Ad | Gifted | Contains affiliate links Where has 2022 gone? I feel like Christmas has crept up on us very fast. With just over a month left...
Opies Fruits with Alcohol
Opies are known for their extensive range of pickles, preserves, fruit compotes and cocktail products. And they also have a 'Fruits with Alcohol' range that make great stocking fillers or gifts for foodies during the festive season.
Packaged in jars with a lovely festive design, you can use the 'Fruits with Alcohol' as a topping for ice creams or desserts, enjoy them with yoghurt or use them as an ingredient in your baking recipes.
Featured in this guide are:
- Apricots with Luxardo Dark Rum - as the name suggests this is apricots steeped in a syrup infused with Luxardo Dark Rum. Delicious! Great as an ice-cream topping or use it in the Apricot & Custard Danish Pastry Stars recipe shared by Opies.
- Black Cherries with Luxardo Kirsch - deeply dark and intensely flavoured cherries are steeped in a delicious syrup flavoured with Luxardo Kirsch. Perfect for a Black Forest gateau.
- Peaches With Courvoisier - peaches steeped in syrup infused with Courvoisier VS Cognac; can be enjoyed on its own, with ice-cream or creme fraiche.
In addition to the 3 products mentioned above, the range also includes Pineapple with Luxardo Spiced Rum, Baby Pears with Luxardo Amaretto and Forest Fruits with Cassis.
Opies 'Fruits with Alcohol' are available to buy from Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose, Nisa and many independent stores. Some of the products are seasonal and some are available year-round.
To check out all of Opies' offerings, visit www.opiesfoods.com
Red Letter Days Sparkling Afternoon Tea Gift Box
Neitiv Coconut Flower Lager
Founded by Vaani and Keeran VetriKo, Neitiv is a UK-based company that produces high-quality lager infused with Neitiv Coconut Flower Drops (NCFD).
If you are wondering what NCFD is, here is some information on the same. NCFD differ from traditional coconut water in their acquisition and flavour profile. It is harvested directly from the coconut inflorescence by expert tree-climbing tappers and is said to be more nutritional than coconut water. NCFD is able to completely transform the taste of lager when the two concoctions are fermented together.
The Coconut Flower Lager is unique and Neitiv’s head brewer, Paul Kenyon, makes use of a two-fold fermentation process to introduce the magical flavours and aromas of NCFD into the lager. Both the brewing and bottling processes are carried out entirely in the UK to ensure consistently high quality in every bottle.
The delicious lager is currently available in three different types - Ninkasi (ABV 1.5%), Menquet (ABV 2.0%), and Dea Latis (ABV 4.0%) with the 3 differing in the recipe used to make them and the concentrations of NCFD in each. But what they have in common is a great refreshing taste and 100% recyclable packaging. The lager bottle is made entirely out of aluminium; even the cap. All of the packaging is plastic-free and recyclable, to minimise carbon footprint as much as possible.
The lager range is available in packs of eight (RRP £34.40), or as a Divine Gift Set which includes one of each variant, with a Coconut Shell Candle and Coconut Shell Cup or Reusable Bamboo Straw or Mandala Cork Coaster (from RRP £27.90).
If you are looking to buy gifts for someone who enjoys plant-based natural beverages or a beer-lover, then Neitiv’s gift sets could be a great introduction to this unique, fine-tasting premium vegan lager.
To place your order, visit www.neitiv.uk
Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka
For someone who is fond of drinking vodka, a great gift would be the Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka - handmade in small batches at the Ellers Farm Distillery in North Yorkshire. The vodka gets its name from a Dutch barn that was on the Ellers Farm while the logo takes inspiration from the barn owls living at the farm.
Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka is made using British apples balanced with a touch of potato spirit for a crisp, clean and beautifully smooth vodka. It's brilliant. Perfect in cocktails and great to drink straight up as well.
The Distillery has been carbon neutral since day one of production, which is amazing. They are also in the process of planting apple trees (on 20 acres of land) and these trees will not only provide them with apples to create their vodka but will also remove carbon from the atmosphere and create a biodiverse habitat for wildlife.
