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![PROVENANCE SLUG
Buried
treasure
Worth more than its weight
in gold, the white truffle
is a gourmet superstar
BY AMY BROOMFIELD
very autumn, once the early mornings
E have turned colder and the trees change
their hue, the cavatori begin to roam the
misty forests of Alba. Dressed in their
flat-caps and tweed jackets, they carry
a stick in one hand and lead a pig with the other.
They are the seasoned truffle hunters, hardened
to the cold, ready to search for tuber treasure.
Growing only in this region of northern Italy,
the tartufo bianchetti or white truffle is a type of
fungus that has been venerated for nearly 4,000
years. Nestled in the soils of these forests, the According to experts at leading supplier P.A.Q.
ancient roots of oaks, willows, hazels, poplars and Gubbio, “Truffles need a sunny summer with rainy
lindens have all helped create the white truffle’s intervals. Alba’s forests are at the right altitude and
deep woody flavour and unique aroma. It is this its fine soil means they grow well.”
earthy scent, similar to the pheromones of male However, the change in climate has seen a steady
pigs, that the female pig’s acute sense picks up decline in the growth and quality of white truffles
on. The foragers instantly know when a truffle has over the past 15 years, so that competition for them
been found as their pigs excitedly dig and snaffle at is fiercer than ever and suppliers are notoriously
the base of a tree – this is where the stick comes in secretive about the areas in which they forage.
handy. Cavatori have been known to lose a finger Truffle oils have emerged as a more cost-effective
as they do battle with an overzealous pig for the way of infusing foods with a truffle flavour, but
treasured truffle. These days, some cavatori use their use is controversial. Few oils on the market are
trained dogs instead. made with actual truffles; instead they use synthetic
If ever an ingredient could be said to enjoy compounds that attempt to copy the taste.
culinary superstardom, it would be the white truffle. Meanwhile, farmers in France have found ways
The fungus looks like a cross between a potato and to cultivate the black Périgord truffle in specially
a walnut, and has a taste and aroma unlike anything created fields, but doing the same with white Alba
else on the planet. To our Michelin-starred friends, truffles has so far proved unsuccessful. Foragers are
it is the indisputable “king of the kitchen”. The white truffle’s hugely opposed to the idea, believing that hurrying
Unlike its black counterpart, the Périgord, the the growth process will not only impinge on the
white truffle is very rare and its flavour is impossible
pungent, earthy scent taste, but also decrease the market value. Experts
to replicate, though many have tried. Restaurants makes it an ideal at Gubbio believe there is no reliable way to cultivate
with white truffles on the menu use them sparingly. white truffles. This is good news for the cavatori
They know it is an expensive commodity but that
pairing for rich, buttery whose livelihood and way of life revolve around
just a raw sliver of it can transform the simplest dish sauces... as well as truffle hunting. As famous gastronome Jean-
– tagliatelle, risotto or even a plate of fried eggs – Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said: “The most learned
into a gourmet meal. The pungent, earthy scent of
flavouring beef men have sought to ascertain the secret [of the
Foraging picture Getty Images
the white truffle, complemented with hints of garlic, truffle], and fancied they discovered the seed. Their
makes it an ideal pairing for rich, buttery sauces as promises, however, were vain, and no planting was
well as excellent for flavouring beef. So powerful ever followed by a harvest. As one of the great values
is their aroma that the truffles need to be handled of truffles is their dearness, perhaps they would be
and stored carefully. less highly esteemed if they were cheaper.” HMN
TOP A truffle hunter and his dog search for
Alba white truffles ripen in October and tuber treasure; ABOVE The white truffle’s
November, the best time for foraging. Their growth lumpy, odd appearance belies its value
relies on very specific environmental conditions. and its flavour Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor
40 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/harrodsfoodentertaining-111108083129-phpapp01/85/Harrods-food-entertaining-84-320.jpg)
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Harrods food & entertaining
From November 9 to November 30, 2010, Harrods celebrates champagne with over 70 prestigious selections, including vintage and non-vintage options. The event features tastings and showcases newly introduced brands like Philipponnat and Joseph Perrier alongside well-known houses such as Bollinger and Charles Heidsieck. Additionally, the new Harrods wine shop opens during this period, enhancing the champagne experience with unique amenities and expert guidance.
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- 1. Champagne Tuesday 9th –Tuesday 30th November 2010
- 2.
- 3. O ur sparkling celebration is once again upon us. From Tuesday 9th to Tuesday 30th november, harrods hails the Champagnes that have captured our hearts and graced our events over the past years. as the excitement and festivities of the Christmas season build, now is the perfect opportunity to find your favourite bubbly. Choose from over 70 prestigious wines on offer throughout the month – from brut non-vintage to vintage rosés and prestige cuvées. Rediscover the legendary stars of the Champagne region and become acquainted with Champagne philipponnat and Joseph perrier, new on our shelves this year. Throughout the world, fine Champagne is considered a mark of luxurious celebration, whilst in its country of origin France, Champagne is as equally enjoyed with a meal. Champagnes are usually made from either Chardonnay, pinot meunier or pinot noir and are typically banded into ‘non-vintage’ or ‘vintage’ – each offering great wines, although the latter will naturally show the characteristics of that particular harvest, while non-vintage wines are produced to a house style and blended each year to deliver a certain taste. each Champagne house offers its own unique style, playing with grape source, variety, blending and ageing to achieve the desired characteristics. Our specialist team at harrods are available to aid you in finding the blend that best suits your style. Champagne | 3
- 4. A worthy cause for a Champagne celebration, november also sees the grand opening of the new harrods Wine Shop. Come and explore our exciting new space, complete with a glass-walled wine vault and two new spirit rooms. plus, put your senses to the test with the tasting bar and aroma area, in association with Le nez du Vin. Weekend Tastings Sample a selection of our highlighted Champagnes on offer throughout november, every Saturday throughout the month, from 2pm to 6pm in the Wine Shop, Lower ground Floor. eRRORS and OmiSSiOnS diSCLaimeR: please note that all wines listed are 75cl, and all spirits 70cl, unless otherwise specified. Stocks are limited and subject to availability. The right is reserved to withdraw stock or alter prices without notice if the cost of replacement rises or falls due to fluctuation in supplier prices, exchange rates, duty or VaT. O & e accepted. Usual price refers to harrods usual price. Offer prices are valid until Tuesday 30th november 2010. 4 | Champagne
- 5. Contents Billecar t-Salmon .. . . . . . . . . . . . p6 Joseph perrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p17 piper-heidsieck . . . . . . . . . . . . .p31 Charles heidsieck . . . . . . . . . . . . p7 Krug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p18 pommer y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p32 Bollinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p8 Lanson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p19 pol Roger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p34 dampierre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p10 Laurent-perrier . . . . . . . . . . . . .p20 Ruinar t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p35 deutz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p11 Louis Roederer . . . . . . . . . . . . .p22 Tattinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p36 duvan Leroy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p12 moet & Chandon . . . . . . . . . . .p24 Veuve Clicquot . . . . . . . . . . . . .p38 harrods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p13 g.h. mumm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p25 Spirit of the month – gossett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p14 perrier-Jouet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p26 Tanqueray no. Ten . . . . . . . . . .p40 henriot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p15 philipponnat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p28 Spirit of the month – Jacquar t. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p16 dom pérignon . . . . . . . . . . . . .p30 Johnnie Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . .p42 Champagne | 5
- 6. T he story of Champagne Brut Rose NV ’ Billecart-Salmon begins in This stunning flagship rosé is produced upon 1818, with the marriage Billecart-Salmon’s traditional recipe and of nicolas François Billecart and production secrets, as used by the house’s very elisabeth Salmon. To this day, the house first generation. The wine unveils subtle aromas and an elegant bouquet with fine notes of red remains in the hands of its founding fruit. a light, refined palate offering toast and family. now in its seventh generation, red fruit meets a long fresh finish. Billecart-Salmon is run by François USUaL pRiCe £56.50 Roland-Billecart, who works and lives PROMO PRICE £51 in the beautiful château situated in picturesque mareuil-Sur-aÿ, creating SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £45 cuvées with the family motto ‘give priority to quality, strive for excellence.’ Vintage 2004 This extra Brut is a blend of ‘grand Cru pinot noir’ (70%), completed by the elegance and the minerality of the Chardonnay (30%), 20% of the cuvée is vinified in five-year oak barrels. a 70% dominance of grands Crus pinot noir is softened by Chardonnay and a proportion of blend produced in old oak barrels. Beautiful and intense aromas emanate from the wine, reminiscent of apples, citrus and dried fruits, followed by notes of brioche, fresh butter and warm madeleines. Once sipped it is refreshing and delicately complex with flavours of orchard fruits. Well rounded, this wine enjoys a powerful finish dominated by exceptional fruit maturity. USUaL pRiCe £66 PROMO PRICE £58 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £50 Grande Cuvee 1998 ’ This great wine, produced from the finest sites of selected grands Crus, comes into its own after ten years of ageing in the Billecart-Salmon cellars. Complex, highly expressive aromas will delight the senses with a combination of ripe fruit and toasty notes. power and finesse distinguish the grande Cuvée – an ideal match for the finest foods. USUaL pRiCe £185 PROMO PRICE £165 6 | Champagne
- 7. C harles heidsieck boasts a long and illustrious history dating back to 1815. Founded by Charles himself –a vivacious and affable character, widely known as ‘Champagne Charlie’ – he not only graced the european courts but was also the first Champenois to sell Champagne to america. Today, ‘Champagne Charlie’ lives on through his indulgent and rich wines, which are aged in 2,000-year-old gallo Roman cellars, deep under the city of Reims. Brut Reserve NV ’ Brut Rose Reserve NV ’ ’ Blanc de Millenaires Vintage 1995 ’ The nose exudes notes of pastry, cocoa, praline To the eye, this gorgeous rosé has a tint of english This delightful vintage Champagne is pale and fresh almonds alongside hints of tiramisu roses and cherry blossoms, illuminating a strand gold in colour with a generous effervescence. and herb. it is crisp and light in the mouth with of fine and lively bubbles. The nose reveals fruity The bouquet is perfectly balanced between fruity tones, reminiscent of white peaches, fresh aromas of grapefruit and wild strawberries, elegance and richness, with fern, tea and linden almonds and pineapple. Beautifully harmonious enriched by hints of fresh tobacco, cinnamon notes complemented by hints of pastry, cinnamon throughout, this wine is a stunning and classic and liquorice stick. Fresh and soft in the mouth and vanilla. mature yet fresh on the palate, initial example of a brut non-vintage. with toasty, buttery nuances alongside notes of silky notes of candied apricot and quince lead to USUaL pRiCe £44.50 blueberry, this wine strikes the perfect balance dried fruits, almonds and hazelnut. it is divinely between freshness and development. well structured with a heavenly balance. PROMO PRICE £41 USUaL pRiCe £56.50 USUaL pRiCe £150 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £37 PROMO PRICE £48.50 PROMO PRICE £125 Champagne | 7
- 8. M adame Bollinger, who charismatically owned and extensively developed the Bollinger brand during the 1940s, once said: “i drink Champagne when i’m happy, and when i’m sad. Sometimes, i drink it when i’m alone. When i have company, i consider it obligatory. i trifle with it if i’m not hungry, and drink it when i am. Otherwise, i never touch it, unless i’m thirsty.” now a regular feature in the iconic James Bond movies and a coveted figure around the world, Bollinger benefits from a 180-year history of being meticulously and traditionally family owned and run. Utilising the methods that have been applied for generations, the house enjoys prestigious vineyard sites and an extended ageing process to create the powerful Bollinger signature house style. 8 | Champagne
- 9. Special Cuvee NV ’ La Grande Annee 2000 ’ The very essence of Bollinger is found Crafted solely in outstanding vintages, the in the house’s Special Cuvée. This brut grande année is a blend of 65% pinot non-vintage is crafted year-after-year to noir and 35% Chardonnay, displaying the represent Bollinger’s signature and style characteristic richness and puissance that – being composed of a blend of multiple is Bollinger. The nose reveals a beautiful vintages. This wine is proof of the power harmony of honeyed notes, red berries and finesse of pinot noir with a fine and biscuity aromas. Full-bodied and combination of palate weight and elegance, opulent, the palate has layer-upon-layer of vinosity and length. mature fruit and spicy characters, lifted by USUaL pRiCe £42.95 a citric freshness and completed by a long toasty finish. PROMO PRICE £39.95 USUaL pRiCe £76.50 PROMO PRICE £69.95 Rose NV ’ La Grande Annee Rose 2002 ’ ’ in the signature Bollinger house style, the Crafted from grand Cru and premier Rosé is modelled upon the Special Cuvée Cru vineyards in 16 villages, each cru is blend. This rosé combines the fruits of fermented separately in old oak barrels, previous harvests with réserve wines ensuring the final blend comprises only from the Bollinger cellars in aÿ. The final the finest parcels. Sensual nuances of component of this wine comes exclusively strawberry and wild red fruits mingled from grand Cru vineyards in the Côte with cream and a touch of chalk arise d’aÿ and Verzenay, delivering a delightful from the glass. Full-bodied and tantalising, colour and a delicate aroma of ripe red the palate delivers what the nose hints at. fruits. This wine is inimitably Bollinger, a perfect pairing with duck and lamb exuding a fresh, fruity and yeasty nose with or a homemade red berry crumble. wild raspberries. The palate is fresh, clean pRiCe £110 and succulent with a good crunchiness and a luscious finish. USUaL pRiCe £52.50 PROMO PRICE £47.95 Champagne | 9
- 10. F or more than 700 years, the dampierre family has been associated with the Cuvee des Ambassadeurs Premier Cru NV ’ Champagne region. as early as 1300, The superb Cuvée des ambassadeurs premier Cru is the jurisdiction of guy de dampierre, blended from 50% grands Crus Chardonnays from avize, Cramant and mesnil, and 50% grands and premiers Crus who was Count of Flanders and pinots noirs from Bouzy, ambonnay and Cumieres. governor of Champagne, stretched pale gold in colour with very fine bubbles, this outstanding from Bruges to Reims. a royal city, brut non-vintage has a robust nose with a full, deep and Reims was the place of the king’s perfectly balanced, long-lasting finish. coronation and as such, the ensuing USUaL pRiCe £35 celebrations saw the royal court PROMO PRICE £30 attendees and local citizens drinking SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £25 their fill of local wine. Today, dampierre Champagnes have reached cult status Prestige Grand Cru Blanc des Blanc 1998 amongst the bubbly cognoscenti, aged between 8 and 12 years, this magnificent leaving little doubt that these wines Champagne is sourced entirely from grand Cru and their pure, vibrant taste will Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. The result is surprise and delight. a mature, soft, creamy and long-lasting wine – a stunning example of the finest Côte des Blancs. The cork is secured by a hand-tied piece of twine, a traditional method dating back to the 1800s, requiring great skill and patience and providing a flourish that is wholly justified by the exceptional contents of the bottle. USUaL pRiCe £125 PROMO PRICE £100 DAMPIERRE 10 | Champagne
- 11. D eutz is the epitome of understated excellence. Founded in 1838, by William deutz and pierre hubert geldermann, the house sits among the vineyards of one of the region’s greatest communes – aÿ. William deutz was a firm believer in the value of land and was convinced a great wine could only come from a fine vineyard. his philosophy is central to the deutz approach, in which style is always matched by substance. Under the management of five generations of the same family, the house has flourished and is now a gem of the region, offering all the charms of Champagne made with flair. Brut Classic NV Blanc de Blancs 2004 Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blancs 1999 The Brut Classic is a definitive non-vintage blend, This wine holds delightful aromas of ripe white The grapes of the amour de deutz were with equal proportions of Chardonnay, pinot noir fruits and kumquats. powerful yet refined on sourced from grand Cru (95%) and premier and pinot meunier rounded by a high proportion the palate, with the citrus of the nose combining Cru vineyards within a twenty-mile radius of the of réserve wines. The result is a beautifully pure, deliciously with the biscuity flavours of classic house, ensuring their arrival in pristine condition. elegant wine, with a refreshing lemony aroma and Blanc de Blancs. a delightful Champagne and This is a transcendent example of the 1999 a delicate mousse. dry with plenty of substance. superb value for money. Vintage; concentrated, fine, and very fresh, USUaL pRiCe £38.50 USUaL pRiCe £66.50 with a creamy depth and great length. PROMO PRICE £32.95 PROMO PRICE £60 USUaL pRiCe £135 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £54 PROMO PRICE £118 Champagne | 11
