Indeed, it’s the most enchanting time of year for shoppers, as supermarkets nationwide are revealing their complete Christmas assortments. Each retailer has a unique method of showcasing their festive goods, and there’s also the excitement of those grand Christmas adverts gracing our television screens in the forthcoming weeks.
However, few Christmas collections cause quite the buzz that Marks and Spencer manages to generate. And every year they host a lavish Christmas showcase where media, celebrities and influencers get to sample all the festive food delights they’re concocting before many hit the high street to give them a try and share their views. Lifestyle editor Dianne Bourne was among those in attendance, and she had the chance to taste some of the new items, causing a buzz on social media, as well as the return of favourites, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The event involved guests visiting several tasting stations, as well as hot canapes being dished up to sample at an upscale London venue.
Guests were then guided to a sit-down meal, where a full festive dinner was served. Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge himself was there to introduce some of the high-end (and yes, that means costly) delicacies he has created for M&S this year.
If you think it’s a tad premature to be discussing Christmas fare, well, M&S reckon they’ve had their biggest EVER response to the launch of Christmas order lines this year, with shoppers seemingly keener than ever to get things sorted for December 25.
So here are Dianne’s musings on it all.
The victors….
After sampling around 50 products on the night, here are Dianne’s top ten items that she can endorse, and that she would certainly like to try again.
Hash brown topple tower
This is one of the standout items from the new party food range that M&S have launched super-early this year. And it’s easy to see why when you behold the Hash Brown topple tower in all its glory. You can set it up in a fun Jenga style, and presumably enjoy with family or friends dismantling it all again. Which, having tasted the hash brown fingers, won’t take long as they’re superb.
Price: £5.50
In store: Now
Turkey toastie mini bites
If you loved the Turkey Toastie that M&S have been offering in its Cafes for the past few years, then you are going to love these mini bites too. They’re a brilliant idea for party food, providing small squares of the delicious turkey, cheesy, stuffing-y layered butter-slathered toast with a little pot of gravy for guests to dip the bites into. It makes Dianne just about ready for the return of the full-sized toasties too. Although they won’t be arriving in cafes until 5 November, sadly.
Price: £7.50 for 8
Available in store: Now
Gingerbread cookie
M&S fans have been eagerly anticipating this one, particularly given the recent triumph of their revamped cookies. Indeed, the gingerbread and white chocolate cookie does not let down – it’s a delightful blend of crunchy and chewy, with a lovely hint of ginger and generous chunks of chocolate.
Dianne also tried the new chocolate and peppermint bark cookie which was pleasant, but when it comes to festive indulgence, the gingerbread cookie was my top choice.
Price: £3.25 for 5 cookies
In store: Gingerbread available now, Peppermint bark from 5 November.
Lemon and Mascarpone Panettone Gateau
A new addition to this year’s dessert range, they’ve taken a traditional pannettone, sliced it up, and filled it with lemon curd and mascarpone. Dianne had never thought about adding cream to a pannettone before, but this has made me question why she hasn’t – it’s absolutely divine. It also makes for a stunning festive centrepiece – and they claim it serves 10.
Price: £25
In store: Available on Food to Order
Peppermint bark
Dianne wasn’t expecting to enjoy this, but you know what? It was really delicious – a chunk of minty chocolate that you can break into pieces. The highest praise Dianne can give is that it’s akin to a posh Matchmaker (and who doesn’t love a Matchmaker). It would make the perfect sweet finish to cleanse the palate after a hearty festive meal.
Their small-batch Christmas Caramel Crunch, presented in a similar style tin, is incredibly tasty and would make an excellent gift for those with a sweet tooth.
Price: £10
Available in store: Now
Maple mulled wine
Dianne isn’t usually a fan of mulled wine, but this new Maple Mulled Wine might have just changed her mind. Perhaps it’s because she enjoys maple syrup, but the oaky sugary taste balanced out some of the darker notes of regular mulled wine, resulting in a truly delightful autumnal drink. This would be perfect for Halloween parties, Bonfire Night gatherings, and Christmas events.