If you look at the bottle the vodka comes in, you will notice that it is a brown bottle. This is because it uses a higher percentage of recycled glass (up to 60 per cent) and is therefore better for the planet. It is also scientifically proven to protect the delicate flavour of the vodka!
Ethical, sustainable, eco-friendly and great vodka - that is what Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka is all about. Order yours here.
Trilogy of Hot Chocolate
Next up in the roundup is a fab gift for the hot chocolate lover, or rather for anyone on your holiday list - the Trilogy of Hot Chocolate from Spice Kitchen.
Spice Kitchen who are known for their award-winning spice collection tins, have a fantastic trio of hot chocolates that comes with beautiful festive packaging and is ready for gifting.
The trio of hot chocolates are gluten and dairy-free and include a traditional hot chocolate, a fiery gingerbread hot chocolate and a sweet & spicy chai-spiced hot chocolate! Sounds yum, isn't it?
The blend of spices and flavours are lovely, and all the 3 variants make great drinks. An indulgent treat no matter what the season.
You can order the Trilogy of Hot Chocolate from www.spicekitchenuk.com
HAPPi Chocolates - Festive Bars and Selection Boxes
For the dairy-free chocolate lovers, HAPPi’s delicious range of Oat Milk chocolates would make a fab gift. Their Christmas specials include:
- Selection box (£12.50 for 240g box)
- Hot Chocolate Spoons 2x2-pack (£10)
- Advent Calendar (£15)
- Christmas Bar Bundle (£10)
- Christmas Bundle (£25)
Featured in this guide are the HAPPi Christmas Bar Bundle and the HAPPi Selection Box both of which are yummy treats.
The HAPPi Christmas Bar Bundle includes limited edition Peppermint bar (a nod to Christmas candy canes) and Honeycomb & Ginger (a warming, wintery combo that has all the spice and sweetness of Christmas). Both are absolutely delicious!
The HAPPi Selection Box includes:
- 1 x Salted Caramel Bar 80g
- 1 x Cacao Nibs Crunch Bar 40g
- 1 x Plain M!lk Bar 40g
- 1 x Orange Bar 40g
- 1 x Hot Chocolate Spoon
Again, all the treats are absolutely lovely. You can't make out that it is oat milk.
As well as ordering the Happi chocolates online, you can also get them from Selfridges, Liberty, Holland & Barrett (online), WH Smith and The Vegan Kind Supermarket.
Kentish Pip Craft Cider Gift Tube
Kentish Pip is a Kent-based cider producer whose core range of products includes six different ciders. They also have a special range with very small batches of limited editions released throughout the year. All of their products are made with the best of ingredients which gives their ciders great flavour and quality.
A fab gift for someone who enjoys craft ciders would be Kentish Pip's Craft Cider Gift Tube which includes a selection of 4 of their core, best-selling ciders: High Diver (4.8% vol), Skylark (5.5% vol), Craftsman (4.8% vol) and Forager (4.0% vol). Made with fresh English apples from their orchard, all the 4 ciders are great tasting. They are gluten-free and suitable for vegans.
The cans feature beautiful hand-drawn illustrations by the talented team at Kingdom & Sparrow who have used hand-scripted typography and bold, contrasting colours to help these cider cans stand out on a crowded shelf. The 4 cans come packaged in a single long tube. The gift tube includes a label so you can personalise it with a message for the recipient. If you are sending it as a gift to a loved one, it will be delivered wrapped in thick brown paper so that the tube is not marked or damaged in transit.
Priced at £10, this makes for a nice gift and can be ordered online from www.kentishpip.co.uk
Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur
Chocolate liqueurs make great Christmas gifts. And Austrian liqueur brand, Mozart's dark chocolate liqueur is a top pick in the category. Made from the finest of ingredients like dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel and with smoky herbal notes of cocoa beans, this decadent and rich chocolate liqueur is very versatile. It can be enjoyed neat with some ice, in cocktails, drizzled over ice cream, in tiramisu or added to a dessert sauce.
Mozart's dark chocolate liqueur is gluten-free and doesn't contain any cream making it a great gift for vegans as well.
One of my favourite cocktails featuring this dark chocolate liqueur is Mozart's 'Chocolate Old Fashioned'. Mix 2cl Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur, 5cl bourbon whiskey, 0.5cl sugar syrup and 3 dashes bitters on ice cubes and stir the ingredients with a bar spoon. Garnish with orange zest and enjoy! Absolutely delicious.
