Fortnum and mason

[cornflowerblue30]

I'm looking for help with fortnum and mason please. If I were to give you a hamper from fortnum and mason with 5 things in it what would you be hoping for?
I'm not familiar with their products but know the brand.
Anyone have any recommendations please?
Any particular biscuits, crackers, chutney or jams?
Thanks

Oooh and their icy mint chocolates (am I allowed 6 things?)

Now I want an F & M hamper!

I’ve had 3
Taste of tea hamper
Regular oblong hamper
Taste of Fortnums hamper
All 3 are different shaped baskets and I use them for storage
They’re excellent products too

Ooo, and the Fortnums Collection Hamper too

I used to work next door and know it well! I'd do :

Musical Tea Biscuit tin
Honeycomb honey pot
A jam or marmalade
Mixed tea bag selection
Champagne truffles

Can’t believe nobody has mentioned the Lucifer biscuits yet

I like the biscuits with the pistachios in.

I’d been umming and ahhing about getting myself a small F&M hamper for Christmas this year ( single parent, don’t get any gifts and because of covid will be on my own when the kids go to their dad). Think this thread has made me decide to definitely go for it!

Which will you buy, @littlestpogo? I love the £65 ones, but assume the basket is teeny tiny.

You definitely must, @littlestpogo! Dh gave me a hamper last year, for Christmas, and it was lovely.

I do occasionally look wistfully at their most expensive hampers, but they are way beyond my reach.

If you’re thinking an actual, physical F&M wicker “hamper” then I don’t think they sell them separately so that you can fill them with your own choice of contents. But any of the hamper sets they sell would be an amazing gift.
I get edible stocking fillers from there every Year for family. Things like marzipan fruits, chocolates and biscuits. They are always gratefully received!

If you’re thinking an actual, physical F&M wicker “hamper” then I don’t think they sell them separately so that you can fill them with your own choice of contents.

They have a bespoke hamper department in store who will help you select items @Batfinklestein or you can build your own hamper online. They use the same wicker hampers.

www.fortnumandmason.com/create-your-own-hamper

Sorry to butt In. I have never bought anything from F&M but have worked in a bakery that makes some of their Christmas items (years ago), I know they are good quality but wondered what the fancy iced biscuits are like? Was thinking of buying the dc’s a tin each for Christmas as dd would love the ‘creepy crawly’ biscuit tin.

They do the most divine biscuits for cheese. And half the joy is in the packaging: I have had my sewing kit in a Fortnum’s biscuit tin for two decades now.

Oooh @orangenasturtium I stand corrected!
For some reason I thought I’d tried to do that before, but you couldn’t make your own.
Now I thinking of doing one for picky relatives for Christmas, thanks

They overcomplicate it online @Batfinklestein. Instead of having a page where you select and buy the hamper with the measurements and hamper prices, you have to buy the items to go in it first. Then when you check out, there is a tiny link at the delivery stage of checkout where you can add gift wrap or a hamper. It's a lot easier in store!

@Whitney168 and @SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius - is that is the question .

Does anyone know what the Best Before dates are like on the iced biscuits? I don't want to start buying and find they expire before the big day.

@TweeBree

Does anyone know what the Best Before dates are like on the iced biscuits? I don't want to start buying and find they expire before the big day.

They have some sale items on the website and have clearly listed expiry dates on those - mostly Nov - ie not suitable for Christmas gifts.

Perhaps email and ask?

@orangenasturtium

Actually, *@Whitney168*, I slightly prefer the ones that Waitrose sells!

They taste exactly the same but the texture of the fondant is different and the chocolate is a little thicker on the F&M ones. They are both excellent though. The F&M packaging is beautiful though so they are a nicer gift. Luckily, I have a very generous friend who always brings them as a gift when he comes to dinner.

F&M sell them in tiny boxes of 2 (1 violet and 1 rose cream), if you want to try a taste test. I don't know if they have them online though. They make excellent stocking fillers!

In the interests of selfless research, I put a small box of rose & violet cremes on my F&M order, which arrived today.

Am happy to say that although the F&M box very lovely, the House of Dorchester rose & violet cremes from Waitrose better by a mile!

Thanks for being so selfless @Whitney168!

The F&M ones have dryer fondant and thicker chocolate than the House of Dorchester ones, IIRC? I suppose I should follow your example and do a side by side taste test myself

Now I'd agree that the fondant is drier, firmer on the F&M ones, but the chocolate is darker and much thicker on the HoD ones (which is good, in my. book).

Perhaps the F&M ones have changed. They certainly seemed nearer to the Waitrose/M&S own brand ones that I've had in the past - fondant is lovely flavours, but because of the milkier and thinner chocolate they didn't feel particularly special.

I feel you should also selflessly test though, for research purposes.

Ah yes, I had forgotten that the F&M ones are milk chocolate. As my memory is so terrible, I will have to do my own taste test. It would be irresponsible of me not too if I am going to post my opinion online

We are martyrs to the cause, for sure.