- 12. L ocated in the heart of Chardonnay country – La Côte des Blancs – duval-Leroy has been independently owned and run for over 150 years. Today, Carol duval-Leroy holds the prestigious position as president of the company and is one of a few women to do so in the Champagne region. Carol has had an incredible impact on modernising and expanding the house, breathing new life into the family legacy. Their cuvées are blended predominantly from Chardonnay, attributing a finesse, lightness and elegance to the duval-Leroy style. Paris Brut NV Brut Rose NV ’ Femme de Champagne 1996 This non-vintage brut is simply bursting with Salmon pink in the glass, this harmonious rosé has The house’s prestige cuvée, Femme de exuberance with a lively mousse, delicate fine been crafted from pinot noir and Chardonnay Champagne is produced from grand Crus bubbles and a beautiful cordon. a powerful and grapes. The bouquet releases a wealth of aromas vineyards in a 79% Chardonnay and 21% pinot elegant fresh fruit nose combines hints of white in wild cherries, figs, ginger and geraniums. noir blend. its refined elegance is layered by flowers, honeysuckle and hazelnut. Overall this With a solid maturity and balanced vinosity, this flowery flavours with hints of lime blossom, wine is well balanced, with a fresh palate and wine will undoubtedly delight fine rosé lovers. honey, brioche and hazelnuts. a deep intensity a rich, elegant and long finish. USUaL pRiCe £41.95 and velvety mousse balances the delicate USUaL pRiCe £29.95 flavours, giving a lively impression overall. PROMO PRICE £35 PROMO PRICE £25.95 USUaL pRiCe £75 PROMO PRICE £68 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £60 12 | Champagne
- 13. T he harrods Champagne range is the work of the hostomme Premier Cru NV family who have been crafting pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes selected delightfully classic wines for over three from premier Cru rated vineyards makes the centuries. Based in the grand Cru harrods premier Cru non-Vintage a joy to village of Chouilly, their unique style of savour. harrods is particularly proud of this Champagne is elegant and deliciously particular Champagne, with a peachy, apple fruity. every part of the process, from fruit and biscuity edge leading to a delightfully crisp acidity and a highly desirable intensity. growing to bottling is overseen and carefully managed by the family, using USUaL pRiCe £26.50 artisan skills passed down through the PROMO PRICE £24 generations. harrods carefully chose hostomme to produce its own-label Rose NV ’ Champagne over 14 years ago and For a striking alternative, this rosé is created invites you to discover this classic in the traditional Saignée method. The bled grapes bestow a harmonious, rich and complex range that offers a cuvée to suit pinot element to the cuvée, which displays every personality. aromas of berry fruit, orange peel and rose petals. The palate is rich yet fresh with hints of strawberry and biscuit, completed by a long and elegant finish. USUaL pRiCe £29.95 PROMO PRICE £25 Grande Reserve Blanc de Blancs NV ’ aged in the bottle for up to six years, this 100% Chardonnay grand Cru nV is the most delicate and floral of our prestigious range, making it an ideal aperitif or accompaniment to lighter dishes. an extraordinarily elegant and complex wine, it can be enjoyed today or cellared for several years. USUaL pRiCe £29.50 PROMO PRICE £27 Grand Cru Vintage 2004 produced from selected cuvées of Blanc de Blancs, derived from Chouilly and aged for four years, this Champagne has crystalline qualities in the glass with fine bubbles and a pale golden colour. The complex aromas, laced with white flowers and brioche, are enhanced by partial oak ageing. The palate is crisp, clean and full- bodied with layers of elegant fruit and a wonderfully long finish. USUaL pRiCe £34.50 PROMO PRICE £29.50 Champagne | 13
- 14. G osset lays claim to being the oldest house in Champagne – dating back to 1584 when red wines were produced by winegrower and alderman pierre gosset. during the 18th century the gosset wines found their fizz, and the gosset family turned to the production of Champagne. Their superb wines are harvested from grapes sourced from premier and grand Cru vineyards located in the most highly regarded villages of the marne region. The house prevents malolactic fermentation in order to preserve acidity and to instil the typically fruity aroma of their wines, allowing their fine Champagnes to develop and prosper with ageing in bottle. Brut Excellence NV Grand Rose NV ’ Celebris Vintage 1998 Extra Brut This lively cuvée offers subtle floral and fruity delicately pink in hue and embellished by ruby gosset’s low dosage Champagne, offers spring aromas, followed by further rich and complex red reflections, this wine brings forth aromas flowers, fleshy fruit, tobacco and hay aromas on notes. The palate is fresh and delicate throughout; of wild berries, sweet spices and freshly baked the nose. it has a wonderfully lively palate with a perfect match for a variety of dishes from brioche, followed by roasted almond and warmed quince, pear, apricot and toasted almonds. it is saltwater fish to chicken or duck. mandarin peel. Candied, generous and full-bodied long and fresh on the finish, with notes of vanilla USUaL pRiCe £39.95 in the mouth with red fruit jams invading the and brioche – a sensational fizz to be enjoyed lightly structured palate; this remarkable rosé with friends. PROMO PRICE £34.95 is delicate and refined from entry to finish. USUaL pRiCe £125 USUaL pRiCe £59.95 PROMO PRICE £105 PROMO PRICE £51 14 | Champagne
- 15. S ince 1808, the house of Vintage Brut 2003 henriot, still a family-run The wonderfully rounded Brut 2003 is a result and independent house, has of most unusual weather conditions experienced continued its dedication to excellence. throughout the year. This complex cuvée, For seven generations, the family has dominated by black fruit, is a blend of roughly equal portions of Chardonnay and pinot noir selected only the very best vineyards, from grands Crus vineyards, complemented magnified the purity of Chardonnay with fruit from a number of premier Crus sites. and has held the utmost respect for The wine has a complex nose with rich aromas time, in order to ensure that each revealing layers of black fruit. The richness of cuvée has the opportunity to reach the pinot dominates the palate complementing its full expression. rich Chardonnay notes. With the fullness to enjoy alongside rich meat dishes, this wine pairs fantastically with duck and morello cherries or roast chicken stuffed with mushrooms. USUaL pRiCe £82.50 PROMO PRICE £69.95 Champagne | 15
- 16. T he home of Champagne Jacquart is a 19th-century mansion in the historic centre of Reims. This prestigious brand was developed in 1962 when a group of growers with access to some of the finest vineyards, united to create their own luxury Champagne. They selected excellent quality fruit from the main regions of Champagne, the montagne de Reims, Vallee de la marne, Côtes des Bar and predominantly the best Chardonnay from the Cotes des Blancs. Today 2,620 hectares of vineyards are meticulously cultivated by 1,800 vignerons who all contribute to the celebrated Jacquart cuvées. Brut de Nominee NV ’ Brut de Nominee Magnum 1990, 150cl ’ Mosaique Grande Millesime 2000 ’ ’ a Champagne of much stature, this brut non- This fine Champagne has a delicate The nose is a seductive blend of white acacia vintage is created from select réserve wines effervescence with hints of warm brioche. flowers and honey with hints of raspberries that themselves were stored for at least a year The first impression is dominated by toasty and sweet mirabelle plums. The same ripe, red in tanks or wood before bottling. Combining notes of mocha, hazelnuts and fresh almonds fruit flavours carry through to the palate, this equal parts of pinot noir and Chardonnay in a followed by subtle oaky, creamy pinot noir, time with hints of peach. intensely aromatic and display of freshness and power, it has fresh, ripe leading to a suitably long finish. fresh, this is a ‘food Champagne’ par excellence aromas and an impressive length. USUaL pRiCe £110 and a delicious match for grilled fresh Foie USUaL pRiCe £60 gras and grilled or tempura-style langoustines. PROMO PRICE £99 PROMO PRICE £53 USUaL pRiCe £49.95 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE PROMO PRICE £44 (PER BOTTLE) £45 16 | Champagne
- 17. E ntering the cellars of Joseph perrier is to enter the heart of the hill of Fagnières. Walking into the three-kilometre stretch of ancient chalk galleries, as started by the Romans, visitors become privy to the house’s millions of bottles ageing peacefully. The grande marque house of Joseph perrier was founded in 1825, and is now overseen by the fifth generation of the family, Jean-Claude Fourman, who runs the house with the same exceptional attention to detail as his predecessors. Since its foundation, Joseph perrier has been based on the left bank of the marne River in Chalons en Champagne and is the last Champagne house based in the prefecture of the marne; as Jean-Claude likes to say: “the last of the mohicans.” Cuvee Rose Vintage 2002 ’ ’ Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2002 Created to a blend of Chardonnay, pinot noir and exclusively crafted from Chardonnay harvested during a touch of pinot meunier, this rosé is derived from four the excellent 2002 harvest, this wine holds the essence different premiers and grand Cru villages: mailly, Rilly, of the vintage: a fine sugar to acid balance with ripe Chouilly and mesnil sur Oger. Well balanced with aromatic fruit. each individual parcel harvested from a refreshing acidity lifted by a fine bead, this wine the vineyard was vinified separately and carefully spends seven years on lees in the cellars before blended to create the final assemblage. aged for disgorgement to ensure that the resultant cuvée a minimum of seven years in the cellar, this great is lively, complex and above all deliciously fruity. Champagne has the structure and quality to reward USUaL pRiCe £53.50 considerable ageing. PROMO PRICE £48.50 USUaL pRiCe £53.50 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £43 PROMO PRICE £48.50 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £43 Champagne | 17
- 18. K rug has been quietly defining excellence in Champagne since 1843. Six generations of the Krug family have cultivated the markedly individual character of their exceptional Champagne, showing the same single-mindedness and sense of purpose with which Johann-Joseph Krug founded the house upon over 155 years ago. Krug has specialised in producing only prestige cuvée Champagnes since its inception, its dedication being to quality without compromise. They remain the only Champagne house to still ferment their Champagnes the age-old way; in small oak casks that enable Krug’s intense bouquet and complex flavour to fully develop. Grande Cuvee ’ The flagship of the house, the grande Cuvée, is extremely age-worthy with an imposing character and a stunning mosaic of flavours. a wonderfully creamy bouquet leads to a delightful combination of weight and palate balance. The long, lingering finish is both nutty and toasty, ending with a final flourish of freshness. in the words of henri Krug: “This is a symphony, a composition where the instruments play together, complementing each other in total harmony.” pRiCe £140 18 | Champagne
- 19. O ne of the few houses to Rose Brut NV ’ date back to pre-French a rosé Champagne with beautiful pale salmon Revolution times, Lanson touches that express aromas of fruit and roses, remains a remarkably independent with discreet underlying notes of red fruit. family business. Champagne Lanson is The initial impression is delicate, well rounded graced with 800 acres of the region’s and fresh leading to a harmonious balance most prestigious vineyards upon which and a good length on the finish. to gather its grapes from – each of USUaL pRiCe £38.95 which is imbued with the unique PROMO PRICE £33.95 characteristics of the land’s chalky soil. it is also one of the few houses Lanson Gold Label 1999 of the region that chooses not to assembled from a fairly equal blend of include malolactic fermentation in Chardonnay and pinot noir, the Lanson gold its production process to soften the Label Vintage 1999 has a complex and generous perception of acid, thus ensuring an nose, hinting at citrus fruit and honey. it is ample and persistent on the palate, suggesting that it unprecedented freshness with optimal will benefit from ageing. Serve with creamed fish, flavour development and a complete white meat or a matured Comté cheese to evolution of aromas to the final cuvée. truly enjoy this wine. USUaL pRiCe £43.50 PROMO PRICE £37.50 Noble Cuvee Blanc de Blancs 1998 ’ elaborated from 100% Chardonnay, this prestige cuvée spends a minimum of five years ageing in the deep Lanson cellars and excludes a malolactic fermentation thereby ensuring that it will gracefully age and develop over time. now nearing its peak, this 1998 vintage wine offers citrus fruit and floral notes. The palate is well balanced and fresh with full flavour intensity from start to finish, constituting the perfect aperitif or partner to seafood. USUaL pRiCe £95 PROMO PRICE £78 Champagne | 19
- 20. Brut NV E stablished in 1812, Laurent- perrier is one of the most Freshness, elegance and balance encapsulate distinguished, independent the Laurent-perrier range and continue to and family-owned Champagne houses. be showcased in the brut year-after-year. With 45% Chardonnay and up to 20% Based in the heart of the region, the réserve wines delivering consistency, house has a pedigree for innovation; the Brut nV is fresh and delicate with handcrafting a diverse and pioneering a good complexity and a hint of citrus. range of fine Champagnes that USUaL pRiCe £34.95 are produced to traditional, time- PROMO PRICE £31.95 honoured methods. Laurent-perrier SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE was acquired by the nonancourt (PER BOTTLE) £28 family in the late 1930s and for over 50 years Bernard de nonancourt Brut Vintage 1999 has dedicated his life to creating and This exceptional wine is only produced perfecting the Champagnes of the during the very best years and vintage house. Today, Laurent-perrier is a 1999 was one such year. Laurent-perrier great success story and now stands Brut millésimé is composed of roughly as the fourth largest Champagne equal parts Chardonnay and pinot noir. brand worldwide. in keeping with the house style, it is pure in its flavour and crisp in its definition. This wine is a bottled extract of the quintessential character of the vintage 1999: elegant, full of character and pleasantly crisp. USUaL pRiCe £46.50 PROMO PRICE £39.95 Grand Siecle Grande Cuvee ’ ’ To produce Laurent-perrier’s luxury cuvée, family member and chairman Bernard de nonancourt decided to concentrate on the two mainstays of Champagne’s know-how: the blending of different Crus and the blending of different harvest years. The epitome of Champagne ‘assemblage’ (the ‘marriage’ of different wines from several vintage years which are then aged together for six years) this handcrafted prestige cuvée has unique depth, finesse, complexity and consistency with a remarkable length of honeyed, nutty flavours. USUaL pRiCe £126.50 PROMO PRICE £99 20 | Champagne
- 21. Ultra Brut Rose Brut NV ’ This is a rare Champagne of zero dosage, which can adored for its fresh red fruit flavours, this iconic rosé only be made in years when the grapes are of optimum was instrumental in making pink Champagne both ripeness – with a good balance of acidity and natural stylish, sophisticated and well respected. Soft salmon in sugar. Only relatively small volumes are produced of this colour, it displays hints of strawberries, raspberries and intensely perfumed wine that exudes citric, white fruit red cherries. With a delightful freshness and a supple and honeysuckle aromas, completed with light floral rounded finish, this is the benchmark rosé. Superb as flavours and a delicately fresh finish. an aperitif and equally tantalising as an accompaniment USUaL pRiCe £51.50 to charcuterie and red fruit desserts. PROMO PRICE £44 USUaL pRiCe £59.95 PROMO PRICE £53.95 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £48 Champagne | 21
- 22. I n 1833, Louis Roederer inherited the Champagne company that was originally founded by his uncle in 1776. he immediately began spreading the fine Roederer reputation throughout europe, concentrating his efforts in Russia and it was not long before the Tsar himself was drinking Roederer’s Champagne. in fact, it became such a favourite of Tsar alexander ii that he asked Roederer to create his own personal cuvée from their finest wines. as a result, the now globally acclaimed Cristal was born; the first ever Cuvée de prestige. at Roederer, the réserve wines that are used to maintain the house style are stored in barrels and it is perhaps the only Champagne house to have such an extensive cellar of these wines. This ensures Roederer Champagne of its distinctive style: rich, round, toasted and highly complex. 22 | Champagne
- 23. Brut Premier NV Brut Vintage 2004 a blend of 40% pinot noir, 40% predominantly pinot, the Brut Vintage 2004 Chardonnay and 20% pinot meunier, this has a subtle nutty and citric nose, enticing wine is full and generous, integrating mature the senses with hints of orange and hazelnuts notes with more youthful and fruity tones. punctuated by warm, fruity notes followed This is a complex wine that is both modern by caramel. The palate is deep and full on first and powerful whilst retaining the status of attack, showing rich, rounded vinosity but with a great classic. all the refined sweetness, acidity and tight-knit USUaL pRiCe £42.50 texture of pinot noir fruit from the Verzenay vineyard. a classic vintage brut with all the PROMO PRICE £38.95 traditional flavours of Champagne expressed SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE with a refinement, precision, purity and (PER BOTTLE) £35 harmony that is quintessentially Roederer. USUaL pRiCe £64.95 Carte Blanche Demi-Sec PROMO PRICE £59.95 The Carte Blanche is essentially the same SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE blend as the Brut premier with a higher (PER BOTTLE) £53 dosage, resulting in a deliciously rich, medium-dry Champagne. intense floral, honey and caramelised apple tones Cristal 2004 alongside hints of warm sugar almonds can assembled from 45% Chardonnay and 55% be found. The dosage adds a rich, creamy pinot noir, this stunning cuvée has a highly texture providing great length, supported expressive, elegant and precise aroma. by freshness and delicate bubbles. hints of citrus fruit and a pure minerality perfect with desserts or foie gras. lead through to generously rich tones. USUaL pRiCe £42.50 Full and creamy on the palate, revealing a fine concentration of stone fruits balanced PROMO PRICE £36.95 by a fine acidity and exhilarating freshness. The overriding impression is one of a true harmony of flavours, senses and silky textures – an absolute sensation. pRiCe £175 Champagne | 23