A fab gift for someone who loves dark chocolate, you can purchase the Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur from Master of Malt.
NOMO Vegan Chocolates
NOMO, who are one of the top vegan and free-from chocolate brands in the UK have a fantastic selection of chocolates for the festive season, including advent calendars and their new release - choc orange reindeers!
NOMO’s Christmas collection includes:
- Choc Orange Reindeer
- Cookie Dough Box
- Cookie Dough Reindeer
- Classic Advent Calendar
- Premium Advent Calendar
- Caramel Drops Box
And before I go any further, let me tell you that these chocolates are absolutely delish. One of the best vegan chocolate ranges we have tried - in terms of taste, texture and the quality. We loved it.
The Choc Orange Reindeer combines zingy orange truffle with NOMO’s famous, smooth creamy choc while the Cookie Dough Reindeer is made with creamy choc and filled with delicious cookie dough!
The Cookie Dough Box (which is a new addition this year) is perfect for sharing. Filled with 12 delicious cookie dough drops, that are totally vegan and free-from, this makes for a lovely stocking filler or gift for special someone.
NOMO's Caramel Gift Box contains 12 individual foil wrapped caramel drops. It is ideal for all gooey caramel lovers out there.
NOMO’s Advent Calendar is packed with delicious vegan treats. Each door in the calendar hides one of NOMO’s signature creamy chocolates or caramel & sea salt drops. Plus, there's an uplifting festive message as well to put a smile on the recipient's face.
And then we have the Premium Advent Calendar from NOMO which comes in a beautiful, golden tree-shaped box with each door revealing 1 of 24 caramel filled chocolate drops wrapped in golden foil, along with a full-size Caramel Chocolate Bar to enjoy! A delicious treat to give and receive.
As mentioned earlier, all of NOMO's products are free-from gluten, dairy, eggs and nuts and can be enjoyed by vegans and non-vegans alike.
You can order all of NOMO's festive range at www.nomochoc.com They have a special 3 For 2 offers as well (at the time of writing this post); so, make use of it.
The Protein Ball Co’s limited edition Vegan Festive Mince Pie
For the health-conscious friend or family member or someone who enjoys plant-based treats, The Protein Ball Co’s new limited-edition flavour, Festive Mince Pie, would be a great stocking filler.
High in protein, vegan and gluten free, with no added sugar and only 195 calories, the new Festive Mince Pie protein + vitamin ball is perfect for those who are looking for great-tasting and healthy treats to fit in between meals or to enjoy on-the-go.
Packed with sweet, juicy dates, crunchy almonds and walnuts and vegan protein, these little bites are lightly dusting with Christmas spices to make the perfect plant-based festive snack.
The Festive Mince Pie protein balls are available in 45g bags (RRP £1.99) and can be ordered online from www.theproteinballco.com
Kelly Loves Japanese and Korean Food/drinks
Kelly Loves was founded by Kelly Choi with the mission to bring high-quality and the best of Asian food to the world! The Asian snack and drink company have the best selection of unusual gifts for foodies ranging from a selection of Japanese and Korean drinks to authentic miso soups to Korean instant noodles and more.
Featured in this guide are - Ramune Soda Variety Pack and Japanese & Korean Variety Snack Box.
The Japanese & Korean Variety Snack Box contains full size bags of each of Kelly Loves three most loved snack bags - Peanut Crackers, Wasabi Peas and Seaweed Crisps. Great variety and great taste and the perfect gift for someone who loves trying out snacks from different parts of the world!
Kelly Love's Ramune Soda makes for a great stocking filler. It is a delicious, traditional Japanese lemonade which comes in an authentic bottle (you just need to press down on the lid to release the small glass marble inside that keeps the Ramune fizzy for longer). It's a real taste of Japanese culture and flavour all in one. The soda comes in a range of flavours and the variety pack contains the Original Ramune, Lychee Ramune and Yuzu Ramune. An unusual and unique gift!
