Cutter & Squidge
The bright orange box from family run bakers, Cutters & Squidge, is bursting with sweet treats. Their stuffed mince pies are huge – and heavy – and are perfect with double cream. Pop their Biscoff filled ‘NYC style’ cookies in the microwave for 30 seconds for a crunchy cookie with just the right amount of gooey centre. One for the sweet-toothed.
The Mini Squidge Christmas Hamper, £50, nationwide delivery.
Panzer’s
St John’s Wood’s famous delicatessen Panzer’s offers a luxurious Christmas hamper packed with an array of culinary delights. It features their famous, thick-sliced smoked salmon, various cheeses from stilton to Montgomery cheddar, Firetree dark chocolates and even a 2012 bottle of Delaforce Port. The highlight, though, has to be the delicious 15g pot of Sturia Oscietra Caviar.
Christmas Connoisseur Hamper, £135, nationwide delivery.
Snowdonia Cheese Company
Snowdonia’s cheese hamper was almost perfect. The aged cheddar was the best: well-balanced between maturity and softness. The truffle cheese was a disappointment: not just taste wise, but ideologically. Truffle is in vogue, but not for any culinary merit. Even cheese hampers are not immune to populism.
Vegetarian Christmas Star Hamper, £75, mainland UK delivery.
Daylesford
Daylesford’s ‘sparkle and smoked’ hamper has all you could want for Christmas morning. Bung the blinis in the oven for the briefest of moments, then smudge with a little dill and mustard sauce, or if you prefer, the anchovy cream – and top with the perfectly pink Irish smoked salmon. Crack open the Sparkling de Léoube rosé and away you go. It all comes in a smart white wicker hamper which could easily be repurposed to keep nick-nacks in. Thank you, Lady Bamford!
Sparkle & Smoked Hamper, £150, nationwide delivery.
Melrose and Morgan
The lemon and orange zests of Melrose and Morgan’s Somerset Cider Brandy Butter give a sweet kick whilst retaining a buttery richness one would expect. In fact, it greatly compliments a butter croissant, so I would keep hold of it for post-Christmas festivities, if you can.
The Festive Artisan Tea Hamper, £50, mainland UK delivery.
Harvey Nichols continental hamper; £140
In this age of Covid, everyone knows that jetting around the continent isn’t as fun as it used to be. Thankfully, Harvey Nichols has done the hard work for you. Its Christmas ‘Continental Hamper’ helpfully gathers various festive flavours from around Europe and delivers it to your doorstep. There’s chocolate and amaretti panettone from Italy, champagne – and champagne truffles – from France, and Gouda Cheese Palmiers from the Netherlands. Britain is also well represented: a selection of Earl Gray teabags and cheery cherry jam – laced with brandy – make the cut. The hamper highlight though is an old-fashioned favourite: a tin of chocolate biscuits. These are meant for sharing but you can hardly be blamed for scoffing the lot before the big day.
Harvey Nichols continental hamper, £140, available online
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