Limited Edition: Yeo Valley Winter Sun

Whilst everyone likes a bit of sunshine, especially during the short days of the winter months, there is no denying that it often brings a rather unpleasantly briskness with it! So it is hoped that 'winter sun' quickly turns into more summery sun, with a bit of warmth to it. However, there is no lack of warmth in this limited edition from Yeo Valley. And, unlike it's name-sake, it is hoped that it sticks around for quite some time. This yogurt is a bit of potted sunshine. If it doesn't cheer up the weather, at least it cheers up the contents of your fridge!

£1.50 in Tesco

Waitrose Christmas Chocolate, Almond & Caramel Sparkle Bar

Dark chocolate mousse with almond pieces with a salted caramel centre and chocolate sponge base, dusted with gold coloured glitter. No, it's not a 'Heston' creation, but it's just as extravagant and yes, it really works. 
£12.99, Waitrose

New: Tesco Twists

Yellow pea twists with barbecue flavour seasoning
These are a new healthy alternative to regular crisps. They're made from air popped yellow peas, but they have the same appearance and almost the same texture as any regular potato or corn snack, so you'd never know. They are shaped like little twists of pasta and have a crunchy snap when eaten, similar to that of a Hula Hoop. 
Barbecue, Salt & Vinegar with a hint of basil, Chilli Salsa, Sour Cream & Lime, Cheese & Onion
£1.29 for a sharing bag, Tesco

Pimms Cider Cup: Plum and Red Apple

Introducing Pimm's Cider Cup Plum & Red Apple: a unique flavour in the cider market. A classic autumnal British flavour from a classic British brand. This cider is less sweet with more fermented notes. A fruity delight!
£2.30 for 500ml, Ocado

Limited Edition: The Collective Dairy Morello Cherry & Kirsch

With its splash of kirsch liqueur, this is the real cherry on the top! Chunky morello cherries envelope this thick and creamy yogurt in a recipe that must have been inspired by the Christmassy Black Forest gateau. The flavour is deep, rich and distinctly sweet-sour. This is The Collective's second yogurt to contain alcohol: the first was the very popular amaretto and raspberry back in 2013. Apparently it's available until March. 

£1.75, Sainsbury's

Heston Lemon Meringue Bar

A lemon sorbet enrobing an iced vanilla cream with biscuit crumble pieces, lemon filling, meringue and a marshmallow centre. "Is that all?" I hear you cry! Uncharacteristically of Heston, he hasn't added in any bizarre flavours or ingredients! 
£5.99, Waitrose

More inspired party food...

Asda Cheeseburger Doughballs

Bite size doughballs with a minced beef and extra mature Cheddar cheese filling.

£2.40 for 9, Asda

Asda Sausage Roll Wreath
Seasoned pork sausage gift wrapped in buttery puff pastry and hand finished with stars and a crack of black pepper - the perfect party centrepiece.
£4.00

And one for the vegetarians...
Asda Mac 'n' Cheese Bites
Moreish mouthfuls of macaroni and Cheddar, wrapped in a crunchy cornflake crumb.
£2.28 for 12

Inspired Party Food

Tesco Croquette Roulette 

Get ready to play 'Hot or Not?'. Spin the wheel and take a bite. You'll either get 1 of 5 cream cheese & chive croquettes, or you'll get 1 of 4 EXTREME chilli croquettes. Do you dare? Served with bbq dip.

£3.00

Bourbon BBQ Beef Waffles
8 mini Belgian waffles topped with Bourbon BBQ sauce, shredded Aberdeen Angus beef, medium Cheddar cheese and Cherrybell pepper. Party food at its finest. Literally!
£5.00, Tesco

Pigs in Blankets

If you can't get enough of the ingenious invention that is 'Pigs in Blankets', then take a look at these...
If you're a vegetation, then stop reading!

