Personal Chrsitmas Hamper

[lovinglife]

My hamper would be things from Xmas from when my parents were still here, from my childhood, so not low carb at all!
1) Ginger wine
2) Dad’s home made Xmas pudding
3) Mum’s homemade Xmas cake
4) A Tunis cake, don’t seem to be able to get them anymore (picture below)
5) My dad in a Xmas hat from a cracker, proudly sharpening his carving knife
6) My mum in her apron proudly bringing the turkey and all the trimmings to the table


View attachment 64514

Oh yes ginger wine, my aunt used to make her own and me and my brother would walk to her house when we were kids to deliver the Christmas cards. She would give us a sherry glass full of her ginger wine and a home made rock bun, it was potent stuff and you could feel it warming you all the way to your feet lol and we can’t have been older than 8 & 10, funnily enough we could never walk back as quickly as we walked there - wouldn’t get away with it these days

 

[AndBreathe]

I hope it's okay, I'm adding a 7th. A Klarstein 30l air fryer, as I couldn't cook the beef rib joint in my 12l air fryer.

I'll tell you how beef goes in it tomorrow - not a rib, but still a fine chunk, using the rotisserie. Safe to say, there will be cold cuts and quite a bit put through the slicer and frozen for another time.

 

[AndBreathe]

Great thread, @MrsA2!

Mine would be:

1) A lovely single malt, such as this one - https://thesinglemaltshop.com/product/dalwhinnie-30-yo-special-releases-2019

2) A bottle of Remy Martin XO.

3) A stinky French cheese, one strong enough that it repels my wife and children from the fridge, thereby ensuring I don't have them raiding the meats!

4) A framed photo of my children to remember them by, for when my wife divorces me and my children flee the house forever, due to the stinky French cheese.

5) A whole serano ham, complete with the little wooden stand.

6) A lifetime supply of Hotel Chocolat 85% chocolate batons.

I have some HC 85% batons that must be 3 or 4 years old. Chocolate isn't my thing.

 

[Rachox]

I

Oh yes ginger wine, my aunt used to make her own and me and my brother would walk to her house when we were kids to deliver the Christmas cards. She would give us a sherry glass full of her ginger wine and a home made rock bun, it was potent stuff and you could feel it warming you all the way to your feet lol and we can’t have been older than 8 & 10, funnily enough we could never walk back as quickly as we walked there - wouldn’t get away with it these days

I think our ginger wine was watered down, but yes we had it from a very young age. Didn’t do me any harm by way of addiction as I’m teetotal now!

 

[jessj]

I'll tell you how beef goes in it tomorrow - not a rib, but still a fine chunk, using the rotisserie. Safe to say, there will be cold cuts and quite a bit put through the slicer and frozen for another time.

Ooh yes, do (with a pic!), it should be really good. (insert drool smiley) Bon appétit!
I roti a small joint in mine, it doesn't take long, take that as quick, as I like it rather rare (sometimes with the moo!), the crust & fat are perfect crispy goodness too, the wonder of an air fryer.

Talking of ginger wine, loved Stones (still have a bottle) & I used to drink that on ice, still would, but...
My great maiden aunt wasn't a drinker at all, but she adored her gifted bottle of Crabbies every Christmas. Memories, eh?

 

[PenguinMum]

Love this thread thanks @MrsA2 for starting.
My super six are:
A bottle of Warners Christmas Cake Gin delish mixed with Diet Coke
A bottle of either Cremant de Loire or Provence Rose (or both)
A selection of farmhouse cheeses inc Shropshire Blue
Freshly picked local white crab meat
Jars of good olives and anti pasti to go with my cheese
Fudges dark chocolate Florentines (small packet of 6 or 8) one at a time naughty but nice, well it is Christmas!

 

[Angela64]

So food wise

1) nicely marbled wagu steak cooked in rosemary butter
2) Japanese baked lemon cheesecake
3) Lobster with butter sauce
4) cheeseboard with a very runny French brie, Gorgonzola, soft goats cheese, pickled shallots
5) hot chocolate made with double cream and melted chocolate and a good tot of brandy
6) someone to cook it all rather than me

My courses would be interspersed with a good swig of best Bolly, daughter made mistake one yr of leaving the bottle of Bolly in the kitchen while I’m cooking the meal

 

[Paul_]

A selection of farmhouse cheeses inc Shropshire Blue

Great pick this, it's my favourite blue cheese by a mile. Most people go for stilton, and whilst I'm a big fan, Shropshire Blue is another level!

 

[lovinglife]

Great pick this, it's my favourite blue cheese by a mile. Most people go for stilton, and whilst I'm a big fan, Shropshire Blue is another level!

I like a good very ripe Gorgonzola

 

[Paul_]

I like a good very ripe Gorgonzola

I very much consider myself a cheese diversity and inclusion champion! I like all cheeses, from all backgrounds. I'm yet to find a cheese I don't like.

 

[Antje77]

I very much consider myself a cheese diversity and inclusion champion! I like all cheeses, from all backgrounds. I'm yet to find a cheese I don't like.

I have some aquaintances who honestly believe they are eating high quality special cheeses when they buy cream cheese with pineapple or walnut bits, or one of those slices of 'brie' cut in half and filled with a herby type of cream cheese. That's about where I draw the line.
On the other end of the cheese spectrum, I have no wish to try Italian casu marzu.

Otherwise, I completely agree!

 

[Paul_]

I have some aquaintances who honestly believe they are eating high quality special cheeses when they buy cream cheese with pineapple or walnut bits, or one of those slices of 'brie' cut in half and filled with a herby type of cream cheese. That's about where I draw the line.
On the other end of the cheese spectrum, I have no wish to try Italian casu marzu.

Otherwise, I completely agree!

Agreed. Some of the "with bits" or "with added extras" cheese products detract from a perfectly good cheese in my opinion. The exception is Wensleydale with cranberries, goes well together for my taste, but I'm definitely more of cheese purist and don't really like them to be messed with.

 

[Antje77]

Agreed. Some of the "with bits" or "with added extras" cheese products detract from a perfectly good cheese in my opinion. The exception is Wensleydale with cranberries, goes well together for my taste, but I'm definitely more of cheese purist and don't really like them to be messed with.

But what about the casu marzu? Would you want it in your christmas hamper? (To eat that is, and not to troll friends with.)

 

[Paul_]

But what about the casu marzu? Would you want it in your christmas hamper? (To eat that is, and not to troll friends with.)

I'm good thanks, I'll leave the maggots to the birds, while I'm watching them through a window and enjoying some Shropshire blue!

 

[AndBreathe]

Ooh yes, do (with a pic!), it should be really good. (insert drool smiley) Bon appétit!
I roti a small joint in mine, it doesn't take long, take that as quick, as I like it rather rare (sometimes with the moo!), the crust & fat are perfect crispy goodness too, the wonder of an air fryer.

Talking of ginger wine, loved Stones (still have a bottle) & I used to drink that on ice, still would, but...
My great maiden aunt wasn't a drinker at all, but she adored her gifted bottle of Crabbies every Christmas. Memories, eh?

Your wish is granted.
As you will see, we don't always have the airfryer doing fast cooking. That joint was extremely tender.

 

[LivingLightly]

I have some aquaintances who honestly believe they are eating high quality special cheeses when they buy cream cheese with pineapple or walnut bits, or one of those slices of 'brie' cut in half and filled with a herby type of cream cheese. That's about where I draw the line.
On the other end of the cheese spectrum, I have no wish to try Italian casu marzu.

Otherwise, I completely agree!

Oh, I don't know. The maggots are probably a good source of protein.

Seriously, a good cheese needs no added ingredients, IMO. I suspect the addition of herbs, pineapple etc. is done to mask cheese of inferior quality, yet it sells.

Europe in particular produces some wonderful cheeses, but there's an enormous variety right here. In London, we're spoilt for choice. For British and Irish cheeses, you can't beat Neal's Yard Dairy in Covent Garden. It carries 50-60 different cheeses. Up until lockdown, we visited every year in the run-up to Christmas. The staff encourage customers to sample before they buy and during busy periods cheese is distributed along the queue for customers to try. You won't find pinepapple or herbs added to its produce. Yes, I would welcome a Christmas hamper filled entirely with its cheeses!

 

[Antje77]

Seriously, a good cheese needs no added ingredients, IMO. I suspect the addition of herbs, pineapple etc. is done to mask cheese of inferior quality, yet it sells.

There are some very high quality (and traditional) cheeses with added ingedients. There's a very nice mature clove cheese, famous from the area where I live, and there's a common Gouda variety with cumin. I like goat cheese with fenugreek as well, and I'm happy with a good strong nettle cheese too. Love a ripe Morbier, which has a layer of ash in the middle, which could be seen as an added ingredient.

But yes, most cheeses sold with added ingredients are just a way to sell cheap cheese.

 

[jessj]

Your wish is granted.
As you will see, we don't always have the airfryer doing fast cooking. That joint was extremely tender.

Thank you! Now it is properly christened, good that you enjoyed it too.
That's the thing with an air fryer, works well for most things. I haven't yet used it for dehydrating yet, although I thought to for some cranberries. It was good for attempting an LC version of Delia's mincemeat, melting the suet on 110° & still quicker than an oven.

@Antje77, I agree, wouldn't want that cheese. Could have had some brie with the maggots, as years back, left one out to ripen & there was a odd noise, the brie was alive!! Cheese does not stay out to ripen now!

 

[Antje77]

@Antje77, I agree, wouldn't want that cheese. Could have had some brie with the maggots, as years back, left one out to ripen & there was a odd noise, the brie was alive!! Cheese does not stay out to ripen now!

Same here with an overripe blue cheese, only found out after having eaten two bites. Took me a while before I wanted to et soft blue cheeses again. But I still leave cheeses to ripen, most of the soft ones are at their best when they're about a week past their use by dates.

 

[MrsA2]

I think I need add another item to my hamper
A new left eye please!
I've only just spotted the typo in the thread title. I know I typo a lot and don't spot them but this one is rather noticeable
(Hoping that smiley is blushing or contrite... I cant tell the detail!)