Something different. Air-dried lamb

We decided to try something a little different this year. My wife and I both love the taste of traditional air-dried hams, but were intrigued to find out that the very clever people at Woodside Farm in the Weald of Kent are producing a new delicacy which, in time, we feel, will be just as famed for flavour as the more traditional air-dried hams.

They use only the highest quality lamb reared on their own Kentish farm. The meat is produced only in accordance with the exacting Farm Assurance Scheme standards.

They cure it, then they marinate it in red wine, honey and herbs. They then cold smoke it over oak sourced from their very own farm's oak woods!

The flavour is a bit different. It looks just like a fine smoked ham, but it has the taste of best Kentish lamb, intermingled with just a hint of smoke flavour and the other ingredients.

It's ideal for eating as a snack, with a salad, as a starter or as part of a main course. I can well imagine this being served up as a starter at a Christmas or New Year party! If you can resist nibbling it allbefore you serve it to your guests!

Woodside Farm also sells boxes of half a lamb, lamb sausages and burgers, plus a variety of lamb cuts. They also supply lamb shanks, ideal for catering customers in part due to their high quality but also due to their remarkably keen prices.

Also tested by our team of taste testers was their new product, lamb biltong. Not all of our taste team liked it, but then, they do not like biltong. All the other tasters declared it a very tasty version of biltong, but better than some biltongs, as the meat was still reasonably succulent and not like leather.

To find out more please visit www.woodside-farm.com

Muscadet Sevre et Maine

Muscadet Sevre et Maine is an excpetionally good white wine. It is not too sweet, yet nor is it too dry.

It is deliciously fruity undertones and a compelling finishing in the mouth.

It can be drunk with friends after a hard day's Christmas shopping, at a party or at Christmas dinner, in the opinion of this wine taster. My opinions tend to vary from other wine tasters or tasters as I go by what I like, not what tradition dictates!

To find out more, visit www.chereau-carre.fr

Crosta and Mollica Biscuits and Italian flatbreads

From the famed Piemonte region of Italy, come Crosta and Mollica biscuits and Italian flatbreads.

The biscuits are light and buttery (ideal if you want some special biscuits but want something a little lighter than the traditional shortbread biscuits) and will be a welcome addition to anyone's Christmas time dining table.

Or ideal if you want some nice biscuit treats for the coffee table when you are watching the Queen's Speech on Christmas afternoon.

For an extra and slightly naughty treat, dip them in some Port for a truly decadent taste sensation. I did not believe how good this would be until I tried it. It really is delicious!

And as for the flatbreads? These are light and tasty and, as they are made with olive oil, very healthy, too. (Traditional Italian flatbreads are made with lard, you see.)

What to do with flatbreads at Christmas? Ideal with some turkey or ham slices, perhaps with some crumbled cheese. Or some Mozzarella.

To learn more please visit www.crostamollica.com

Prepare for Christmas with the Festive Gift Fair

The wondrous Festive Gift Fair will be back at the Birmingham NEC later this month, from 22 – 25 November.

Half the fun of Christmas is finding unusual and perfect gifts.  If you like a lot of choice, this is the Christmas Fair for you!  There are amazing special show offers, wonderful fabulous ideas and gifts from the affordable to the exotic.

You do not have to do lots of hard work tracking down that elusive, perfect Christmas gift. Because the Gift Fair organisers have done it all for you!

They have brought together in one place 325 stalls, just crammed to bursting point with literally thousands of neat gifts for all ages and tastes.  And this year there are 100 plus new firms attending.

There's even a present crèche so you can leave your goodies in safe hands, whilst you continue to browse and buy or whilst you have a well-deserved meal!

And to add to the truly festive spirit you can enjoy the great music from a variety of Christmas musical entertainment – from live bands, choirs and brass bands.    

It's the The 17th Festive Gift Fair and you have to know that it promises to be a 'Showstopper' of an event, so head along to Birmingham’s NEC to find a gift and tick your list!

What's there?

