Food Advent Calendars

 

The popularity of food advent calendars is higher and higher and every year a new idea comes up as well as old favourites coming back on the shelves and online. I still remember the old advent calendars with a small little chocolate behind the windows, but now they are incredibly luxurious and the food behind is all very high quality. I have picked a few in my recent visits to various press events.

(Courtesy of Fortnum & Mason)

I love tea and this beautiful Tea Lovers Advent Calendar by Fortnum & Mason is something that I am really contemplating to buy for myself. It cost £ 25.00 and it has 24 different teas in a silky bag so that every day you can brew a different blend from the famous Tea Merchants since 1707. I am very curious about the Rose & Violet Infusion and the Apricot, Honey & Lavender Infusion. Also the Christmas Green Tea and the Christmas Black Tea must be absolutely delicious. www.fortnumandmason.com

Staying in the hot drink category Whittard of Chelsea has released 3 advent calendars. The Tea Calendar has 18 different teas and infusions. There are 4 bags on each drawer and 2 bags in the first one as well as a little surprise gift. I am not telling you what it is. Then there are the Hot Chocolate Advent Calendar for 2 and the Coffee Advent Calendar for 2. Each drawer has 2 sachets of Flavoured Hot Chocolate or Flavoured Coffee. The Chocolate calendar has 12 flavours while the Coffee calendar has got 24 flavours. I wouldn’t know what to choose honestly. They all cost £ 60.00 each.  www.whittard.co.uk

Be quick in order to snap up one of the Bonne Maman Advent Calendar. Last year it was sold out so fast that many were left empty handed. There are 23 little jars of fruit conserves and I must say that I am very intrigued by the Apricot with Lavender Spread, the Raspberry with Rose Spread and the Peach with Jasmine Spread which I think are limited editions just for the Advent calendar. This year the Advent Calendar also offers two special surprise gifts: the first one on 1st December and the other on Christmas Eve. My lips are sealed and my keyboard is locked, so you won’t know what the surprises are.  To ensure that you will receive the calendar in time, it is better if you order it by the 21^st of November. Its cost is £ 23.99 plus postage. www.bonnemaman.co.uk

The Naughty or Nice Countdown Calendar by Smith & Sinclair contains, behind its 24 windows, 24 packets of Alcoholic Cocktail Gummies which feature famous cocktails and their variations. There is a 5% alcoholic content so eat responsibly, it is not a bag of Jelly Babies. Its cost is £ 45.00 and it will take it in the right “spirit” of Christmas. www.smithandsinclair.com

Now, this is the very unusual Your Days are Numbered Advent Calendar. I would say that it is perfect for Halloween for its look all black and several shades of grey. It has brought by Pechkeks and behind the windows there are “mis-fortune” cookies with a message full of dark humour. Also there are not numbered windows so it is up to you to decide which one to open on the day, but I would leave the most unlucky number as last because behind that window there is a big surprise.  You can find it at Amazon at £37.63. www.amazon.co.uk

If you like hot sauces and you add some kick to any dish you prepare, you must check out the 24 Days of Hot Sauce Advent Calendar by Wilko. Behind the 24 windows you will find 8 different sauces in a sachet ranging from Hawaiian Lava, Thai-riffic, Death Valley, Egyptian Fire Scarab, Outback Heat, Dragons Breath, Indian Tigerblood and Thunder Down Under. You will have fun to use these sauces in your dishes, drizzling over a pizza for the extra kick or also in a supermarket soup that will change it completely because unique. At £ 10.00 it is perfect for the foodie at home. www.wilko.com

Thornton & France has created a Giant Fizz Cracker Advent Calendar containing 24 baby bottles of Italian Prosecco from different producers, so it is a variety of 12 different vineyards to drink before Christmas. You can just jazz up your evening meal and crack up a bottle to toast the end of another day before Christmas arrives. www.thorntonandfrance.com

   (Courtesy of Fortnum & Mason)

Being a foodie I can’t forget to mention the Fortnum's Feasting Advent Calendar by Fortnum & Mason.  Its 25 drawers contain all the delicious specialities that you can find at the Food Hall including classic teas, biscuits, chocolate, preserves, condiments and drinks. Do you want some examples?  Marc de Champagne Chocolate Truffles, Strawberry & Champagne Preserve, Cognac Butter, Christmas Tea, Quarter Bottle of Champagne and Pistachio & Clotted Cream Biscuits are just some of the treats you will find. Its cost is £ 200.00 and it is the ultimate indulgent gift for a foodie. www.fortnumandmason.com

The Silent Night Advent Calendar by the Chocolate Gift Company is so beautiful that it can be part of the Christmas decorations at home. It depicts a scene of a theatre where a Christmas play has been staged. Every day you can sample a delicious truffle in incredible flavours like Churros or champagne. The chocolate is made in Bedfordshire by a team of very passionate chocolatiers who put all their love in order to deliver a very high quality product. Its cost is £ 36.00. www.thechocolategift.co.uk

If you love popcorn or you know someone who does, the Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn Advent Calendar is perfect. It is ready to be pre ordered and they will start dispatching it on the 1^st of November. There are some impressive flavours behind the 24 windows like Orange Chocolate Popcorn, White Chocolate & Raspberry Popcorn, Gingerbread Popcorn, Brandy Butter Popcorn and more.  Each flavour comes in a 7 grams bag and it will be yours for £ 30.00. www.joeandsephs.co.uk