- 24. .. Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial NV ’ U ncompromised quality is at the heart of moët & The moët & Chandon impérial is a balanced Chandon – one of the biggest combination of the three wine varieties; names in the Champagne region. disclosing a succession of elegant and harmonious sensations, a fresh maturity, having developed strong ties with supple and refined lines, inspiring wellbeing vine growers over the years, moët and an emotion which is appreciated and & Chandon ensures a superlative shared. The nose and palate are in perfect standard of the grapes is used. harmony, with rich and striking aromas of The renowned company also owns vine and lime blossom. a collection of excellent grands and USUaL pRiCe £36.95 premiers Crus vineyards. The vast PROMO PRICE £31.95 array of sites available for selection is at the heart of the company’s Grand Vintage 2002 signature technique, enabling the The 69th grand Vintage from the maison wine-makers to blend hundreds is mature, harmonious and precise. Seven of different vineyard plots. moët years in the cellars have developed the & Chandon is therefore able to mature, toasty flavours – both sweet and represent the variety and diversity dry – notes of frangipane alongside toasted almonds, mocha and light tobacco come to offered by the Champagne region. the fore, followed by ripe autumn fruits. The palate leans towards a fresher citrus tone with mandarin orange and pink grapefruit flavours, enlivening the creamy and round mid-palate. USUaL pRiCe £52.50 PROMO PRICE £48 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £43 Grand Vintage Rose 2002 ’ This gorgeous rosé Champagne offers flavours of cherry, plum and fresh fig combined with notes of wild strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Warm spicy notes and a subtle smokiness enrich the flavours of the palate. aged for seven years this delightful wine is mature, harmonious and utterly compelling. USUaL pRiCe £63.95 PROMO PRICE £58.50 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £53 24 | Champagne
- 25. T he house of g.h. mumm has Mumm de Cramant been offering Champagnes Bottled under low pressure to enhance with a sense of tradition since the freshness and delicate flavours of the 1827. Founder and pioneer georges fruit, this single Cru cuvée is blended in hermann mumm became one of the time honoured tradition, with a strict selection of 100% grand Cru Chardonnay the first Champenois to buy vineyards Cramant wines. Fresh and elegant on to gain control over all aspects of the palate, it boasts crisp lime, lemon and production. Today, mumm still owns grapefruit flavours with delicate bubbles 218 hectares of spectacular vineyards, that seem to melt-in-the-mouth, along which are predominantly located in with a graceful and lingering finish. the seven most renowned grands USUaL pRiCe £52.50 Crus of the Champagne growing PROMO PRICE £45 region: aÿ, Bouzy, ambonnay, Verzy, Verzenay, avize and Cramant. Mumm Cuvee R Lalou, 1998 ’ a blend of Chardonnay and pinot noir, this prestige wine is created in honour of the legendary and now obsolete Cuvée René Lalou; a tribute to the man himself who charismatically headed the house for nearly half a century during the early 1900s. it is the culmination of the house style, a close-knit wine of extreme depth and great sophistication that still displays freshness, mineral notes and balance. USUaL pRiCe £115 PROMO PRICE £97.50 Champagne | 25
- 26. C hampagne perrier-Jouët has been renowned since 1811 for its boutique Champagnes, which combine exceptional elegance with ‘Belle epoque’ art de vivre. The avant-garde spirit for which the house is fêted finds its purest expression in the iconic anemone bottle of its prestige cuvée, ‘Belle epoque’, designed in 1902 by emile gallé. This creative philosophy has earned perrier-Jouët a cult following, resonating across the social spectrum from decadent bohemia to refined luxury and attracting such eclectic admirers as Oscar Wilde and Coco Chanel. When combined with a signature house style of grand Cru Chardonnay-driven purity and elegance, the result is a timeless work of art. Belle Epoque 2002 Characterised by the house’s signature grand-Cru Chardonnay, it is complemented by pinot noir full fruit notes and with tremendous balance in the finely judged dosage. aged for over six years in perrier-Jouët’s cellars, the Vintage 2002 displays fine aromas of white fruits, with floral notes of acacia and hawthorn, rounded off by citrus and a hint of vanilla. The intensity of the palate leads into a beautifully delicate wine, which displays the excellent balance of structure and acidity that creates Belle epoque’s characteristic harmony and elegance. USUaL pRiCe £105 PROMO PRICE £87.50 26 | Champagne
- 27. .. Perrier Jouet BelleEpoque Rose 2002 ’ Grand Brut Blason Rose ’ a Champagne of exemplary finesse and elegance, The assemblage combines to create a wine that The Blason Rosé shows hints of red fruits on the with the balanced fruit underlining the Rosé hue. is elegant yet delicate. This Champagne reveals an nose and a rich long palate. Up to 15% red wine Composed of 45% Chardonnay, 50% pinot noir attractive floral bouquet with creamy hints and from Bouzy is added to the blend, giving extra and 5% pinot meunier, the Belle epoque Rosé touches of yeasty autolysis that give way to crisp body and fruit to produce its attractive salmon is completed with a final 8% dose of still red citrus flavours in the mouth and a lingering finish. pink colour. The assemblage includes around wines from ambonnay and aÿ – added to give USUaL pRiCe £36.50 15% réserve wines and spends two to three the distinct rosy colour. Light and floral on years on the lees before disgorgement. PROMO PRICE £33 the nose, with hints of wild strawberry, USUaL pRiCe £48.95 raspberry and forest fruits, this distinctive and SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £29.50 PROMO PRICE £44.95 elegant wine is fresh, yet silky and balanced on the palate with excellent ageing potential. SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £40 USUaL pRiCe £135 Champagne | 27
- 28. I n the heart of Champagne country for 500 years, the philipponnat family and Champagne house has been established in aÿ and mareuil-sur-aÿ since 1522. The house is now run by Charles philipponnat who oversees the 18th-century cellars and 20 hectares of vineyards, comprised predominantly of pinot noir (the flagship variety of the house style). Their premium-quality wines are classically quite dry with a fantastic balance of ripe fruit flavours – perfect for gourmet dining and connoisseurs seeking Champagnes of great character. new to harrods this year, we are excited to offer a selection of their cuvées which we believe offer a glimpse of the superb standard and style that this house has to offer. 28 | Champagne
- 29. Royale Reserve NonDose ’ ’ Grand Blanc 2004 The Royale Réserve non dosé is a subtle The grand Blanc is exclusively blended from variation on the emblematic blend of the Chardonnay grapes from the best growths house of philipponnat, combining crispness and of the Côte des Blancs and montagne de vinosity. By not adding any sugar once the first Reims, including some white Clos des goisses. ageing process is completed, philipponnat offers This wine is a noteworthy exception in the a leaner and crisper expression of the Royale otherwise pinot noir-dominated range of Réserve. This wine will delight lovers of mineral philipponnat wines. While possessing vinosity toned wines and will be a great companion and a creamy texture, it is true to the lightness to aperitifs and seafood. and finesse of a great Blanc de Blanc. a superb USUaL pRiCe £34.95 aperitif or wonderful companion to all seafood. PROMO PRICE £32 USUaL pRiCe £53.95 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £29 PROMO PRICE £48.50 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £44 Royale Reserve ’ Le Clos de Goisses 2000 a house signature for philipponnat, the Royale Belonging exclusively to philipponnat, the Réserve takes advantage of the rich and Clos des goisses is an exceptional vineyard powerful pinot noir grapes from the southern of just 5.5 hectares on a steep, south-facing side of the montagne de Reims, which always slope. This unique wine is characterised by makes up the majority of the blend. With three incredible length and body, in which pinot years’ ageing, this wine is sufficiently mature, noir predominates red fruits and floral notes, yet remains delightfully crisp. followed by deeper earthy tones. This fabulous wine is extraordinarily mineral and intense. USUaL pRiCe £34.95 a marvellous companion for gastronomy PROMO PRICE £32 matching game, mushrooms and even cheeses. SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE USUaL pRiCe £135 (PER BOTTLE) £29 PROMO PRICE £114 Champagne | 29
- 30. B enedictine monk dom pérignon was a historic and important figure in the development of fine Champagne to the superior standard as we know it today. moët & Chandon adopted his name in the late 1920s for their prestige Cuvée Champagne. in honour of the care and craftsmanship with which dom pérignon originally elaborated his wines, moët & Chandon categorically insists on choosing only the best harvests and thereafter, a long, slow ageing of the wine for a minimum of seven years on its lees. Vintage 2002 The first hints of fresh almond and harvest aromas immediately open up into preserved lemon and dried fruits, rounded off by darker smoky and toasted qualities. The presence of the wine on the palate is immediately captivating. paradoxically concentrated yet creamy, it is energetic and warm in the mouth, focusing on the fruit, then gradually taking on more profound bass notes. This distinctive cuvée holds its note perfectly, intensively and with just a subtle hint of underlying vivacity. pRiCe £120 30 | Champagne
- 31. F lorens-Louis heidsieck Rare 2002 founded his Champagne a dazzlingly impressive wine, Rare contains house in 1785. Forty-three a complex mineral composition and fruit years later, following his death, his character that can only be described as pure. nephew Christian heidsieck and pale gold with subtle reflections of green, this cousin henri-guillaume piper assumed wine expresses a subtly complex, vegetal nose control of the house and changed with notes of wood, pepper, ginger and cumin, the name to piper-heidsieck. combined with distinctive coffee bean aromas. Refined and elegant on the palate, its impression in 1953 marilyn monroe declared is light, however it’s neither lacking richness nor that she: “goes to bed every night density. Soft spices and ginger complement with a drop of perfume and wakes the fresh mouthfeel of this extravagant wine, up each morning with a glass of which will delicately linger on. piper-heidsieck.” piper-heidsieck’s pRiCe £145 award-winning winemaker, Régis Camus, maintains the predominant use of pinot noir in his celebrated range of wines, adding crispness and radiance to complement the great finesse of Chardonnay. Champagne | 31
- 32. M adame pommery created Cuvee Louise 1999 ’ the first successfully marketed made from grapes hailing from the grand Cru brut Champagne, entitled vineyards of avize, Cramant and ay – three of ‘pommery nature 1874’, at a time the Jewels in Champagne’s crown – the Cuvée Louise Vintage is created as a tribute to Louise when most Champagnes were pommery. a wine of stunning purity and finesse, excessively sweetened by sugar. it is a signature of the vintage and a classic Louise. This set the benchmark for the rest elegant, yet refreshing, this Champagne betrays of the Champagne houses, and with the dominance of Chardonnay in the blend. this pioneering spirit and a focus on Floral and citric, packed with lemon zest, excellence, pommery ensured the mirabelle, greengage and ripe juicy apple with enduring signature house style. white flower nuances enriching toasty notes, overlaying a gloriously smooth, silky texture. Today, all pommery wines are expertly crafted by Chef du Cave, Thierry USUaL pRiCe £100 gasco, who oversees some of the PROMO PRICE £92 finest cellars in Reims covering over 18 kilometres of galleries hollowed Cuvee Louise Rose 2000 ’ ’ out of chalk. at a depth of 30 metres This Louise Rosé cuvée is complex, charming underground, these cellars keep and the epitome of finesse. its colour is close the maturing wine at a steady 10°c to pale amber pinks which indicate fine maturity and promising delicacy. it opens up in the glass throughout the year. to reveal the aromatic notes of small woodland strawberries combined with white fruit, like peach, along with a few notes of apple. The taste leaves a memory of suaveness but CHAMPAGNE also of freshness and infinity on the mouth. USUaL pRiCe £335 R E I M S - F R A N C E PROMO PRICE £285 32 | Champagne
- 33. Brut Royal NV Apanage Rose ’ With a blend that emphasises the Chardonnay grape, this brut The captivating pastel hue of the apanage Rosé enhances its non-vintage has lively flavours of fleshy fruit and red berries. fine bubbles. With a great freshness and wonderful elegance, Originating from 40 selected villages in the Côte des Blancs, this rosé reveals aromas of little red berries combined with montagne de Reims and other areas in the Champagne sharper notes of granny Smith apples. Rich and well balanced, region, the liveliness and delicacy of the Chardonnay grape all the flavours hinted at on the bouquet are harmonised is enhanced by the climate. its freshness shows hints of citrus in the palate. expect an easy to savour Champagne that and white flowers and is made possible by cool primary culminates in an unforgettable, wonderfully fresh finale. fermentation, which prevents the naturally volatile subtle USUaL pRiCe £42.95 flavours from escaping. PROMO PRICE £39.50 USUaL pRiCe £37.95 SIX-BOTTLE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £35 PROMO PRICE £32.50 Champagne | 33
- 34. W inston Churchill was quoted to say: “i cannot live without Champagne. in victory, i deserve it and in defeat, i need it.” his Champagne of choice was pol Roger. This, one of the few remaining family owned houses in Champagne, was founded by monsieur pol Roger in 1849, and for the proceeding 50 years until his death in 1899 he pioneered one of the most respected brands in the region. Today, the prestigious company is run by the fourth and fifth generations, who preside over 86 hectares of vineyards in the Vallée d’epernay and the Côte de Blancs. With stocks equivalent to five year’s normal sales and some of the coolest and deepest cellars in epernay, pol Roger Champagnes offer a glimpse into the sublime. Brut Reserve NV ’ Rose Vintage 2002 ’ Sir Winston Churchill 1999 made from a harmonious and equal blend of a full-bodied, vintage Champagne made from Sir Winston Churchill was pol Roger’s most Chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier 50% pinot noir, 34% Chardonnay and 16% vin illustrious devotee and customer and this grapes, the Brut Réserve is enjoyable as Rouge de Champagne. The year was a testing eponymous Champagne is made in his honour. an aperitif, an accompaniment to meals or growing season, which produced this intensely The composition of the blend is a closely guarded simply for celebrations. This wine remains brilliant pink rosé, with citrus fruit aromas, family secret but from tasting it is likely that the as a wonderful expression of the definitive alongside stewed strawberries. The palate strikes Champagne features about 70-80% pinot noir house style of pol Roger. a perfect balance between minerality and firmness, with the remainder made up from Chardonnay. USUaL pRiCe £36.95 with mature red fruits coming to the fore. The grapes are all from grand Cru vineyards delightful on its own or paired with food. that were under vine during Churchill’s lifetime, PROMO PRICE £ 31 USUaL pRiCe £76.50 the wine of which is only ever made in the very best vintages. it is made to a style which Churchill PROMO PRICE £70 himself favoured: robust, mature and long-lived. SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £63 USUaL pRiCe £125 Order a case and receive a complimentary Pol Roger Musto Crew bag. 34 | Champagne
- 35. T he house of Ruinart was founded in 1729 by nicolas Ruinart and remains one of the most sophisticated and classic Champagne houses to this day. The house style has a preference for Chardonnay, the elegance of which stems from grapes sourced from the Côtes des Blancs, balanced by the structural style of the montagne de Reims fruit. Together, these account for 100% of the blend in dom Ruinart and Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. even more remarkable is the high proportion of Chardonnay in Ruinart’s rosé Champagne – a style that normally requires large proportions of red grapes. R de Ruinart Brut NV Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Ruinart Rose NV ’ a skilful blend of wines made from the a blend of 100% premier Cru Chardonnay a blend of 45% premier Cru Chardonnay and Chardonnay and pinot noir grapes, R de Ruinart from different years, this superb wine features 55% premier Cru pinot noir, this Ruinart Rosé is is a golden, lively and fruity Champagne with a profuse mousse that provokes a supple and a splendid rose petal pink in the glass. The nose subtle aroma of white fruits. The full extent harmonious palate. This is a well balanced, rich, is very fine with subtle fruity aromas and hints of of aromas will be exposed fully by a subtle, suave and soft wine, with subtle honey and raspberry. Vigorous, and well balanced on sophisticated dish such as lightly sautéed scallops. mineral flavours, completed by a long, the palate, this fine, smooth and supple wine USUaL pRiCe £43.95 sustained finish. has notes of morello cherry leading to USUaL pRiCe £56.50 a relatively long finish. PROMO PRICE £39.50 PROMO PRICE £51 USUaL pRiCe £56.50 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £35 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £45 PROMO PRICE £51 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £45 Champagne | 35
- 36. T aittinger remains one of the few Champagne houses to be owned and actively managed by the family named on the label. Though the house’s origins are thanks to its founder Jacques Fourneaux back in 1734, the Taittinger name was introduced almost two centuries later when pierre Taittinger acquired the house. The hallmark of a Taittinger Champagne is its high percentage of Chardonnay. The consistent, exceptional quality of Taittinger’s cuvées is recognised worldwide and has earned the house many accolades, including the latest decanter World Wine award’s ‘non Vintage Champagne Trophy 2010’ for the Taittinger prélude grands Crus nV. 36 | Champagne
