Hampergifts review

IMG_5220‘Eat, Drink and be Merry!’ If ever there is a time when this phrase can be said to be true it’s at Christmas. Traditionally we fill our tummies fit to burst and drink wine and punches as we play host to family gatherings. Of course selecting and purchasing many and varying treats can be time consuming, and buying a hamper either for yourself or a friend is the perfect way to relax and enjoy the season. I was lucky enough to be sent a Christmas hamper from the good folks at Hampergifts to review.

IMG_5191While I adore wicker baskets and use them for storage, I’ve never actually bought or received a real food hamper before. So when the Christmas Celebration hamper crossed my threshold I was over the moon! On opening I was greeted by this wondrous beauty filled to the brim with delicious treats and wines.

IMG_5202The hamper itself was beautifully constructed from willow with leather straps and a lined fabric interior. There is something quintessentially British about hampers and to me they conjure up images of the Wind in the Willows with Ratty boating along with his companion Mole. However at the end of the day the contents is just as important as the presentation.IMG_5203

The hamper contained:

  • Bottle of Sandeman Fine Ruby Port 75cl
  • Bottle of Coteaux d Aix-en-Provence, Château de Beaulieu, France, 75cl AWARD WINNER
  • Bottle of Beaujolais La Cle Saint Pierre, France, 75cl
  • Bottle of White Burgundy Bouchard Aîné Fils, France 75cl
  • Baronie Assorted Belgium Pralines 200g
  • Cairnsmhor Crushed Black Pepper Crackers 150g AWARD WINNER
  • Chocolaterie Diane Praline 75g
  • Cottage Delight Cheese Maker’s Pickle 115g AWARD WINNER
  • Edinburgh Preserves Port Wine Jelly For Cheese & Pate 227g
  • Alice McPhersons Petticoat Tails Luxury Shortbread 150g
  • 4 x Deep Filled Iced Mince Pies 300g
  • Dark Chocolate Coated Crystallised Ginger 150g
  • Cherry & Coconut Flapjack 120g
  • The Wooden Spoon Cranberry & Orange Sauce 113g
  • New English Teas English Afternoon Tea x 10 Envelopes
  • Traditional Brandy Christmas Pudding 100g
  • Hand Made Olive & Sesame Biscuits 100g
  • The Wooden Spoon Wholegrain Mustard & Spitfire Ale 42g
  • Triple Chocolate Gourmet Cookies 100g
  • Edinburgh Tea & Coffee Co. Medium Roast Coffee 56g
  • Lewis & Cooper Savoury Mustard & Coriander Biscuits Tin 200g
  • Lindt Excellence Mint Intense 100g
  • Olives Et Al Chilli & Garlic Olives 150g AWARD WINNER

 

IMG_6314Everything arrived exactly as described on the website, I felt like Christmas morning had already come! I am simply in awe of just how beautiful this hamper is inside and out! The tea is wonderful, the Triple Gourmet Chocolate cookies are amazingly moreish and the shortbread is like Christmas on a plate. I haven’t made it through all of the wine, but the White Burgundy Bouchard Aîné Fils is extremely smooth!IMG_6318

Would I recommend this product?

I fail to see how any recipient could even begin to be disappointed on receiving this hamper and I would whole heartedly recommend it.

Delivery

Delivery was extremely quick and the hamper was handled with care by a very polite courier.

Value for money

At £135 this hamper may seem a considered purchase, but Hampergifts stocks other festive hampers ranging from £21.50 – £249.95 so cost needn’t be an issue. Saying that I do believe this particular hamper represents good value for money. The hamper basket alone would cost a significant amount elsewhere, when you add in the individual bottles of alcohol the hamper starts to seem like a really brilliant gift.

I’ve also been keeping my eyes open when I’ve spotted hampers elsewhere (such as highstreet stores) and this basket contained significantly more products every time.

Could it be improved in anyway?

I’d love to see a personalised hamper option where I could swap out certain items and replace with others of a similar value. As an example I don’t personally eat mince pies, so it would be wonderful if I could swap them for a Pandoro or Stollen instead.

