REVIEW - Lidl's Spiced Gingerbread

I'll never be able to pick just one favourite Christmas food, but I think I can safely say that gingerbread and gingerbread-flavoured things fall into my top 15 - possibly even top 10. I think my fondness for gingerbread developed during my childhood when I suffered from horrific travel sickness. Supposedly, one of the 'cures' or natural remedies for sickness and nausea is ginger; because of this, long car journeys or school trips were often accompanied by a handful of ginger biscuits - or a gingerbread man if I was lucky. 

Unfortunately for me (and those travelling with me) I still suffer from bad travel sickness and therefore quite often have to pack a packet of biscuits for the ride. However I enjoy gingerbread so much that I can't solely reserve it for times when I feel like I might be going to be sick!

Festive favourites

REVIEW - Sainsbury's Chocolate Treats

Does any household NOT have a large box of chocolates kicking around at Christmas? Even after filling yourself to the brim with turkey, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets and a big helping of Christmas pudding, there always seems to be room for a handful of chocolates snaffled from the tub.

We're usually fans of Celebrations or Quality Street, however this year my mum decided to go for something a little different and bought this tub of Chocolate Treats from Sainsbury's. At 800g, it's slightly heavier than the big brand leaders and also slightly cheaper (my mum picked up this tub when it was on offer for £3.50, and I think it's usually priced at £4). There are 10 different types of chocolates inside, including well-known favourites such as the strawberry creme and vanilla fudge, but also some that are a bit more novel (anyone for a popping candy truffle?).

REVIEW - Mr Kipling Gingerbread Whirls

Over the past month I've been searching fruitlessly for these Mr Kipling Gingerbread Whirls; I saw them very briefly in Tesco one time but on my next visit I discovered that they'd been replaced by shelves and shelves of mince pies. Even my mum couldn't find them online when she was ordering our delivery of Christmas food and so I'd resigned myself to having to wait another year before getting my hands on any. 

Thankfully, a visit to Morrisons by my mum the other day proved more successful than any trip to Tesco or Sainsbury's and (because she knew how grumpy I'd been about not being able to find some) she picked up a packet for me as an early Christmas present.

In all honestly, I like Viennese whirls but I don't LOVE them - however I've been so keen to try these out because I love anything gingerbread-related (be it food, drink, body wash or scented candles). I'll happily eat gingerbread all year round but I think that it tastes especially good at Christmas.

It's beginning to look a LOT like Christmas

LET'S EAT - All Bar One

I practically jumped at the chance to RSVP when I was recently invited for a group meal at All Bar One. I always pass it on my local high street but I've never yet had a reason to go there - it always seems a bit too nice and expensive for a meal out with friends. However with the temptation of a 'festive party buffet' and a chance to get a glimpse of cocktails served in teapots, I couldn't say no and decided to treat myself - it is Christmas after all!

Being a buffet menu, there were no set starters, mains and desserts - instead the menu listed a range of savoury canapé-style bites with one sweet choice for dessert. I didn't get many photos in All Bar One itself as the lighting was quite poor, but I did manage to get hold of a copy of the menu.

REVIEW - Harrods Croconut (Coconut Cronut)

It's a very good thing I don't live in London. If I did, I think I would be spending far too much of my money in the foodhall - that place is addictive. I thoroughly recommend paying it a visit if you've never been, but I must warn you: it will be full of people and will smell so incredible that you inadvertently start drooling. But that's fine, because the place is always so packed that I'm sure no one will notice.

On a prior trip to the foodhall I remember buying a delicious doughnut that was filled with a caramel sauce and provided me with a sugar hit that lasted for about a week. Feeling in a doughnutty mood during my recent foray into Harrods, I was pretty disappointed to discover that there was not a single doughnut to be found. Doughnuts are, apparently, out for the time being - and have been replaced by cronuts, those strange hybrids of doughnuts and croissants. My doughnut disappointment evaporated pretty quickly after realising this, as I've always wanted to try a cronut and think they sound amazing.

Dining in style

REVIEW - M&S Turkey and Pigs in Blankets Sandwich

I'm not the most frequent buyer of sandwiches, but I can't seem to get through December without trying at least one festive sandwich - from the numerous selection available! It seems that every store brings out about 4 or 5 different sandwiches for the festive season, with fillings ranging from turkey to brie to ham to vegetarian. Tesco have even gone a step further this year and have added a sweet sandwich to their range (chocolate and cherry filling, with a cinnamon bread), which I haven't been able to get hold of yet but have a burning desire to try.

