M&S Christmas Food Ordering Thread 2014

[mumtoone1]

For those of you not aware, the christmas food catalogue from M&S comes out next Thursday 9th October 2014 and also goes live on their website then too.

They are doing an early bird again whereby if you place your order before 10th November and if it exceeds 70 (gone up quite a bit this year) then you can choose between Gold Label Chardonnay (75cl) or Gold Label Cabernet Sauvignon (75cl) - While stocks last; substitute available. Wine will be received.

I'm assuming the substitute will be a box of chocolates.

Dates for last orders:

• Christmas - 15th December 2014

• New Year 20th December 2014

I can't wait to get my order in.

OOH! Those veggie options sound lovely! My dad has decided he no longer wants to eat meat (although he insists he is NOT a vegetarian) so I need a veggie alternative this year. I never normally bother because I am the only veggie and I am happy to fill my plate with roast potatoes but dad will want a meat replacement. For 20 years the man has berated me for not eating meat but one trip to a slaughter house and all of a sudden he can't stomach it. How big is the mushroom Wellington? I only ask because I will still have to go through the rigmarole of offering him turkey and pretending the veggie alternative is just for me because he insists he isn't a vegetarian and he shouts at anyone who dares say he is!

Well, I asked nicely and I was given a copy

It's really large this year. Any questions as to what's in it & i'll look for you?

VillageFete please could you describe the stuffings on offer and the Christmas Pud alternatives…

Here you go...

stuffings -

as part of the premium collection garnish (which is 14) they have pork and pancetta stuffing parcels topped with cranberries. as well as stuffing this includes pork and buttered shallot cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon.

the classic garnish (which is 11) has the standard pork, sage and onion stuffing balls, as well as pork cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon.

they also have a pork, cranberry and clementine stuffing wreath, it serves 8-10 and it's 10. delicious outdoor bred pork stuffing with a cranberry and raisin compote. hand decorated with candied orange and finished with a shimmery, fruity glaze

the only dessert i've seen which i'd say was an alternative to christmas pud is this one..

cranberry and clementine pudding, 14, serves 8. a rich, fruity pudding with clementine liqueur soaked cranberries and a hidden centre of cranberry and clementine sauce. hand decorated with glace orange slices and coated in edible gold lustre

Those panchetta wrapped stuffing things are amazing we have them every year!

lovely thank you, any idea what time slots open up tomorrow?

I know it's Thursday, I meant Thursday..

I started saving money for xmas supermarket shops in January through work. By december I will have way too much saved £100 in m&s vouchers, £400 on sainsburys and £200 on asda.

For xmas dinner this year it's just dh, fil, dd and I.

I already know that I wouldn't even spend a quarter of that on xmas food, so will save most of it. But for possibly the only ever time I may do xmas dinner courtesy of m&s.

Would you always get your turkey from them? What kind of veg dishes do they do? Never had xmas stuff from m&s so no clue...

not sure worm, all i can see up to now is about going in store with your order, 20 deposit and you select a time to pick up on either 22nd/23rd or 24th dec.

the veg dishes look lovely Trisis, they also do a seasonal saver that feeds 6 people. you can get one for 100 or one for 60. it's christmas lunch will all the trimmings. they look great.

they have a luxury vegetable selection that's 25 on it's own (or you can get it as part of the seasonal saver) it includes roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, honey roast parsnips, red cabbage and a chantenay carrot and brussel sprout medley.

Loki we had the mushroom Wellington for Christmas Eve last year. It generously served dh, ds (17) and me. Dd doesn't like mushrooms so had something different but if she had wanted it it would have been enough.

Thank you village!! Loving the sound of the vegetable selection and strangely all the veg accompaniments that I had suggested that we have this year, to dh. Yummy!!

Trisis, it looks gorgeous. the 100 seasonal saver includes stuffed turkey, turkey gravy, cranberry & bread sauce, luxury vegetable selection, classic garnish selection (pigs in blankets and stuffing balls) plus a chocolate and raspberry christmas tree cake and a cheese and chutney board.

the 60 saver is the turkey, veg and garnish selection.

it all looks gorgeous and so hassle free.

i'm eating out on christmas day and i'm slightly gutted now! every year i slave away and i fancied a break. should have just bought one of these.

Oooh I am hoping that the xmas food will be online from Thursday aswell so that I can have a good nose...

Isnt the wording great am salivating over the Wreath of stuffing!

It'll be online on Thursday Trish as per my original post x

It is silly how excited I am!

Just to add my tuppence! Last year I did the M&S ordering thing, and just a note to say that although it was nice to collect all the Christmas food just before Christmas, and have it all ready to be bunged into the oven / microwave, I actually found the food itself to be fairly disappointing and below par.
The roasting bird was fairly nice but had an odd sweetness to it which I disliked. The nut roast was delicious but fell apart as soon as it came out of its foil lining.
The roast potatoes all stuck to the base of the tin foil dish and were frankly ruined, they refused to brown and came out like mash.
The vegetables were okay but again, some of them had an odd, unusual sweetness to them.
All in all, I would say (in my opinion) that if you have done it before and liked it, then continue but if its your first time then don't bother

I personally will just be doing more prep this year, and buying and cooking my own food.

Hmmm Woof, that's put me into a quandary!! I think I may get the special veggies, desserts and party food with the M&S gift card then and maybe stick to Sainsburys for the rest. Although I am still tempted by the 3-bird roast...

No worries TrisisFour, I just wanted to add my own personal experience in case anyone was hesitating. It was a lot of money I spent (£100 up), on a meal that was disappointing. I also got the 3 bird roast - it was nice except for the unusual sweetness of the meat which was unexpected.
If I was to do it again, I would put the potatoes into a different container straight away and cook them longer than it says.
Also unfortunately the majority of things I got (3 bird roast, roast veggies, roast potatoes, nut roast) needed to go in at different temperatures. . . annoying as I have one oven, not four!

I won't be doing it again except perhaps for party food bits.

I am stupidly excited about looking at the menu tomorrow!

I have looked nearly ordered for the last 2 Christmases, we have the smallest kitchen ever, I don't really enjoying cooking and it seems to take hours.

This year I will definitely order, and just chuck everything in and forget about it, even if it's not as nice it'll be worth it even just for the pudding

Woof I always find roast potatoes need a lot longer than says on the packaging, not that I often buy them...of course

I always have the Festive Feast for 6, I'd never go back to buying everything individually. Personally, I hope that the prosecco and raspberry pannacotta thing is the dessert, I wasn't too keen to the mousse thing last year.
I also order some bits for Boxing Day, salmon, cold meats, couple of salads, for when DH's family come. I hope they are doing the super salad, it's delicious.

I do the roasties in my acti-fry with a spoon of goose fat, saves room in the oven and they come out gorgeous!

count down to yum. So far I am liking the bacon and stuffed whole bird on waitrose but going to see what M&S offer when it goes live. I dont fancy stuffing the skin myself on the day (lazy I know) but so far M&S only offers crowns that are prepped.

I searched M&S Christmas Food this morning and the Turkeys for 2014 came up... Link below. Don't know if this is in advance of tomorrow or something else. But it might help Photo.

christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/listing/mains/turkey/