- 37. 2004 Brut Millesime ’ Light golden in colour, this wine presents a slightly mineral aroma followed by an intense and delicate fruitiness. The first impression on the palate is full-bodied and the mid-palate is rich, well rounded and supple. a wide range of fruity, cake flavours including fresh apricot and brioche are evident whilst the finish is long and complex. a superb Champagne offering a rich and harmonious aromatic palate. USUaL pRiCe £54.95 PROMO PRICE £46.50 Brut Reserve NV ’ Prelude Grands Cru NV ’ assembled from 40% Chardonnay and 60% This wine comes from four grands Crus sites and pinot noir and pinot meunier, this delightful is made from the first pressing, with up to 25% of brut non-vintage has a fruity, yeasty nose. the blend originating from réserve stocks. prior to an attractive array of peach, white flowers release it is aged for a minimum of four years on and vanilla pod flavours are evident throughout the lees. intensely fresh, citric flavours lead to and are enhanced by the fine mousse. a much fuller, mellowed taste reminiscent of USUaL pRiCe £39.95 white peaches in syrup. PROMO PRICE £36 USUaL pRiCe £49.95 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £31.50 PROMO PRICE £43.50 Nocturne Sec NV Folies de la Marquetterie NV This wine has a subtle, fresh nose reminiscent of harvested from a single vineyard, this wine has white blossom, ripe peach and dried apricots. an intense, fruity bouquet with aromas of peach, On the palate it is soft, fresh and mellow with apricot jam and subtle hints of toasted brioche delicate floral and ripe fruit flavours. it has and vanilla. The palate is full-bodied, fruity and a long length with a subtle sweetness. graceful with golden peach flavours. The long USUaL pRiCe £48.50 finish is distinctive with light toasty notes. PROMO PRICE £44.50 USUaL pRiCe £57.50 PROMO PRICE £48..50 Comtes de Champagne 1999 Comtes de Champagne, Rose 2003 ’ Crafted from 100% Chardonnay, with 5% an amber, rosewood colour, Comtes de matured in new French oak barrels for four Champagne Rosé 2003 has a fine, elegant months, the wine remains on lees for five years nose reminiscent of blossoms, rose and violet. before disgorgement. The bouquet is reminiscent a faint touch of fresh almond pervades from of minerals, white blossom, fresh almonds and the background. The first impression on vanilla. extremely fresh, dominant flavours of the palate is fresh, complex and fine, citrus, lemon zest and grapefruit reside on complemented by flavours of raspberry and the palate. an exquisite Champagne with pear. an exquisite Champagne with remarkable extreme finesse and length of flavour. balance of structure, vinosity and framework. pRiCe £165 USUaL pRiCe £235 Receive a complimentary bottle of Prélude Grand Cru PROMO PRICE £205 when you purchase the Comtes de Champagne 1999. Champagne | 37
- 38. M adame Clicquot is often considered the first businesswoman of the modern era. Widowed at 27, she flaunted the conventions of the day by taking control of her late husband’s small Champagne house. in so doing, she carried out many dramatic and dangerous feats – including defying napoleon’s blockade and sending a secret Champagne shipment to Russia. The house of Veuve Clicquot is among the most prestigious Champagne firms and is best known for its famous ‘Yellow Label’; a blend from several vintages. it is a lesser-known fact however, that Veuve Clicquot was also the first to make cuvées composed entirely from a single, exceptional year. Yellow Label NV The dominance of pinot noir grapes gives Yellow Label its strong structure, whilst a touch of pinot meunier adds to its roundness, leaving Chardonnay to provide the finesse it needs for perfect balance. assembled from about 50 Crus and carefully stocked réserve wines, providing this wine with its inimitable Clicquot style. USUaL pRiCe £41.95 PROMO PRICE £36 38 | Champagne
- 39. Rose NV ’ Vintage Reserve 2002 ’ La Grande Dame 1998 The nose is elegant and generous, with initial at first, freshness predominates – balsamic notes La grande dame is named in honour of madame aromas of fresh red and black berry fruit with of menthol and liquorice together with hints Clicquot, and is the ultimate embodiment of her hints of cherry, leading to dried fruit and biscuity of citrus and red fruits that nestle alongside legendary maxim: ‘one quality – the finest’. notes. in line with the style of the house, the wine aromas of white flowers. after several minutes On the nose, Chardonnay characteristics come is perfectly balanced and combines elegance of aeration, typical Clicquot notes of dried fruit, to the fore with the arrival of floral, nutty, and personality. nuts and pastries take the lead, crowned by a veil candied fruit and mineral aromas. This aromatic, USUaL pRiCe £48.95 of sweet spices like vanilla. in the mouth the wine impressively complex bouquet is confirmed in is lively and firm, yet soft and velvety with spicy the mouth. On the palate, the wine is clear-cut PROMO PRICE £42 fragrances emerging from the dosage. The finish and pure; perfectly balanced with a delightful silky is also contradictory, with a structure that is smoothness. it has a long, lively and structured based both on freshness and smoothness finish and offers great cellar potential. USUaL pRiCe £55.50 USUaL pRiCe £125 PROMO PRICE £51 PROMO PRICE £113 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £47 SIX-BOTTLE CASE PRICE (PER BOTTLE) £100 Champagne | 39
- 40. T he essence of the Tanqueray brand was laid down over 170 years ago when Charles Tanqueray – who had descended from three generations of clergymen – chose not to follow the family calling and instead opened a distillery in Bloomsbury, London. Charles’s refusal to accept the status quo meant that he spent many years testing the finest botanicals from around the world. Today Tanqueray gin continues Charles Tanqueray’s legacy of excellence. Tanqueray gets its rich multi-layered flavour from select botanical ingredients – angelica, juniper, coriander and other botanicals inconveniently sourced from around the globe. named after the tenth distillation that this luxury gin undergoes, in aptly named ‘Tiny 10’, during which the spirit is macerated in fresh limes, oranges and grapefruit, producing the refreshing taste of Tanqueray no. Ten. 40 | WhiTe SpiRiT OF The mOnTh
- 41. The Wayne Hemingway No.T Pack en acclaimed British designer Wayne hemingway has brought his creative vision to luxury gin Tanqueray no. Ten this year, with a limited-edition bottle. This beautiful casing mirrors the modern exterior of the bottle, while the interior is inspired by a 1930’s cocktail theme. The gin itself is a dry, crisp gin with a rich juniper flavour and citrus flavour lending a refreshing edge to gin and tonics and making an incomparable to martini cocktails. USUaL pRiCe £36.50 PROMO PRICE £29.95 WhiTe SpiRiT OF The mOnTh | 41
- 42. T he legacy left by legendary Johnnie Walker Gold John ‘Johnnie’ Walker has The Gold Label was blended to celebrate expanded decades and spread the first 100 years of Johnnie Walker in 1920. to worldwide acclaim. John Walker A well-kept secret, it’s only been available started out in his parents shop in outside the company since the 1990s. It is crafted using whiskies such as Cardhu, for Kilmarnock, Scotland in 1820 at the a honeyed flavour, and Clynelish, providing early age of 14, selling everything from malt and oak flavours. There are notes of soft writing paper to whisky. However as raisins and toffee, fresh malt and light cream. time would tell, it was the latter which Gold Label is as enticing as it is sensuous. would immortalise his name. USUAL PRICE £66.50 Three generations of the Walker PROMO PRICE £56.50 family have defined the steps to make Johnnie Walker the world famous Johnnie Walker Blue with Glasses Scotch whisky it is today. Encased in This premium whisky has been paired an iconic square bottle, the Johnnie with two elegant glasses to maximise Walker range of whiskies are blends the sensational flavours that embody of some of Scotland’s finest drams. Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Presented in a stylish blue lacquer case, this is the gift The Blue Label represents the pinnacle for whisky connoisseurs. of the House of Walker – the epitome PRICE £220 of blending from the rarest malts – which has an array of awards to its Johnnie Walker Blue Venturer Bag name. Each cask is hand-selected for its exceptional quality, character and The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Venturer is available exclusively from Harrods. flavour, ensuring the unique character The Venturer is the result of a partnership of the Blue Label; a complex, between two global icons: Johnnie Walker powerful, incredibly smooth dram Blue Label and Greg Norman. This limited that retains the signature Johnnie edition VIP bag was personally designed by Walker smokiness. Bill Amberg and Greg Norman, influenced by Greg’s incredible achievements on the golf course and in business. Only 331 Venturer bags are available worldwide, in recognition of the number of weeks Greg Norman reigned as golf ’s world number one. Each bag contains a suit compartment, shirt pocket and three bespoke accessories designed for the professional at the top of his game. The Venturer limited edition is the ultimate travel accessory for the power player. Price £1,500 Also available: Johnnie Walker Blue Caddy Bag £240 Johnnie Walker Blue Club Bag £275 42 | WHISKy Of THE mONTH
- 43. WhiSKY OF ThemOnTh | 43
- 44. 020 7893 8777wineshop@harrods.com
- 46. GIVING... inspired by Food Halls, Ground Floor
- 48. Best Flavoured DarkBar / Golden Bean 2011, Best Flavoured Dark Bar / Silver Bean 2011 Best Dark Truffle / Silver Bean 2011, Best Milk Bean to Bar / Silver Bean 2011 – Academy of Chocolate Chocolate, Tea & Coffee, Ground Floor
- 49. BRUCE LANGLANDS 18 24 44 50 Director of Food Halls ooking up a gourmet feast Harrods Magazine C this Christmas sounds more time-consuming than it really is. Having interviewed some of Food & Entertaining the world’s best chefs for this, our first-ever Harrods Magazine Food & Entertaining, I discovered it’s not just 9 NEWS 24 CHRISTMAS LUNCH me who believes that the key to fine cuisine Festive truffles from Charbonnel et MADE SIMPLE is provenance. The most flavoursome dishes Walker; William Curley Couture Fresh flavours, high-quality ingredients rely not on complicated recipes, but rather on Chocolate; Taittinger’s Nocturne Sec; and clever shortcuts make this festive starting out with the very best ingredients. organic olive oils by Manni feast deliciously different All the produce that we’ve used in the meals 11 A FINE LINE 36 CHEFS’ SECRET INGREDIENTS created throughout the next 68 pages has been Coln Valley Smokery has perfected the Eight top chefs choose their must- selected with flavour in mind. Sourcing these flavour of its salmon by doing things have foods, drinks and spices to turn products is a long process – and one that we the slow, old-fashioned way Christmas lunch into a gourmet feast take very seriously. We check to ensure that they are grown naturally and ethically. We visit the 12 DING DONG! 38 NEWS farms that supply us. We forge strong working Gourmet treats make the festive Demarquette chocolate; Can À Suc relationships with the individuals behind each season all the more special sugar shapes; La Maison de la Truffe brand, because we want their trust as much as truffles; A L’Olivier oils; top wines 14 SMART DECO we want yours. And once the products arrive Delicious and decorative, this season’s 40 BURIED TREASURE in-store, they are checked and double-checked most stylish Christmas ornaments Worth more than its weight in gold, to make sure we are genuinely proud to put are good enough to eat the white truffle is a gourmet superstar them on our shelves. 16 NEWS 44 BOXING DAY CLEVER Our passion for exceptional quality also Home baking kits; the best A delicious array of fine meats, translates to our prepared foods. Our cocktail Advent calendars; old-fashioned cheeses and cakes is a smart option party food is a social whirl of salmon mousse and festive confectionery for a festive feast parcels, foie gras terrines and delicate canapés. Our Harrods mince pies, Christmas cakes and 18 ’TWAS THE NIGHT 50 HOW TO HOST THE puddings are derived from old-English recipes, BEFORE CHRISTMAS PERFECT PARTY while our yule logs and stollens add an exotic Our European neighbours have Careful preparation, an eclectic guest European touch. All our fresh foods – from inspired a feast of seafood, salads list and contingency tactics ensure goose to salmon, ham to beef ribs, chipolatas to and exotic fruits – a perfectly light and your reputation as the ultimate host sprouts – will combine simply and beautifully luxurious prequel to Christmas Day to create a memorable gourmet feast. While 66 ULTIMATE LUCKY DIP 22 TALKING TURKEY From pink Champagne to smoked the fine flavours are doing all the hard work, The privileged life of a free-range salmon, Christmas cake to caviar, the chef will have plenty of time to enjoy the turkey at Peach Croft Farm results the “Ultimate” hamper has all the festivities, too. in an extra-tasty Christmas dinner ingredients of a very festive season And this Christmas, for your convenience, we have produced a festive foods order form, which can be found at the back of this HARRODS MAGAZINE FOOD & ENTERTAINING HARRODS STORE IMAGE magazine and in-store. Editor-in-Chief DEBORAH BEE Image Director MARK BRIGGS Art Director BARNEY PICKARD Media Sales Director GUY CHESTON Deputy Editor FLEUR FRUZZA Head of Advertising Sales & Publishing Chief Sub-Editors LISA HILLMAN, NICOLETTE THOMPSON CHARLOTTE MARKS Junior Sub-Editor NICOLA CORFIELD Marketing Manager, Food Halls ROMOLA BASU Producer LISA BONNICI Marketing Manager, Restaurants LISA TRUDEAU Art Editor SONJA BURRI Media Sales Manager, Home CHRIS SWEET Senior Designer NATALIE MOSQUERA Media Sales Executives, Home Junior Designer RACHEL ESCUDIER ADELE BROUSSE, HON BAN LEE Fashion Writer LAURA JORDAN Staff Writer AMY BROOMFIELD PRODUCTION Cover Editorial Assistant LOUISE FISH Reproduction ZEBRA PHOTOGRAPHER Print Production THE WESTDALE PRESS LIMITED Picture Researcher EMILY SELLERS DEIRDRE ROONEY Publisher BETH HODDER Harrods, 87–135 Brompton Road, London SW1X 7XL STYLIST Associate Publisher AISHA ISCEL t: +44 (0)20 7730 1234; f: +44 (0)20 7225 6633; Publishing Coordinator SUZY CHAPMAN www.harrods.com ARABELLA MCNIE Publishing Assistant ALETHEA QUARTEY All information and prices are correct at time of going Harrods gingerbread Production Manager HAYLEY ELLIS to press. wreath £30 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 5
- 52. BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN PURVEYORS OF CHOCOLATES FINEST CHOCOLATES & TRUFFLES TRADING FAIRLY “I DO SO ADORE TRUFFLES AS PRESTAT MAKES THEM” ROALD DAHL Our Chocolates and Truf⇑es are available in the Chocolate, Tea and Coffee Room, Ground Floor ESTABLISHED 1902
- 54. T H EW I N E S H O P, L O W E R G R O U N D F L O O R F L O R E N C E - R O M E - H A R R O D S www.deifrescobaldi.it www.frescobaldi.it
- 55. PROVENANCE A fine line Coln ValleySmokery has perfected the flavour of its salmon by doing things the slow, old-fashioned way BY PATRICK MCGUIGAN A full English will always have its place, but it’s hard to beat smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and a glass of Champagne for a luxurious start to Christmas Day. Choosing the right salmon is fundamental to this holy trinity. Too smoky and are hung vertically on spits in the traditional way, the salmon can overpower the taste buds; too mild so you get smoke coming up the tail and the body, and the flavour is bland. giving a lovely, even flavour across the whole fish.” According to Mark Osborne, Managing Director While the kilns are at the heart of what makes of Coln Valley Smokery in rural Gloucestershire, Coln Valley’s products so special, they’re only one the secret to great smoked salmon is a harmonious part of the story. A smoked side of salmon can only blend of flavours. “You want balance, so that one be as good as the fish used to make it. With this in flavour does not dominate. We aim for a third salt, mind, the company sources its salmon from small, a third smoke and a third fish,” he says. family-owned farms on the west coast of Scotland Coln Valley knows a thing or two about that work to strict animal-welfare standards. achieving this equilibrium, with over 30 years of “Mass-produced salmon can be too fatty,” says experience under its belt. Today it is one of only a Osborne. “We source from farms where the fish few businesses in the UK that still smokes fish in have room to swim. The farms are just off the traditional brick chambers known as kilns. coast, where the fish can swim against the tidal London brick was the building material of flow, but are sheltered from the full force of the choice when Jewish immigrants set up the first Atlantic. It means we get lovely, lean fish with firm salmon smokehouses in the East End of London flesh, which is perfect for smoking.” in the 19th century, but these dark and dense The fish are dispatched to the Gloucestershire “smokeholes” have slowly disappeared over the Before smokery within 24 hours of being caught, then decades to be replaced by stainless-steel equipment, cured overnight in coarse sea salt. The glossy pink which is quicker and easier to use. refrigeration, fillets are then hung up and smoked in the dark The beauty of brick, however, is that it absorbs curing and smoking kilns. “Curing and smoking are ancient processes the smoke and tar over months and years so that that date back thousands of years,” says Osborne. the kiln itself helps impart a subtle flavour to the were how people “Before refrigeration, it was how people preserved fish. Coln Valley is such a strong believer in the preserved food; we food; we are just continuing that tradition.” method that when it moved to new state-of-the-art The fish are left to rest for up to three days so that premises five years ago, it designed and built seven are just continuing the salt and smoke disperse evenly before slicing and new brick kilns in the style of the original London that tradition packing. “It takes us a week to produce our smoked smokeholes. Each kiln can take up to half a tonne salmon; some companies turn it around in a couple of fish, with the fillets hung up over oak and beech of days. But the taste profile is not right when you embers for at least 18 hours. The process, known as do that,” says Osborne. “We don’t rush our system – “cold smoking”, does not cook the fish, but helps that’s why we’re in laid-back Gloucestershire.” HMN preserve it while adding flavour. “One of our biggest worries when we moved Coln Valley Smokery Kiln Bake smoked was that the new kilns wouldn’t give the same Scottish salmon £8.45 for 200g. Available flavour but, thankfully, they quickly tarred up,” says from Food Halls, Ground Floor TOP Fresh salmon are filleted and prepared Osborne. “These days, a lot of smokeries just lay to be cured in salt at Coln Valley Smokery salmon fillets on stainless-steel racks, which means in Gloucestershire; ABOVE Coln Valley Patrick McGuigan contributes to Square Meal, the smoke only hits one side of the fish. Our fillets Managing Director Mark Osborne The Spectator and Fine Food Digest For food orders, please turn to the form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 11
- 56. GIFTS Ding dong! Gourmet treats make the festive season all the more special LEFT Jam, marmalade and preserve gift pack £9.95 for three 112g jars; CENTRE Chocolate-filled edible Christmas sleigh 300g, £45; RIGHT Christmas cake square 710g, £12.50 LEFT Port & Stilton gift pack, with crackers and cheese scoop £50; CENTRE The Christmas Box: Christmas pudding with Brandy, Christmas pudding biscuits, Belgian dark chocolate bar, Christmas spice loose leaf tea and strawberry preserve with Champagne £40; RIGHT Chablis and Pinot Noir wine gift pack £60 All images Studio 21 LEFT White, milk and dark Belgian chocolate Christmas boots filled with chocolate lollipops £11.95 each; CENTRE Chocolate Christmas wreath 490g, £39.95; RIGHT Champagne truffle-filled Christmas bauble £12.95 All products by Harrods. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com 12 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 57. J ADE JAGGER SIGNS THE NEW JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF D UCRU B EAUCAILLOU . S A I N T - J U L I E N • B O R D E A U X THE WINE SHOP, LOWER GROUND FLOOR.