Tesco Posh Pigs in Blankets
Succulent British pork, sweet cranberries and mulled spices, hand coated in a cranberry glaze and smoked bacon crumb.
£5.00 for 9

Pringles Pigs in Blankets
£2.48, Waitrose

Morrisons Pigs & Blankets Snacks

Crispy puffs and crunchy rashers made from maize, rice and potato, in a bacon and sausage flavour seasoning.

88p for 150g

Heston Pigs in Blankets
Just not your typical little porkies in duvets....
These sausages are made with British pork shoulder and belly, glazed with apricots, quince and apple, seasoned with Christmas spices and wrapped in strips of streaky bacon matured with syrup & stout. 
£4.49, Waitrose

Limited Edition: Pieminister Christmas Pies

Ho Ho Ho! Pieminister have got into the festive spirit by the bucket-load with these that are stuffed with merriness! Deer Santa is a venison smoked bacon, lentil and red wine pie. Of course, Santa likes a tipple. But venison? Surely that's taking the micky!! Three Kings is a turkey, smoked bacon, parsnip and cranberry pie, whilst Mistle Moo features beef steak, stilton, bacon and chestnut. Now where's the Shepherds' Pie?
£3.50 each, Waitrose

Muller Corner Kids Seasonal

Vanilla flavour yogurt with mini crunchy reindeer and red bauble cereal shapes.
£2.40 for a pack of , Tesco

Dip or Dunk?

Tesco Mini Dipping Treats
10 profiteroles filled with cream, 10 chocolate brownie sponge cubes, 10 mini doughnut rings and the best bit...? A pot of Belgian chocolate sauce! Do you dip or dunk? I'm a dunker. Or a scooper. I generally try to get as much chocolate on as possible. Ok, so this new Tesco creation is neither classy nor quality (the doughnuts leave a little to be desired), but, hey, it's just good fun!
£5.00

Heston Chocolate Bucks Fizz Swirl

He's be an it again. Trust good old Heston to come up with something like this! Marc de Champagne flavoured chocolate mousse on a popping candy and chocolate caramel base with an orange compote centre, and decorated with edible glitter. I hope it sticks around for a good while yet...
£13.49, Waitrose, serves 8

Gü Fabulously Festive Belgian Chocolate Bar

Luxurious layers of rich Belgian dark chocolate mousse, decadent chocolate and almond sponge on a crisp praline base. I can't really work out what makes it 'festive', apart from the fact that it's sharing size and Christmas may be the one of the few times of people might indulge in such indulgence! 
£9.00, Waitrose, serves 10

Twinings Gingerbread Chai Latte

This is the latest addition to Twinings Loose Leaf Pyramid star collection. It's a ginger, syrup and spice flavoured black tea. The flavours of traditional Indian spices and warming gingerbread are a perfect partner to the full-bodied Assam tea and create a rich and creamy effect. It is sweet, but not too sweet. Exotic and heady, just as Chai Latte should be.

£3.49, Waitrose

New: Angel Delight Mint Chocolate

In September LAST YEAR, visitors to the Angel Delight Facebook page were asked to vote for the new flavour of Angel Delight. Fans of the dessert brand chose chocolate mint, and it's (finally) here!
35 p in Sainsbury's

Tesco Snowman Cheesecake

An adorable incarnation of our festive friend. He's so cute you won't want to eat him. Digestive biscuit crumb, with a thick and creamy vanilla cheesecake and decorations. Serves 6
£4.00

New: Walkers crackers

Jacobs, Ritz and Walkers Sensations have all jumped on the savory cracker bandwagon, and the bandwagon has well and truly moved on. But wait! Walkers have finally delivered these oven baked crackers with the flavours of Walkers that we all know and love. The 'melty' crackers are available in Sour Cream & Onion and Sweet Chilli. These have a thicker, slightly more crumbly consistency. The 'crispy' crackers are available in Salt & Vinegar and Cheddar Cheese and are thinner, lighter and have considerable more snap.
£1.00 a sharing bag, Tesco

New: Chip Strips

These new Cooke Chip Strips are basically just HUGE sheets of potato-based crispiness, with a flavour that really matches their size. Whether you're a dipper, a nibbler, a cracker, a snapper or a stacker, you'll enjoy these! Tesco is now stocking them in five flavours: Sea Salt, Salt & Vinegar, Cheese & Onion, Smokey BBQ and Wasabi. 

