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For those of you who have seen the village of Braunton, North Devon, on the news practically underwater - well - that's where I am right now!
My poor little village has been flooded today and after a manic day of reporting it all, I've decided it's time to sit down with a glass of wine and get organised for Christmas!
Unable to get out of the village at the moment, I've been trying to find out what I've got in stock for a gluten free Christmas so I can attempt to don the wellies tomorrow and get the rest!
So far, I've got some tasty goodies in stock....
The list so far is looking like this.....
Mrs Crimbles Sage and Onion Stuffing - This is one I haven't yet tried. I often struggle to find gluten free stuffing in the shops but mother found this and nabbed it up back in November! I have tried the Hale and Hearty one before but not this, so will report back on how it goes!
Baked to Taste Christmas Pudding - Another one I haven't tried! I have NEVER have a gluten free Christmas pudding, and back in the 'days of gluten' as a child I hated the stuff! That being said, I also hated mince pies until I tried them last year - so it will be nice to join in the festivities this year!
Knorr stock pots - These definitely looked like they will come in handy! I'm not sure what we'll be trialling these with, but I'm sure with turkey leftovers a risotto will come into play somewhere so will be good to use something a bit different.
Kent & Fraser stilton and walnut biscuits - I've tried these before and they were DELICIOUS! (See past review here) Perfect for a cheeseboard, they are so much better than bland oatcakes or dry gluten free crackers. I found these in a local deli and can't wait to have them again - am a HUGE cheese fan!
Atkins & Potts korma cooking sauce - I got sent some samples of Atkins and Potts' sauces and they are delicious! Turkey curry is a must post-Boxing Day so I will be mixing my leftovers with this sauce - perfect for a hangover cure!
Sainsbury's cranberry sauce - Cranberry sauce - it's a must for Christmas day. What more can I say?
Sainsbury's taste the difference nuts - For a Christmas snack that's oh-so-traditional and naturally gluten free you can't go wrong with nuts. It's a traditional thing in our house to kick back, watch some crappy TV and crack open the nuts. Bliss.
So that's what I've got so far, but what's still to get?
CHOCOLATE. The most important aspect of Christmas day! If you're on the hunt for gluten free chocs, my favourite place to start is Thorntons. As well as delicious chocolate, they also label their products really clearly. I also tend to opt for a box of Orange Matchmakers and of course the classic tin of Cadbury's Roses - several of which have been devoured in the office already!
I'll probably pick up some Genius mince pies in the last minute dash to Tesco, although I did enjoy some Costa Coffee gluten free Christmas cake the other evening during late night shopping! And of course, some marzipan fruits!
I think that's probably it for now, but am sure I will pick up more on my way round the shops!
I'd love to hear what gluten free treats you've discovered this Christmas - comment below and share your finds!
Don't forget some gluten free sausages or chipolatos with bacon to go with the turkey. Co-op Truly Irresistible have some good ones as well as Black Farmers Daughter Chipolatas, and not forgetting Marks & Spencers for them too as well as their sausagemeat stuffings (I have Pork & Chestnut). Also, for high tea, how about some little meringues, homemade or shop bought, stuck together with whipped cream (or clotted if feeling really naughty). And don't forget some white gluten free bread (stale is good) to make some bread sauce. I don't bother to make mine into breadcrumbs I just put chunks into the milk, it soon disintegrates.
Happy Christmas to you.
PS - hope you and your family's houses have not been flooded. It looks terrible on the news - poor shopkeepers.
Hi Sue, thanks for the tips! I shall have to try the Co-Op ones, I don't think I've had them before - usually go for the Black Farmer ones! Also shall have to try the bread sauce idea, though I don't think we ever had that pre-coeliac! Hope you had a lovely Christmas - and luckily we didn't get flooded, only a little damp in our extension, nothing serious!
Hi there your a very busy bee and love reading all your mails, you seem to get your message across to a lot of people, so I hope that you can tell everyone that storing gluten free bread in a fridge is the worst thing you can do because it does the opposite to keeping it fresh it actually accelerates staling ! This is why the sarnies from M&S taste days old even though they have may have only been in their fridge for a day OR MORE !
Merry Christmas to all
Paul
Thanks for the tip Paul! It does seem to me that when I put my GF sandwiches in the fridge it makes them worse rather than keeping them fresh! I shall have to try and remember this when making sarnies the night before work!
Sorry I have to get something off my chest ! Which is Coeliac U.K !
A few years ago they requested that instead of coeliacs making donations we should pay a membership fee which most of us agreed and paid, but that to me was just a start to make profit instead of more help ! Now (after redundancy and left) I am not a member I am not allowed to go on the website without a password (to proved you have paid) CHARITY OR BUSINESS (buy in or we don't help you)
Good job there not running the Samaritans
Thank you very much (for your FREE TIME) Sue
Paul (Harrogate)
Hi Paul, I do give my time free as a local Group Organiser, and so do my fellow committee members. In our group we welcome any coeliac to our group, whether official members or not, and we all want to help support people as much as we can. In fact, some of the committee are not paid up members either. I am sure you would be welcome at your local group, or ours but I fear that is too far for you to travel. Most of the CUK website pages are accessible to all, just a small part is members only, and there is a lower concessionary rate for unemployed, pensions etc. It doesn't have to be paid in all at once either, you can spread the cost out over the year, eg once a quarter. Other UK charities for people with illnesses and conditions have been charging memberships for years - about 15 years ago I enquired of another charity and even back then there was a fee to join. CUK has and still is funding much research into the coeliac condition and that is where a lot of the donations and membership fee goes to.
Please don't think I was knocking any groups it was only my view of coeliac uk. We have a group in Harrogate who all work very hard for free as I would think the same for every local group.
Thanks
Paul
Late to the party here, but just to say that I hope your Baked to Taste pud was lovely. I have absolutely loved everything I have tried from their range (and nope, not sponsored in any way), and I think I'll be doing a bulk order to freeze soon. Their chocolate cake is superb nuked in the microwave and full of melting chocolaty goodness. Just not sure if I can eat it anymore as I'm now lactose intolerant too - boo hiss!
Bernie