Dreaming of dessert with Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK)

This winter, Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK) is celebrating the showstopper: Those indulgent, often stunning centrepiece desserts that are the real stars of the festive season.

The latest edition of this special-issue series puts the spotlight on some of the world’s most fascinating signature desserts, from Sweden’s Budapest roll and Viennese sachertorte to matcha mille crepe cake and New York cheesecake.

Glen Mutel, editor of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK), said: “During the colder months, it’s important to be kind to yourself. And what better way than to indulge in something sweet?

“In this issue, we’re celebrating the sumptuous desserts that adorn dinner tables across the globe during the festive season, from our own beloved trifle to France’s outrageous croquembouche.”

Also in this issue, we enjoy herring on Germany’s Baltic coast; Georgia’s signature cheesy bread, khachapuri, in the capital Tbilisi; a family feast in Singapore; and the culinary pleasures of Cornwall out of season, away from the summer crowds. All this, plus the highlights of Chicago, Lille and Toronto.

In addition, expect the usual mix of thought-provoking features and easy-to-follow recipes from world-renowned contributors.

Don’t miss:

• Deconstruct: Massaman curry, the lowdown on this mellow Thai classic

• My Life in Food: Actor Idris Elba on African cuisine and learning to cook with his mum

• Try it Now: How Korean corn dogs made the jump from social media to UK menus

• Five Ways With: How how to get the best out of walnuts

• Recipe Journal: Four cheese dishes from around the world

• Make Perfect: Tips for mastering arepas

• The Pioneer: Netherlands-based chef Emile van der Staak on turning his back on meat and his restaurant’s ‘food forest’

26-PAGE DIGITAL EZINE SAMPLE http://magazine.natgeotraveller.co.uk/food-dec22

Fast facts

Issue 18

On sale date: 1 December 2022

Price: £4.80

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All I Want for Christmas is.... A Vintage Poster from Orson & Welles

Fantastic Festive Offerings!​

With our amazing array of eclectic posters in our new collection we are sure you will find something for that special someone (or yourself!) to spoil on Christmas day.

With over 70 new additions added they say "We will eat our Santa’s hat if you can’t find something you love!"

From Bond to Bullitt and Jaws to Jimi Hendrix, from Dumbo to Ginny Girl, they most certainly do have something for all tastes!

https://www.orsonandwelles.co.uk

Christmas Linens - Table Linens and Tea Towels From Home Landing Ltd

A simple tea towel can make and excellent Christmas decoration. To the left, you will see "Toy Shop", which is a 100% sustainably produced tea towel that is printed in the UK, at a cost of £8.95.

Selected Christmas table linens and Christmas tea towels are excellent at providing festive cheer to any table this Christmas.

Others available are "Fairy Trees," Linen tablecloth printed in Italy and at a cost £110.00.

"Christmas Cats in Waiting", a recycled cotton tea towel, cost £7.75 and “Schiaccianoci,”  "Nutcracker," Linen table runner printed in Italy, costs £47.00.

To learn more call them on 01635 48521 or visit www.home-landing.co.uk.

Roots to the Future starts Roots Grotto to help make this a happy Christmas for everyone

Roots to the Future has put out a mass appeal for unused items, that can be wrapped and given to families who are currently struggling with household bills and inflation across the board. 

A spokesperson said: "We are also asking for items that are going to be of direct benefit to those unfortunate enough to be sleeping rough at this time of year.

"We are deeply saddened to see that more families than ever are finding this winter tough with the rising cost of living. Parents are having to cut costs on basic essentials such as food and heating just to make ends meet.

"The reality is many children will go without a single present this year as many parents just cannot make the pennies stretch far enough.

"For this reason, we're organising a Christmas Present Appeal, whereby we will be taking donations, wrapping them up, and helping local families in need. We'd love to take away some of the stress for families this Christmas, putting a smile on children’s faces with a simple spoonful of kindness!"

They went on to say: "We'd be so very grateful to have your support in this appeal and would love to accept any donations of toys, gifts, toiletry sets, games, scooters, bicycles, electrical items, etc so that we can wrap up and pass them on to local families in need at this time of year. We are seeking presents for boys and girls, men and women, of all ages.

"For those who wish to donate, or receive, please visit the website rootstothefuture.co.uk and go to the tab named Roots Grotto where you'll find more information on how to get involved. There will even be a chance for you to help with wrapping in our Christmas Workshop!

"We will do our very best to make this a Happy Christmas for many more families this year."

You can find out more at https://www.rootstothefuture.co.uk.

How to sidestep the Royal Mail strikes

How can you sidestep of even beat the Royal Mail strikes in the run up to Christmas? There are several things you can do.

Visit your nearest town and see what gift buying opportunities are there on your local High Street. Craft shops, giftware shops, local jewellers, haberdashers, clothing shops, toy shops, charity shops (which often sell new items or Amazon returns) market stalls at the local market, specialist Christmas markets, craft shops, wool shops, local bookshops, delicatessens, off licences, etc, etc. 

