Blogmas Day 5 | Food & Drink I'll Only Buy at Christmas
Welcome to Blogmas day 5! I'll be writing a festive blog post every day on the run up to Christmas, so keep checking back for more seasonal content! Today, I'll be telling you the food and drink that I'll only buy during the festive season.
When it comes to Christmas, there are some things that are definitely synonymous with it. I wouldn't put fairy lights up around my house all year round, as I associate that with Christmas, for instance. The same also goes for consumables.
There are foods and drinks that I have only ever eaten and bought at Christmas time, even while growing up. So, here are the foods and drinks that I'll ever purchase or make over the festive season, from mince pies to mulled wine.
Mince pies
Mince pies aren't available all year round, but the mincemeat is. If mince pies were your favourite thing, then you could quite easily make some up at home using ready-made pastry. But there's something nice about always having a stash of mince pies on hand, just in case someone visits you over the festive period.
It's almost like to Christmas equivalent of having an everyday pack of biscuits lying around. Mince pies are something I love making at Christmas. So, if you're interested in making your own mince pies, whether they be the classic ones or mince pies with a twist, I've done a few recipes over the years, so take a look below:
Panettone
I will never buy or eat panettone at any other time of year, despite it being available to buy at some artisan shops. I don't know if it's the smell or the shape of it, but it's always something that, when I look at it, brings back childhood Christmas memories.
My parents used to eat it over the festive period with some freshly brewed coffee or a glass of mulled wine. It's just something that unlocks festive memories for me, which is why it will only ever be a treat enjoyed at Christmas.
Tubs of chocolates
When I was a child, the giant tubs of chocolate (Heroes, Roses, Celebrations and Quality Street) were only available to buy at Christmas. But these days, there available to buy all year round. That and they were always in tins.
Plastic tubs never existed, they were almost always metal. Also, the tins were a LOT bigger, let me tell you. So it's a come down in every direction. BUT having said, there's something so festive about having some Christmas chocolates out for anyone to come and have a nibble on.
We buy a mixture of them and mix them together in one big bowl. It makes for an exciting pick and mix! I'll only ever get out chocolates out when we break up for Christmas, so they get opened about four or five days before the big day in our house.
Mulled wine
Mulled wine is my absolute weakness at Christmas, but it has to be proper mulled wine. By 'proper' mulled wine, I mean mulled wine that has been made with a normal bottle of red wine that's simmered with fresh fruit.
My parents always make their mulled wine from scratch on the hob, and they always have done. They used to simmer it on the hob in a big pan, but now, they do it in the slow cooker! I remember many a Christmases where the whole house would smell of wine and warm spices.
So for me, it's not only the taste of mulled wine that makes me feel festive, but the smell also brings back lovely memories of the Christmas season from 25+ years ago. It's never something I'll drink when it's not Christmas, because it's just something that's so synonymous with the festive season.
I have published a mulled wine recipe that you can view here, which is how I make my mulled wine from scratch. It's super easy. All you need is some fruit and a nice (but not overly expensive or super cheap) bottle of red wine - job done.
Bailey's
To me, Bailey's is a treat. Much like the giant tubs of chocolates, I'll never buy a bottle when it's not Christmas, and I won't choose to drink it outside of the festive season, either. It's just the smell and the taste of it that I will always associate with Christmas, much like mulled wine. While I can drink it on its own with a block of ice, it's nice to put in coffees and hot chocolates for a naughty-but-nice addition over Christmas.
Gingerbread
I have never bought gingerbread from the supermarket over Christmas, and neither have my parents growing up. I only ever bake homemade gingerbread, but just at Christmas. There's something about the taste and the texture of it that I'll forever associate with Christmas time.
It's never something I'll bake at any other time of year. It's Lorna's annual batch of gingerbread that everyone looks forward to, that and my giant homemade mince pies! You can find my gingerbread man recipe here which are super easy and simple to make.
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post? Let me know in the comments below what food and drink you'll only buy at Christmas and I'll see you all again tomorrow for Blogmas day 6!
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