In my opinion you generally can't go wrong with an M&S sandwich so, needing a quick lunch during a day-trip to London, I picked up their festive Turkey and Pigs in Blankets sandwich to try out. Normally priced at £3.30, I was lucky and got hold of a reduced one for £2.65 (which I still feel is possibly too extortionate for a sarnie). Nevertheless it sounded tasty: "British pork sausages and smoked British bacon, butter basted roast British turkey breast, cranberry chutney, spiced mayonnaise and spinach on sage and onion bread."

The obligatory Christmas sandwich

REVIEW - Glorious! Mexican Tomato and Fire Roasted Pepper Soup

I love a nice bowl of soup in the winter. Sure, soup is lovely all year round but there's something so comforting about coming in from the cold and warming up with a big bowl of steaming hot soup. I normally have a few tins of soup on standby in my cupboard but if I feel like having something a bit more special then I generally pick up a tub of the fresh variety.

Glorious! soup was on offer in Tesco (I promise, I do occasionally shop in other stores!) so I picked up this 600g tub for £1.10. Having never tried this brand before, I was torn over which variety to choose but I eventually settled on the Mexican Tomato and Fire Roasted Pepper flavour ("A crushed tomato and fire roasted pepper soup with nachos and fresh lime juice"). The packaging proudly proclaims that it's Limited Edition and I'll confess that that's something that always sways me to buy a product...

A Glorious lunch

REVIEW - Cadbury Festive Friends

Was my childhood deprived? It seems that Festive Friends feature in almost everyone's childhood Christmas memories - but not mine. Whilst I have fond memories of Cadbury's selection boxes, chocolate fingers and After Eights, Festive Friends were not something that seemed to be a part of our family Christmases. I only became acquainted with them a couple of years ago, no doubt picking up a box just to find out what exactly my childhood had been missing. 

Not remembering much about them, I picked up a box in Sainsbury's the other night when I was aimlessly browsing along the Christmas aisle. My box was £1 which is pretty much the same in any supermarket you go to. Cadbury don't give these biscuits a particularly exciting description ("biscuits half covered in milk chocolate") but the packaging is cute and suitably festive so we can overlook that.

A key feature of all childhoods... except mine

RECIPE REVIEW - Paul Hollywood's Mince Pies

I can't feel truly Christmassy until I've eaten a mince pie. I'm one of those people who complains about seeing them in stores in September, but is inwardly delighted at the thought that mince pie season is fast approaching. I confess that I'm bit of a mince pie snob and won't willingly eat many of the shop-bought varieties (I hate the pastry lids, which I always find really dry). You can't beat a classic homemade mince pie, fresh and warm from the oven with a liberal dusting of icing sugar over the top.

If I've got a bit of time, then my favourite mince pie recipe to make is Mr Paul Hollywood's - he makes the most beautiful pastry! The recipe comes from the BBC GoodFood website (just here) and recommends that you need 45 minutes of prep time before these can go in the oven (inevitably I always take longer as I tend to faff around).

REVIEW - Ben and Jerry's Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yes, I am aware that this is a review of an ice cream that is more suited to being eaten in October rather than December; but, I loved it so much that I felt it deserved a spot on the blog. Ben and Jerry's Pumpkin Cheesecake - you have my heart.

Hands down, Ben and Jerry's is my favourite brand of ice cream. However this may be partly because it's the only one I ever actually eat and therefore I don't know how the competition shapes up! A sad but true fact about me is that I'm on a personal quest to sample all of the UK flavours of Ben and Jerry's ice cream - it sounds simple, but considering the price and the fact that new flavours pop up frequently, my quest is taking a very long time.

I picked this ice cream up back in October and I have to say that I'm really glad I did - looking online it doesn't seem to be currently listed for sale at any of the major supermarkets. Considering the festive snowflake packaging, I presumed that this flavour was going to be available all winter. Apparently not!

Essentially it's vegetable ice cream

RECIPE REVIEW - Vegan Brownies

As well as buying food, eating food and writing about food (partly for fun and partly because my degree requires me to), I also love making food. Specifically baking food, be it cakes, biscuits, puddings, muffins, pies... give me a recipe and a kitchen and I will be happily occupied for hours.
To supplement my blog when my cupboards are looking a little boring and my social life is taking a break (which occurs specifically during January and June exams) I thought I would start reviewing some of the many recipes that I attempt throughout the year. It can always be helpful to see how a recipe has gone for someone else before you head out and spend a small fortune on ingredients!

