One of the great pleasures of the festive season is the endless grazing on party food. Who can resist a cheese straw, a sausage roll, or a mince pie while sipping a glass of mulled wine? However, unlike the traditional roast dinner, the world of festive finger food is highly susceptible to passing fads, with supermarkets eagerly packing the year's biggest trends into their seasonal offerings.
The Festive Fads Falling Flat
This year, supermarket shelves feature novelties like Sainsbury's Irish coffee tiramisu, M&S's Build Your Own Christmas Charcuter-Tree, and Tesco's Dubai-Style Pistachio Iced Cream Dessert. Yet, professional chefs are now sounding the alarm, warning that the quality of such trend-driven foods is often at its 'worst during the festive season'. They advise shoppers to steer clear of certain fashionable options, which are frequently 'low quality' at this time of year.
For instance, much supermarket 'hot honey' is simply standard honey mixed with chilli flakes, a far cry from the original, properly fermented version that sparked the trend. Similarly, trendy miso butter often contains minuscule amounts of actual miso. Even miniature burgers come under fire for being dry and containing as little as 20g of meat.
Say No to Over-the-Top Charcuterie
While a charcuterie board is a Christmas staple, Chef Dhruv Baker, founder of British artisanal producer Tempus Foods, cautions against the social media-inspired, excessively elaborate versions. He argues that these overflowing boards lead to significant food waste, as 'no one really finishes any of it and it goes into the bin'. He also pleads with people to stop making 'charcuterie roses' in wine glasses, which then retain the smell of salami.
The 'Blanket' Everything Trend
Liliane Nguyen, co-founder of Mothaiba vodka, has noticed an alarming proliferation of foods 'in blankets', far beyond the classic pig. 'Today alone I've seen mozzarella sticks in blankets, halloumi in blankets, mac and cheese bites in blankets,' she complains, noting that even crisps now come in 'pig in blanket' flavour. Her advice is simple: 'I love pigs in blankets but not everything needs a blanket.'
Hot Honey and Miso Missteps
Both Dhruv Baker and Chef Jonathan Hope of Scottish fermentery Slow Sauce criticise the ubiquity of poorly made hot honey. Jonathan explains that authentic hot honey is fermented for months with fresh chillies, creating a complex flavour, whereas most retail versions are a simple, sickly-sweet mix. He extends his critique to mass-produced miso products, which often use low-quality miso or too little of it just to justify the label and a higher price.
What to Serve for the Perfect Christmas Spread
So, what should you serve instead? The chefs advocate for quality over quantity and simplicity over complexity.
For charcuterie, Dhruv Baker recommends reigning it in: 'Decide on four or five types... I always recommend going for two to three different types of salami, a nice ham, and something spreadable.' He suggests pairing them with breadsticks and olives, and sourcing from a good deli, highlighting excellent British producers.
For easy, flavourful bites, experts suggest:
- Gildas: Skewers with olives, anchovies, and guindilla chillies.
- Toast Toppers: Little squares of toast with sobrasada and honey, or a fig slice with Ibérico ham.
- Pimped Tinned Fish: MasterChef winner Ping Coombes suggests sardines drizzled with smoked chilli oil or crisps topped with cornichons, ham, and Manchego.
To elevate the classic pig in a blanket, Liliane Nguyen advises using quality chipolatas and thin streaky bacon, tucking in a sprig of rosemary, and brushing with a dash of honey before roasting.
The consensus is clear: this Christmas, focus on a few well-sourced, high-quality components rather than a sprawling array of forgettable trends. Your taste buds—and your guests—will thank you.