- 58. SLUG Smart deco Delicious and decorative, this season’s most stylish Christmas ornaments are good enough to eat PHOTOGRAPHER DEIRDRE ROONEY/ STYLIST ARABELLA MCNIE Credits TK Images Harrods gingerbread wreath £30 14 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com To order please see the order form at the back
- 59. DECORATION ABOVE LEFT Biscuiteers crystal-encrusted biscuits £34 per tin, exclusive to Harrods ABOVE RIGHT William Yeoward Crystal “Country” cake stand £129 and 12cm “Edwina” tazza £54.95; Rivera marshmallow tree £50, milk chocolate button tree £40 and white chocolate Jazzles tree £22, all exclusive to Harrods ABOVE LEFT William Yeoward “Spiral” 15cm vase £59.95; Hannah’s Naturals candy canes from £2.50; ABOVE RIGHT Donna Karan “Platinum Voile” serving plate £129 and “Matte & Shine” dinner plate £34.95; Thomas Ferguson napkin £22.95; Biscuiteers Angel lollipop biscuits £4.50 each; Christofle “Galea” knife £83; Harrods Luxury Crackers £99.95 for 8 Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor; Cookshop, Second Floor; and harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 15
- 60. NEWS SWEET SURPRISE Looking for something sweet for an old- fashioned gal (or guy)? The Gingerbread Harrods Tuck Box is bursting with yesteryear’s favourite confectionery, like chocolate coins, candy canes and sherbet- filled flying saucers. £85. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods. com . To order, call 020 8479 5100 THREE OF THE BEST A choice of confectionery- laden Advent calendars helps The spice boys the Christmas countdown go 1 that little bit faster. Melt’s Advent calendar Freshly baked gingerbread (above) holds a selection is a perennial Christmas of award-winning handmade chocolates, and favourite. This year, is equally delicious for budding bakers can children and grown-ups. 2 £45 make their own gingerbread A lasting snowman biscuits with Christmas candy addition to the festivities, Confectionery trendsetters the Gourmet Candy Mopec’s felt Santa an easy-to- Company make sweets that look almost too good carries a velcro-backed star to eat. The festive collection includes snowman- to indicate the date, and use kit. shaped, chocolate-covered marshmallow lollipops; a hold-all packed with 385g, £6.95. giant candy canes; and edible decorations such as sweets. £21.95 3 Available from miniature gingerbread houses, and snowflake and Food Halls, Christmas-tree-shaped wafers. Edible decorations This hand-painted Ground Floor; and from £3.50 per pack. Available from Food wooden Advent calendar harrods.com Halls, Ground Floor (below) will enchant for many Christmases to come. The 24 drawers, which contain sweet treats, can be refilled year MUMMY’S after year. £45 YUMMIES Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com Even the most devout domestic goddesses need an extra helping hand every once in a while. Annie Low’s Mummy’s Yummies home-baking kits save time without compromising on quality – and make baking fun. The cake, cookie, biscuit and muffin mixes are made of ingredients that are free from artificial colours and flavourings, and come in hand-decorated kilner jars. From £9.95 for a half-litre jar. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com 16 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 62. ’Twas the night before Christmas Our European neighbours have inspired a feast of seafood, salads and exotic fruits – a perfectly light and luxurious prequel to Christmas Day BY PATRICK MCGUIGAN / PHOTOGRAPHER SARAH HOGAN FOOD STYLIST CLARE FERGUSON 18 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com To order please see the order form at the back
- 63. FOOD Native lobster£43 per kilo; crab legs £75 per kilo; gambas prawns £70 per kilo; and pomegranates £6.50 each; HOMEWARES William Yeoward “Lally” wine glass £74.95; Greggio platter £1,300 and lobster pliers £530; Royal Selangor “Arabica” cake stand £149 To order please see the order form at the back
- 65. SLUG In Europe, families have been known to keep their fish as fresh as possible by letting them swim around in the bath until the last minute THIS PAGE, FOOD Antico Forno Santi giant almond cantucci slab 200g, pomegranate seed coleslaw with pink grapefruit; caramelised garlic loaf £5.50; Harrods Panettone £19.95 per kilo; Traditional Whisky Mince Pies 450g, £6.95; HOMEWARES Royal Selangor “Henley” tankard £109 and 372g, £8.95; Mulled Wine Syrup 200ml, £5.95; Chocolatier Dark Hot “Amoroso” bread knife £39; William Yeoward “Alice” bowl £32.95; Credits TK Images Chocolate 250g, £12.95; dried fruit tray £20; Heritage Tea Flavoured OPPOSITE PAGE, RIGHT, FOOD Raw celeriac, parsnip, carrot and celery Shortbread biscuits 300g, £9.95; Brandy Butter biscuits and Christmas salad; langoustines £35 per kilo; crayfish tails in brine £28 per kilo; mussels Pudding biscuits 125g, £4.95; HOMEWARES, FROM LEFT Royal Selangor £7 per 100g; Paul Hollywood apricot and walnut bread 450g, £3.95, and “Arabica” cake stand £149; William Yeoward “Maggie” glass £29.95 and potato and rosemary sourdough bread 250g £3.25; HOMEWARES William “Ellen” cup £32.95; Greggio two-tier cake stand £275; Carrs forks £449 Yeoward “Alice” bowl £32.95; Richard Ginori “Pure White” dinner plate each; OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT, FOOD Red cabbage, red onion and £84.95; Villeroy Boch individual bowl £15.95 To order please see the order form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 21
- 66. PROVENANCE Talking turkey The privileged life of a free- range turkey at Peach Croft Farm results in an extra- tasty Christmas dinner BY PATRICK MCGUIGAN t would be understandable if, after spending I the best part of a year rearing prime free- range turkeys at his farm in Oxfordshire, Bill Homewood decided to sit down to a nice joint of beef on Christmas Day. But the third-generation farmer seems shocked by the suggestion. “Absolutely not. We have turkey every year,” he says. “We have a dozen or so people for Christmas dinner, so I put a nice, plump bird aside for the family.” Homewood’s loyalty to turkey isn’t surprising; although stocking densities at Peach Croft are Peach Croft Farm was set up by his grandfather even lower. The birds are free to roam during the more than 70 years ago, and produces some of the day, pecking at the grass and popping back into country’s finest turkeys and geese. What sets the the shed whenever they’re hungry or thirsty. This company’s poultry apart from run-of-the-mill birds helps build flavour, as does their diet of at least is the time and care that goes into rearing them. 70% locally grown wheat and barley, which is This commitment to quality means that the farm’s supplemented with vegetable proteins. products are protected under European law in much The turkeys lead such a cushy life that getting the same way as Champagne or Parma ham are. them back into their barns at night can be While mass-produced turkeys are ready to eat in problematic. “On sunny evenings, they have a 12 to 14 weeks, the free-range birds at Peach Croft habit of congregating at one end of the field,” says come from a stock that takes at least twice as long to Homewood. “It takes a few of us – with a bit of help mature. “Our turkeys have a good layer of fat, and from my black Labrador, Ted – to get them back in.” their muscles are fully formed because they’ve had The birds at Peach Croft are slaughtered quickly plenty of time to run around,” says Homewood. and humanely on site, avoiding the stress of “Older, slower-growing varieties also have a fuller travelling to an abattoir. And, unlike most mass- flavour, which makes them a bit more special.” produced birds, the farm dry-plucks the birds by This year, the farm will produce around 8,500 Our turkeys hand in the same way as Homewood’s grandfather turkeys – mainly Bronze and White varieties – but would have done. The turkeys are then hung for the company has also introduced a breed called have a good layer up to 14 days. “It allows the muscles to relax and the Hockenhull Brown Norfolk, which is being of fat, and their the meat to mature properly,” says Homewood. reared exclusively for Harrods. Their ancestry can All that’s left is to box up the birds with a recipe be traced back to the Norfolk Black – possibly the muscles are fully card and send them out. Homewood suggests oldest turkey variety in the UK – which is thought formed because roasting turkey with the breast side down for three to have arrived from Spain in the 1500s. “It’s akin quarters of the cooking time, so the white meat is to rare-breed beef or lamb,” explains Homewood. they’ve had kept moist in its own juices. “The other secret is Poultry are on the farm for around nine months plenty of time to not to overcook it,” he says. “It’s terrible to think of the year, with the geese arriving in April and that people might cremate their bird, undoing all the young turkeys, known as poults, delivered by a run around the hard work we’ve put into the rearing.” HMN specialist hatchery in June. The chicks are initially reared in warm barns, but after seven to eight weeks Peach Croft Farm Hockenhull Brown Norfolk they’re allowed to roam outside in grassy paddocks. turkeys; exclusive to Harrods. Available from Under EU rules, free-range turkeys must Food Halls, Ground Floor have more than twice as much space to roam as TOP Free-range turkeys at Peach Croft most conventional indoor-bred birds. It works Farm; ABOVE Bill Homewood, the Patrick McGuigan contributes to Square Meal, out at about four square metres per animal, third-generation owner of Peach Croft The Spectator and Fine Food Digest 22 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 68. ENTERTAINING STARTERS Beetroot mousse with smoked salmon and horseradish crème fraîche Chicory, stilton, pear and walnut salad Pair with a crisp white wine MAINS Fragrant citrus roast turkey with pork, apricot and pink peppercorn stuffing Lemon thyme roast potatoes Maple roasted carrots and parsnips Brussels sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts Pair with a Pinot Noir or Claret; for white, choose a Chardonnay or Sancerre CHEESES Classic British cheese board: Montgomery’s Cheddar, Colston Bassett Stilton, Tymsboro, Golden Cenarth, Farmhouse Red Leicester Pair with a Tawny Port or Cabernet Sauvignon DESSERTS Special edition Christmas pudding Fruit- and gold leaf-topped Christmas cake Classic sherry trifle Pair with a glass of Sauternes Credits TK Images 24 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com To order please see the order form at the back
- 69. FOOD Christmas lunch made simple Gourmet cuisine doesn’t have to be complicated. Combining fresh flavours and high-quality ingredients with clever shortcuts is an easy way to make this festive feast deliciously different BY FLEUR FRUZZA/ PHOTOGRAPHER DEIRDRE ROONEY RECIPES FOOD STYLIST SEIKO HATFIELD he love affair with turkey is back on. T After a number of festive seasons in which goose and game have stolen the limelight, people are returning to the classic yuletide bird for Christmas Day. Turkey, however, is a meat that requires a little extra effort to get right. To cook it successfully, a bit of gourmet magic (and maybe a smattering of cheating) is in order. With the best tips, ingredients, accompaniments and short cuts, the classic Christmas bird and its trimmings can be not only delicious, but also a little bit different. Tradition is key at Christmas, so venturing too far from what we know and love can be risky. It is also unnecessary when small changes to regular ingredients and methods – be it the quality of a sprout or adding a prepared gourmet dish to the menu – can turn Christmas lunch into a foodie feast. To begin, tackle the turkey. We know that the key to a successful bird is keeping it juicy and flavoursome, but this is often easier said than done. Making a stuffing of pork, apricots and pink peppercorns (or cheating with Harrods cranberry Credits TK Images and chestnut edition), and adding it under the skin at the neck of the turkey will ensure that the breast meat is infused with plenty of flavour. A generous Beetroot mousse with smoked salmon layer of citrus butter brushed over the skin will also and horseradish crème fraîche; smother the turkey with complementary tastes, and Ralph Lauren Home “Broughton” make it crispy. Add an extra squeeze of orange and f martini glasses £210 for two To order please see the order form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 25
- 70. BEETROOT MOUSSE WITH SMOKED SALMON AND HORSERADISH CRÈME FRAÎCHE Serves 6 375g cooked beetroot 250ml double cream ½ leaf gelatine 62.5g horseradish cream 62.5g crème fraîche Smoked salmon, cut into small pieces ¼ bunch fresh dill Cayenne pepper to serve 1 To make the mousse, blitz the beetroot in a food processor, then whip the double cream into soft peaks. 2 Soak the gelatine in cold water until soft. Heat ½ tbsp of the beetroot purée and then dissolve in the gelatine. Stir the gelatine mix into the rest of the beetroot purée, then add the whipped cream. Season to taste, then place the mousse in the bottom of six martini glasses and refrigerate for 1–2 hours. 3 Mix the horseradish cream into the crème fraîche and season to taste. 4 Take the martini glasses containing the beetroot mousse from the fridge. Top each with a generous spoonful of the horseradish cream, then arrange the smoked salmon on top. 5 Garnish each glass with sprigs of fresh dill and sprinkle with cayenne pepper. CHICORY, STILTON, PEAR Chicory, stilton, AND WALNUT SALAD pear and walnut salad Serves 4 1 tbsp sherry vinegar lemon to the bottom of the roasting tray, and then 1 tsp honey leave the fruits in to roast with the bird. Useful 2 tsp Dijon mustard tricks to prevent the turkey drying out are layering 1 egg greaseproof paper over the breast; adding hot water 2 tbsp walnut oil to the bird’s body cavity; and basting every 30 2 tbsp vegetable oil minutes (see turkey recipe, p29). 4–5 heads of chicory Such a glorious bird will need suitably crowd- 10g pickled walnuts pleasing accompaniments of course – sprouts 1 tbsp olive oil jazzed up with pancetta and chestnuts, for 15 walnuts, shelled instance, or vegetables roasted in maple syrup. 120g Stilton, crumbled The introduction and ending to the turkey 2 large pears, cored and finely sliced should also be in keeping with the gourmet twist on tradition. November and December 1 For the dressing, whisk together the sherry are optimum months for beetroot, and a starter vinegar, honey, mustard, egg, walnut oil and of beetroot mousse with smoked salmon and vegetable oil. Season to taste and set aside. horseradish crème fraîche ticks all the boxes – it’s 2 For the salad, cut the roots from the chicory and seasonal, a novel way to combine traditional separate the leaves. Wash in cold water then dry in flavours, and it’s pretty. a salad spinner or colander. And to finish, what could be better than the 3 Mix the pickled walnuts with the olive oil and best sherry trifle you’ve ever tasted? Or a luxurious lightly toast them under the grill or in the oven. Christmas pudding? Or even a gold leaf- and fruit- Christofle “Malmaison” salad plate £50; 4 Toss the chicory leaves in the dressing, season topped Christmas cake? Perhaps, just this once, Carrs “Dubarry” fork £524; Alexandre and arrange in a bowl. Top with the walnuts, your guests can indulge in all three. Turpault napkin £12.95 Stilton and sliced pears. 26 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 71. ENTERTAINING LEFT Duck terrine with armagnac, pistachio foie gras £15.95 per 300g; Villeroy Boch “Modern Grace” salad plate £17.50; CENTRE Salmon roulade £5.95 each; Villeroy Boch “Anmut” saucer £13.95; RIGHT Salmon parcel £4.75 each; Villeroy Boch “Anmut” dish £32.50 LEFT Parsnip and spiced apple soup £4.95 per 600ml; Villeroy Boch “Anmut” soup cup £24.95 and saucer £13.95; Carrs spoon £425; CENTRE Foie gras and ham hock tian £5.95; Villeroy Boch “Anmut” dish £32.50; RIGHT Lobster sole terrine £45 per kilo; Villeroy Boch “Cera” plate £22.50; Carrs “Kings” fish knife £375 Grid photos Studio 21 LEFT Gruyère and cep croquettes £2.25 each; Villeroy Boch “Farmhouse Touch” oval dish £7.50 and dip bowl £5.95; CENTRE Foie gras en croûte 335g, £299; Villeroy Boch “Anmut” platter £71; RIGHT Goose foie gras £33.95 per 145g; Villeroy Boch “New Cottage” salad plate £14.50 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 27
- 72. ENTERTAINING Citrus roast turkey with pork, apricot and pink peppercorn stuffing To order please see the order form at the back
- 73. FOOD FRAGRANT CITRUS ROAST TURKEY WITHPORK, APRICOT AND PINK PEPPERCORN STUFFING Serves 12-15; allow a 350–400g portion of turkey (with stuffing) per person For the stuffing (about 800g) 50g butter 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 200g onion, finely chopped 50g pancetta, cubed 50g fresh breadcrumbs 1 egg ⅛ tsp white pepper 300g pork mince 250g sausage meat Leaves from five sprigs of thyme 100g dried apricots, finely chopped 1 tsp pink peppercorns, lightly crushed Zest of 1 lemon For the turkey 200g unsalted butter Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon 5kg free-range or organic turkey 1 tbsp sea salt 1 carrot, roughly chopped 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 medium onion, roughly chopped Half an orange Half a lemon For the gravy 120ml white wine Roast maple carrots and parsnips; lemon 500ml chicken stock thyme roast potatoes; Brussels sprouts 1 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 50ml warm water with pancetta and chestnuts Salt (to season) 10 twists of black pepper with enough at each end to enclose the bird 1 To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a once it is placed inside the tin. medium-sized frying pan over a medium heat. 5 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Place Add the garlic, onion and pancetta and cook until the bird in the roasting tray and cover it all over the pancetta becomes crispy. Set aside to cool, with the citrus butter. Sprinkle with salt. then combine the pancetta mixture with the other 6 Place the carrots, celery, garlic and onion into ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate the roasting tin along with the half orange and half until the day of cooking the bird. lemon (give them a squeeze first). Put some layers 2 Make a citrus butter by bringing the butter to of greaseproof paper over the turkey breast, as this room temperature and adding the orange and will help to keep it moist. lemon zest. Mix well and set aside. THIS PAGE, HOMEWARES Prouna 7 Pour 250ml of hot water into the bird’s body 3 To prepare the bird, first check that there are “Knightsbridge” gravy boat £178 and cavity. Wrap the tinfoil over the bird, leaving a no giblets in the body cavity. Then, turning to “Diana” sweet dish £175; Wedgwood gap between the bird and the foil, and seal the the other end of the bird, pull back the neck “Riverton” open vegetable dish £750 and foil Cornish-pasty style. skin until you can fill the cleft at the front of the “Pure Gold” bowl £110; Carrs “Dubarry” 8 Cook the bird for 20 minutes per 450g; if your spoon £404; OPPOSITE PAGE, FOOD breasts with stuffing. Flip the bird upside down Harrods Cranberry Sauce £4.95, stuffing bird is 5kg in total (including stuffing), the cooking and, using thin skewers, secure the neck skin over balls rolled in Cumbrian ham £6.95 for 6, time is three hours and 40 minutes. Turn the heat and around the stuffing to prevent it falling out and truffle bread sauce £9.95 per kilo down to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3 after the first 40 while cooking. HOMEWARES Saint-Louis “Apollo Or” minutes of cooking. 4 Prepare a roasting tray large enough to wine glass £138; Wedgwood “Riverton” 9 Baste the bird every 30 minutes with the butter fruit saucer £275; Carrs “Kings” carving set accommodate the bird by lining it with strong £738; Christofle “Malmaison” platter and juices from the bottom of the roasting tray tinfoil. Place one long strip top to bottom and £269; Villeroy Boch small bowl £7.95; before parcelling it up again. another left to right, making a big foil cross Wedgwood “Pure Gold” bowl £110 10 For the last 30 minutes of cooking the bird, For food orders, please turn to the form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 29
- 74. ENTERTAINING LEFT Pigs in blankets 69p each; Villeroy Boch “Anmut” dish £32.50; CENTRE Red cabbage with cider and caramelised apple £15 per kilo; Villeroy Boch “Anmut” bowl £15.95; RIGHT Wrapped cranberry and chestnut stuffing log £9.95 per 500g; Villeroy Boch “New Cottage” dinner plate £16.95 LEFT Wild mushroom garlic and truffle roll 500g, £9.95; Revol “Belle Cuisine” roasting dish £59.95; CENTRE Périgord Sauce £5 per kilo; Revol “Belle Cuisine” round dish £49.95; Carrs soup ladle £1,510; RIGHT Château roast potatoes with garlic and herbs £12.50 per kilo; Villeroy Boch “Modern Grace” bowl £16.95 Grid photos Studio 21 LEFT Truffle bread sauce £9.95 per kilo; Christofle “Malmaison” bowl £55; CENTRE Maple-roasted root vegetables £15 per kilo; Villeroy Boch “Modern Grace” bowl £16.95; RIGHT Harrods Limited Edition Cranberry Orange sauce 250g, £8.95; Villeroy Boch “Farmhouse Touch” bowl £6.95 and spoon £13.50 30 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com
