Good food finds in the run up to Christmas

I'm so jealous Daphne. If only I could get myself to Sainsbury I'd snap some up. Still incarcerated though. Pesky knee!

PS I LOVE Ecclefechan tarts and when I buy the Sainsbury's mini mince pie selection it is the tarts which disappear first.

Deedaa
The reference would mystify some of my "Home Counties" Southern friends!

Thanks to J52 and Shanma for the info on Ecclefechan tarts. I'll take a look in Sainsburys when I next pop in.

You don't have to be Scottish DaphneBroon

Blinko you can get them in Sainsbury, you are not missing out they truly are disgusting.

Cheers HildaW and Greyduster for your ideas to enrich bought mincemeat. Just returned from Chester Xmas market - wonderful Xmas food and drink!

I wonder why the reference to Ecclefechan tarts makes me think of The Ball of Kirriemuir?
Scottish grans, fill in the gaps for yourselves!!

Ecclefechan tarts usually can be found in Sainsbury's in the run up to Christmas. There are recipies on the Internet and they are not difficult to make, very rich,fruity and nutty!

I regularly pass Ecclefechan, but although I love the tarts, have never stopped to buy some!

I am looking for these ecclefechan tarts, so far without success. I feel I may be missing out on a treat...

Can I add "one to lose forget? I quote :-
Heston Blumenthal's chicken stock "a rich stock made by simmering chicken bones, vegetables, and herbs, made even better by adding Korbut, an Asian kelp rich in savoury umami taste"
Bought to try for a raised pie I plan for Boxing Day. Waste of time and money, boiling up a pack of chicken wings (usually for chicken soup) with an onion, a carrot and a bay leaf in the pressure cooker produces a tastier and "jellier" stock everybtime.

I found some gluten free mini sausages, last year when I looked just before Xmas was told they did not stock them so near Xmas so this year bought them and froze in November. I like the Black Farmer ones to make pigs in blankets, found in Sainsbury's also gound some mini GF cocktail sausages in Waitrose

Thanks Caramac.You have reminded me to book a Sainsburys delivery. I have booked for 23 Rd late evening.Brilliant!

Jocelyn Dimbleby pastry for mince pies - just use freshly squeezed orange juice instead of water. Makes a big difference.

I agree with pensionpat. Aldi do the best Pannetone. We have already polished one off, and I will be going back for more, pronto.?

Lidl pigs in blankets - 12 for £1.99. Sharing the cooking for sixteen adults and children, it takes an age to prepare enough of these so very much worth buying to safe time and effort.

I'm going to try baking Mary Berry's mincemeat buns this weekend - nice change from pastry. May make them more festive with a little white icing and a cherry on top!

Oh, ecchlefechan tarts remind me so much of my late mum who loved them

M and S are doing their cherry liqueurs on 342. Yum.

I do that too, hildaW. Nuts, dried apricots, glacé cherries, help lift it out of the realms of the ordinary.

I've booked my Sainsbury's grocery delivery slot! I've got 3 grandchildren all through the holidays (I buy extra leave from work) so can't face a big shop
It's Thursday 22nd as no closer dates released yet but that's fine for most stuff. A quick visit for fruit and veg (and not loads of other tempting items) on Christmas Eve at opening time and I'm sorted

GandT - I tend to buy any decent Supermarkets own mincemeat, but not their high end one - and 'doctor' it with more booze, nuts and fresh orange zest and then bulk it up with some more dried fruit to ensure its not too sloppy, leaving it for a few hours to meld - I usually manage to pass it off as 'homemade' then!

Today's haul from Lidl - chocs in the shape of a cork with popping candy inside , and pistachio filled chocolates in the shape of holly leaves. Will have to hide them. From myself.

Kittylester,
Haven't found gluten free pannetoni, I'm looking for gluten free stolen !
Made a gluten free mince pie type thing, with gf shortbread base, Mincemeat then gf crumble top with brown sugar, it's yummy!!

Still hoping to hear that someone has found some decent mincemeat in the shops!