 

£1.00, Tesco

New: Crackers and Crispbreads

A round up of some crispsy, crackly little things...

Ryvita Crackers Spiced Apple Chutney - Tempting with a tasty Brie.  Made with dried apple pieces and chutney flavouring.

Ryvita Crackers Green & Black Olives -  delightful with feta and sun-dried tomato!

Snack Organisation Teriyaki Rice Crackers 

Rice crackers are a healthy and delicious low fat snack, great with dips or as a snack, especially at this time of year! 

£1.00, Tesco

Ryvita Apple And Cinnamon Fruit

Wholegrain rye crispbread with dried diced apple pieces, currants and cinnamon.

£1.59, Tesco

White Christmas Soup

The Covent Garden Soup Co.  'Soup of the Month' for December is a wonderfully white creamy soup that will bring you Christmas warmth and cheer in a bowl. It  is blended cauliflower, potato and single cream in a smooth and creamy consistency. It's then finished off with aromatic truffle infused oil, white wine and a hint of white pepper. So wrap up warm, rejoice in festive good cheer and enjoy this divine White Christmas Soup.


Available in Sainsbury's and Waitrose

Spice... and all things nice!

 

Some of the latest additions to to the Waitrose Christmas Signature Spice range:  

Mulled Juice

A pasteurised blend of Orange, clementine, blood orange and aronia juices blended with cranberry purée and nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, black pepper and clove extracts

£1.85 for 750ml

Greek Style Yogurt
Thick delicately spiced Greek style yogurt with honey
£1.85 for 450g



Ham & Chutney Sandwich
A sandwich made with spiced ham and spiced fruit chutney with cucumber, mayonnaise and mixed leaves in sliced 9 grain bread.
£3.25

New: Salt & Vinegar Pom Bears

Dear old Pom-Bear, back in another new flavour. To be honest, I'm not sure why we've waited so long for a salt & vinegar version because salt & vinegar is (apparently) Britain's 3rd favourite crisp flavour.
£1.59 for a pack of 6, Tesco

Even healthier skinny popcorn...

Metcalfe is still popping with gusto! And if you thought their skinny popcorn couldn't get much healthier, then think again. This new Cinema Sweet Popcorn is sweetened with stevia leaf extract, sweetness form a natural source, meaning far less sugar than your average bag of sweet popcorn. This is the first Cinema Sweet popcorn made with stevia leaf extract in the UK. It contains 67% less sugar than the average sugar content of sweet popcorn.
£1.49, Tesco

No ordinary fruit and nut mix

Tesco Winter Spiced Fruit And Nut Mix

A mix of spiced cinnamon & orange flavour honey roast peanuts and almonds with jumbo raisins and glycerated cranberries. If raisins came more festive than these, they'd have fairy lights on!

£2.50, Tesco

New: Pasta n Sauce range

If you agree with me that Bachelor's range of Pasta n Sauce instant pasta packets has become rather tired, then you'll probably be glad to know that it has a re-vamped new selection of fresh flavours. Take a look:

Cheese & Pancetta: pasta tubes in a tasty smoky cheese and pancetta flavour sauce with pork.
Mediterranean Vegetable: pasta spirals in a tomato sauce with onion, sun dried tomato and peppers
Classic Pesto: pasta spirals in a pesto flavour sauce with cheese and spinach.
Arrabbiata: pasta spirals in a spicy tomato sauce with onion and chilli.




£1.00 each, Sainsbury's