- 75. FOOD remove the foiland greaseproof paper to expose the top of the bird so that it turns a nice golden colour. 11 Take a long skewer and insert it into the thickest part of the breast. Press around the hole with a fork to see if the juice comes out clear, not bloody, in which case the turkey is cooked. If you see pink juice, then put the bird back into the oven again and cook for a further 20 minutes before testing once more. Once the turkey is completely cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest on a warm plate for 30 minutes before serving. 12 While the turkey is resting, prepare the gravy. Pass the contents of the roasting tray through a sieve and remove as much oil and fat as you can (a gravy separator is useful for this). 13 Discard the vegetables. Return the turkey juice to the roasting tray, place on a medium to high heat, and add the wine. Stir until simmering and then add the chicken stock. 14 Once the juice is simmering again, add the cornflour mixture and stir until the liquid thickens. Add more cornflour mixture if you like extra-thick gravy. Simmer for a minute or two more, season with salt and pepper and serve. LEMON THYME ROAST POTATOES Serves 10 1.5kg potatoes 1 tsp sea salt 2 tbsp goose fat Leaves from 5 thyme sprigs 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. 2 Boil the potatoes in a large pan with plenty of salted water until a skewer can easily pass through (about 20–30 minutes). 3 Drain and spread on a roasting tray. Cover with BRUSSELS SPROUTS goose fat, sprinkle with the thyme leaves and roast WITH PANCETTA for about 30–40 minutes or until golden. AND CHESTNUTS Serves 10 ROAST MAPLE CARROTS 800g Brussels sprouts AND PARSNIPS Serves 10 1 tbsp butter 150g onion, chopped 1kg carrots, peeled and cut lengthways 1 garlic clove, finely chopped to make 20 batons 200g pancetta, cubed 1kg parsnips, peeled and cut lengthways 100g cooked chestnuts to make 20 batons Lemon peel or grated zest 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 Cut a cross into the bottom of the sprouts with a FOOD Harrods Classic English Cheeseboard: small paring knife – this helps them to cook evenly. 200g Montgomery’s Cheddar, 200g 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Colston Bassett Stilton, Tymsboro, Golden 2 Boil in salted water for a few minutes; drain, 2 Parboil the carrots in plenty of hot water for Cenarth and 200g Farmhouse Red Leicester blanch in cold water and set aside. 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. £50; Paxton Whitfield fig ball 250g, 3 In a frying pan, melt the butter, then fry the 3 Arrange the parboiled carrots and parsnips on £8.50; Harrods Biscuit Selection £9.95 for onion and garlic until golden. Add the pancetta a roasting tray, drizzle with the olive oil and maple 450g; Prunotto Moscato Jelly 110g, £3.25; and fry until crispy. Toss in the chestnuts and HOMEWARES Richard Ginori charger plate syrup, and sprinkle with salt. £89.95; Arthur Price “Royal Pearl” cheese sprouts, and cook until everything is heated 4 Bake for 30–40 minutes or until golden. Serve knife £75; Villeroy Boch “Farmhouse through. Top with the grated lemon zest and with other trimmings. Touch” dip bowl £5.95 serve in a warm bowl. For food orders, please turn to the form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 31
- 76. FOOD CLASSIC SHERRY TRIFLE Serves 8–12 2 vanilla pods, split in half lengthways 400ml milk 400ml double cream 8 egg yolks 100g caster sugar 1 sponge cake (Madeira cake) 50g almond thin biscuits (optional) 100ml sweet sherry 3 tbsp bitter orange marmalade 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp honey 450g strawberries 200g raspberries 30g caster sugar 400ml double cream 80ml sweet sherry 50g toasted sliced almonds Orange zest to decorate 1 To make the custard, which can be done a day in advance, start by scraping out the seeds from the vanilla pods. Pour the milk and double cream into a pan, add both the vanilla seeds and pods, and place on a gentle heat. Remove and set aside just as the liquid reaches boiling point. 2 Mix the sugar and egg yolks with a whisk for a few minutes until they become fluffy, then continue whisking while slowly pouring in a thin stream of the vanilla milk. Once fully combined, fish out the vanilla pods and discard. Classic sherry trifle 3 Return your custard mixture to the pan and put it on a low heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture regularly until it thickens to the consistency of a roux. This could take 20 minutes or longer, but heating the custard slowly prevents it from curdling. 4 Pass the custard through a sieve and set aside to cool before refrigerating it – you should have around 600ml. Alternatively, you can use 600ml of ready-made thick custard purchased from the chilled cabinet. 5 Assemble the trifle by cutting the cake into 1.5cm-sized cubes and spreading them at the bottom of the dish. Break the almond biscuits and sprinkle over the top. Combine the sweet sherry, marmalade, lemon juice and honey, then pour the mixture over the cake and biscuit base. 6 Arrange strawberries and raspberries on the top and cover with the custard. Whisk the caster sugar TOP William Yeoward “Wisteria” and double cream until it forms fairly firm peaks. footed rose bowl £149; Carrs “Kings” Add the sherry to the cream while still whisking, serving spoon £564; LEFT, FOOD which will soften the consistency a little. Spread the Harrods Crème Anglaise £9.95 per kilo, sherry cream on the top of the custard, sprinkle with and Christmas Cake £50; HOMEWARES Villeroy Boch dip bowl £5.95; Carrs toasted almonds and decorate with the orange zest. “Kings” teaspoon £264; Richard Ginori 7 Leave the trifle to rest in the fridge for an hour charger plate £89.95 or overnight before serving. 32 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 77. Credits TK Images ENTERTAINING FOOD FOOD Château Doisy-Daëne 2006 Sauternes 75cl, £38.95; Harrods Limited Edition Christmas Pudding £59, and Limited Edition Brandy Butter 340g, £5.95 HOMEWARES Saint-Louis “Apollo Or” wines glass £138; William Yeoward “Edwina” tazza £57.95; Villeroy Boch “Farmhouse Touch” dip bowl £5.95; Carrs “Kings” teaspoon £264 To order please see the order form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 33
- 78. ENTERTAINING LEFT Harrods chocolate-dipped fruit £7.50 per 100g; Villeroy Boch “Urban Nature” dish £11.95; CENTRE Harrods Cocoa-Dusted Almonds 325g, £9.95; Villeroy Boch “Urban Nature” espresso cup plate £8.95; RIGHT Harrods Opulent Mint Collection 450g, £29.95; Villeroy Boch “Anmut” dish £32.50 LEFT Selamlique Gold Leaf Turkish Delight 320g, £14.95; Villeroy Boch “Cera” plate £8.95; CENTRE Harrods Pâtes de Fruits 200g, £8.95; William Yeoward “Victorian” comport £109; RIGHT Harrods Christmas Spiced Ground Coffee 250g, £10.95; Can À Suc Sugar Angel carousel £27.95; WMF “Barista” cup, saucer and spoon set £15.95 Grid photos Studio 21 LEFT Harrods Christmas Spice Loose Leaf Tea 125g, £8.95; Villeroy Boch “Anmut” cup £24.95 and saucer £13.95; Kitchen Craft spice ball from a selection; CENTRE Harrods Belgian chocolates £6.50 per 100g; Villeroy Boch dish £11.95; RIGHT Harrods Mulled Wine Truffles 140g, £13.95; Villeroy Boch “Cera” plate £8.95 Available from The Wine Shop, Lower Ground Floor; Food Halls, Ground Floor; Cookshop and Crystal Glass, Luxury Dining, Silver Room and Waterford Crystal, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Second Floor; and harrods.com 34 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 80. FOOD CHEFS’ SECRET INGREDIENTS Eight top chefs choose their must-have foods, drinks and spices to turn Christmas lunch into a gourmet feast BY AMY BROOMFIELD BRUNO LOUBET ANDY NEEDHAM TOM AIKENS Head Chef, Bistro Bruno Loubet Head Chef, Zafferano Chef Restaurateur The one ingredient Christmas means so My luxury ingredient that no chef should be many different things for Christmas is without at Christmas to the world’s many saffron. You can use is a bottle of port. cultures. I feel that the spice in lots of Conventionally, preparing food and recipes, from port is the perfect spending time with savoury to sweet. accompaniment to family is a perfect Make a simple cheese at the end of way of showing and dressing by warming a meal – especially Stilton – or it can be receiving the Christmas spirit. a little olive oil with saffron to release the served as an aperitif when your guests For me, there is nothing more spice’s flavour, then add more oil and lemon arrive. A clever trick is to reduce the port Christmassy than roast chestnuts; their juice. This mixture can be used to marinate down to a sauce to aroma evokes memories of Christmases past. fish before baking it, or in a lovely risotto serve with turkey. Their taste of flame-toasted sweetness is one accompanied by smoked salmon, chives and As well as giving the we only really experience during the festive saffron. Saffron is also great with an Israeli turkey a Christmassy period. However, by incorporating them into couscous, served with some chopped dried feel, port adds a real the main meal, we can capture some of those apricots, toasted flaked almonds depth to the flavour. fond memories. Preparing them from scratch and coriander, as an accompaniment for is a lengthy process but fortunately you can baked cod or lamb rump. For sweets, buy them ready peeled and cooked. Mix use the spice to create a delicious saffron, them with cranberries to make a stuffing almond and pistachio ice cream, or a or add a few to buttered Brussels sprouts for saffron and white chocolate mousse. extra sweetness and texture. You can also find them in syrup for use in desserts, perhaps in poached winter fruits served with lightly whipped cream. 36 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 81. MICHEL ROUX JUNIOR THOMAS KELLER Chef Patron, Le Gavroche Chef Patron, The French Laundry The addition of truffle would turn any Christmas meal into During the holidays, there is no a gourmet dining experience. Truffles are in season over the better way to capture the spirit festive period and are one of my favourite ingredients. They are than with Champagne. No other so versatile – you can grate them over practically anything that beverage denotes true luxury and takes your fancy. If you use the very best – I personally like the generosity. Champagne elevates black Périgord truffle – you will only need to add a touch. any gathering into a special You could, occasion and creates such a sense for example, of celebration. Whether it is add a few shavings of truffle to a simple poured at the table, or given as a gift to the host or salad, which will instantly transform hostess, it is always welcomed with anticipation and the dish into something much more given a place of honour. exuberant and indulgent. Alternatively, for a very decadent cheese course, you could grate truffle over a beautiful slice of Brie. The family is sure to be impressed. VALENTINE WARNER Chef TV presenter Turkey has never been a welcome guest in the Warner household as I have always found it dry to some degree and I don’t care for the flavour. No, we Warners are “goosers” year after year and, despite ideas of forays into chicken or pork, we just can’t break PAUL KICHING with tradition. Apart from the obvious connotations, Christmas Head Chef, 21212 Day is also a celebration of our year-long wait for this bird. Oh, the taste! That delicious dark, fullsome, rich meat and The one ingredient that I crispy skin leaves one with a smile and a greasy chin. would use to make a traditional Be careful, though, when you are ordering your bird. Christmas dinner into a gourmet I would advise choosing a goose bigger than the one you one is fresh dates. think you need as, although they self-baste Harrods Food Halls have well, the fat takes up a lot of the weight. the best smooth, fresh dates I Goose is leftover heaven; the have ever tasted – they are the carcass makes a rich soup, the meat is biggest, juiciest and ripest dates great for making a delicious variation and perfect to complement so many dishes during the on Coronation Chicken, and the fat is festive season and Christmas dinner itself. Valentine Warner Jake Gavin; cork iStockphoto; all other food images StockFood excellent for future roasts. Dates are quite filling, so I would suggest using them as the main aspect of the dish. We cook with dates a lot in the restaurant, especially during the CHRIS GALVIN festive season. I would suggest rolling them in curry Chef Patron, Galvin Restaurants powder and olive oil to start as an amuse-bouche, followed by Egyptian beef or Moroccan trout A great way to make Christmas more luxurious is to buy a box with dates as a starter. They can also complete the of Maldon rock oysters. British native oysters are probably the traditional main course of turkey so well – rolled in best in the world, and many of our French staff buy a case olive oil and saffron, and cooked under the grill. to take home to France. Oysters are a wonderful The obvious choice is accompaniment to Champagne and a super way to add them to your to start off lunch. There is real ceremony Christmas pudding, involved in opening oysters and but I also love them sharing them with friends. Later dipped in in the day, there is nothing like Angels on Horseback, chocolate as where you roll the oysters in pancetta and enjoy a petit four them as a mid-evening treat with a glass of – a delicious chilled, flinty Chablis Premier Cru. Or for the way to perfect Christmas supper, serve Angels on round off Horseback with a plate of scrambled egg and Irish Christmas wild smoked salmon. dinner. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 37
- 82. NEWS THE WINE SWEETEST rewards EXPERT BY GUY WOODWARD Artisanal chocolate brand Demarquette was the most awarded luxury chocolatier at the Great Taste Awards Experimenting and making new discoveries for the second year running. Here, Marc Demarquette are two of the great joys of the world of wine talks about craftsmanship and sweet memories. and, with this world expanding rapidly, Our philosophy is to source the best British there has never been a better time for thrill- ingredients and pair them with unique, high-quality and ethically seeking wine lovers. sourced chocolate to make the best products in the land. In October, The Wine Shop at Harrods We create traditional products using age-old techniques with hosted 16 medal winners from the Decanter a modern twist. As we work in such an artisanal way, there are no World Wine Awards for customers to try, corners for my team to cut, as it is a straight line to the final satisfaction including some less common wines. Germany of our customers. To make great chocolates, a real in-depth knowledge and isn’t the obvious port of call for a great Pinot understanding of science is required, which no machine or amateur can replicate. Noir, but that’s changing. This year, the Decanter My earliest memory of chocolate is of my grandmother in France spoiling me with so many International Trophy for Pinot Noir went to wonderful chocolates from artisanal shops in Normandy. It was such a treat to go in and a wine from Baden, one of several from the discover such a wonderland found nowhere else and walk out with a little bag of pure joy. region to impress the judges. Try the 2003 Chocolate tree £35; exclusive to Harrods. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor Dr Heger Mimus Ihringer Winklerberg Spätburgunder (the latter being the German name for Pinot) from the area. ANGEL DELIGHTS Israel has made great strides in recent years, with the Carmel Winery blazing a trail. Its Old Hearts and butterflies… For Vines Carignan (a variety often restricted to use as a blending grape) from Shomron is worth a 20 years Can À Suc has been try. Equally – and in the interests of political transforming humble sugar cubes diplomacy – Lebanon is attracting increasing into miniature works of art. This interest from European winemakers. The 2007 Massaya Gold Reserve Bekaa Valley is a complex, Christmas, the French brand’s unusual blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah designs are given a festive flourish and Mourvèdre. in angel and snowflake shapes. Albariño is a fresh, tangy grape variety that’s £27.95. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor all the rage right now, especially in seafood restaurants. And you won’t find a much better example than the 2009 Martin Codax Albariño. THE WHOLE TRUFFLE For something more weighty, try Austria, and its showpiece grape, Grüner Veltliner. The 2008 Since opening its restaurant in Paris in 1932, La Maison Laurenz V Charming Grüner Veltliner, from de la Truffe has considered itself the jeweller of the Kamptal, has the signature white pepper notes. “diamond of the kitchen” – the treasured truffle. Its My greatest find on a trip to California collection of truffle-related products includes classics like this year was a producer called Wind Gap. Its truffle oil, salt and foie gras, as well as showcasing the 2008 Syrah from the Sonoma coast exhibits a delicacy’s versatility in acacia honey and chocolate bon haunting, delicate, savoury element that is rare bons. From £6.50; exclusive to Harrods. Available from in the more pumped-up, exuberant wines we’ve Food Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com come to expect from the state. Finally, for a wine that combines an emerging region with a topical link, look no further than A L’Olivier oils England, and Ridgeview’s 2008 Knightsbridge Blanc de Noirs fizz – a silver medal winner at Uncompromising quality has been the ethos of this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards – and French oil and vinegar company A L’Olivier since bearing the name of the neighbourhood, no less. it started as a stall in the Marais in 1922. Today its collection of more than 50 oils includes a variety of Guy Woodward is Editor of Decanter magazine extra-virgin olive oils, some infused with garlic, basil 2006 Carmel Old Vines Carignan £22.50 or chilli, others with more unusual ingredients like 2003 Dr Heger Mimus Ihringer Winklerberg £31.95 lavender, truffle and porcini. There are also nut and 2007 Massaya Gold Reserve Bekaa Valley £27.95 seed oils, oils for cooking stir-fries and tagines, and 2009 Martin Codax Albariño £14.95 Mediterranean specialities such as balsamic vinegars 2008 Laurenz V Charming Grüner Veltliner £19.95 and tapenades. Spoilt for choice? The gift sets include 2008 Wind Gap Syrah £41.50 2008 Ridgeview Knightsbridge Blanc de Noirs £32.95 their “greatest hits”. From £5.50. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com Available from The Wine Shop, Lower Ground Floor 38 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 83. PROMOTION SLUG The East India Company The world’s oldest trading merchant is bringing its gourmet treats in-store this season Whether delicately served in a fine china cup, or simple and strong 120 teas from seven countries; rich, aromatic coffees; artisan biscuits in a chunky mug, tea is something we take for granted as part of made from Stilton, Indian spices, or caramel and sea salt; handmade our everyday lives. And yet if it wasn’t for The East India Company, chocolates; and an array of jams, chutneys and condiments. Each of established in 1600, we might still only drink it as an exotic digestif. these gourmet treats makes an ideal festive gift; or, for globetrotters, The company that established the original merchant trade routes the exclusive Adventurer’s Spice Hamper offers a little of everything. between Great Britain and the Far East 400 years ago still exists as an artisan food producer. Sourcing the finest ingredients from across A range of more than 70 products, and the Adventurer’s Spice the globe, The East India Company selects produce with the best Hamper (£100, exclusive to Harrods), are available from Food Halls, provenance. And the results taste as good as they sound: more than Ground Floor; and harrods.com Credits TK Images Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 17