• Crafts
• Christmas Decorations
• Games, Toys and Stocking Fillers
• Food & Drink
• Gifts for Cooks & Gardeners
• Fashion, Handbags & Jewellery
• Health & Beauty Gifts
• Baby Gifts
• Decorative Accessories for the Home
• Gadgets
• And much, much more!

BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW and prepare for some GREAT Christmas Shopping at The Festive Gift Fair open 09.30 – 17.00 from Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th November.

For more information on Exhibitors and Visiting the Fair, visit www.festivegiftfair.co.uk .   Save money by booking in advance – adult tickets are just £8.50.

Book by phone by calling The Ticket Factory on 0844 581 0808/0809

Or Book online at www.theticketfactory.com

Gallo Wines, for the perfect accompaniment for Christmas

With Turkey: Barefoot Merlot

The perfect combo of cherry, boysenberry, plum and chocolate flavours. Raised right, it’s well rounded with mild tannins.

The Barefoot Wine range has a RRP of £6.69 and the 7 varietals are Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato, Merlot, Shiraz, White Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, Barefoot Wine is now available at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, Co-op, across the convenience channel and in an increasing number of pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants. www.barefootwine.com  www.barefootwine.com

Christmas Pudding: Gallo Moscato 

This sweet light to medium-bodied wine has flavours of juicy peach, citrus, pineapple and orange blossom, which complement a crisp, refreshing finish. 

Gallo Moscato has a RRP of £6.79 and will be available from UK retailers including ASDA, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Co-op. Please visit www.gallofamily.co.uk/moscato for more information.

(EDITOR: These wines are also perfect for unwinding with once the children are in bed on Christmas Eve, or when listening to Christmas Carols on the radio. These are some pretty awesome wines from the Gallo family of California.)

Weanie Beans goes for Christmas

Award winning, artisan coffee company Weanie Beans, has unveiled its range of distinctive and delicious Christmas products, proving itself to be a cut above the rest when it comes to innovation and quirkiness, while keeping its own blend of hand-roasted coffee at the heart of every product.

From unique gift sets to moreish coffee blends, mulled drinks parcels to stocking-filling confectionery, spoil your loved-ones this holiday season with a tantalising offering designed to suit every palette. With prices ranging from just £3.00 for Chocolate Coffee Beans to £30 for the legendary Camping Coffee Kit, Weanie Beans makes the perfect purse-friendly gift this Christmas. Further information on all of the Weanie Beans Christmas range along with all prices are available from the official website.

Here's an example of what they can do for you to help you spice up your party this Christmas:

Gift Set of Chilli Hot Chocolate, Mulled Wine Bouquets, Mulled Cider Parcels and Chilli Chocolate Almonds.

Get your party started with a kick! This Gift Set is all you need for some grown up festivities. We've put in the effort to make delicious mulled wine or mulled cider so you don’t have to - just pop a parcel in a pan with your booze or fruit juice of your choice, and you have perfect mulled drinks every time. For the non-drinkers, there is a proper grown up hot chocolate with our chilli hot chocolate and nibbles to get your guests talking. (£22)

To find out about the entire range visit their website at  http://tinyurl.com/bmyussl

For a perfect Christmas you need Kitchen Devils

 …...Eight knives a chopping, two scissors snipping and a sharpening steel in the top drawer...

Whilst your true love might not have a kitchen knife at the top of their Christmas list, it makes sense to get kitted out with Kitchen Devils in the lead up to the big event. 

Whilst Kitchen Devils can't promise lords a leaping or swans a swimming, they can promise super sharp knives, with a 15 year guarantee that are comfortable to use and easy to look after.

The clever folk at Kitchen Devils have a selection of six little devils all at heavenly prices that will help with any festive dilemmas.

Kitchen Devils Carving Set, £19.49 – don't hack at the turkey with a bread knife use a  Kitchen Devils carving set and make a proper job of it. (EDITOR: The slices look better and there's a reduced risk in the calls to A&E caused by 'wrong sort of knife' accidents!)

Kitchen Devils Vegetable Knife, £7.99 – sprouts and parsnips, carrots and potatoes the list goes on and this super sharp little knife is up for the challenge.

