Good food finds in the run up to Christmas

I disagree with Jackieb - Italians are quite good at veggie stuff, it's France that it's more difficult ( where vegetarian food is usually a ham omelette) Carluccios panettone is the most delicicious ( and the most expensive) Aldi's one is acceptably yummy, also their Stollen bites.

Dh always has a Carluccios panettone and we buy them for presents and, as they 'get' gf, I am surprised they don't do a gf one.

grannypiper, lidl and aldi are hopeless as far as gf goes - much worse than homegrown supermarkets.

Our Lidl has just installed self-service tills. That was the final frontier as far as I was concerned, no more long queues, hurrah.

Aldi's chocolate stollen bites,while not authentic, are never the less very good.

Shanma a simple "not to my taste" would have got your message across.

My gran's Ecclefechan tart was the best (IMO)
Alas I don't have the recipe.

I have to agree Ann
My little GC are not allowed to spit out their food!
Just a 'I no like'

Lisl defo have best nuts

Mr Kipling mince pies are very good standard 'hand to hand combat' standbys as are Tesco's own. Both are good microwaved for 15 seconds and with a bit of pouring cream.

However, the all-time greatest bough mince pie has to be the Waitrose flat mince pie from the cake counter. Last year they were 60 pence but this year are £1 which is daylight robbery. Nevertheless, I have bought some and they are still the best. The pastry is like shortcake and there is just the right amount of really delicious mincemeat.

Oh those Ecclefechan tarts sound delicious. Must keep walking though, when I go past Sainsburys.

#soddingdietbutitsgottabedone

My friend makes Jocelyn Dimbleby mince pies, she says they are just a bit different but delicious.
I must go round there for coffee

Interesting about the Waitrose off the counter mince pies. Nice to be able to puy just one. No temptation to scoff the whole packet then.

My son swears by the Waitrose cheapest box ones. The pastry is ok but the mincemeat is a mush.

That was to "Lilyflower*

I alway make my own mince pies using Jamie Oliver's sweet pastry recipie, chilling the pastry befor rolling out and then chilling the pies before cooking.

I've got several uncooked batches in the freezer, but always have to cook a sample just to make sure of the standard!

Home made mincemeat & 3 little balls of marzipan in the bottom of each mince pie. Delicious although I have to make some without marzipan as DS hates it.

Sausage rolls with onion & sage too. Oh I can't wait to get cooking but freezer full so will have to wait a bit.

I usually do MP & SR on Christmas Eve afternoon singing along to Carols om Radio 4. My Christmas starts then

Does this count as a Christmas find? Aldi's www.aldi.co.uk/veuve-monsigny-champagne-brut/p/000000015801000

£9.99 PER BOTTLE

Aldi also have some excellent (so good that I ate the entire contents on my own) boxes of cherry liqueur chox.

Kitty have you tried M & S for gf food? I love their sliced seeded bread & seeded rolls. Have also sampled their mince pies - yum! Don't think their gf range is any more expensive than the usual gf stuff in supermarkets.

Bought boxes of chocolate biscuits and shortbread, pannetone and small Christmas pudding s from Lidl - half the price of Waitrose

Also Lidl champagne is really good - bought a bottle to take when staying with relatives - it was delicious. Bought 2 more bottles for Christmas. It's called COMTE DE SENNEVAL

So pleased I do not like mince pies, pannetone etc. I have never heard of Ecclefechan cake- what part of the country does it originate?

They are Scottish Charleygirl. Ecclefechan is in Dumfries and Galloway. If you don't like mince pies you won't like Ecclefechan tarts either.

Lidl mini stollen - totally delectable!

annsixty thank you for reminding me of ecclefechan tarts - leapt up to put them on my shopping lists immediately. That's the trouble when you shop online; you don't see all the treats waiting as you wander round the supermarket

Grannyknot those mini puds sound great. My nearest Co-op is so tiny it's hard to get round but I'll brave it to get some, as I'm the only one in the family who likes Christmas pudding. My dad used to fry slices with his breakfast

Oh dear - my whole family dislike all that Christmas food, Christmas cake,pudding; mince pies,gingerbread,stollen etc. None too keen myself either.

I was comparing prices of (plastic) tins of Quality Street-type sweets in Sainsbury's and their own brand 'Chocolate Treats' at £4 came out best for price per 100g

Aldi have Salted caramel mince pies. Managed to resist buying them yesterday but they are calling me back. With luck they will be sold out - not exactly compatible with my Slimming World diet.