And speaking of Amazon, if you don't have a suitable nearby town why not open up an Amazon Prime account? If you open an Amazon Prime account many of the gift items that you will want to buy are offered on next day delivery and because Amazon Prime orders are usually delivered by couriers and not by Royal Mail you can be more certain of ensuring that the gifts you need will arrive even before you need them for the big day, Christmas Day on December 25th! 

And why not consider E-cards this Christmas? One such UK-based E-card company which has lovely Christmas cards is Jacquie Lawson. You can check her cards out here https://www.jacquielawson.com.

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Royal Mail strikes hit Christmas delivery dates. Please check here

As home delivery expert ParcelHero predicted, many retailers are pulling back their Christmas final order dates as Brits decide against expensive express deliveries and stores battle with the impact of planned Royal Mail strikes.

ParcelHero says many stores have now pulled back their order dates for Christmas deliveries. Wise shoppers are abandoning expensive express services while strikes threaten to further disrupt deliveries. This has led to some dramatic changes in retailers’ final order dates to ensure gifts don’t miss the big day.

ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T., says: "Many of our favourite stores have woken up and smelt the eggnog and are rapidly dragging back their final order dates for Christmas. Already, stores like Boohoo, Currys, HP, Paul Smith and PC World have pulled back their last order dates by several days.

"There are two main reasons why retailers are revising their final order dates. Firstly, planned strikes affecting traditional postal deliveries just before Christmas could throw final order dates into disarray. Secondly, last-minute express and next-day deliveries can cost at least a fiver extra compared to standard delivery options. Cash-strapped Brits, facing higher bills and raging inflation, simply don’t have the money to burn on expensive delivery options.

"Many retailers will also be trying to save money by slashing Christmas delivery times. They pay their delivery partners extra for faster service. That’s normally a worthwhile expense at Christmas, as these faster options can give them an advantage over their competitors. But this year’s Austerity Christmas will see shoppers spend an estimated £4bn less than in 2021. Stores will feel the impact of this reduced spending and cannot afford to waste money. As struggling retailers Joules and Wilco will confirm, times are hard.

"Here’s our list of Responsible Retailers who have pulled back their Christmas final order dates:

Boohoo: was 23 December, now 21 December

Cath Kidston: was 22 December, now 21 December

Currys: was 23 December, now 18 December

HP: was 21 December, now 15 December

Paul Smith: was 23 December, now 19 December

PC World: was 23 December, now 21 December

Selfridges: was 24 December for London postcodes, now 23 December

The White Company: was 23 December, now 22 December

"Given the current strain on delivery services, we won’t be surprised if even more retailers pull back their final order dates as Christmas nears. That’s why our continually updated Christmas deadlines tool is so useful for keeping shoppers in the know with their favourite retailers’ final order dates."

To check the easy-to-use retailers’ final order and final mailing dates tool, see: https://www.parcelhero.com/events/christmas-gifts-delivery

(Image courtesy of John Liles and Pixabay)

Aldi serves up fantastic festive finger foods fiesta!

Ready to please any Christmas crowd, Aldi has launched a fantastic range of fabulously festive finger foods perfect for adding a bit of pizzaz to the party table this Christmas and New Year. With prices starting from a mere £2.69, these novelty shaped bites are sure to be a major hit, sprucing up any Christmas table.

For a centrepiece to wow even the most scroogie of guests the NEW Let’s Party Garlic Doughball Christmas Tree Bread (£2.69, 280g) is a festive shaped doughball that is sure to make an Instagramable highlight. Covered with a smooth garlic spread and sprinkled with parsley, encourage guests to get stuck in and tear off a portion for a tree-mendous delight. Available in store from 9th December.  

Or for a sharing snack with considerable style, the Specially Selected Cracker (£3.99, 400g) is available in stores from 30th November. This cracking pastry is hand finished in the shape of a Christmas cracker, wrapped in butter enriched pastry, filled with either Wensleydale, cheddar cheese and soft cheese with cranberries, or pulled pork and pancetta with cranberries, and a paprika and poppy seed sprinkle. (I want the cheese one!)

A British picky bit staple with a festive twist, guests can also enjoy the Breaded Chicken Christmas Trees (£2.99, 320g) from 25th November. These tasty bites are coated in a crunchy golden breadcrumb.

Or, perfect for a classic treat, why not try the NEW supersized Specially Selected Extra Large Christmas Sausage Roll (£3.99, 700g). At 24cm long the roll holds a succulent British pork sausage meat slathered in a choice of either a sweet chilli chutney or a cranberry sauce, encased in flaky puff pastry. Decorated with a pastry star for a festive feature, this favoured British delicacy is the perfect centrepiece addition to any Christmas party.

These decorative delights will be joining Aldi’s huge range of brand-new party food hitting Aldi shelves this Christmas season.

www.aldi.co.uk.