- 84. PROVENANCE SLUG Buried treasure Worth more than its weight in gold, the white truffle is a gourmet superstar BY AMY BROOMFIELD very autumn, once the early mornings E have turned colder and the trees change their hue, the cavatori begin to roam the misty forests of Alba. Dressed in their flat-caps and tweed jackets, they carry a stick in one hand and lead a pig with the other. They are the seasoned truffle hunters, hardened to the cold, ready to search for tuber treasure. Growing only in this region of northern Italy, the tartufo bianchetti or white truffle is a type of fungus that has been venerated for nearly 4,000 years. Nestled in the soils of these forests, the According to experts at leading supplier P.A.Q. ancient roots of oaks, willows, hazels, poplars and Gubbio, “Truffles need a sunny summer with rainy lindens have all helped create the white truffle’s intervals. Alba’s forests are at the right altitude and deep woody flavour and unique aroma. It is this its fine soil means they grow well.” earthy scent, similar to the pheromones of male However, the change in climate has seen a steady pigs, that the female pig’s acute sense picks up decline in the growth and quality of white truffles on. The foragers instantly know when a truffle has over the past 15 years, so that competition for them been found as their pigs excitedly dig and snaffle at is fiercer than ever and suppliers are notoriously the base of a tree – this is where the stick comes in secretive about the areas in which they forage. handy. Cavatori have been known to lose a finger Truffle oils have emerged as a more cost-effective as they do battle with an overzealous pig for the way of infusing foods with a truffle flavour, but treasured truffle. These days, some cavatori use their use is controversial. Few oils on the market are trained dogs instead. made with actual truffles; instead they use synthetic If ever an ingredient could be said to enjoy compounds that attempt to copy the taste. culinary superstardom, it would be the white truffle. Meanwhile, farmers in France have found ways The fungus looks like a cross between a potato and to cultivate the black Périgord truffle in specially a walnut, and has a taste and aroma unlike anything created fields, but doing the same with white Alba else on the planet. To our Michelin-starred friends, truffles has so far proved unsuccessful. Foragers are it is the indisputable “king of the kitchen”. The white truffle’s hugely opposed to the idea, believing that hurrying Unlike its black counterpart, the Périgord, the the growth process will not only impinge on the white truffle is very rare and its flavour is impossible pungent, earthy scent taste, but also decrease the market value. Experts to replicate, though many have tried. Restaurants makes it an ideal at Gubbio believe there is no reliable way to cultivate with white truffles on the menu use them sparingly. white truffles. This is good news for the cavatori They know it is an expensive commodity but that pairing for rich, buttery whose livelihood and way of life revolve around just a raw sliver of it can transform the simplest dish sauces... as well as truffle hunting. As famous gastronome Jean- – tagliatelle, risotto or even a plate of fried eggs – Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said: “The most learned into a gourmet meal. The pungent, earthy scent of flavouring beef men have sought to ascertain the secret [of the Foraging picture Getty Images the white truffle, complemented with hints of garlic, truffle], and fancied they discovered the seed. Their makes it an ideal pairing for rich, buttery sauces as promises, however, were vain, and no planting was well as excellent for flavouring beef. So powerful ever followed by a harvest. As one of the great values is their aroma that the truffles need to be handled of truffles is their dearness, perhaps they would be and stored carefully. less highly esteemed if they were cheaper.” HMN TOP A truffle hunter and his dog search for Alba white truffles ripen in October and tuber treasure; ABOVE The white truffle’s November, the best time for foraging. Their growth lumpy, odd appearance belies its value relies on very specific environmental conditions. and its flavour Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor 40 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 85. DISCOVER THE WINESHOP WITH A SELECTION OF MORE THAN 3,000 WINES AND SPIRITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD • The Wine Vault is a glass-walled, temperature-controlled room that is home to some of the worldÕrarest and most sought-after releases s • The Tasting Room can be booked for special events or corporate evenings, • The Aroma Zone has been created in partnership with Le Nez du Vin to For more information email wineshop@harrods.com or call 020 7893 8777 Duncan Smith
- 87. Tea’s the Season Teatuliaat Harrods, Food Halls, Ground Floor
- 88. ENTERTAINING SLUG Boxing Day clever A delicious array of fine meats, cheeses and cakes is a smart option for a festive feast PHOTOGRAPHER HOWARD SHOOTER FOOD STYLIST SEIKO HATFIELD Credits TK Images 44 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For To order please seeturn order form at the back food orders, please the to the form
- 89. THIS PAGE, FOODHarrods Ultimate Cheese Board, comprising 250g of Montgomery’s Cheddar, 250g of Stichleton, 250g of Beaufort, 250g of Munster, 250g of Berkswell, 250g of St Tola and a Camembert, £85; Harrods Boxing Day Chutney 330g, £4.95 and Piccalilli 285g, £4.50; San Daniele 36-month aged ham £95 per kilo; Harrods Biscuit Selection 450g, £9.95; 5J Iberico ham £225 per kilo; HOMEWARES Greggio “Argento” cheese board with lid £325; Villeroy Boch “Farmhouse Touch” tealight holder £7.95; Revol “Miniature Lion’s Head” soup bowl £6.95; Vera Wang for Wedgwood “Grosgrain” plate £17.50; Thomas Ferguson “Cavan Cross” tray cloth £14.95; OPPOSITE PAGE, FOOD Spiced ham £25 per kilo; pork pie £19.95 per kilo; Harrods Christmas Mustard 170g, £3.95; HOMEWARES Villeroy Boch “White Pearl” platter £95, “Anmut” dinner plate £19.95 and “Farmhouse Touch” amuse-bouche bowl £6.95; Christofle “Perles” dinner fork £299 and teaspoon £196
- 91. ENTERTAINING SLUG THIS PAGE, FOOD Chocolate praline torte 450g, £12.95; Harrods Lhuillier for Royal Doulton “Pointe d’Esprit” side plate £22.50 Christmas Log 750g, £30; redcurrants £5.95 per punnet; and dinner plate £27.50; Jasper Conran for Wedgwood serving HOMEWARES Villeroy Boch “Anmut” dessert plate £16.50 and bowl £35; Christofle “Spatours” forks £59 each and knives £67 side plates £12.95 each, and “White Pearl” platter £65; Christofle each; Alexandre Turpault napkin £24.95 “Spatours” fork £59 and knife £67; Kosta Boda “Snow Bowl” candle holders £16 each; Baccarat “Vega Rhine” wine glass £105; Available from Gift Wrapping Service, Lower Ground Floor; Alexandre Turpault napkin £24.95; OPPOSITE PAGE, FOOD Black Food Halls, Ground Floor; Cookshop, Crystal Glass, Gold dry-aged carvery rib £35.95 per kilo; Château roast potatoes Traditional Dining and Villeroy Boch, International China with garlic and herbs £12.50 per kilo; HOMEWARES Monique Glass, Second Floor For food please please order the form at the back To orderorders, see theturn to form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 47
- 92. ENTERTAINING STEPHEN JONES Boxing Day Milliner As a child in – my way Cheshire, my Boxing Day was spent outdoors with my cousins. The adults enjoyed stiff “Gin Its” (gin and Italian vermouth) and I Long country walks, idyllic snowy scenes, bubble would have Florida orange juice. We would and squeak and sandcastles all make up the ideal follow the local hunt. I was amazed at the brouhaha – the brilliant hunting jackets, way to spend Boxing Day the sound of the horn, and of course the glamorous hats... tally-ho! In my millinery year, January is probably my busiest month MARIOS SCHWAB PATRICK GRANT so Boxing Day is the calm before the storm. Fashion Designer Director, E. Tautz This year, I will be with friends visiting Derek Jarman’s garden on the shingle beach I usually spend Boxing I’m almost always with at Dungeness on the south coast. The misty Day in a house in the my parents in Scotland colours, smell of salt and keen wind will Austrian mountains, on Boxing Day. We get blow the cobwebs away and set me up for sharing a meal with up early and go for a the New Year – helped with a Bloody Mary! family and friends and long walk in the hills celebrating the holiday. above Edinburgh, and We have a large family and we don’t often then have a good lunch. This year, I might be NADJADirector, Swarovski Creative SWAROVSKI all manage to get together throughout the in the Cotswolds. If we’re there, then we will year, so lots of stories are told and memories go to the traditional Boxing Day meet of our As I am from Austria, shared. We generally eat fondue around a local hunt, the Heythrop. on Boxing Day we big table, and everyone brings their own usually go skiing, speciality dishes to add to the meal. After sledging or take a hike dinner, we take the dogs for a walk in the woods; there is usually lots of snow so it feels PIERRE CORTHAY Bespoke Shoemaker in the snow to walk off the dinner from very Christmassy. In the evening, after our Christmas Eve. It is walk, we exchange presents with each other. Traditionally on Boxing a time to appreciate Day I spend time with family and health – and, of course, we’re also my close family. It is a thankful for the presents from Santa, which ALEX MONROE Jewellery Designer big event in my family and a very intimate is how all of our presents are still labelled. We love sitting around the fire listening to day, as it is a way for us Christmas carols. We also go to a morning Every Boxing Day I go to extend Christmas. church service, as religion is very important for a huge walk with This year, as every year, in my family. This year we’ll probably forgo the kids and dog to I will get together with my family to take the snow for some sun, and we will either go work up an appetite advantage of this time together. We’ll cook a to the Caribbean or to Vero Beach in Florida. for another big lunch. nice dinner, have a perfect evening and start On Boxing Day we’ll go to the beach and We often walk in planning for next year! build sandcastles with the kids. Nunhead Cemetery or up on One Tree Hill in south London. Lunch is usually a huge ham, WES GORDON ANTONIO BERARDI carrots in a parsley sauce and baked potatoes Fashion Designer Fashion Designer (plus bubble and squeak from Christmas lunch, of course). Then if there is a James Growing up, I spent I will be entertaining Stephen Jones Justine Photography Bond movie on I like to settle down on the Boxing Day relaxing at my siblings in my new sofa for a TV snooze. This year I’ll be at our home with my family home in Lincolnshire. cottage in Suffolk. It’s right in the middle of and, if we felt energetic, This year, it’s my turn, a forest miles from anywhere, so there will be perhaps venturing to as it’s the first time I much longer walks, no TV and a huge fire in the cinema. This year, have had a house of the hearth. I’ll probably be chopping more unfortunately, I will my own. Apart from firewood as well because we’ll have used it all probably spend 26th cooking (which is up the day before. We’ll be hosting parents, December in airports and on planes returning a passion of mine) I will be painting my brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, so we’re to New York to work on our fall collection, bedroom this year, the first time I have likely to be about 20 people or more. which is shown only six weeks later. ever undertaken such a task. 48 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com
- 93. 11:59 AM Paris. Your3 Year, 4 Month and 2 Day Anniversary. A moment you want to last forever... Linger, savor, share. With Maison Camus Coffees, the ordinary becomes extraordinary as we custom blend our coffees the same way our Camus cognac blenders have done for generations. For one-of-a-kind flavors that elevates coffee, and your moments, to a whole new level. AVAILABLE IN THE PANTRY, GROUND FLOOR.
- 94. ENTERTAINING How tohost the perfect party There’s a lot more to a successful soirée than drinks and nibbles; careful preparation, an eclectic guest list and an array of contingency tactics will ensure your reputation as the ultimate host BY LAURA BARTON/ PHOTOGRAPHER DEIRDRE ROONEY/ STYLIST ARABELLA MCNIE hristmas parties, like moonwalking her most compromising belongings to a secret C or souffle-making, can appear location 50 miles away, and stuffing her bedroom deceptively simple: some friends, drawers with wispy lingerie, amorous love letters a few bottles of wine, a bag of salted from spurned admirers, and, if need be, an array peanuts and a dollop of festive cheer. of mouse traps or laser-triggered alarm systems to What more could you possibly need? discourage further ferreting. Alas, anyone who believes this to be true has It is important that you choose your party quite simply never been to a party. Christmas colour-scheme early. Yes, you may snort at the parties are highly charged events, up there with notion, but look at it this way: it’s all very well weddings, Royal Ascot and the daily school run, having your drawing room dressed with sumptuous as potentially mortifying social occasions. Points trays of pastel-hued macaroons, but if they clash will be awarded and deducted according to with the sofa or get all matchy-matchy with your a complex and highly secretive list of criteria. cocktail frock then who’ll be the one looking like Your Christmas decorations will be analysed, your a prize buffoon? bathroom towels discussed, the very essence of your That said, themed parties are utterly distasteful soul defined by your choice of Champagne. If you for adults. Who wants to see a grown man remember nothing else, let it be this: your entire dressed as an octopus? Or your work colleague party-throwing reputation, and possibly that of in a half-hearted snowman costume? Similarly, your descendants, hinges upon this event. The On no account never advise your guests to “dress to impress” or stakes are high, and only the strong will survive. to wear anything festive – no one, after all, wants Preparation, then, is key. Indeed, truly great should your party their living room jam-packed with sequins and party throwers will have been in training for feature any of Rudolph jumpers. Lastly, on no account should months – honing cocktail recipes and perfecting your Christmas party feature any of the following: miniature mince pies since July. For those of us the following: grottos, grottos, fake snow, or elves serving sherry. who find December suddenly looming, there is fake snow, or elves Your guest list must be brutal yet eclectic. still time to ward off an eleventh-hour flurry of Do not, out of a sense of misplaced loyalty, baking, polishing and furious paper-chain making. serving sherry invite your dreariest work colleagues or erratic Firstly, before you embark on a sophisticated family members, but do feel free to invite your Christmas soirée, it is important to ensure that plumber, or the man from the café who makes your you and your home are primed and ready. It is morning espresso. This will ensure that conversation imperative that you scrub your house until its will remain scintillating throughout the evening, cheeks shine, redecorate any dubious areas and and, for bonus points, everyone will regard you as remove any potentially embarrassing objects. an intriguingly diverse host. Know that by the end of your party, not an inch People get very pernickety about party nibbles. of your house will stand uninspected – not your Gone are the glory days of mushroom vol-au-vents bookshelves, record collection, wedding photos or and cheese-and-pineapple sticks. Sausage rolls cutlery drawer, and certainly not your bathroom are passé, dips are over, and a few bowls of crisps cabinets, which will have been scoured for signs of just won’t cut the mustard any longer – not even Viagra, haemorrhoid treatments and anti-wrinkle if they are crinkle-cut. But you tread a fine line, cream. Nothing is sacred in the game of party because equally, if your canapés resemble fussy little throwing: not your underwear drawer, your trinket sculptures of reindeer made out of mackerel and boxes, nor the box in your loft holding all of your purslane, your guests will only come to regard old school reports. The canny party thrower beats THIS PAGE William Yeoward “Margot” you as the type of neurotic loon who spends such rummagers at their own game by relocating water jug £72.95 hours carving radishes, and frankly, who wantsf 50 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 95. SLUG THIS PAGE, FOODChristmas canapés from £1.95 each; Stolichnaya Gold vodka 75cl, £26.50; HOMEWARES Ralph Lauren Home “Barrington” tray £140 and “Broughton” vodka glasses £95 each; Christofle “Vertigo” cocktail pick £239 for a set of 6; William Yeoward “Calypso” tumbler £24.95; Greggio cocktail fork £520 for a set of 6 To order please see the order form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 51
- 96. ENTERTAINING to partywith a vegetable carver? The trick is to and you should never serve sangria, alcopops, aim for maximum impact but minimum fiddling. or Buckfast. Ironic egg nog is entirely acceptable, The answer to your prayers – as it so often is in life but only on the grounds that it is Christmas. – is blinis with smoked salmon, or indeed caviar. Select your music choices in advance and keep They are simple, luxurious, and have the tantalising your soundtrack varied – no one wants to hear air of the Muscovite about them. Michael Bublé’s album on repeat all night, but nor The role of good party food is to encourage your do they want Black Sabbath squalling down their guests to mingle. Anything excessively pungent ears while they try to eat their miniature samosas. is therefore an unwise move, as it will result in Your party mix should be joyous, spritzy, perhaps a everyone standing several steps further apart and little bit jazzy and retro, with just the odd schmaltzy talking behind their hands in an unsettlingly festive number thrown in for good measure (note conspiratorial fashion. Miniature foods, however, that this means Bing Crosby, not Band Aid). are a brilliant invention because they allow any As at any social gathering, particularly those as-yet-unacquainted guests to make scintillating involving alcohol and Christmas, there is always small talk such as: “How on earth did they make the potential for things go awry: tears, tantrums, an such a tiny pie?” or “Was this mini burger made by entire tray of chipolatas incinerated while you were pixies?” Remember: oysters will greatly enhance the introducing your plasterer to your husband’s squash giddiness of your party, especially if you intend to partner. Accept that there is very little you can do play swap-the-car-keys later in the evening. With food, in these situations, other than smile beatifically Beverages are key to the success of your soirée. and keep an array of Stain Devils on hand. So if The aim is to ensure that your guests remain the trick is to aim you find your brother-in-law fondling your boss’s well-oiled, but not greasy; after all no one wants for maximum impact wife behind the Christmas tree, or your best friend their elegant Christmas cocktail party turning into pocketing your Crème de la Mer, simply breathe a house of rambling drunkards, scoffing the blinis but minimum deeply, smile and think of Bethlehem. and falling asleep in the wardrobes. The wise move fiddling If things do get out of hand, serve Martini is to begin the evening by serving a delightful- glasses of water with an olive or a twist to your yet-not-too-potent drink such as Kir Royale. most sozzled guests; they won’t know the difference, That way you can steer your guests’ drunkenness and sooner or later they will either start behaving in much the same way as an air traffic controller or collapse in a slumbering heap. If the latter, guides aeroplanes onto runways – ensuring a safe cover them in a freshly laundered sheet and passage and a smooth landing. Only after this pretend to your remaining guests that this is gentle start may the imbibing of proper cocktails THIS PAGE, FOOD Bridge rolls 65p each; a snowdrift installation created by a talented begin: Martinis, of course, Manhattans, naturally, goat’s cheese with herbs £5.25 per 100g; up-and-coming artist. and perhaps even an unseasonal Mojito. Keep your olives £19.50 per kilo; and Harrods Your aim throughout the night is to keep cocktail menu to a minimum – nobody wants Truffle Mortadella £35 per kilo; your eyes firmly on the prize: know that if you HOMEWARES Christofle “Vertigo” cocktail Piña Coladas or mango Daiquiris at this time can pull this off, your reputation as a Christmas picks £239 for a set of 6; Greggio salt dish of year, unless they are wilfully perverse. On no £60; William Yeoward “Calypso” tumbler party-throwing sophisticate is assured. As an account serve shots, unless you intend for your £24.95; OPPOSITE PAGE, FOOD added incentive, stash a bottle of very fine wine party to take a wildly unpredictable turn. Carlingford Rock Oysters £1 each; squid somewhere the guests won’t find it for after the It is also appropriate to serve other drinks, nigiri £1.45 each; salmon California final stragglers have departed. When the last guest such as wine and beer, but remember this isn’t a tobiko £1.45 each; lobster and prawn has been swept out and the front door is finally timbale £7.50 each; blinis £3.95 for a pack university freshers’ week: your cocktails should not of 16; crème fraîche 150g, £1.15; Keta closed, allow yourself a moment as you sit amid the be ladled from dustbin-sized vats, they should be caviar 100g, £16.95; HOMEWARES wreckage, glass in one hand, macaroon in the other, served in appropriate glassware, not plastic cups, Greggio salt dish and spoon set £60 to pause and rest upon your hostessing laurels. HMN 52 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 97. Credits TK Images To order please see the order form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 53
