accompanied in summer months by a walk through the vines, but a visit any time of the year offers a delightful opportunity to enjoy its country setting.

Take lunch in the Courtyard Restaurant and browse for goodies at Ten Acres, its well-stocked shop. Beyond picking up something fabulous in store, great gift options here include a Wine Tasting Experience for two voucher (£70) and a Tour & Tasting Experience for two (end of May to September, £80). Both include tasting four wines with a sharing cheese board, plus a full commentary.

Or go big, with the Mount Vineyard Viticulture Course, including theoretical and practical tuition across five workshops over the year.

Shop now at The Mount Vineyard and the Ten Acres wine and gift shop at ten-acres-the-shop-at-the-mount-vineyard.myshopify.com.

Get 10 per cent off cases of six wine bottles and free delivery on any purchase over £99 until December 31, 2024. Last order date for guaranteed delivery before Christmas is December 17, 2024. Use code Times24 to redeem offer. T&Cs apply. Over-18s only

The festive season is a time of coming together and enjoying all the traditions and trimmings. But for heartburn sufferers, that often means navigating the food and drink triggers that can cause or make symptoms worse.

Now available in Peppermint Flavour, Pyrocalm Control 20mg Gastro-Resistant Tablets are the first branded omeprazole 20mg available over the counter that provide up to 24-hour confidence in heartburn control.

Pyrocalm Control can be used for the short-term treatment of reflux symptoms. These include heartburn and acid reflux – when the acid from the stomach travels up to the throat. It can take two to three days for symptoms to improve. Talk to a doctor if you do not feel better – or you feel worse – after 14 days.

Omeprazole is widely used to treat heartburn and acid reflux and is suitable for use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Medicines can affect the unborn baby. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine in pregnancy.

Go to pyrocalmcontrol.co.uk to find out more.

Pyrocalm Control 20mg Gastro-Resistant Tablets (omeprazole) are used in adults for the short-term treatment of reflux symptoms, eg heartburn, acid regurgitation and acid reflux. Always read the label

A great addition to your home bar this Christmas, Licor 43 is a premium tipple with endless possibilities. Spain’s much loved liqueur might be reminiscent of a Mediterranean summer sunset, but its notes of vanilla, citrus, herbs and spices can add an indulgent touch to any winter cocktail too.

Indeed, the party season’s hottest trend is surely going to reflect 2024’s passion for the “baby drink”, with the Baby Lager cocktail taking bars by storm. To make your own, try Licor 43 topped with a layer of cream liqueur, like Licor 43’s Horchata.

One of the most versatile cocktail ingredients around, it pairs perfectly with coffee. How about a Carajillo? As the espresso martini’s sweet and sophisticated sister, it’s one of the easiest cocktails to craft. Simply shake equal parts Licor 43 and cold brew coffee over ice for a drink that works brilliantly at any gathering.

And don’t miss the full dessert-inspired range, including Licor 43 Crème Brûlée and Licor 43 Chocolate – perfect for cosying up in cold weather.

Licor 43 original is available to buy from ASDA and Licor 43 products are available from Amazon