Stocking Fillers

A Perfect Pair:

with Coffee

Omni-Grind Signature Blend Coffee (200g), £12, harrods.com

Chocolate and coffee make for an irresistible combination. But how do you know what is the perfect sweet treat to team with a cup of freshly brewed coffee? When it comes to pairings, a fresh cup of coffee and some dark chocolate is a delightful combination. The dark chocolate complements the rich and nutty tasting notes that often feature in great coffee beans. Of course a cup of coffee is great at any time of day. Whether it’s that first hit of caffeine in the morning, or a mid-afternoon pickme-up, there is nothing quite like it. But as attention turns towards the festive season, we’re getting in the mood to entertain friends and family and enjoy long, drawn out dinners, catching up with the important people in our lives. Whether you’re entertaining or being entertained, don’t forget about that all important post-dinner coffee and sweet treat combination. If you’re heading to family or friends, a food gift is always well received and our ready to gift boxes of dark chocolate coated nuts are the perfect finisher to a meal. And if you’re the one doing the entertaining, they’re a great centrepiece for the table as you bring out hot drinks. But which is the best nut to choose for your after-dinner munch? While we love all our dark chocolate encased nuts, a chocolate covered hazelnut, plus a freshly brewed coffee is a perfect flavour combination. Hazelnuts offer a great crisp bite and are not too creamy or sweet. They have a delicate flavour that already works brilliantly with chocolate and it is these tasting notes that make it the ultimate partner for a cup of coffee. Our dark chocolate covered hazelnuts come in a selection of gift jars and boxes, from a sweet and small stocking filler size to our signature gourmet jars, or ready to gift, bow tied boxes. Our dark chocolate covered hazelnuts are the post-dinner treat to be serving this season. The season of excess is here and as the nights get longer we love the warming properties of a great whiskey in the evening. But if you’re dishing up pre-dinner whiskey to a crowd you need to give your snack pairing a little thought. So, what’s the best snack to serve? Well, that depends on the flavour profile of your whiskey. Nuts, crisps and crackers with added spice and flavourings can really complement your tipple. A snack mix with some salt and spice is a great way to kick start your offering and our Mexican Snack Mix and Assorted Rice and Peanut crackers offer the perfect salty balance to the smokiness of a whiskey. Want to recreate that bar snack feel? Try our salt and pepper peanuts as a great tasty morsel that you and your guests are guaranteed to enjoy grazing alongside your drinks. If you prefer your whiskey strong and peaty, then try balancing some of that flavour with a slightly sweeter nut. Our dark chocolate pistachios or cocoa dusted Belgian milk chocolate caramelised pecans with a hint of gianduja are truly dreamy and balance a peaty profile perfectly. For those with a love of sweeter whiskey, then make sure that your snack of choice pares back some of those more candied flavours. This allows you to enjoy the whiskey without being overpowered by sweetness. Try our dark chocolate covered Brazil nuts for a snack that is less sugary on the palette. A good snack pairing allows both parties to truly shine. As the idea is for them to complement and enhance one another, not overpower. Heading to friends or family? Our ready to gift products are a great way of giving your host a treat that enhances the whole occasion.

Bialetti Moka Express Hob Espresso Maker, 1 Cup, £20.00, John Lewis & Partners

A Perfect Pair:

with Whiskey

GEORG JENSEN, Sky Icecubes , Set of 4, £39, amara.com

How to be more sustainable this Christmas In focus: Dates

Sustainability is the big buzzword at the minute. Whether it’s the Insulate Britain protestors making their presence known or world leaders making headlines from the recent COP26 gathering, eco efficiancy and sustainability is at the forefront of all of our minds.

Here at Farhi we do not believe that sustainability is a buzzword or a fad but with such a spotlight on it currently, it’s easy for the message to get diluted or become a topic that brands pick up and drop as trends change. At Farhi we have one simple objective to, ‘do better everyday’. We are by no means perfect but everyday we strive to do a little bit more, to hold ourselves to account and to research more and subsequently action how we can improve our production process, our product lines and our packaging to work towards a more sustainable future that works long term. In future issues we will be taking an indepth look into packaging developments, the difference between compostable and recyclable and the other implications that come with changing established packaging productions. But, in this first issue we wanted to talk a little bit about how to have a more sustainable Christmas. At a time at high consumer spend, wrapping paper and an abundance of packaging, it’s easy for sustainability to go out the window. Here are our top 5 ways of improving your sustainability this Christmas, without compromising on festive cheer.

