Five of the best last minute foodie gifts to eat and drink this Christmas. Better yet, treat yourself! …
Paula Pastry
Located at Mrs Tea’s Boutique on the Ashford Castle grounds in Co Mayo, Paula Stakelum is an accomplished pâtissier, featuring pastry flavours reflecting both the estate and the seasons. This Christmas, Paula and her team have crafted an array of small batch treats for the festive season including Holly Jolly Puds, Gingerbread Tarts with blackcurrant and vanilla, along with all the usual delicious concoctions. The Clementine & Opalys White Chocolate is almost too pretty to eat … almost!
Mella’s Irish Fudge
Sharing chocolate bars is all the rage in the past few years (a trend we absolutely applaud), but sharing fudge is where it’s at for Christmas 2024. Mella’s Irish Fudge is handmade in a small kitchen near Clonakilty, using West Cork butter, resulting in a deliciously retro crumbly fudge that perfectly combines salty and sweet. Sharing bars are available in a host of flavours including my personal favourite: chocolate, sour cherry and nibs. Très bon indeed! www.mellasfudge.com
Two Stacks Irish Cream
Christmas is not Christmas without several generous pours of Irish Cream Liqueur and Two Stacks is my new squeeze. The world’s first Irish cream to use a blend of four different styles of whiskey, Two Stacks uses eight times more Irish whiskey than the market standard, apparently. The result is a delicate mixture for the ultimate Irish cream tasting experience. Another must buy is Two Stacks Double Irish Cream Truffles. Four luxurious Irish cream truffles made in collaboration with delicious Neary’s Nogs, Northern Ireland’s first bean to bar craft chocolate makers. Delish. www.twostackswhiskey.com
Nobleza del Sur Eco Day Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Harvest 2024
Gifting wine is so passé, they say, especially for non-drinkers. Based in Andalucía, close to the Guadalimar river with a very unique Mediterranean microclimate, Nobleza del Sur is a world leader in making some of the most highly prized oils globally, since 1640. With tasting notes of banana skin, apple peel, almond and olive leaf, the multi award-winning Eco Day is pressed within four hours after the olives are collected each year. Eco Night is a blend of early harvested Arbequina and Picual Olives with herbal notes from the plants grown alongside the olives in the groves of Nobleza del Sur’s family farm. A beautifully boxed edition is perfect for gifting. Bellissimo! www.sarahandolive.com
Cashel Blue Cheese Centrepiece
No self-respecting festive cheese board is complete without a wedge of creamy Cashel Blue. Of course, there are the usual supporting players on the board such as the soft ripened whites, played by any number of talented folk. Take your pick from Brie, Camembert, Delice (or Crémeux) de Bourgogne, each of which bring their own unique talents to the table. Then there is the ubiquitous hard cheese (I’m looking at you, Comte) and star of the show, the Cashel Blue Centrepiece exclusively from Aldi. In the words of Sophia, the matriarch from The Golden Girls, “picture this” … bitter blue cheese covered in a sticky onion jam, topped with caramelised pecans and cranberries. End scene. www.aldi.ie
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