What’s Inside A Foodie’s Online Christmas Shop

Feta: It’s a toss‑up which we use more in our house – feta or parmesan. It’s always in the weekly shop. At Christmas, I’m likely using this more for big family breakfast meals – either dropped into eggs or scattered over black beans.

Parmigiano Reggiano: What doesn’t this salty cheese make better? At Christmas, I put it over corn on the cob with olive oil, and add it into many sauces along the way. I also make a parmesan popcorn that’s a lovely snackable treat or aperitivo.

Soft, tangy goat cheese: Great with a kale and dried‑fruit salad (the classic one you find across Spain, where I used to live and still order regularly when I’m back) or simply with quince at this time of year. It’s a must for a cheese board.

Comté: This is my husband’s favourite cheese, so I keep this handy to slice into small rectangles for snacking.

Camembert: Perfect for baking with honey and rosemary. And yes, I drizzle EVOO over that.

Vinegars: I need both a good balsamic, like Acetaia San Giacomo, and a bright apple cider, like Willys – one to use across many dishes. These are liveners in sauces as well as dressings.

Broth: Something like Freja’s  chicken broth is a huge help when I no longer have space in the fridge or freezer (or time!) to use homemade. I also use it in my post‑Christmas tortilla soup when we’re all fed up with festive flavours.

Beans: More for New Year’s Eve but in the Southern US and Latin America – as in Italy – beans are eaten for good luck and prosperity. Chickpeas are a must too, since homemade hummus is so much better (and hard to find without any refined oils). Just blitz it up yourself in five minutes.

Canned corn: Fresh is best but canned is super useful and faster to throw into salads and soups to make them feel extra seasonal at Christmas. Cornbread is also part of my Texas tradition, so canned corn is handy for whipping into the mix with jalapeños at this time of year.

Extra virgin olive oil: One of our Extra Rares from Citizens of Soil  – their early‑harvest, intense notes are lovely for finishing roasted veg and pouring over meat and potatoes.

Nocellara olives: I love the ones by Borough Olives which are buttery and mild on the salt.

Stuffed cherry peppers: Have them with cheese – one of my favourite things.

Potato crisps: But only the ones made exclusively with extra virgin olive oil. San Nicasio make beautiful ones, including those flavoured with paprika with Himalayan sea salt.

Chocolate: We’ve partnered with LAND Chocolate on an olive oil and chocolate bar this season but I also love serving little truffles and keeping boxes of chocolates for after dinner (Booja Booja do some great vegan ones).

Bread: Gail’s is on repeat for most of our dinner parties and Waitrose does a nice gluten‑free sourdough that will cover all bases.

Ice: Chunky blocks – a must for shaking up cocktails and enjoying with whisky.

Vodka & gin: Ice‑cold and ready to go.

Ice-cream: For all those Christmas pies.

Stock cubes: Usually a mix of herbs in EVOO (frozen), wine in ice blocks and homemade stock kept in ice trays to pop into dishes.

Spinach: To throw in whenever there’s an opportunity. I like the PACK’D organic one.

Chardonnay & white burgundy: Big, buttery styles are my favourite aperitivo wines to start the night – the oak and vanilla notes play well with all the Christmas scents.

Red wine: Every year we set aside a couple of bottles, usually at least one magnum from our travels (wine and olive oil come from the same regions, so we’re always among the vines). We bring these home for our big family Christmas meal and also stock up on Berry Bros & Rudd bottles for gifting.

Whisky: I like to have a bourbon and a smoky scotch on hand – but really, I’ll take any interesting batch that the couple behind The Heart Cut source. They find fantastic small batches from award‑winning producers, with clarity and approachability driven by Georgie, one of the leading educators in the whisky space.

Christmas tea: I have multiple infusions a day and at Christmas I like them to smell festive. I’m always on the look‑out for good decaf ones. Fortnum & Mason does a lovely  Apple & Cinnamon blend that makes the day smell all seasonal.

Mother Root: Serve it like an aperitivo, or short and over ice to wind down when I don’t need another whisky. A great non‑alcoholic to have in your bar.

Olive Oil Vodka: 58 & Co x Citizens of Soil. I love a martini, and this is hands‑down the best vodka for that. It won the maximum and elusive three stars at this year’s Great Taste Awards, and features our extra virgin olive oil – giving it a gorgeous mouthfeel and delicate notes that play beautifully in my favourite martini serve: a 50/50.

Vichy Catalan: My favourite sparkling water – mineral with a salty note, perfect on its own or mixed with bitters or citrus as a palate opener.

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