British Christmas Food Indulgences

Imagine that you are born in one country and then spend an appreciable amount of time living in another country.  You come to love the foods and traditions of your adopted home.  It is only natural. 

 

I spent a third of my life living in the United Kingdom.  I came to love and enjoy the people and their traditions and customs, foods etc. very much. It really became my home for the whole time I lived there.

While I lived in the U.K. there were things I missed terribly from my home in Canada, and now I am back living in Canada, there are things I miss terribly from the U.K.  especially at this time of year.

 

I find myself glued to BritBox and Acorn television because, really, there is no better television to watch in the world than British television.  And I have to watch all of the British Christmas Adverts on YouTube from all of the major shops. 

They have some of the best Christmas adverts I have ever seen and every year all the major retailers vie with each other to come up with the most entertaining adverts. This is a video of the top ten adverts. I guarantee you will love them as much as I do.  Well, at least I hope that you do! 

I have spent the last couple of months gathering all of my favorite festive treats that I am missing from the U.K.   The things that I came to enjoy so very much every year during the Christmas season. I thought it would be fun to share them with you today.  

I always buy my British stuff from Blighty's. This is not an advert for them, but my own personal opinion. I find that they have a great selection of British foods to choose from and everything I have ever ordered from them has been impeccable, well wrapped, well delivered, quality and within date.

I bet I put an order in with them every six weeks or so. They have such a great selection of things to choose from. I wish I lived closer as I would be popping into their shop to get fresh items that can't be shipped in the post.

Anyways, here are the things I have collected to enjoy throughout this Christmas Season!

 

Paxo Stuffing Mix.  I can remember when I first moved over to the U.K. I thought their stuffing was really wierd, but I came to fall in love with it. Its very unique in comparison to North American stuffing. It is made with rusk crumbs.  

You can make a really great Christmas stuffing with it by mixing one packet of the stuffing crumbs with a pound of good quality sausage meat.  It is delicious.  You just mix the two together and shape into balls and cook them in the oven with the turkey for the last half hour or so of the turkey bake time, or even while the turkey is resting.

The British enjoy a very meaty Christmas. They often plait slices of streaky bacon and lay it over the top of the turkey while it is roasting, and will accompany it with  Pigs in Blankets, which are small chipolata sausages wrapped in streaky bacon, the sausage stuffing balls, etc.  All very yummy and all very traditional.

I had to have my Paxo to make some sausage stuffing!

 

Bisto Gravy Granules.  The British love their Bisto gravy and it comes in all sorts of flavors. Beef, onion, turkey, chicken, pork, vegetable, etc.   It is such a convenient item to have in the larder.

Especially for Boxing day when all of the regular turkey gravy might be used up!  Plus to me, a little bit of Bisto is like a taste from home. 

I did not get a Christmas Cake made this year.  I didn't order my luxury mixed fruit mix in time. (It is a unique combination of currants, raisins, sultanas, cherries, etc.)  Its also very difficult to get marzipan here and the fondant icing.

I ordered a small fruitcake slab that promised to be rich and fruity.  Walker's is a good name in baked goods.  It has the marzipan layer and a layer of fondant icing on it.

 

I couldn't resist it. For the people in my family who imbibe in alcohol.  A Highland Whisky Cake.  Also from Walkers.  Single Malt Scotch Whiskey.

It wasn't cheap, so it better be good.

 

I also didn't get a Christmas Pudding made because of the same reasons.  Also I broke my pudding bowl.  So I ordered a luxury Christmas Pudding and then for those who imbibe a pot of Brandy Butter. 

I do like to spoil my family at Christmas. Again, not cheap, but neither is making one from scratch.

 

Walkers Highland Shortbread Biscuits.  They really are delicious. Short and buttery, and I could not resist that tin.   I am a real lover of decorative cookie tins.  

How could I resist?  Plus shortbread.  Not homemade, but close.

 

Again, I bought these because of the tin.  I am sure the grandchildren will help to gobble these festive biscuits up.   There is a nice selection of their favorite types in the tin.  

Yes, I am a glutton when it comes to decorative tins.  They make the best sewing boxes or tins to store your home baked goods in the rest of the year, or even to take a gift of homemade cookies to a friend in. But trust me.  These tins are staying right here!

Brandy Snaps.  Tubular. Sweet. Brittle. Perfect with whipped cream piped into the centers.  These make a fabulous after dinner indulgence and are great on Christmas Eve or even New Years Eve as  a sweet treat that won't lay heavy on the stomach.

 

Christmas Winter Berry Preserves to serve with fresh Crumpets  on Christmas morning.  You need something a little bit special.

This jam would even be wonderful to serve with my Christmas Drop Scones. Drop scones are like a type of thick pancake as opposed to the traditional crepe like British pancakes.  These are nicely spiced for Christmas.

 

I am almost embarrassed to tell you how many jars I bought of this mincemeat.  I did give one to my sister.  This is the best prepared mincemeat that you can buy.