Kitchen Devils Large Cook's Knife, £12.49 – this fabulous all rounder can tackle anything – chopping, slicing,  dicing and mincing.

Kitchen Devils Kitchen Scissors, £11.49 – snipping sausages, bacon, sage, parsley, smoked salmon, string around the pudding and troublesome packaging too – how does anyone manage without kitchen scissors.

Kitchen Devils Sharpening Steel, £12.99 – get all your knives in tip top condition with a few sweeps on the steel.

Kitchen Devils Bread Knife, £12.99 – turkey sandwiches anyone? Need we say more!

The Kitchen Devils range is available at  Asda, Tesco, Lakeland, Amazon, Dunelm Mill and independent kitchen and hardware stores or go to www.kitchendevils.net

Monks Delight Cider A taste for Christmas

Although best known for it’s strong, clear ciders, Biddenden vineyards also produces a spiced mulling cider – Monk’s Delight. This cider is spiced with a blend of cinnamon and honey, and is ideally served warmed, offering a lighter alternative to mulled wine. The cider is perfect as a hot toddy on a cold evening.

The cider is available direct from the vineyard shop, online at www.biddendenvineyards.com and from selected outlets across the South East.

You can call the vineyard direct on 01580 291726.

Spread lots of Christmas Cheer With gorgeous gifts from Arbonne

We all love to see the smile on our loved ones faces on Christmas day so why not let them unwrap Arbonne’s beautiful range of gift sets, designed exclusively to appeal to the whole family.  Providing everything you need to spread some joy this Christmas, from cosmetics to fragrance, skin care to home scents and stocking fillers to gift wrap, you’ll want it all! The full list of Arbonne product lines can be viewed at www.arbonneinternational.co.uk.

I want it all….

Mandarin Pomegranate Spa Set RRP: £98.00

This lightly floral, fruity fragrance allows you to immerse yourself in exotic Mandarin Pomegranate.  This luxurious set includes cleansing and hydrating Shower Gel (355ml), dreamy Bubble Bath (355ml), soft and silky Body Lotion (163 ml) and soothing Bath Salts (198g) in a beautifully designed keepsake chest.

Mandarin Pomegranate Hair Care RRP: £28.00

Indulge your hair with a luxurious scent that strengthens and cleanses using a sulfate cleansing system.  They condition the hair with beneficial soy proteins and amino acids as well as including grapefruit, orange peel and pomegranate extract.  The set includes Mandarin Pomegranate Shampoo (355ml) and Conditioner (355ml). 

Ginger Citrus Luxury Gift Set RRP: £57.00

A Christmas gift that indulges the body with Ginger Citrus! Everything you need to feel refreshed and luxurious through cleansing, polishing and moisturising the skin. The set includes Ginger Citrus zesty Body Wash (354 ml), gently exfoliating Sugar Scrub (453g) and luscious Body Butter (340g).

Ginger Citrus Hair Care RRP: £20.00

Complete your gift indulgence with Ginger Citrus Shampoo (236 ml) and Conditioner (236 ml).  This sulfate free cleansing system leaves hair soft, manageable and lightly fragrant and is safe for colour treated hair and includes grapefruit extract, ginger root extract and orange peel extract.

Nourishing Shea Butter Blends Hand Cream Duo RRP: £23.00

Come in from the cold this winter with Arbonne’s exclusive Shea Butter gift set, designed to add a softer touch to dry hands with cocoa seed butter, sweet almond oil and Vitamin A.  Your loved one will adore this hand cream trio gift set that comes complete with Original, romantic English Garden and Lavender scented Meadow Flower. 3 tubes, 60ml each.

Signature Scent Candles RRP: £37.00

Let the light and floral fragrance of Mandarin Pomegranate and the zesty scent of Ginger Citrus warm you on cold winter days.  The soy based candles feature a 100% cotton wick for a longer lasting burn.

Pampermint Body Care Set RRP: £20.00

Get ready for a festive, all-over tingle with new Pampermint Body Wash (236ml) and Body lotion (236ml) including apple fruit extract, grape seed oil and peppermint oil.