1Buy better, buy less. Consumption is a big issue when it comes to sustainability and Christmas is easily a time when we are all guilty of over purchasing. Opt for food items that can be enjoyed by friends and family and search out items with a long shelf life so that gifts can be enjoyed after the fairy lights have been switched off. Our products hold a 10 month shelf life, making them still utterly delicious after the festive season is over.

2Reuse and re-love. Ever received a gift where the packaging is just as great as the product inside? When looking for gifts, think about purchasing items that can live beyond their original purpose. While our gourmet large jars and bow tied small jars are perfect for storing our delicious confectionery, once the treats are gone, don’t throw the jars away! Wash them out with some soapy water and use the storage containers to help tidy up your home. With screw top lids they’re great for storing dried goods or more confections and even work well for storing stationery. Our bonbonnières are also an incredibly stylish solution for a dressing table jewellery decanter or even for holding your keys on your console table by the front door.

3Think about your wrapping paper. If you’re looking to wrap your gifts this season (make sure to check out our gift wrapping 10 step guide on page 17) then think about what you wrap your gifts with. Check that the wrapping you’re buying is recyclable or why not go a little retro and use brown paper and twine as the basis for your wrapping. When sealing your wrapping paper, use the minimum amount of tape or tape that can be peeled off easily so that wrapping can be gently removed and reused, paying it forward to help the planet. Other wrapping ideas can include using old magazines and newspapers or even some fun fabric that again can be tied with twine and reused at a later date. Unwrapping presents is fun but it doesn’t need to cost the earth.

4Make sure to check how to dispose of packaging properly. Somethings won’t be able to be recycled and in those instances try to reuse the packaging where you can. If something can be recycled make sure to dispose of it in the appropriate way to minimise landfill. It’s a little bit of extra effort but it goes a long way. Our new snack box range (that is perfect for stocking fillers) is compostable, why not start composting, a great way to enrich your garden and reduce waste too, you can even add left over brussel sprouts too it.

5Give gifts that help the world. But why not try and go beyond the tangible and give a gift that pays it forward. Plant a tree for a friend, support an animal on someone’s behalf or gift a charity donation. There are lots of ways to be thoughtful this season that can ensure the wider world and community benefits too.

From all of us here at Farhi HQ, have a wonderful break and enjoy yourselves, however you’re spending it. Dates are thought to be the oldest cultivated fruit in the world. Medjool dates come from the Middle Eastern and North African regions. This exotic fruit is loved for their fleshy and slightly tougher skins that encase juicy, almost syrupy innards. Dates grow on big date palms, in clusters, almost like grapes and need glorious sunshine and heat to grow into irresistibly plump dates, ready for devouring or turning into jars of date syrup that spreads beautifully on toast and is perfect for marinating meats and chicken with.

We introduced our stuffed mejdool dates in 2019 and they have developed many loyal fans, becoming one of Farhi’s best sellers. Served in one of our signature selection boxes, this really is a tasty treat that has something for everyone.

High quality, plump, Middle Eastern dates are sliced open and filled with a combination of roasted nuts and delicious, candied fruits for a truly delightful sweet treat. Those dates that we don’t fill, are dipped into dark, milk or white chocolate for a truly decadent treat that will light up any table.

Sealed with a bow, this multi selection box of juicy dates makes for a wonderful and thoughtful gift and will look simply glorious as a table centrepiece at anytime of day.

from first sight until the last bite.

Fillings include Spanish candied, zesty orange peels, creamy marzipan, crisp Persian walnuts, delicate pistachios, crunchy cashew nuts and sun-ripened Californian almonds, served alongside dates dipped in rich Belgian dark, milk or white chocolate.

This selection box is one that will enchant every guest and the brightness of the pistachios and candied orange peel really help to make this box of delicacies stand out from the crowd.

The dates collection has been so popular that we also introduced our vegan friendly version, that skips the milk chocolate options and serves dates dipped in high quality Belgian chocolate for a velvety taste and rich flavour, alongside vegan friendly dates, filled with fruits and nuts.