Provisioning the house for the festive season is the best excuse to fill the larder with my favourite things. Living deep in the country means I have fewer opportunities for last-minute purchases, but it does allow me to seek out specialist suppliers and benefit from the relationships I’ve built with those who produce our food. Many of these ingredients have been developing for months – from the rearing of turkeys and geese to creating traditional treats following age-old rituals, such as making the Christmas cake on Stir-up Sunday, on the last weekend before Advent. Much of the enjoyment stems from knowing where things have come from; all these suppliers offer this.
Turkey
The Malseed family of Frenchbeer Farm on Dartmoor National Park in Devon, part of the Duchy Estate, has been producing its award-winning traditional Christmas turkeys for the past
35 years. The slow-growing strains of bronze turkeys enjoy free-range living and a simple, cereal-based diet. By December, at 24 weeks old, the birds are fully mature and have a traditional ‘finish’ of fat. It is this, along with a 10-day hanging period, that ensures the turkeys are succulent, tender and delicious. frenchbeerfarm.co.uk
Goose
Goodman’s Christmas geese, from this family-run farm in Worcestershire, have often been endorsed by the likes of Delia Smith, Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein and Rose Prince. For the first four weeks, the goslings are reared indoors, and thereafter in large grassland paddocks. They are all fed on home-grown wheat, before being dry-plucked, hung for up to 10 days and then packed on the farm. Each goose is delivered ready to cook, along with the giblets and rich goose fat for the roast potatoes. goodmansgeese.co.uk
Ham
DukesHill was awarded royal warrants by the late Queen and, in 2024, by King Charles for
its exceptionally flavoursome and succulent artisan hams. I like to order a bone-in piece
to slice at home, either for breakfast with poached eggs or as part of a kitchen supper over Christmas. If you are a guest, these hams make perfect house gifts and, when all the meat has been carved, you can boil up the bone to make a superb stock for pea and ham soup. dukeshill.co.uk
Pudding
Sally Clarke offers nationwide delivery of her tempting handmade festive goodies, including mince pies, Christmas puddings and generously sized Christmas cakes, to set you up for the whole season. These are also available from her eponymous shop in west London and sister company Notting Hill Bakery. sallyclarke.com
Cheese
Neal’s Yard Dairy champions British cheeses online and also at its five shops in London. It is consistently my go-to when I’m looking for whole cheeses, such as Colston Bassett Stilton, and also for an appealing selection to create a generous cheeseboard. All the cheeses are produced by traditional makers on farms in the British Isles and in Ireland – each with its own interesting story. nealsyarddairy.co.uk
Chocolate
Melt London is an independent, family-owned chocolate maker that’s based in Notting Hill, and
it remains my favourite British chocolate producer. Whether they are being bought as presents or treats to enjoy at home, its exquisite, gourmet handmade chocolates are presented jewel-like in pretty boxes, or in the form of gold-coated bars or nut-studded slabs. meltchocolates.com
Wine
The Wine Society is a cooperative-buying organisation that allows its members to benefit from surprisingly reasonable prices on a huge selection of fine wines. Since 1874, it has ensured fairer bottle prices for both members and producers. Its service covers everything from £12 bottles to advice on creating a vintage cellar plan, and it offers next-day delivery in the UK. thewinesociety.com
