Top notch tea and coffee are staples, and now you can choose ethical brands. The Rare Tea Company, founded by former banker Henrietta Lovell, sources premium tea directly from producers and ships it in smart reusable boxes. Connoisseurs of Earl Gray will love the Rare Tea version, made with real bergamot oil (Earl Gray tea £ 6.49 for 50g). Yallah Coffee in Cornwall buys its Sail Ship coffee at a higher price from Colombian producers and transports it here by wind power on sailboats, reducing the carbon footprint to almost zero. The coffee has the balance and light acidity of the best “hipster” barista versions (£ 9.50 for 250g).
Also try: Nemi’s herbal teas in stylish boxes.
Crackers
Good crackers are great for making improvised canapes as well as with cheese – try them with a dollop of tapenade and crème fraîche. The Fine Cheese Co cracker selection comes in a box, meaning they won’t perish between pantry raids, and it can be refilled long after the first batch of crackers ends (cracker selection box flavored, £ 13.95, finecheese.co. UK).
Also try: Peter’s Yard has a terrific range, including round sourdough crusty breads with a hole.
Cheese
The stilton is the classic, but huge patties tend to linger after Christmas, when there’s always plenty to do with leftover cheddar cheese. An entire turn also looks great, but the wax wrapped versions tend to be weirdly soft textures. Instead, opt for a whole cheddar cheese wrapped in fabric. Royal cheesemakers Paxton and Whitfield have a small Pounder Cheddar (£ 15.50 for 550g or a 1.8kg Cheddar Truckle, £ 40)
Also try: a sip of Devonshire red from cheese maker Quicke.
Jam
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Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-12-12 14:09:55
