Higgidy’s Christmas Range

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Higgidy snacks are starting to play more of a role in the Christmas feasts and this year they have a limited edition selection for the festive period.  So, if you’re pecking before dinner, or picking something up at work that’s different compared to your normal sandwich, Higgidy have something for you. Don’t worry if you’re vegetarian too, there’s some lovely veggie options that anyone can enjoy.

Starting with the rolls, there’s the twin pack Pigs In Blankets Inspired Sausage Rolls with bacon jam.  These are sausage rolls with a hint of bacon flavour from the bacon jam.  They’re topped with extra mature cheddar, a touch of parsley and delicious beetroot crumbs. This is the pigs in blanket hit you didn’t know you needed as it requires no cooking, but like all of the Higgidy range, you can heat them if you prefer.

There’s also the Beechwood Smoked Ham Hock & Mature Cheddar Sausage Rolls with Dijon Mustard. This pack of 6 rolls can also be heated for 6-8 minutes or eaten cold, which is what I preferred to do as part of a weekday lunch.  The puff pastry is especially puff and reminds me of Christmas with the fresh mince pies of a similar texture. There’s also poppy seeds on top and a light sprinkling of sea salt to compliment the ham hock. 

For the vegetarians, there’s the two pack of French Brie and Cranberry Rolls. These are also puff pastry and topped with extra mature Cheddar and Emmenthal cheese, millet seeds and dried beetroot crumb. I really liked the flavour of these, and they’re just as filling as the sausage rolls where you can taste the Brie and cranberry side-by-side.

If you know the Higgidy range then you’ll know they also do mini muffins.  This Christmas season’s mini muffins are the Extra Mature Cheddar & Spinach Mini Muffins which are a cross between a baked muffin and a crustless quiche. They contain wheat, but they’re big on cheese and eggs too. You can really taste the turmeric and chilli powder which makes them great party bites as well as snacks.  They can also be heated for 3-6 minutes or left open in the fridge for the family to help themselves at Christmas time!

Lastly, my favourite; the Beechwood Smoked Bacon & Extra Mature Cheddar Quiche with Bechamel.  Bechamel always feels like a luxurious treat to me so when it’s part of this delicious Higgidy quiche it brings me back to Christmas and works particularly well with the smoked bacon. There’s a lot of mixture in this quiche which provides the flavour and the Extra Mature Cheddar is a great bed-mate of the Beechwood Smoked Bacon. I loved this to eat straight out of the box and with some olives, coleslaw or as a piece on its own. It has a beautiful texture too and the pastry is thin and quite light, so you don’t get full up on the stodgy edges.

Lovely snacks, lovely lunches and a great shortcut this Christmas to not having to cook but to be able to bring a few more festive flavours to the table.

All items available at Tesco and Sainsbury’s with the two packs also available at Boots on the Food To Go counters.

Mariage Frères Noel Royal Tea

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

If you’re looking for a gift for the tea lover this Christmas, the Mariage Frères Noel Royal Tea is a safe bet.  This loose tea comes in its own gorgeous, air tight tin which can be used again but the Christmassy red packaging is perfect for the Christmas Lunch table, in a stocking or even just on its own.

Mariage Frères Noel Royal Tea is a black tea with fruit pieces added to give a more fragrant, fruity flavour.  Consumed without milk but left to brew for 5 minutes (I use a loose tea strainer) it takes approximately 2.5 grams of tea to make a cup. As the tin contains 80 grams in all, that’s 32 cups of tea that can be made from just one tin! One for every day of advent or suitable for the whole family throughout the Christmas period.

The aroma of the tea when you open the packet is overwhelmingly fruity, with its sweet tones and fresh black tea fragrance underneath. It takes all of the 5 minutes to brew the tea as it’s slightly weak with only a minute or two, and I found that even after 5 minutes it didn’t become too strong so I could recommend making a pot of tea with Noel Royal.  

At £28 a tin it’s for the tea connoisseurs and lovers of fragrant teas but makes a great gift for Gran or as part of a hamper at Christmas time.  Noel Royal is part of the Royal Fairy range by Mariage Frères this Christmas which can be found on their website: https://www.mariagefreres.com/en/tea/tea-collections/royal-fairy-teas.html

Available from £28 at: