Christmas gift guide: for the food lover

Paella perfection

Christmas,Spanish food,food stories pr paella kit

We love presents that continue to be useful long after they\'ve been enjoyed for the first time. A food kit does just that. This everything-you-need-to-make paella kit has the essential flat round pan that cooks the rice until it\'s tender, a bag of paella rice, smoked paprika and seasonings for flavour, olive oil and marinated peppers.

Hunter\'s of Helmsley Paella Kit , £24.99 plus p&p from www.huntersofhelmsleyhampers.co.uk

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Sweet bliss

Christmas,Italian food,food stories pr sospiri Try saying ‘sospiri\' and all the worries of the world will just ebb away in the same way they do when you let out a little sigh. And that\'s exactly what this pretty Italian word means! These treats, known by the same name, combine ground almonds and are infused with rum, chocolate or coffee, and are handmade in Palermo. A great stocking filler.

Veru Truly Sicilian Sospiri, £7.95, from www.bigbarn.co.uk

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Scrummy salmon

Christmas,oily fish,food stories pr inish salmon Good-quality smoked salmon has thin ribbons of fat running through the slices. You can see that in this one. It is farmed organically in a remote part of the Atlantic, then cured with salt, organic honey, seaweed gathered from the coast of Inish Turk Beg (an island off the west coast of Ireland) and smoked over aromatic beechwood. A real treat.

Inishturkbeg beechwood cold-smoked salmon, €37.95 for 400g plus p&p, www.inishturkbeg.com

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Purple pots

Christmas,food stories aay shop le creuset

Classic cookware in the latest kitchen colour - this beautiful Le Creuset set is delicious with or without food! Save £43 on a five-piece set at the allaboutyou shop...

5 Piece Le Creuset Set in Cassis, www.allaboutyoushop.com, £99.99

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Classic chutneys

Christmas,preserves,food stories pr bay tree chutneys There\'s something for everyone and any occasion in this selection. Team the piccalilli with the Boxing Day ham and save the Somerset chutney for a good mature cheddar. The farmhouse chutney is an essential accompaniment for a turkey sandwich - with stuffing, of course. While the spicy onion relish makes a brilliant base on crostini with any topping for no-effort nibbles with fizz.

The Bay Tree Chutney Window Selection, £6.95 plus p&p (minimum website order is £20), www.thebaytree.co.uk

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Panettone tips

Christmas,bread,cakes,Italian food,food stories pr luigis panettone Butter, sugar, candied fruit and a big helping of Italian love goes into creating this light, moreish Italian bread, which is traditionally eaten at Christmas in Italy. There are lots of different varieties - plain, fruit and chocolate - but we love this one containing fruit which is kneaded into the dough, then topped with crunchy hazelnuts. It\'s lovely cut in thick slices and dunked into a milky cappuccino or toasted and spread with mascarpone and cherries in syrup for an indulgent breakfast treat.

Luigi\'s Panettone with a Crunchy Hazelnut Glaze, £13.95 for 1kg, plus p&p, www.luigismailorder.com

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Cook with Marco!

Christmas,food stories,celebrity chefs aay shop marco pierre white hamper

A fantastic cookbook and hamper full of goodies from the world renowned chef Marco Pierre White. It includes some of his favourite produce and cooking implements and a Christmas card from the chef himself. Fabulous!

Marco Pierre White hamper, £85 from the allaboutyou shop

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Truly festive chocolate

Christmas,cakes,chocolate,food stories pr purbeck marble cake

A great gift for a choc-addicted family, this would make a dramatic centerpiece for a Christmas tea party. The filling, created by Dorset chocolatier Chococo, is a moreish chocolate biscuit cake mixture. This is smothered in a generous coating of milk chocolate and hand decorated with all those lovely Christmassy ingredients: cranberries, almonds, pistachios and brazil nuts. Delicious!

Chococo\'s Giant Purbeck Marble Cake Wreath, £29.95, including p&p and serves 10-12, www.chococo.co.uk

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Christmas beer

Christmas,cider & beer,food stories pr chimay beer Here\'s something special for beer aficionados. Chimay Blue Grande Reserve has been made by Belgian Trappist monks for over half a century and was originally launched just for Christmas. The rich port-like character is delicious with all those warming winter dishes. It also improves with keeping, becoming smoother with age and makes a good partner to cheese.

Chimay Blue Grande Reserve, £67.50 plus p&p for 12 x 75cl bottles, www.beerhere.co.uk

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Cool cups

Christmas,tea,food stories pr regency tea cup and saucer

The Duchess of Devonshire, who invented the celebration of afternoon tea, would have loved these gorgeous tea cups, each decorated in a Regency style. A fun gift for tea lovers, they can be washed safely in the dishwasher. Team with one of these gorgeous teas from http://www.dragonfly-teas.com/Black.html .

Regency tea cup and saucer, £6.95, from www.dotcomgiftshop.com

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Season\'s greetings

Christmas,food stories pr devils breath For the cook who really has tried every ingredient, here\'s a neat little seasoner. It look like a posh bottle of perfume but is in fact a heady combo of brandy, chilli and gold leaf. It\'s created by new chef on the block, Laura Santtini who recommends a spritz of the stuff into a creamy mustard sauce for steak, or stirring it into a chocolate pudding for a surprising - yet pleasing - spicy kick.

The Devil\'s Breath, £17.99 plus p&p, www.selfridges.com

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Nut lovers\' feast

Christmas,almonds,chestnuts,walnuts,food stories pr potash hamper This is a hamper with a difference and it\'s perfect for nut lovers. There\'s a wholesome bag of cobnuts, grown on Kent farms, organic almonds, walnuts and chestnuts, plus a handy pair of nut crackers to help you enjoy the goodies. There\'s also a bottle of walnut oil (handmade in Kent), a bag of fudge made with cobnuts and a tea towel. Everything is boxed in a classic cane basket hamper.

Potash Farm Classic hamper, £47.50 inc p&p, www.kentishcobnuts.com

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