- 98. SLUG THIS PAGE,DRINKS La Mortuacienne lemonade 75cl, £3.95; Coole Swan Irish Cream Liqueur 70cl, £23.50; Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Champagne 2002 75cl, £120; Stolichnaya vodka 75cl, £26.50; Dolin Chambéry Vermouth 70cl, £10.50; HOMEWARES Ralph Lauren Home “Barrington” tray £140, “Broughton” Champagne flute £105, martini glass £95 and vodka glasses £95 each, and “Montgomery” cocktail shaker £130; William Yeoward “Calypso” tumbler £24.95; Greggio cocktail fork £520 for a set of 6; OPPOSITE PAGE, FOOD Quaranta nougat £3.50 per 100g; Patchi chocolates £7 per 100g; Prestat chocolates £6.50 per 100g; Ladurée coconut mini macaroons £10.95 per 100g box; Neuhaus marzipans £7 per 100g; Harrods Giant Swiss Chocolate Truffle £1.95 each; Mini Stollen Bites £4.95 per 175g; Almond Topped Mince Pies 450g, £9.25; Traditional Mince Pies 450g, £8.50; glacé pear £5.75 per 100g; HOMEWARES, FROM TOP William Yeoward “Portia” cake stand £239, “Edwina” 12cm tazza £54.95 and 18cm tazza £57.95, and “Victoria” comport £109 Available from Food Halls and Ladurée, Ground Floor; Cookshop, Crystal Glass, Luxury Dining and Silver Room, Second Floor Credits TK Images 54 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com To order please see the order form at the back
- 99. Credits TK Images ENTERTAINING To order please see the order form at the back Harrods Magazine • harrods.com 55
- 101. Te weather outsde may be frghtful, but the feast isde is delightful choose your perfect hamper in-store, at harrods.com or by calling 0845 605 1234
- 102. PROMOTION 58 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com
- 103. PROMOTION Northern bites Snow, sunny skies and healthy, satisfying food: Swedish is the way to do Christmas BY FLEUR FRUZZA PHOTOGRAPHER HOWARD SHOOTER The snow is glittery white and super fluffy; the air is crisp and clear, showing off a star-filled sky; bustling Christmas markets are filled with the spicy, warming scent of glögg (mulled wine). Christmas in Sweden is proper Christmas. The country’s climate and geographical positioning means that Sweden comes into its own during the winter months, when it is fully equipped to handle and even enjoy the cold weather and copious snowfall. Like many of their northern European neighbours, the Swedes celebrate Christmas on the 24th. In some households, the tree is decorated with flowers and gingerbread decorations as part of the Christmas Eve – or Julafton – ritual. This is followed by an evening supper that would historically have preceded a visit to church. The supper is served in the style of the traditional Swedish smörgåsbord – only at Christmas this becomes a julbord. The julbord dishes vary from region to region, but traditional staples include the famous Swedish meatballs with creamy gravy, smoked salmon gravlax, pickled herring, an oven-baked potato dish and lingonberry jam to serve with the meatballs. Usually finished with a rice pudding and maybe a little more glögg, Christmas doesn’t get much more Christmassy than a traditional Swedish supper. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor; Cookshop, Silver Room and Villeroy Boch International China Glass, Second Floor FOOD Olof Viktors Hand-rolled Crispbread; Falkenbergs Lax smoked salmon; Tillmans of Sweden Organic Reduced Sugar Lingonberry Jam; sweet and sour red cabbage; Almnäs Anno 1225 cheese; pickled herring; meatballs; potato bake; Harrods Mulled Wine Syrup; HOMEWARES Villeroy Boch “Anmut Platinum” dinner plate £19.50 and large bowl £20.50, “Farmhouse Touch” small bowl £7.95 and small oval dish £7.50; Christofle “Perles” forks £299 each and “Spatours” spoons £59 each; Kim Seybert napkin £22.95; J.K. Adams bread board £32.95; Alexandre Turpault napkin £24.95; Weida large oval baking dish £6.95 and rectangular baking dish £16.95; Harrods Christmas crackers £8 each, wooden fruit bowl £50 and baubles from £2.95 each; Hermès “Giralda” wine glasses £125 each; Ralph Lauren Home “Triple Stag” candle holder £1,425
- 104. A proper smörgåsbord Thesenine festive essentials are an easy way to do Christmas, Swedish style LEFT Tillmans of Sweden Organic Lingonberry Cordial; CENTRE Olof Viktors Hand-rolled Crispbread; RIGHT Knäck Bräck Spelt Heart-shaped Crispbread LEFT Olof Viktors Original Hand-rolled Crispbread; CENTRE Kalix Caviar of Kalix; RIGHT Tillmans of Sweden Organic Reduced Sugar Lingonberry Jam All images Studio 21 LEFT Koberg Vilt wild boar salami with chilli and green pepper; CENTRE Almnäs Tegel cheese; RIGHT Olof Viktors Wild Cloudberry Jam Prices start from £5.50. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor
- 105. PROMOTION SLUG White magic Credits TK Images Credits TK Images Home to fairy-tale landscapes, the Northern Lights and midnight sunshine, there are few places on earth as spellbinding as Swedish Lapland BY FLEUR FRUZZA
- 106. PROMOTION here is something otherworldly boiled and reduced into a sauce, and then served T about Swedish Lapland. This with meat and fish, in much the same way that relatively small corner of the earth the British use cranberries. Arctic cloudberries, is home to a disproportionate meanwhile (which look a little like orange amount of magic. The sun shines raspberries) are often made into deliciously tart at midnight; the indigenous people jams or used in cakes. keep thousand-year-old traditions alive; and it is While the wild and fresh produce of Swedish home to the awe-inspiring Northern Lights Lapland is heavenly when cooked in a simple, and the original Icehotel. traditional open-fire style, this is only part of Situated close to Sweden’s northernmost the region’s gastronomic offering. Swedes are point, north of the Arctic Circle, part of Swedish becoming increasingly revered for their inventive Lapland’s enchantment is that it remains largely cuisine. Restaurants understand the importance untouched and unspoiled by modernity, earning of offering an innovative dining experience, and it the moniker “Europe’s last wilderness”. Here the even as far as the Arctic Circle, chefs are cooking population is just two people per square kilometre, up creations that challenge and delight foodies and most of them have learned to live off produce in equal measure. from the land, forests and rivers. This has been the Located in Jukkasjärvi, a tiny village 200km case since the Sami – Scandinavia’s only remaining above the Arctic Circle, is the Icehotel, which indigenous people – settled in Swedish Lapland has become a destination that regularly tops and its surrounding areas about 4,000 years ago. must-visit lists across the world. One reason for The idea now, just as it was then, is for the Sami this is the Icehotel Restaurant, which claims to to make as short a journey as possible to find offer a “gastronomic adventure” in contemporary food. Many earn a living working as shepherds, Scandinavian cuisine. The award-winning fishermen and, most notably, mountain reindeer restaurant, run by Head Chef Alexander Meier, herders, which is a protected livelihood, reserved offers an experimental menu that creates unusually only for the Sami people in certain Nordic regions. paired and prepared dishes from carefully sourced Their work provides reindeer and elk meat, and ingredients. At the other end of the spectrum, the fish such as Arctic char, salmon, trout, grayling hotel’s Old Homestead Restaurant – housed in and herring. a log-cabin-style building dating back to 1768 – But today, food is so much more than just offers more traditional and rustic Swedish cuisine. a means of survival – it is a pleasure. Pickling Every December for the last 22 years, the remains a hugely popular way to treat herring, Icehotel has been rebuilt using pure, clear ice while the locals prepare their reindeer meat using from the Torne River. By April, the hotel melts salting, drying or smoking processes. Smoked heart back into the very same river, leaving the slate and dried sausage are particular delicacies. Swedish clean for completely new architecture the Laplanders, however, are also keen on simplicity, following winter. and various cuts or fillets of reindeer are enjoyed Although the Icehotel can be reached in just simply – oven cooked, grilled or stewed with few 15 minutes by car from Kiruna airport, the most accompaniments. For the uninitiated, the meat Swedes are authentic – not to mention fun – way to arrive is tender, lean and low in fat, with venison often is via husky sledge. Nothing immerses you into cited as the closest flavour comparison. becoming increasingly the Lappish way of life quite like mushing your With a rich coastline, fish is also a staple in revered for their way to your accommodation. Visitors to the the northern Swedish diet. The siklöja fish – or hotel can also learn how to drive a team of huskies vendace, a white-meat member of the salmon inventive cuisine through the surrounding forests, even spending a family – swims freely in the mineral-rich Bothnian few nights in the remote Wilderness Lodge while Bay and produces a delicate, bright orange- covering the trail. Tour operator Discover the coloured roe that is a local delicacy, known as World, which has been arranging visits to Swedish Cloudberries Alamy; lingonberries StockFood caviar of Kalix. This is harvested by hand close Lapland for almost 30 years, offers the UK’s only to the spawning season, with each fish producing direct flight from Heathrow to Kiruna. They can just two tablespoons of roe. It is worth the effort also arrange activities from husky sledging to ice- though; the succulent little grains are mild on the driving, from wilderness snowmobile adventures palate, with flavours of fish, oil and salt. The roe to moose safaris. is best enjoyed at its simplest – on a blini with just Once at the hotel, guests can nestle down a little sour cream, or crème fraîche and herbs. for the night in an ice bed. If you’re wondering Thanks to its climate of endless summer why anyone would want to spend their holiday sunshine and dry winters, Swedish Lapland also sleeping on ice, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. produces an abundance of wild berries in its The experience may be an unusual one, but it is surrounding forests, including lingonberries, remarkably comfortable. The recommended way cloudberries and blueberries. The locals make these to stay is to spend one night on ice, and then a into everything from juices and cordials to sauces FROM TOP Caviar of Kalix; a side serving of few nights in warmer accommodation. This means and jams. At Christmas time, lingonberries are cloudberries; freshly picked lingonberries a night in an igloo-style room that comprises an
- 107. EXCLUSIVE HARRODS READERS’ OFFER Book a three-night Icehotel break with leading specialist tour operator Discover the World by 9th December 2011 and receive a free Northern Lights by Snowmobile tour worth £138*. Head to Swedish Lapland high above the Arctic Circle for the ultimate winter experience in a real-life winter wonderland. Fly direct from Heathrow in just three-and-a- half hours on Discover the World’s exclusive direct flight to the Icehotel. Twenty-two years on from its inception, the Icehotel remains famous the world over as the original. By day, travel by husky sledge through snow-clad forests, ski along the frozen River Torne, or explore the magnificent Icehotel Art Suites created each year by an international team of artists and sculptors. By night, “chill out” in the IceBar then head out by snowmobile to spot the glow of the Northern Lights. Three nights at the Icehotel, including direct flights, breakfasts, one night in a snow room and two nights in warm illuminated bed made of ice and covered with a accommodation start from £1,093 comfortable mattress, reindeer skins and snuggly Such is the per person. thermal sleeping bags, ice furniture, and – for those who book an Art Suite – some spectacular magic of the Northern For more information, or to order your ice art. The warm rooms, by contrast, are light Lights, folklore and Discover the World’s Northern Lights Pack, and airy with modern Scandinavian furnishings. including a complimentary Bradt Northern The Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, are fable surrounded Lights guide, visit www.discover-the-world. the reason that many people venture to Swedish them for centuries co.uk/harrods or call 01737 218801. Lapland. Such is the magic of the lights that folklore Quote “Harrods” when booking your and fable surrounded them for centuries before a trip to Swedish Lapland scientific explanation came along. In layman’s terms, they are the result of charged gas particles flowing * Offer is subject to availability away from the sun and interacting with the earth’s magnetic field. But knowing this doesn’t make the experience any less magical. The best time to see the lights is between December and March, with this year being a “solar maximum” – a time when sunspot activity is at its height, which occurs every 11 years. One of the best vantage points is Abisko National Park, where ambient light is minimal, and the aurora’s full spectrum can be seen, from green to yellow, pink, blue and red. Discover the World can also arrange trips to see the Northern Lights on foot, horseback, snowmobile or husky sledge. Whichever type of break holidaymakers are looking for in Swedish Lapland – adventurous or relaxing – they all have one thing in common: the sparkle of a very Swedish type of magic. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Snowmobiles outside the Icehotel’s igloo- like main Visit the Food Halls, Ground Floor, to purchase entrance; one of the hotel’s Ice Art suites some of the products mentioned in this feature. husky sledging through the forests; the Products are available until December Northern Lights
- 108. PROMOTION Ice maestro Edgy and experimental, Icehotel Head Chef Alexander Meier’s cuisine is a fresh take on traditional fare BY FLEUR FRUZZA Starter WHITEFISH SALAD WITH CLOUDBERRIES AND LINGONBERRIES Serves 4 You will need 4 round cooking moulds, I build this 4cm in diameter and 2cm deep starter with For the mayonnaise smoked whitefish 2 egg yolks 1 tsp Dijon mustard from the Torne 1 tsp fresh lemon juice River. It is as 1 tsp lemon zest 300ml canola oil wonderful in winter as in summer. For the salad 320g smoked whitefish Served on Torne 4 asparagus stalks, sliced River ice, it becomes ½ red onion, chopped 4 cherry tomatoes, quartered magical 50g baby spinach 40g cloudberries ALEXANDER MEIER, 20g lingonberries HEAD CHEF, ICEHOTEL 4 quail’s eggs 1 Whisk together the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and zest and canola oil to make a mayonnaise. 2 Mix the whitefish, asparagus, red onion and cherry tomatoes with four tablespoons of mayonnaise. o one likes a smarty-pants. In the 3 Boil the quail’s eggs for 4 minutes then remove N case of Alexander Meier, however, the shells. an exception must be made, because 4 Divide the spinach leaves between 4 plates. Fill up although his culinary genius a round cooking mould with the fish and mayonnaise demands admiration it also brings mixture and put this on top of one of the plates of enjoyment. And we like enjoyment. spinach. Place lingonberries and cloudberries around The multilingual Meier has worked all over the the mould, then place a quail’s egg on top and world, from Switzerland to Ecuador, and recently remove the mould. Repeat for the other 3 plates. settled at Sweden’s Icehotel as its Head Chef.
- 109. Main course BEEF FILLET WITH ALLSPICE SAUCE, POTATO GRATIN AND SEASONAL VEGETABLES Serves 4 16 potatoes, cut into 5mm cubes I love 500ml cream 9 sprigs of thyme working with meat, 1 clove of garlic, chopped This opportunity gave Meier the chance to not and you can build ½ tsp lemon zest only dream up excellent Scandinavian cuisine, 100ml beef stock but also to play with ice. fantastic-looking 20g allspice Sourcing the best food that the surrounding plates with sauces. 150ml port wine region of Swedish Lapland has to offer, Meier 4 beef fillets (around 180g each) creates the restaurant’s dishes based on local staples This Christmas- 4 asparagus of elk, reindeer, fish and roe. Deep-fried reindeer inspired sauce will 4 carrots sweetbreads served with trumpet chanterelle risotto 4 baby red onions is one such local delicacy on the entrée menu, while add a nice spirit 8 morels almond potatoes, cep mushroom and whitefish roe to your festive accompany freshly hot-smoked back of char fish. 1 Boil the potatoes with the cream, garlic, three Meier is a master of balance, seasoning his table chopped sprigs of thyme, lemon zest and salt and meaty main courses with boldness and precision. pepper for 15 minutes. Transfer to an oven dish. Grilled elk steak and braised elk roulade is ALEXANDER MEIER, 2 Heat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7 and bake flavoured with allspice and served with buttered HEAD CHEF, ICEHOTEL the potato mixture for 35 minutes. boiled potatoes, while grilled and lightly smoked 3 Add the beef stock, allspice, port and remaining topside of reindeer is complemented by glazed thyme sprigs to a saucepan and boil until the root vegetables, potato cake and cranberry gravy. mixture is reduced by half. Sieve the sauce and For something altogether lighter, Meier has created set aside. a cured and fried fillet of char, as well as a goat’s 4 Fry the beef fillets and season with salt and cheese risotto and a scallop linguini dish. pepper. The real experimentation, however, is evident 5 Boil the asparagus, carrots and baby red onions. in his desserts, which include an elk-cheese ice Fry the morels in butter. Divide the vegetables and cream with a cloudberry doughnut, and a delicate morels between 4 plates, then place a slice of potato lavender crème bavaroise with Arctic-raspberry gratin next to this. Pour some allspice sauce on the sauce and chocolate pearls. All of which, naturally, plate and place the beef fillet upright on the sauce. are served on large blocks of ice.
- 110. ULTIMATE The Ultimate Lucky dip From pink Champagne to smoked salmon, Christmas cake to caviar, the “Ultimate” hamper has all the ingredients of a very festive season It’s snowing. The tree is way too tall for the hall, again. The fairy lights have stopped working. The star has disappeared. The doorbell rings. A delivery man is smiling under the weight of a huge parcel, staggering around the doorstep trying to keep his footing in the snow. The parcel is carefully laid in the hallway. Underneath the wrapping paper and ribbons there’s a sturdy dark-brown box that looks like an old steamer trunk. Inside, nestled among layer upon layer of tissue paper is an abundance of tiny jars and bottles and boxes filled with gourmet treats, each one as exotic and delicious as the last. It’s a lucky dip made in foodie heaven. What’s not to love about a Christmas hamper? Harrods “Ultimate” hamper is every bit the dream hamper – with all the traditional Christmas must-haves as well as gastronomic accoutrements to make every meal festively special. Each product has been selected for its exceptional flavour, from the hand- iced Christmas cake and pudding to the Champagne panettone and mince pies. There are jams and marmalade to brighten breakfasts; Iberian meats, Italian sausages and terrines for light lunches; chutney, cheeses and crackers for fireside suppers. There are even all the makings of a cocktail party: a side of smoked salmon, a block of fresh truffle foie gras and beluga caviar. And matching all these Christmas flavours are the perfect wine pairings chosen by our resident oenophiles. From a vibrant Chablis to a full-bodied Barolo, vivacious Champagne and Bajan rum – the choice is as wide as it is lively. Just add some jewelled luxury crackers (the pulling kind) and some chocolate-dipped fruits and it will feel like all your Christmases have come at once. Until next year. Harrods has a wide selection of luxury Christmas hampers, with prices ranging from £60 to £5,000. Available from Food Halls, Ground Floor; and harrods.com 66 Harrods Magazine • harrods.com For food orders, please turn to the form at the back
- 111. Ladurée unveils itsChristmas collection This holiday season, Ladurée pays tribute to childhood, to tales of the past and to an enchanted Christmas. Enter Ladurée’s Christmas dream in the form of our magical red chocolate bauble. Glittering with sugar snowflakes, it is filled with a creamy chocolate mousse, chestnuts and pear. An unforgettably Christmassy dessert experience. Visit our boutique to discover our full Christmas range. Our team will be pleased to assist you with your special Christmas or hamper order. Ladurée at Harrods, +44 (0)20 3155 0111
- 112. Silver Room, SecondFloor Telephone: 020 7730 1234 ext 2878 harrods@carrs-silver.co.uk