First past the post
Bill Cashmore picks the winners among mail-order food companies Ilove the nectar and ambrosia of luxury Christmas hampers but recipients aren't as grateful as they ought to be; partly because they've already bought their Christmas food and partly because their heart sinks at yet another jar of plums in champagne vinegar. This year I wanted to find something a bit different on the food front without totally sacrificing style.
The Meg Rivers Cake Club fits the bill. For a subscription of £159.95 you can have a cake sent every month of the year (there are also six-month and three-month subscriptions). Delivered in the UK by overnight courier, nearest and dearest are reminded of your generosity for a whole year and enjoy 12 different cakes, often made with seasonal, locallysourced fruit. I'm a big fan of their elderflower and gooseberry cake and the Yorkshire Parkin. The simnel cake at Easter is the most popular and the hefty 2.5 kilo Christmas cake in December not far behind. Cakes are sent to Germany, Canada and, recent additions to the club, Baghdad and Afghanistan — our chaps emboldened by a choice chocolate tiffin For the truly luscious, I find Claire Macdonald a great treat. Or more precisely, in order to avoid the High Chief of Clan Donald (Claire's husband) stabbing me with his sgiandhu, her fabulous food. Puddings are especially fine; Belgian Chocolate, Orange and Lemon Steamed and Triple Ginger, it's difficult to choose between them. They all have a four-month shelf life, are extremely good value at £7.95 each and are packaged so beautifully that it makes you look terribly lavish. They also do wonderful savoury sauces and their apple and onion relish with horseradish makes cheese on toast heavenly.
It was the Victorians, encouraged by the transformed Ebenezer Scrooge's largesse to the Cratchit family, who developed this whole notion of giving food at Christmas. They saw the greater value, particularly to the poor, of enhancing the table rather than the equivalent in gold, frankincense and myrrh. Although interestingly, as some of today's most opulent hampers are retailing at a few thousand pounds, they are becoming more precious than the gifts of those Three Wise Men.
And Magi of today should certainly consider Daylesford Organic, who have some excellent choices. I particularly like the layered box of smoked salmon and biodynamic champagne which, starting at £90, is excellent for a brother-in-law or two. Until recently, I'd never really heard of biodynamic champagne and now it seems to be becoming the boisson juste.
Also, similar to the cake club, I am very taken by the sommelier's year. A decanter, two glasses, a lemon-scented cloth and a bottle each of Chateau Clarke 2003 Rothschild and Macon Verze, Domaine Leflaive 2005 to kick you off and then every month two more (one red, one white) from the sommelier's choice. It costs £750 for the year; perhaps useful for an aged uncle still to make his will. Interestingly, it would appear that this whole notion of giving presents which arrive throughout the year has taken off. And it's not just food (or the more traditional magazine subscriptions) either. My search also led me to the Panty Postman who delivers ladies' underwear once a quarter (apparently the average pair of ladies knickers lasts for three months). I couldn't interest my wife, but it might be useful for some brave husbands.
However, back to food. Baker & Spice have four smart shops in London and have invested the hamper with a different feel, especially the gloriously named 'I am staying in bed hamper'. This provides everything you could possibly want for a post-Christmas relaxing breakfast, including (more) biodynamic champagne, organic eggs and wonderful crunchy granola (£145).
Abel & Cole, another organic alternative, sell the formidable Juniper Green Organic Gin (£13 a bottle). They also deliver to your door with efficiency and aplomb (drivers are instructed to be friendly). The Chocolate Society has the best drinking chocolate (£9.22) as well as hampers and luxury boxes of ludicrous amounts of, well, chocolate (from £38). And for the Royalists, have a look at Duchy Originals and Highgrove Fine Foods. Food fit for a king (to be).
Of course, ordering food for others does have drawbacks. I can't help ordering for myself at the same time. Still a fortnight away from the indulgence of Christmas and I've put on six pounds. And that, I suppose, is the advantage of the luxury hamper. At no point have I felt the urge to order any plums in champagne vinegar.
www.megtivers.corn www.abel-cole.co.uk www.daylesfordorganic.corn www.chocolate.co.uk www.claire-macdonald.corn www.duchyoriginals.corn www.highgrovefoods.corn www.bakerandspice.corn
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