I always go through a ton of mincemeat in the holidays. I love British mincemeat. It is rich and fruity and so delicious.  I find the mincemeat you buy here in North America pales in comparison.  Yes, I could make my own and I often do, but it never hurts to have a cheeky jar or two in the cupboard.

I always end up using it all up.  Festive Apple Mincemeat Pudding is one of my favorite ways to use it. It is  a mincemeat filled  sponge cake baked over sweet apples.  So tasty spooned into bowls and served with lashings of either warm custard or single cream.

 

Lemon Curd.  Who can't use a cheeky jar of lemon curd in the larder.  I always have some sort of lemon curd in my cupboard. It comes in handy for all sorts.  

And yes, I have been known to eat it with a spoon.  How could I resist this variety?  It sounded delicious!  To fill a cake or some tart shells, perhaps with some whipped cream atop a meringue pavlova bake.  I know it will come in handy.  Its a great store cupboard ingredient to have for those times when unexpected guests drop by and you are wanting a quick and easy dessert to serve.

I also have ready baked meringues in my larder. These are lovely broken up and layered in glass jars with lemon curd and whipped cream. A quick and easy and simple dessert that always pleased. You can even add some fresh berries.  Mmm  . . . raspberries or blackberries would be great.

 

Another indulgence to spread on toast Christmas morning or any morning throughout the holidays. And then there is the Ham to glaze, also great on that!

I can never run out of uses for a good jar of marmalade!

I know, more marmalade.  But I was envisioning this in my Marmalade Cake.   A great dessert to serve for tea during the holidays, especially when you have company.

A lovely snack cake with a tangy glaze and beautiful flavor.  Bucks Fizz Marmalade?  Yes please!  In cake, on scones, just bring it on!

 

Boxing Day Chutney.  This will come in very handy to serve with all of the meaty leftovers on Boxing Day.  Boxing Day is a day which is celebrated throughout the commonwealth and is the day after Christmas.

Traditionally it was the day that the employees of the wealthy would be given the day off and a gift of their Christmas Boxes. Often it was fabric for the housemaids, etc. to make a new uniform dress or apron, but often it was nicer things, and a way for the employer to show their appreciation for the employees hard work all the year through.

In my family we always serve the Christmas leftovers as well as homemade Tourtiere  on Boxing Day.   My sister makes the best Tourtiere.  She already has her meat bought to make them.  I will likely go over and help her on the day that she puts them together.

 

Now we get into the Christmas Chocolates. I always get a tub of Celebrations for the holidays.  All of our favorite bite sized chocolates from the people who do Mars.  The tubs have gotten a bit smaller through the years, but the chocolate is still the same deliciousness we love.

I love Maltesers.  Its  my favorite of all, along with the Galaxy.  The grandkids will help these to disappear I am sure!  It is a chocolate for kids.

 

And for the grownups a tub of Cadbury Roses.  I love Cadbury Roses.  And not just because of the tub which comes in really handy after the holidays. I really love Cadbury Chocolate. Its the best.

I always loved the coffee one, but they don't seem to make that any more.  But there is still a lovely selection of chocolates in the tub.  For grown up tastes.

 

What would a Christmas Stocking be without a Walnut Whip  hidden in it's depths.    A milk chocolate tower filled with sweet  marshmallow cream and topped with a toasted walnut.

Delicious.

 

A tall tube of Mini Cheddars. Oh, I love Mini Cheddars. Lovely to  munch on when you are decorating the tree, or watching the Christmas shows.  I love that they are baked and that they taste so cheesy.  

Quite moreish.

 

A tall tub of Twiglets.  I didn't quite know what to make of Twiglets when I first  moved over to the U.K.  I think they are somewhat of an acquired taste.

A wheat based baked snack, shaped like twigs, brown in color with an unusual flavor.

 

I wasn't sure I liked them when I first tasted them. They are brushed with a mix of marmite and I think Worcestershire sauce.  They have a very unique flavor, but I find them to be quite moreish in small amounts. 

I wanted to introduce my family to the taste!  I have always called these the snack you love to hate, but can't get enough of!

 

A grab bag of Cadbury Heroes to enjoy while wrapping gifts and listening to Christmas Carols, or for when we are enjoying a rousing game of Yahtzee or Crazy Eights at the table.   You don't play you don't get chocolate!

Yes, they are already opened. 😝  What can I say. Guilty as charged.

And, I know they are not British, but Danish Butter Cookies.  And yes, the tin is a huge part of this indulgence.  But the biscuits are also really scrumptious.  You have to have butter cookies over the holidays!  They are a tradition!

And this is the British Christmas Food I have indulged in so far this year.  Oh it is by no means a full list of the things that I miss and will continue to miss, but it will have to do, for this year at any rate!  I could really do with some British Crisps (potato chips).  Pigs in Blankets?  Ham and Mustard?  Turkey and Stuffing?  The British do come down with some really choice flavors!

Happy Christmas!

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