Christmas fare for your table
Christmas has a tendency to sneak up on us – no matter how much we’ve tried to be organised. Luckily, Christchurch is home to some incredible options to source your festive fare, and Neat Places has the insider tips.
Yumm
The Colombo, Christchurch The shopping centre centrepiece has all the delicious, gourmet and festive goods for inspired Christmas-time tables. Peruse the rustic wooden box tops in the middle of The Colombo to find finishing touches and meal heroes. Known for its gourmet salt grinders, nothing at this aptly named gourmet larder is plain: The mouthwatering array of condiments, craft beers and soda syrups all have a unique twist. As does the Pohutukawa Pantry range with its bounty of Christmas cakes, shortbread, truffles, fruit mince pies and Christmas puddings. Yumm is also the perfect place to find gifts and stocking fillers. Check out the Kiwi hampers and Seriously Good Chocolate.
The Lincoln Pantry
5 Robert St, Lincoln
As purveyors of quality produce, the focus at The Pantry is on offering Lincoln locals gourmet, natural, organic and healthconscious food, preferring to source from small producers, locally and internationally, to create a farmers’ market feel within the store – the perfect recipe for bringing an artisan feel to your own table this festive season. Ask about Lincoln Pantry’s gift hampers such as The Cantabrian – a selection of alllocal products, which is a favourite. There is also a range of Christmas puddings, fudge, fruit mince and, of course, the famed Wilken & Sons Brandy Butter.
And if all these delectable options mean you work up an appetite in store, so be it – the range of cabinet goodies is the perfect shopping sustenance.
Traiteur European Butchery
Cnr Aikman and Papanui Rds, Merivale
Putting the deli-cious in delicatessen, this Merivale foodie haven is a go-to for the freshest, finest and most indulgent feasts. With a European feel, Traiteur offers the finest of everything, year-round.
Local produce sits alongside imported delicacies with rich ranges of wines, cheeses, condiments and sauces, fresh salads and baked goods. At Christmas, there is everything from glazed hams to fresh turkeys, with or without turkey gravy, to Christmas puddings, Christmas cakes, almond sticks and, of course, aged meat.
Canterbury Cheesemongers
301 Montreal St, Christchurch
Christmas cake? How about cheesecake. No, not that type of cheesecake. Instead, stack wheels or slabs of brie, blue, gouda (or whatever you prefer), and there you have it – Christmas cake with not a drop of brandy or lick of mascarpone to be seen.
Canterbury Cheesemongers, located in the Christchurch Arts Centre, has the finest range of cheeses, all expertly stored and aged to perfection. Stocking locally-, nationally- and internationally-made cheeses, the cheesemongers takes things seriously.
The company has gift ideas and selections available to deliver to the luckiest tables in Canterbury. Alongside the cheesy offerings are breads and pastries and other platter-perfect accompaniments to make your festive season one of the creamiest yet.
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