Celebrate Christmas with help from these local heroes…
The desire to impress shines as bright as the star on top of our tree at Christmas, and here in Warwickshire and surrounding areas, we have some sensational artisan suppliers who will allow you to thrill and surprise your guests over the festive season.
Christmas cocktail
A hair of the dog? Or starting the day as you mean to go on? Combine the talents of two leading local producers for a very British take on the more traditional Kir Royal.
From Snitterfield near Stratford comes the glorious English sparkling wine, Ophelia Blanc de Noirs. Mix with Blue Aurora Blueberry Ice Wine from just over the border in Northants to create a dazzling cocktail guaranteed to put some sparkle into your celebrations. How easy? Simply add a good shot of the iced wine to a tall, fluted glass and top it up with perfectly chilled sparkling wine.
Downsizing from the London corporate world, Jonathan and Nichola Kelsey fell in love initially with their house, nestled on the Welcombe Hills overlooking Stratford-upon-Avon, that also happened to come with a small vineyard. What began as a hobby is now a thriving business, with nine grape varieties producing white, rosé, red and sparkling wines, plus a grape-infused gin. Tours, tastings and private event bookings are available.
Christmas morning canapés
Think Christmas and most people will think smoked salmon.
And it doesn’t have to be smoked in Scotland. On our doorstep (Droitwich to be precise) is a delightful surprise: some of the best smoked salmon you will find is lovingly smoked and prepared here.
Tony MacNeil trained in Scandinavia and has imported a vintage Norwegian smoking kiln, smoking in small batches with beech to create complex flavours. Try his standard, hot kiln-roasted and Herefordshire cider-cured variations, not to mention smoked duck and smoked garlic.
Available in packs from 100g to a whole side, the online shop is reliable and easy to use.
The ultimate cheeseboard
Like many people, I probably eat my bodyweight in cheese at Christmas, and therefore enjoy (and demand) a really good selection. Thankfully we are very well served in our region. Enjoy trivia? Then did you know that Adrian Fowler is the 14th generation of his family to make cheese in Earlswood? The Warwickshire Vintage Clothbound cheese from Fowlers is a true cheese lover’s delight; hard, with a strong, nutty aroma, this is cheese on steroids.
From the village of the same name meanwhile comes Berkswell, an unpasteurised ewe’s milk cheese that looks like a flying saucer due to its preparation in a colander! Similar in taste to its Spanish sister manchego, this cheese has awards galore: and it’s made on our doorstep.
Pop over the border into Worcestershire and you will find Haydn Roberts, a cheesemaker of note who refined his skills with the famous Neal’s Yard Creamery before launching his own dairy in the village of Lower Broadheath (the location of Elgar’s birthplace) and producing seriously grown-up cheeses including Worcester Blue and Lightwood Chaser, a brie-like cheese that gives its overseas cousins a real run for their money. Haydn can be found at many a local farmers’ market: Moseley and Edgbaston to name just two.
www.fowlerscheesemakers.co.uk
www.berkswell-cheese.myshopify.com
www.lightwoodcheese.co.uk
Who ate all the pies?
Is there anything more British and more traditional than a pork pie? I want to start a campaign to ‘Bring back the Ploughman’s’ in local pubs, as this platter of joy seems to have diminished in recent years. It would have to include a pork pie from The Outdoor Pig Company on the Ragley Estate. Piemakers extraordinaire Rob and Sadie Downey make the best pork pie I have ever tasted.
And it would seem Daylesford and a host of high-end retailers in London agree, as they repackage the Outdoor Pig’s output as their own. Winning three consecutive years at the Melton Mowbray Pie Awards is testament to the passion and love that goes into these sublime creations. And to top up your groaning Christmas table, the company also produces a whole host of other pastry-encased delights, from sausage rolls and game pies to a full range of seasonal-inspired flavours including turkey & cranberry and pork & stilton.
You can buy dinky single portions or anything up to a 7lb monster. Find them at various local food festivals or online.
Something sweet?
Christmas is not Christmas unless we have done everything in our power to add significant weight gain with boxes and boxes of chocolates. And if you want to ensure you are having a) the best and b) something local, then look no further than the chocolate genius in Knowle, Joe Vaughan at 1683 Chocolate Place. Joe’s age belies his expertise: how can someone so young produce such excellence? He is addicted to perfection, and it shows.
An absolute must are the Chocolate Mince Pies that he makes by the thousand at Christmas; a dark chocolate shell contains mincemeat with a milk chocolate ganache and is finished with a white chocolate and brandy ganache topping.
Aside from this, his luxury collections turn spicy and aromatic at this time of year, with mulled wine, cinnamon, orange and champagne flavours shining through. A gorgeous gift for anyone. Joe has a cute shop on the High Street in Knowle, but be warned: last year he was so busy, he had to close the shop on certain days just to catch up on orders. Start your Christmas shopping now…