December’s Five Foodie Must Haves

This is December’s five foodie must-haves, brought to you by Velvet magazine

Order It

Whether you want to treat someone else or yourself – ’tis the season of sugar and spice, after all – the festive limited editions from Bitesize Bakehouse are a shoo-in. Created by master cake baker, chocolatier and confectioner Jade Boswell in her South Cambs kitchen, there are two Christmas specials available to order: The S’mores Brownie ‘Yule Log’ Collection (£15 for four slices, £26 for eight) and The Marshmallow Snowflake Collection (£13 for eight pieces, £25 for 16).

Bitesize-Bakehouse

Order now at bitesizebakehouse.com

Snack It

Here’s some good food news: two of our area’s best loved indies have just become one. Gnawtybites, best known for its dangerously delicious brookies (that’s brownie-topped cookies, for the uninitiated), and Lorenzo’s Coffee, famous for the unrivalled quality of its beans and brews, have united to run Hemingford Grey cafe The Grey House. Jaffles – the Aussie version of a Breville toastie are a signature, with the top-selling filling so far cheese and baked bean.

The-Grey-House

Grab a snack from @thegreyhouse_hemingford

Drink It

Produced in Bonnie and Clyde, a pair of copper and wash stills, Melford’s Gin is new from Long Melford’s Nethergate Distillery. Paying tribute to the distillery’s surrounding Stour Valley countryside, its seven botanicals offer a Suffolk twist on the traditional London Dry – delightfully floral, the nose alone marks it out from the gin crowd. Serve with Indian tonic, lots of ice and a lime slice.

Melfords-Gin

Treat yourself to a drink of Nethergate Melford’s Gin, from £20 for 35cl

Cook It

Founded by St Neots chef Lee Farina, a man on a mission “to put fire in your belly”, Badger’s Chilli Kitchen is known for its signature spicy sauces, seasonings, relishes and snacks – and now it’s added a subscription box service, showcasing a different recipe each month, to the menu. Containing recipe card, key ingredients and a bonus mystery gift, all for £20, the monthly boxes promise “fantastic, easy-to-prepare meals that will inspire you and light up your tastebuds,” says Lee.

Badgers Chilli Kitchen

Put the fire in your belly at badgerschillikitchen.co.uk

Dine It

Walk into Di Rita’s at No. 2, the former NatWest bank in the centre of St Ives, and the sights and smells – of freshly brewed coffee, still-warm sourdough, just-baked pizzas – take you straight to Italy. Bringing together two of the town’s best-loved food venues, Di Rita’s Italian restaurant, Bridge Street, and its sister pizzeria and deli, Merryland, the newly opened site encompasses a coffee house, deli shop, pizza-pasta restaurant and wine bar to the front of the building, and the Da Vinci Restaurant, setting for elegant afternoon teas during the day and fine dining in the evening, at the rear.

Di Rita’s St Ives

Book a table at diritasitalian.com

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