I'm kicking off my first Recipe Review with a review of these Vegan Cherry and Almond Brownies, taken from the BBC GoodFood website (see here). I didn't make these recently but thought now would be a good time to review them - with Christmas coming up, many people host parties and get-togethers and it's quite common to find that you need to cater for a huge range of different dietary preferences! Not only that, but perhaps you like to make homemade gifts and need something suitable to gift to someone who follows a vegan diet or doesn't eat dairy.

LET'S EAT - Pizza Express

If you're going to face the horror/delight/chore (delete as appropriate) that is Christmas shopping, then you need to fuel yourself well beforehand. A visit from my mum the other day called for just that - neither of us are the greatest fans of shopping and therefore definitely couldn't face it on an empty stomach. Cue Pizza Express and, well, pizza.

It was midday on a Sunday so unsurprisingly the restaurant was fairly busy, filled mainly with families and birthday parties. Nevertheless our waitress was able to take us to a table straight away and was very prompt with taking our drink and food choices. Considering that it was so busy, our food arrived unbelievably quickly - so quickly that under normal conditions it probably would have been a bit unwelcome! But we were in a bit of a rush so the speedy service was a definite bonus. All the waiting staff were polite and cheerful and overall the restaurant had a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

Feeling festive at Pizza Express

REVIEW - Cadbury Snow Bites

For me, Christmas food is all about the mince pies, the roast dinner and the chocolate. COPIOUS amounts of chocolate. Chocolate consumption begins on December 1st with that first opening of the advent calendar and gradually increases over the following weeks. I find it usually peaks a couple of days before the day itself, when I start stress-eating it as I fret about presents I haven't bought/presents I haven't wrapped/cards I haven't sent. Chocolate is everywhere - brave the Christmas aisle in any supermarket and I'd say a good 70% of it is chocolate.

I try to refrain from buying *too* much chocolate in the lead up to Christmas (mainly because I know that a. I'll probably be given a fair amount for Christmas and b. buying it in the post-Christmas sales is more fun) but I was shopping at lunchtime yesterday (never good) after a Zumba class and was desperately in need of some sugar. Sugar in the form of Cadbury's Snow Bites, those delightful balls of solid chocolate covered in a crispy sugar shell and absolutely drenched in icing sugar.

Aka festive mini eggs

REVIEW - Tesco Chickpea and Sweet Potato Pies

Confession: I'm not the greatest fan of meat. Whilst I wouldn't classify myself as a vegetarian or a pescetarian, I find that meat doesn't make it my daily diet very much. It does feature occasionally but more often than not I find myself going for a veggie option. Forget meat-free Monday, I could probably do a meat-free month without even noticing! 

All supermarkets now do a range of meat-free products in their frozen aisle and I like to have a few on standby for those evenings when cooking from scratch just isn't appealing. I've probably eaten the majority of the Tesco range since starting university so I immediately spotted these new Moroccan Style Chickpea and Sweet Potato Pies when I was shopping a while back. The packaging describes them as "Shortcrust pastry encasing chickpeas, sweet potato, peppers and spinach in a spicy tomato sauce topped with a butter enriched puff pastry lid and topped with a paprika crumb" which sounded pretty appealing to me, so into the trolley they went! They come as a pack of two and were £1.50.

REVIEW - Whitworths Fusions (Cinnamon Apple Jumble)

When purchasing my dried figs the other day, I also picked up these new Whitworths Fusions to try. I think they've been out for a while, but I hadn't seen them before and it seems that my local Tesco have only started stocking them fairly recently. It didn't take long for me to get through the figs so, because I can't go too long without my fix of dried fruit, I had to break into these as well.

I bought them for £1.50 but the label didn't state whether this is an introductory offer or permanent. As a huge fan of cinnamon I couldn't say no to the Cinnamon Apple Jumble, which is described by Whitworths as "a delicious jumble of chopped dates, cinnamon apple pieces, pecan halves and golden raisins." If that doesn't sound delectable to you, then they also had Fusions Coconutty, Fusions Berryfruits and Fusions Chilli and Cocoa to choose from.

A jumble of delights