Fortnum and Mason indulgent treats and gifts

[AlternativelyWired]

If you shop there, what do you buy?

If posted, I meant.

I usually get DH a pot of their fig chutney and fennel chutney for his Christmas stocking, which he says is the best chutney ever. And their florentines. Also the best, according to him (they do look amazing.) And Earl Grey loose leaf tea. They do great biscuits in pretty tins and lovely marmalade.

@AlternativelyWired that sounds such a wonderful idea. I hope you and your mum enjoy your treats!

The marzipan fruits are gorgeous (if you like marzipan of course!) Also recommend the Welsh rarebit in the ceramic pot (love the stuff but a pfaff to make yourself, at least it is for me)

Just seen it is free delivery over £100 this week

Sorry, meant to say the free delivery this week is for Christmas dates.

@olapexidum thank you for saying sorry. I was feeling a bit hurt (I don't know why, I don't even know you!) because as you say, it was gift, I LOVE champagne, and the box is used. I'm on UC myself so I could never dream of spending that much however I do receive gifts like that. Im very lucky and as you say with cost of living this Christmas might be very different.

When my rich brother was alive, he sent us a Harrods hamper every Christmas or more usually a Fortnum & Mason one. It was always exciting when they arrived, ferreting around in the packing material to find interesting items.

But the wicker baskets were the real treat. We have eleven of varios shapes and sizes dotted around the house. Big ones are used for laundry or piles of seldom worn shoes, smaller ones are handy for abandoned knitting, old photos and similar.

We miss the annual additions to our wicker bounty.

Their packaging has their name all over everything (& inside it usually for that matter)

I've never received anything that didn't have their branding on the outside whether it's a big or small order.

@Brokendaughter that's so exciting, I'm going to save the box to see if my borrowed cats like it.

@TrickyD I'm sorry to hear about your brother but I'm glad you have lovely memories and a lovely wicker collection that is used daily. I'd like a nice wicker collection too but that's never going to happen so I'll make do with a box 😁

Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut Biscuits

You can thank me later.

Florentines! They are amazing.
Also the homeware.
Their Jute bags last forever.

I am loving this thread. I'm looking to put together a few things to send to D1 at university, they do Christmas on the 25th November. As we can't go and collect her at the end of term, I'm wanting to send some treats she can use, otherwise it's just adding to stuff she'll have to ship or store at the end of term.

So far I'm thinking the smoky Earl Grey, or maybe Countess Grey teabags, some honey (love the little squeezy honey bear www.fortnumandmason.com/squeezy-honey-bear-340g ), and maybe the cherry and chocolate curd and some biscuits - those chocolate macadamia biscuits look amazing. She is more of a milk chocolate fan though - would these last two be too dark?

Oh good, was just prepping my F&M list for a bit of a shop next week. Need gifts for an upcoming trip and Im out of the Champagne and Strawberry Jam - its now impossible to go back to Bonne Mamman. I did get a small box of chocolate cremes for myself last year and wasn't really impressed, there are definitely better chocolatiers out there.

Will give the cherry chocolate curd and Florentines selection box a look though. I wonder who purchases the 6K Imperial Hamper?

Any recommendations for good mustards or chutneys to go with turkey?

For those wanting to do a bespoke hamper you just add whatever items you like to your basket and at checkout there is an option to add a basket. They do stop this option later this month.

I love their cookies. It’d a tradition for me to get them for Xmas.

We’ve received several hampers over the years and have asked people to stop wasting their money. The price really doesn’t reflect the quality. Lots of items disappointing, some downright unpleasant. The Christmas pudding (King George, I think?) was the driest, most tasteless pudding we’ve ever had.

My sister swears by the crystalised greengages. Not too sweet and apparently yummy

I'm liking this thread! I've been looking at the beautiful musical advent calendar for my husband (really because I want it), but now tempted to get the feasting calendar so we can try some now things I wouldn't usually buy. I'm always a bit overwhelmed by the choice when I go in there and never know what to choose - although the chocolate chestnut liqueur is tempting...

I've got tickets to take one of my children to storytelling with Father Christmas in December so cannot wait to go and have a look around the Piccadilly store.

@Piccalino3 have you been there before? It's a beautiful store. Will you be there early evening? At Christmas it's lit up like an advent calendar from the outside. It sounds strange but take the time to go over to the other side of the road and really look at the building.

If you are there when it's dark take a walk up OLD Bond Street and around the Mayfair area. I think they are the best Christmas lights in London. You have the shops like Cartier and Tiffany, Gucci etc and they have the most beautiful displays.

I can recommend metaphorically moving upstairs in F&M for the tableware! Yes, the food hall is amazing, but they also have gorgeous ‘tea things’ - mugs, tea-strainers, tea towels etc which make wonderful gifts. My mum doesn’t eat most foods due to allergies and various medical reasons, but is always thrilled with an F&M gift. Plus a bag for life as well, of course.

I was there yesterday to pick up a musical biscuit tin for my mum. 😁

@thestuffthatdreamsaremadeof I have been a few times but at the weekend when it's been insanely busy. I'm going mid week this time so hopefully will be able to look around if I bribe my child with chocolate coins!

We're going to The Dilly afterwards for a Peter Rabbit afternoon tea so hope to be there when it's getting dark. I love that area and will definitely take a walk around - thanks for reminding me I should do that. Hopefully the sugar will keep my 6 year old going. We did a bus tour of the Christmas lights last year, it was amazing!!

I live in Brighton, and Audrey's are in Hove-I always buy as much as I can afford of their chocolate-dipped orange peel at Christmas.

@sueelleker I'm very jealous! Would love to visit their shop although fairly certain I'd come out bankrupt!