Try some food gifts with a Yorkshire flavour – or some gourmet treats to keep to yourself
Cheers!
In Boston Spa, wine expert Melissa Taylor runs Vino Coco, a wine gift delivery business that sends out good-looking parcels that are a treat to receive. Packaging is smart but so too are the well-chosen wines she supplies. ‘Three top-rated reds’ in a box are £42 or there’s prosecco and truffles at £25 or the festive-friendly sauvignon and savoury snacks gift set at £29. vinococo.co.uk
Say cheese
Cheese and Wensleydale are a match made in heaven so head to Wensley where Curlew Dairy opens a cheese pop up shop on Thursday Dec 21, 4-7pm. Stock up on cheese, wear your Christmas jumpers, and soak up the atmosphere of fairy lights and mulled wine. See Curlew Dairy on Facebook. Cheese lovers can also get a monthly fix of cheese from The Courtyard Dairy in Settle, winner of our Farm Shop of the Year in the Yorkshire Life food & Drink awards. A monthly cheese club subscription starts from £28 per month – for three cheeses to try. thecourtyarddairy.co.uk
Yes, chef!
Chef Joshua Overington runs the recently opened Myse restaurant in Hovingham and food lovers can share his skills in a series of masterclasses. Expect to get your hands dirty – the classes are very hands-on and will involve preparation, learning new knife skills, cooking and, of course, tasting the goods! A light lunch is included, as well as your very own special Mýse apron to wear and take home. Classes are a maximum of six people, with tickets at £225 each. Choose from shellfish, game, bread-making and foraging. Book at restaurantmyse.co.uk
Sweet treats
A sprinkle of fairy dust is the cherry on top of Castle Howard’s magical festive Darling’s Afternoon Tea on offer as part of the venue’s Christmas in Neverland extravaganza. Tasty treats and lovely touches will fill you with child-like nostalgia, as Castle Howard celebrates the boy who never grew up with a timeless and fun menu. Book on December: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 26th Adult: £34.95, Adult (with a glass of Nyetimber): £44.95, Child: £12.50. Book at castlehoward.co.uk
Festive fizz and cake
The Manor House Lindley has celebrated three AA rosettes for its Lantern Room dining recently so you can expect some an exceptional selection of exquisite cakes and delicate pastries created by the team’s pastry experts. Manor House festive afternoon tea is a real indulgence. Served, Wednesday to Sunday throughout December, 12:30pm-4pm, £27.50pp. Booking essential. Manorhouselindley.co.uk
Hamper happiness
A hamper is never a gift unloved and some of Yorkshire’s independents come up with the goods for mouth-watering hampers geared to your recipients. Some of our hamper go-tos include Botham’s of Whitby with selections including a ‘Glad Tidings from Whitby’ giftbag, £25.95. Bettys super indulgent luxury gift hamper, £200, Cartwright & Butler’s Christmas Morning Breakfast Hamper £132.
Meating-point
If you’re not a fan of turkey, how about a big beef blow-out for the Christmas table? Pocklington-based Warrendale Wagyu offers up some alternatives. From sirloin joints to chateaubriand and two-bone dry-aged rib, there’s a good selection – including wagyu dripping for the roasties – and Cartwright & Butler horseradish. warrendale-wagyu.co.uk
Turkey time
Weetons Foodhall in Harrogate is the foodie go-to in this spa town, known for great Christmas offerings, providing the whole feast if you want to take the stress out of the big day and just let someone else do it for you. Their Yorkshire-reared free-range bronze turkey is the centrepiece of it all and is available in 5.5kg, 7kg and 8.5kg depending on how many you have around the Christmas table this year. Free delivery available for local residents. From £96.95, weetons.com
Christmas cupcakes
Located in York, Iced Yorkshire holds a variety of classes for those looking to get creative with cakes. Learn how to create your own festive elf cake or make santa and snowman toppers. Our favourite has to be the festive Christmas cupcakes class where you’ll learn how to decorate six cupcakes using buttercream. Various dates and times, includes refreshments. From £50 pp, icedyorkshire.com
Pud meets gin
Award-winning limited edition Slingsby Old Tom Christmas Pudding Gin has Slingsby’s sweet but mellowed Old Tom base paired with additional notes of dried fruits, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves which help to create the deep, complex, irresistible flavour of a Christmas pud. It’s suggested that you serve it over ice with aromatic tonic water and a twist of fresh orange peel. £35, spiritofharrogate.co.uk
The wine buddy
Fraser’s Mulled Wine was founded by sisters Jen and Adele from Sheffield who had the idea after making a big batch of their homemade mulled wine - everyone kept asking for more. In a bottle or pouch, it’s handcrafted in small batches using award-winning Tempranillo red wine, organic spices, freshly squeeze orange juice, lemon zest, and a dash of sugar. Choose to have a handwritten note on the gift bottle for a special gift. From £17.99, frasersmulledwine.co.uk
'Tato tipple
New handcrafted potato vodka Nine Tines is made in the Yorkshire Dales by a potato farmer looking to diversify and a family who taught themselves distillation to create the vodka. It has already won two gold and a silver medal at the Global Vodka Masters 2023. Made from Lady Claire potatoes (24 in each bottle) which are grown in the soil and the vodka is distilled just nine miles up the road.
£39. ninetines.co.uk
Easy party prep
Yorkshire Party Company takes the stress out of hosting for you with their famous glazed Yorkshire hams and accompaniments. Choose between a variety of hams, and lots of festive classics such as mince pies, homemade cranberry sauce, cheese, and all the trimmings, even down the Brussel sprouts. Collect from Melmerby, just outside of Ripon. From £40 for half a glazed ham, yorkshireparty.co.uk
Tommy’s tasters..
Made In Oldstead’s delivery boxes curated by Michelin chef Tommy Banks and his team bring a taste of Oldstead to your doorstep. North Yorkshire, ingredients from the farm and surrounding land take centre stage. The Christmas Day Brunch Box (£90 for 4) starts the party with Apple & Lemon Verbena Juice; Oldstead Strawberry & Meadowsweet Jam; Oldstead
Salami; Oldstead Streaky Bacon & Sausages; Duck Fat Hash Browns; Smoked Beetroot Ketchup and many more delicious components. The Christmas Day Beef Wellington Menu (£175 for 2, £320 for 4, £450 for 6 and £550 for 8) is the ultimate four-course Christmas Day feast comprises of a Butternut Squash, Hazelnut and Parsley Amuse Bouche; a Grazing Board Starter; Tommy’s show-stopping Salt-Aged Beef Wellington, with all the festive trimmings; and a decadent Chocolate Fondant Tart for dessert. The Christmas Day Canapé Box is made up of 8 Chicken Liver Parfait Choux Buns with Blackberry Gel; 8 Beetroot Cured Salmon Blinis with Horseradish Crème Fraiche and Fennel Pollen; and 8 Lamb Shoulder Ragu Tarts with Old Winchester Cheese. The New Year’s Eve Duck Wellington Menu (£180 for 2 and £350 for 4) - will include three of the same courses as the Beef Wellington Menu, but features a Salt-Aged Duck Wellington, accompanied by Smoked Damson Gel, Hispi Cabbage and Pickled Cherries. madeinoldstead.co.uk