Pampermint Foot Care Gift Set RRP: £36.00

Let your feet sparkle and shine this Christmas with the joyful tingle of peppermint and oh so comfy festive socks. This festive set includes FootWork Foot Scrub (340g), SoleMate Foot Cream (255g) and Signature Socks in a beautifully designed gift box.

Vanilla Amber Gift Set RRP: £57.00

A gift to pamper your loved ones, the Vanilla Amber gift set from Arbonne will immerse the body in a blissful blend of warm vanilla and romantic amber with cleansing and nourishing Body Wash (340ml), smooth Body Lotion (340ml) and softening Sugar Scrub (453g) for top to toe indulgence this Christmas. 

Comet Cosmetics Collection RRP: £67.00

Become a vision of glamour this Christmas with the beautiful Comet Cosmetics Collection.  The stunning set includes a sparkling Comet  Clutch, Cosmic Kiss lipstick  and Starry, Starry night Eye Shadow Palette that comes complete with the festive colours; Nightscape, Solar, Stardust and Meteorite festive colours.  A beautiful lipstick finishes the set perfectly with wild mango butter and pomegranate extract.

Planetary Pout Lip Polish Trio RRP: £56.00

Your lips with be kissable this Christmas with the radiant lip polish trio in Venus, Mars and Saturn all ready to gift in a velvety plush pouch.

All Arbonne products are available through an excellent nationwide network of Arbonne Independent Consultants. Visit www.arbonneinternational.co.uk or call Customer Services on 0800 977 5721 to locate the nearest consultant and purchase products. 

(EDITOR: And in the experience of the That's Christmas team of testers, the products in the range not only look good, they smell good and do the job as described!) 

Make yours a Niederegger Christmas

When was the last time you had marzipan? Writes Phoebe.

Why was it so long ago? On asking these questions to many of my friends no one could give me a half way good answer. The truth is marzipan is not sold as often as chocolate and similar confectionery and whenever we do buy it we buy the wrong kind.

Bringing in Niederegger, luxury marzipan makers for over two hundred years. The difference in quality between a Niederegger product and some generic maker is instantly noticeable. This is partly due to the fact that Niederegger marzipan is officially classed as one hundred percent marzipan because it is made with a lot more almonds and a lot less sugar.

Niederegger is a company based on centuries of tradition and over the years the family that own and run it have developed a huge range of styles and flavours of their marzipan, often chocolate covered, sometimes flavoured with assorted fruits including sweet banana, ambrosial apricot, zesty clementine, candy strawberry, potatoes shaped sweets, marzipan flavoured cappuccino and many, many more.

Since Christmas is coming and, with everyone in our sector of the industry will be more than aware of this, Niederegger has included an entire traditional Christmas range on top of the plethora of already delicious chocolate covered treats it currently offers. The Niederegger Christmas range ‘Frohes Fest’ is massive and it will appeal to everyone’s tastes from the grand parents to the grand children.

For those that enjoy festively shaped treats there’s the newly designed Christmas selection: it includes star-, crescent moon-, boot-, Christmas tree- and snowman- shaped marzipans each covered with a range of dark, milk and white chocolates.

If you’re looking for a large range of flavours then the new “Marzipanerie in Christmas Sleeve” is perfect as it includes most of the different flavours Niederegger has to offer with its smaller confectionaries. The Traditionalist Christmas enthusiasts would be more than tempted to get both styles of advent calendar, one shaped (as always) in a flat box with mini windows, each filled with a Niederegger marzipan treat; or a very long rectangle, boxing a stack of the chocolate covered marzipans these especially provide luxuriously festive ornamentation for the house with their new Christmas designs of Father Christmas-Red colored boxes, sprinkled with gold stars, reindeer and old wooden ships and other such time-honored symbols tofill the house with Christmas joviality.

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Niederegger have a wide selection of white chocolate covered marzipans as well as icing sugar-sprinkled traditional German Christmas cakes, known as Stollen, including some with the Niederegger twist of marzipan fillings!

So try Niederegger chocolate covered marzipan sweets for Christmas this year and enjoy the two hundred year tradition of indulgence with family, Friends and festivities.