Ten Tips for the Christmas Cheeseboard

I love cheese at the best of times but at Christmas it’s a must have! Judging by the popularity of the current competition to win a Vintage Organic Cheddar round from Godminster I think it’s safe to say that most of you love cheese too, so you’ll love this Guest Post from cheese expert Juliet Harbutt and Port Salut.Christmas Cheeseboard-(low-res)

Ten Tips for the Christmas Cheeseboard

End your Christmas dinner in style this festive season and earn yourself a reputation for creating a truly memorable cheeseboard with the help of Port Salut and cheese expert Juliet Harbutt. Here are her top ten tips for pulling together a show-stopping centre piece this Christmas:

• A slate or marble cheeseboard is great for creating a lasting impression

• Avoid dressing with grapes and instead decorate your cheeseboard with a few autumnal leaves or sprigs of holly for a festive feel

• Ideally a cheeseboard should have 5 – 10 magnificent cheeses, preferably at least one from each of the seven categories and at least one goat or ewe

• Offer a range of shapes – logs, wedges, cylinders, squares – and cut blocks of cheese into different shapes for an attractive finish

• Order your Stilton weeks in advance, as you would a turkey and ideally buy cheeses you have tasted and had cut at the deli from the original cheese. Buy your soft pre-packed cheeses as near to their best before date as possible for the best taste

• Before serving ensure all the cheeses have come to room temperature – a slither will take 5 minutes and whole Brie will take at least an hour so best to serve similar sized portions

• Avoid very brittle or strong flavoured biscuits as they can overpower the cheese; instead serve with oat cakes or rustic breads that allow you to experience the full texture and tastes of the cheese

• The accompaniments should complement not over power your cheeses, so try pickled walnuts, savoury (not over sweet) or spicy chutney, nuts, dried fruit or fresh apples or pears

• As well as wine, beer & cider also go very well with most types of cheese so encourage guests to have fun experimenting with their pairings

• Ideally store your cheese in a larder otherwise keep them refrigerated in a sealed plastic box, wrapped in their original wrapping or greaseproof paper

For more helpful tips: 

Visit the Port Salut website at www.portsalut.co.uk for Juliet’s downloadable cheese guide, listing all her cheese recommendations for the perfect Christmas board.

Mike The Knight: A Very Knightly Christmas DVD Review

A Very Knightly ChristmasMy kids are all dedicated Mike the Knight fans so when we heard there was a brand new festively themed DVD called Mike The Knight: A Very Knightly Christmas’ we were first in line to review it!

Mike the Knight: A Very Knightly Christmas

‘It’s Christmas Eve in Glendragon and one of Santa’s reindeer is sick. Mike makes it his mission to save Christmas and does everything he can to nurse the reindeer back to health, making sure he is included on Santa’s ‘nice’ list. Meanwhile, Mr Cuddles is sent on a wild toboggan ride, Squirt gets stuck in a giant snowball and Mike learns that Vikings like to have fun in the snow too.’

This brand new DVD features six fun and festive episodes that my children thoroughly enjoyed. For a parent it is a little hard watching them one after the other (or is that just me?) but if a little quiet time is needed while you sneak away to wrap some presents then I think this is sure to suit. Mike saves Christmas in interesting and ingenious ways as one of Santa’s reindeer gets sick or he’s accidentally spread presents far and wide. As is usual with the program each episode has a happy and heart-warming conclusion. My youngest knight had this to say about the DVD:

Sir N – ‘I love it, it’s cool and very nice too!’

Even better there is also a special bonus DVD in the pack called:

Mike’s Hidden Treasure

This bonus disc contains six additional episodes which are sure to delight Mike fans far and wide. They are not festively themed in anyway but you might well find that a relief!

The RRP is £12.99 but if you’re quick I saw it priced at just £3 on Amazon.co.uk. I think this DVD set would make a great stocking filler or child occupier as it contains over two hours of footage.

Details

For more details about Mike the Knight and his chivalrous adventures visit him online at www.miketheknight.com.