Price: £7
Available in store: Now
Chicken Kyiv Hot melting dip
The M&S hot melting dips this year have become viral sensations, and for good reason – there’s an nduja one and my favourite, the chicken kyiv dip. This is a hot, crunchy, garlicky tub of joy that tastes heavenly when spread on a piece of crusty bread.
Need I say more?
Price: £4
Available in store: Now
Turkey Wellington by Tom
You may have heard about Tom Kerridge’s Wellingtons this year, along with their hefty price tags. The beef wellington in this collection costs a staggering £195, although Tom himself stressed at the press event that each one is handmade exclusively for M&S customers.
Dianne didn’t get to try the beef one, but instead it was the Turkey Wellington (still a substantial £110) that was the star of our Christmas meal. She must admit, it’s a triumph. A juicy turkey slice, encased in moist stuffing, is surrounded by rich shredded turkey thigh and then wrapped in the crispy buttery puff pastry.
This is a masterclass in meat from Mr Kerridge. It might come with a hefty price tag, but this would certainly take your Christmas dinner to gourmet levels.
Price: £110
Available only from Food to Order, with orders open now.
Coastal cheddar wedge
Dianne has always been a fan of M&S’ Christmas cheeses, and this year they’ve surpassed themselves again with this incredibly creamy cheddar. Definitely worth splashing out a bit more for.
Price: £8 for 500g.
Available from 26 November.
Chocolate and Cherry Irish Cream Liquer
Oh, this was a treat. It was served in a cocktail at the end of the night with a layer of fresh cream on top, which may have made it extra sinful, but the flavour of the liqueur, blending creamy chocolate with the sharp hit of cherry, was the perfect combination.
Also comes in a very giftable gold bottle.
Price: £15
Available now.
The misses….
And while some people raved about some of the dishes on offer, Dianne was not a fan of those she has listed below. These items just didn’t hit the mark for her, for one reason or another.
Paella bites
Dianne is not a fan of paella at the best of times, and this didn’t make her like it any more. They may look appealing, but the rice square topped with a prawn was rather bland to her; it could have done with a bit more kick.
Price: £7.50 for 8 bites
Available: Now
Fish and chip bites
Dianne must confess, she did savour the taste of this fish, chip and pea canapé combination. The problem was that it was nearly impossible to consume as finger food without creating a mess.
She ended up spilling a load of the crumbly mushy pea filling all over her top and into her puffy handbag – it got lodged in all the nooks and crannies of said bag and oh, it was just a right old mess. These would be fine if you’re having a nibble and are seated eating these with a knife and fork, but if you’re serving them as circulating canapés, beware of the pea pitfalls!
Price: £5.50 for 8
Available: Now
Duck liver parfait
This is one of the items from the new By Tom Kerridge Christmas range and comes with a Michelin-star price too – at £16 for a filled ramekin of the Duck Liver Parfait. There’s no denying it was a nice smooth pâté, although Dianne wasn’t keen on the chicken stock jelly layer on top. Dianne couldn’t help but feel you could get a similar sort of pâté for half the price of this.
Price: £16
Available: only available on Food to Order
Maple pancake stacks
Another one that Dianne found very messy to eat, and there was just a lot going on here with two mini pancakes sandwiching slices of maple-infused bacon. If you’re planning a large family brunch, this could be a lovely addition (brunch featured prominently at the M&S Christmas showcase). Nevertheless, you could likely create it far more economically by preparing your own pancakes with bacon.
Price: £7.50 for 8
Available in store: Now
Pigs in blankets
Indeed, Dianne acknowledges it’s contentious, but the much-heralded “Our Best Ever” double-wrapped pigs in blankets failed to win me over. She discovered them somewhat too rich. The reality that Dianne didn’t wish to consume more than two indicates these are presumably not the pigs-in-blankets for her Christmas banquet this year.