Best posh/fancy foods?

[AMessageToYouRuby]

Got a ‘foodie’ relative staying from US so went to Fortnums and the foodhalls of Knightsbridge at the weekend. Some things (£8 radicchio!) are an absolute rip off but got me thinking, what are the best fancy foods?

My choices so far but feel free to disagree:

Torres Truffle Crisps
Nocellara Olives
Laurent Perrier everything
M&S chocolate Biscuits almost definitely non-U but have to be included off the strength of their own merits

Before the pitchforks appear; I know, COL, and mn ‘naice’ snobbery, and I like Netto 7p beans on white sliced with plastic cheese as much as or probably even more than most people and it is a perfectly good dinner anyone should be grateful for. However, some things really are just worth the indulgence.

Candied jalapeños?!! Oh I NEED these in my life!!

@TragicMuse agree

Really good grapes wrapped in slices of Serrano ham
Truffle honey roasted fig and pancetta crostini with Gorgonzola
Lobster thermidor - surprisingly easy!
Scallops with black pudding and streaky bacon

We've had the Fortnum English teabags in the past and currently working through their jubilee loose leaf tea, it's nice but not a patch on Yorkshire gold. I do like to use the tins to store my Yorkshire gold teabags in after they're empty because I'm pretentious like that

For English fizz, you can't drink better than Terlingham. It's fabulous. I used to live in France (which is a polite way of saying some of my friends and I can be horrible food/wine snobs) and we think their sparkling (both the white and the rose) is wonderful. The wine is still all made by the family themselves (I used to work with one of the husbands) in small batches and they don't really advertise so it's quite niche (they actually turned down a contract to supply Eurostar) and very good value.

https://terlinghamvineyard.co.uk/product/2017-blanc-de-blancs/

Alex James cheeses. The Brie in particular blew my mind ( and I do like my cheeses!)

Vindication! Not pretentious, sounds like the best of both worlds if you ask me.

My Amercan SiL loves back bacon, anchor butter and English bread, she says it's the best . She had a cooked breakfast every morning and would have eaten it for dinner too.

Knoops hot chocolate. I'm a big fan of the 38% Solomon Islands one. Definitely worth it.

We treated ourselves to the beef wellington from fortnums at the end of last year, it was worth every penny. Honestly one of the best things I've ever eaten. I also love Grom gelato.

@JesusdroveaHonda I had no idea what Knoops was, they've opened one near my office. I assumed it was a coffee shop. Will give it a go.

@wednesdayrobyn Sounds divine. Love beef wellington. Was this in a restaurant there or did you take it home and cook it?

Hu chocolate bars - the one with hazelnut butter is my favourite. Almond and cashew butter ones are also very good.

Thursday Cottage marmalade and jams - excellent on homemade crepes.

Hot avijar. I eat it on/with everything. It is delicious and, harissa

Lovely

Yes, yes, yes

Oh yes, the F&M chocolossus are divine.
F&M chocolates
Fancy strong cheddar.
M&S broccoli cheese.
Kennedy's chocolates

Taramasalata and caviar from pertrorussian (online) cheese Paxton and Whitfield or I J Mellis. . If you are in fortnums they do an amazing chicken liver pate.

So if I'm buying candied jalapeños do they have to be Haynes? Any recommendations on whether red or green?

www.petrossian.com/

Ooh yes! I had one of these recently and it was spectacular

@AMessageToYouRuby

They do amazing hot chocolate/ chocolate milkshakes!

Local seasonal stuff.

My American SiL loves white stilton.
Wife of Bath cheese?

This time of year: black berry, plum and rhubarb crumble.

These salted caramels 🤤

www.artisanduchocolat.com/collections/salted-caramels/products/no1-salted-caramels-original?variant=43746146680998

I would spend decent cash on a good filet steak.