You can check out all of Kelly Loves' products at www.kellyloves.com
Amazing Chocolate Workshop Big Ratchet Spanner, Adjustable Spanner, Plier, Nut, Bolt & Washer Gift Box
Have you heard of the Amazing Chocolate Workshop? If not, you are missing out on something special. They make every day object completely out of chocolate!
The British business has three main business principles: the first one is to make world class quality chocolate; the second is to be creative with their products and the third is to be eco-conscious and vegan to reduce their environmental impact.
The brand makes chocolate from the finest-grade, Venezuelan chocolate that tastes fantastic. And their products are unlike any we have seen. They come in the form of paint brushes, teacups, bottle opener, coffee pot, camera, snakes and even a large antique carriage clock. It's creativity at its best. Plus, they don’t use dairy products or palm oil, and all their chocolates come perfectly packed in award-winning gift boxes made from recyclable card, food-grade shredded paper and a compostable and bio-degradable clear window.
Featured in this guide is their Big Ratchet Spanner, Adjustable Spanner, Plier, Nut, Bolt & Washer Gift Box which would make a fabulous gift for someone who is into DIY.
Made from 64% cocoa (Luxury Plain Italian), gluten-free and vegan, these handmade chocolates are made to be exactly the same size as the real thing! And the finishing us so beautiful. Hand-finished with 'edible paint', the attention to details is exceptional. We were amazed by the 'rust' appearance on the nut, bolt and washer and they are working model as in they actually screw together. Wow!
Not only do these chocolate creations score full marks on presentation and creativity; they are equally wonderful on the taste front.
If you are looking for a beautifully presented, unique gift for a chocolate lover, you must check out the Amazing Chocolate Workshop.
The Big Ratchet Spanner, Adjustable Spanner, Plier, Nut, Bolt & Washer Gift Box featured in this roundup is priced at £30.99 and can be ordered online from www.thechocolateworkshop.co.uk
Procera Red Dot Gin
Winner of a gold medal at the 2019 and 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Procera Gin, is the world’s first truly African gin, made only using botanicals grown on the continent and distilled in the Kenyan highlands.
Procera's Red Dot 2022 Vintage (51% ABV) is a bold and powerful gin that has been designed specifically for cocktails. It has great intensity of flavour with the key botanical being fresh African Juniper which is what adds to the character and flavour profile of the gin. In addition to fresh Juniper, the gin boasts of other botanicals like Coriander and Orris Root (from Morocco), Locust beam, Alligator pepper, Ashanti pepper, Selim pepper (from Nigeria), Lemon (from South Africa), Mace and Black pepper (from Zanzibar) and Elephant pepper, Oyster shells, Pixie orange, Green tea, Seaweed, Honey, Myrrh and Mukombero (from Kenya).
The Red Dot Gin works very well in a classic Negroni, according to Procera. Stir all the ingredients (50ml Red Dot Gin, 25ml Red Vermouth and 12.5ml Campari) over ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with a sprinkle of Red Dot Salt (comes with the gin bottle) and enjoy. It is a lovely balance of sweet, spicy, salty and bitter.
And the bottle that the gin comes in is equally beautiful - each bottle is individually hand made from recycled glass by the team at Kitengela Hot Glass. The bottle is finished with a palm wood stopper, a leather grip and has no label! It's a beauty.
Procera Red Dot Gin would make a fab gift for any cocktail enthusiasts. You can purchase it from Master of Malt.
Vegan Christmas Chocolate Bar Set from Cocoba Chocolate
I love the sound of the Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka
ReplyDeleteAll looks fab - especially the Trilogy of Hot Chocolate
ReplyDeleteEverything looks delicious, but I’d choose the Happi Oat Milk Chocolate to try first.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to try the trilogy of hot chocolate to add to our hot chocolate station this christmas
ReplyDeleteKentish Pip Craft Cider Gift Tube
ReplyDeleteNeitiv Coconut Flower Lager
ReplyDeleteThe Mozart Chocolate Loquor looks very indulgent!
ReplyDeleteive got my eye on the Procera Red Dot Gin, it all looks scrumdiddlyumptious
ReplyDeleteTrilogy of Hot Chocolate
ReplyDeleteThey all look brilliant but I'm really taken with the Trilogy of Hot Chocolate
ReplyDeletehappi chocolates x
ReplyDelete